Higher Name Saul is a (regulation college) textbook instance of a TV spinoff that matches its predecessor when it comes to high quality storytelling, and it helped flip Mr. Present icon Bob Odenkirk right into a dramatic powerhorse. However because it usually goes with extremely superb tv standouts, an ill-sighted community be aware practically clipped the actor’s Saul Goodman character from existence earlier than he may carry his signature sleaze to a few of Breaking Unhealthy’s greatest episodes.
Higher Name Saul co-creator and esteemed Breaking Unhealthy author Peter Gould dropped this gobsmacking nugget of information within the impending BTS extravaganza Saul Goodman V. Jimmy McGill: The Essential Companion to Higher Name Saul (by way of EW), penned by Alan Sepinwall and out on February 4, 2025. The Emmy winner dug into the origins of the flagship drama’s Season 2 episode “Higher Name Saul,” by first admitting that when Season 2 was being crafted, he wasn’t fully certain what the tone was, and defaulted to creator Vince Gilligan for steerage.
The essential thought was that Bryan Cranston’s Walter White wanted a lawyer, and the writers initially went a bit of overboard within the conception part for that character that finally turned Saul. As Gould put it:
I believe this was Vince feeling out what the present was going to be going ahead. So we got here up with this concept of this character. And first, within the room, we had loads of concepts that had been crazier even than what we ended up doing. There was one pitch the place, when he received paid, he would put the cash right into a pneumatic tube that went straight to the financial institution. There have been every kind of loopy pitches like that. And we had been simply having enjoyable with the character. And I bear in mind, Vince got here in with the title Saul Good. After which, one of many different writers stated, ‘Saul Goodman.’ After which, one of many writers stated, ‘What about LWYRUP as a license plate?’ And so, these began clinging to one another instantly.
As a child, the thought of a pneumatic tube connections was the stuff of desires, so I’d have been down with that concept all the best way. However I digress.
Persevering with his rationalization, Peter Gould stated that versus being conceived as a standalone character with the potential to develop this crime drama saga, Saul Goodman was simply meant to be a method to an finish for Walt’s story, albeit a implies that was extra amusing than maybe anticipated. Which sparked some nervousness when it got here to how the shyster would correctly match into the lethal severe story. And as Gould put it, these nerves had been absolutely justified.
Did we predict he was going to have a future? Nicely, I’ll inform you, personally, as I used to be writing the episode, I received very nervous. I received scared, as a result of I used to be frightened that we had been going to interrupt the present by making a personality that was too foolish — that he was going to be simply too huge for what I assumed was a really grounded present. Grounded in its personal means, let’s put it that means. And, my worry was truly enhanced once we had our first notes name with an govt who will stay anonymous. Vince and I had been on a convention name, and the query got here up, principally, ‘We don’t like this character. May we begin once more and give you a distinct story for this episode?’
You gotta love a higher-up boss who can take a look at one thing and, in all probability with out attempting to understand how a lot work went into it, ask if it might be finished another time from prime to backside. Wait, did I say “love?” I meant “rage out in opposition to.”
Fortunately, Vince Gilligan made the choice to talk up in protection of the colourful lawyer, making it doable for Higher Name Saul‘s A+ episodes to exist and entertain in perpetuity. In keeping with Gould:
And Vince stated, ‘No.’ He was strongly advocating for the script and for the character. And, to their credit score, the individual or individuals on the decision backed down, as a result of they needed to belief Vince. However, you possibly can take into consideration what another universe can be the place we had needed to throw that episode out.
And right here I assumed the wildest change-in-decision behind the scenes of Breaking Unhealthy (a minimum of ones regarding Bob Odenkirk’s character) might need been flipping Saul from having a Scorching Matter job to working at Cinnabon. However that is on a complete different stage of “What the hell was that one individual considering?”
All episodes of Breaking Unhealthy and Higher Name Saul can be found to stream with an AMC+ subscription, and if there’s ever a degree when it seems to be like BCS doesn’t exist anymore, that’s the way you’ll know you unwittingly slipped into that alternate universe the place AMC execs received their means. Good luck getting house!