Breaking Bad 

Better Call Saul: 10 Inconsistencies Compared to Breaking Bad

Better Call Saul doesn't compare to Breaking Bad in a lot of ways, and certain inconsistencies throughout the show prove just how much this is true.

When one talks about some of the greatest shows in the history of television, it goes without saying that Breaking Bad is definitely ranked way up, if not at the very top of entertainment. The story of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman took over the world of pop culture by storm, with fans slowly increasing over time until the very final season when it felt like pretty much everyone had boarded the hype train of this excellent series. One might’ve even argued that this was very much Vince Gilligan’s magnum opus… that is until Better Call Saul came to the airwaves.

RELATED: 10 Hidden Connections To Breaking Bad In Better Call Saul That You Missed

It was clear that Gilligan had taken everything he’d learned over the course of Breaking Bad and integrated all the good bits into Better Call Saul, and it shows. The pacing, narrative, and characters all have a level of depth that Breaking Bad was still experimenting with. The formula of near-perfection is very much palpable in Better Call Saul, with fans almost salivating for the fifth season to come after an unexpected delay. However, there’s a reason why we use the term near-perfection — narrative inconsistencies are always present across various long-form pieces of entertainment, and Better Call Saul is no exception. Vince Gilligan might be a genius… but even geniuses can make errors at some time. Here are 10 narrative inconsistencies in Better Call Saul that prove this point.

A 2013 Murder Shown On A Newspaper From The Early 2000s

A man in Better Call Saul

Continuity issues are a dime-a-dozen in pretty much any TV show, and this is especially true for series with prequels. Such an issue can be seen in one particular episode of Better Call Saul, where a newspaper from 2002 has an article detailing out the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd by Aaron Hernandez.

This might not be the most egregious offender on the list, but it warrants a mention nevertheless.

The New AT&T Logo Is Used In A Show Set In The Past

AT&T in Better Call Saul

For the ones who’ve played GTA V, watching Trevor’s actor — Steven Ogg — in Better Call Saul was definitely a treat for all the right reasons. However, his presence was marred by a silly anachronism that could definitely have been avoided.

In the scene where Mike hits Steven’s character with the butt of his gun, one can clearly see the new AT&T logo in the background. This was a logo formed in 2005, making it somewhat suspect to be included in a show set in the early 2000s, this definitely raises some concerns indeed.

When Did Saul Earn A Master Of Arts In Political Science in 1984?

Sauls certificate in Better Call Saul

In Breaking Bad, one of the degrees that Saul has received includes a Master Of Arts In Political Science from the University Of American Samoa, dating all the way back to 1984. However, given the events shown in Better Call Saul, it’s fairly apparent that the name “Saul” never existed during the time that Jimmy studied in this law school.

The only explanation that makes any sense is that Jimmy forged this degree after adopting the identity of Saul Goodman.

Wasn’t Hector Supposed To Be In Jail For 17 Years?

Hector Salamanca in Better Call Saul

Hector Salamanca is one of the best characters in Better Call Saul. He also shouldn’t be in the series, to begin with, given his supposed backstory.

RELATED: 5 Subplots That Were Wrapped Up Perfectly In Breaking Bad (& 5 That Weren’t)

In Breaking Bad, it’s explicitly mentioned that Hector was in jail for 17 years around the same time that Better Call Saul is based on. Him being portrayed as a free man directly contradicts this fact.

Mike Ehrmantraut Looks Older In The Prequel

MIke in Better Call Saul

This one is fairly self-explanatory — and understandably so — so we won’t get into any major details here.

For the most part, all the actors from Breaking Bad can pass as younger versions of themselves. The sole exception to this is Mike Ehrmantraut — Jonathan Banks has not aged gracefully, and this shows in Better Call Saul.

Saul Never Mentioned His Encounter With Tuco

Tuco has Jimmy tied up in Better Call Saul

The encounters with Tuco Salamanca in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are both iconic for a whole host of reasons.

However, the fact that Jimmy met Tuco before encountering Walter and Jesse is somewhat suspect, especially given the fact that there’s never an explicit conversation about how these two individuals survived their encounter with this absolute madman.

Mike’s Granddaughter’s Age Is Up For Debate

Kaylee smiles at Mike Ehrmantraut outside Better Call Saul.

One of the biggest inconsistencies between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad is the age of Kaylee, Mike’s granddaughter. If the timeline is to be believed, then Kaylee is around 3-4 years old in the prequel and in her early 10s in Breaking Bad.

However, in Better Call Saul, Kaylee looks nothing even remotely close to a 3-year-old. The youngest one can label her as is a 6-year-old and even that’s a bit of a stretch.

It Seems That Jimmy Was Never Married

Saul in Better Call Saul

A plot hole so massive that Vince Gilligan has discussed it himself — the facts of Saul’s apparent marriages are quite hazy. According to Saul Goodman himself in Breaking Bad, he’s been married multiple times and both marriages have been failures.

RELATED: 10 Questions That The Sixth & Final Season Of Better Call Saul Needs To Answer Before Ending

However, in Better Call Saul, there’s no indication that Saul was ever married. The only marriage shown in the series is Kim Wexler, but that doesn’t account for any of his other relationships.

Kim Is Never Mentioned In Breaking Bad

Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul

For someone who’s played such a major role in defining Jimmy as a character, it’s particularly vexing to see that Kim Wexler has never been mentioned even once in Breaking Bad.

If this lack of mentions is supposed to be a way for Saul to cope with her loss or something along the same lines, then it might just be passable. However, this total lack of presence applies to another character in Better Call Saul

Chuck Is Never Mentioned In Breaking Bad Either

Chuck in Better Call Saul

As is the case with Kim, Charles McGill is also noticeably absent in the proceedings of Breaking Bad, with nary a peep from Jimmy about this elder brother who was such a definitive presence in his life.

The explanation for the omissions of Chuck and Kim is equal parts obvious and disappointing — these characters didn’t even exist before the inception of Better Call Saul. The absence of both these characters’ presence in Breaking Bad is understandable to an extent… but it also kinda sucks, if we’re being totally frank about it.

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