Time flies when you're having fun and games - here's how long Bob Odenkirk's Jimmy McGill begins with the significantly-less-sleazy title character working as a small-time lawyer in May 2002. A little over 2 years between Better Call Saul season 1 and season 6 - confirmed by Gus Fring's charity check dated June 2004 in "Plan & Execution."
That chapter is brought to a close by the final moments of Better Call Saul season 6, episode 9 ("Fun & Games") when a time jump occurs after Kim quits as a lawyer and breaks off her marriage. Jimmy is then shown living at the mansion from Better Call Saul season 6's premiere (most likely purchased with Sandpiper money), and driving his iconic Cadillac from Saul Goodman's office, meanwhile, has been remodeled into the design Breaking Bad viewers will fondly .
Better Call Saul doesn't explicitly state how long es during season 6's time jump, but a vital clue is found upon the rear of Jimmy's automobile. In the bottom right corner of the Cadillac's famous "LAWRUP" license plate, a registration sticker for November 2005 can be spotted. This expiry date narrows down the closing scene of "Fun & Games" to between November 2004 and November 2005, approximately 5-17 months since Kim scuppered their relationship. Given how drastically Jimmy's life has changed - his home, his car, his place of work, etc. - the time jump likely ground to a halt somewhere down the latter end of that range.
How Long Before Breaking Bad Is Better Call Saul Season 6?
Breaking Bad's season premiere kicks off with Walter White's 50th birthday, and since Bryan Cranston's character was born on September 7, the story must begin in September 2008. Even with the "Fun & Games" time jump, therefore, Better Call Saul still hasn't hit Breaking Bad territory quite yet. At the very least, the spinoff remains 2 years, 10 months away from Walter White's fateful cancer diagnosis. Saul Goodman doesn't meet Walt and Jesse until Breaking Bad season 2 either, tacking a few extra months onto that estimate. Better Call Saul season 6's time jump still leaves Jimmy approximately 3 years away from becoming Heisenberg's lawyer.
That gap poses a curious conundrum for Better Call Saul's final few episodes. Is there more story to tell within this post-jump period, or will focus now turn towards the future and Better Call Saul's Gene timeline instead? On one hand, Jimmy McGill's backstory feels finished. All lingering questions are answered, and all pieces are set in preparation for Breaking Bad. Having said that, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are waiting in the wings to appear as Walt and Jesse. While some of their scenes will likely come during Gene's era, the duo are confirmed to share the screen together, which can only happen before Walt's Breaking Bad disappearance. Might Better Call Saul continue exploring Saul Goodman's prequel journey? Or skip straight to his unwritten future?
Better Call Saul continues Monday on AMC.