Saul Goodman’s Inclusion in Breaking Bad Faced Early Resistance from AMC Executives

Breaking Bad creators defended the now-iconic character despite concerns over his tone and potential to disrupt the show’s grounded narrative.

Breaking Bad writer-producer Peter Gould revealed AMC executives initially wanted to remove Saul Goodman from the show, fearing the character was too 'silly.'
Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk, became a fan favorite and later starred in the acclaimed spin-off series Better Call Saul.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan strongly advocated for the character, convincing executives to trust his vision and retain Saul in the series.
The initial concept for Saul Goodman was developed as a supporting role to serve Walter White’s story, with no plans for a spin-off at the time.
Better Call Saul, which premiered in 2015, explored the character’s origins and earned Odenkirk multiple award nominations before concluding in 2022.