What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBetter Call Saul
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2015
If you loved Better Call Saul, start with Breaking Bad (Vince Gilligan, 2008) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Better Call Saul across media.
You are drawn to Better Call Saul because of the compelling way it charts the slow, inevitable moral decay of complicated people.
Start with the source
The source
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
Adaptation
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Film · 2019
Books on the same thread
Batman
Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, Bob Kane · Book · 2011
Shares a thread with Better Call Saul: Moral Ambiguity.
Much like the corruption Jimmy McGill navigates in Better Call Saul, this story explores how systemic rot and personal moral ambiguity force individuals into dark, life-altering compromises.
Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama
Bob Odenkirk · Book · 2022
Explores: Creative reinvention, Industry disillusionment, Career longevity.
After watching the transformation of Jimmy McGill in Better Call Saul, this memoir offers a candid look at the creative reinvention and industry disillusionment that defined Odenkirk’s own path.
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Book · 2007
Explores: Mafia, Corruption, Crime.
If the gritty underworld of Better Call Saul captured your attention, you will appreciate this unflinching look at the real-world corruption and systemic criminality hidden within modern society.
The Lincoln Lawyer
Michael Connelly · Book · 2011
Shares 2 threads with Better Call Saul: Moral Ambiguity, Redemption.
This legal thriller mirrors the moral ambiguity found in Better Call Saul, focusing on a defense attorney operating in the gray areas of the justice system for personal gain.
Films on the same thread
Joker
Todd Phillips · Film · 2019
Shares 2 threads with Better Call Saul: Neo-Noir, Character Study.
Fans of the character study in Better Call Saul will recognize the same tragic, inevitable descent into madness as a social outcast slowly transforms into a notorious criminal mastermind.
Nightcrawler
Dan Gilroy · Film · 2014
Shares 2 threads with Better Call Saul: Moral Ambiguity, Neo-Noir.
This film captures the same obsession with the American Dream seen in Better Call Saul, following a protagonist who blurs ethical lines to succeed in an unforgiving landscape.
GoodFellas
Martin Scorsese · Film · 1990
Shares a thread with Better Call Saul: Moral Ambiguity.
Like the rise of Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul, this biographical crime film masterfully documents the seductive pull of organized crime and the ultimate cost of loyalty.
Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2005
Shares a thread with Better Call Saul: Neo-Noir.
Echoing the origin story structure of Better Call Saul, this film examines how one man’s reaction to systemic corruption leads him to adopt a new, darker persona for justice.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Better Call Saul: moral ambiguity.
This podcast explores the same moral ambiguity that defines Better Call Saul, focusing on the complex human behavior of those caught in the middle of legal and social anomalies.
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
If you enjoyed the dark comedy woven into the tragic crime narratives of Better Call Saul, you will appreciate this analytical yet comedic look at the realities of murder.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Should I watch Breaking Bad before Better Call Saul?
Better Call Saul acts as a prequel to Breaking Bad, taking place six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White. While you can watch it independently, the series provides deep context for the transformation of Jimmy McGill into the criminal lawyer seen throughout Breaking Bad.
What order should I watch the Better Call Saul universe in?
The intended chronological order begins with Better Call Saul, which tracks the origins of Jimmy McGill and Mike Ehrmantraut. This is followed by the events of Breaking Bad and concludes with the narrative established in the 2019 film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Is Better Call Saul a direct sequel to Breaking Bad?
Better Call Saul is not a sequel to Breaking Bad, but rather a prequel series. It focuses on the life of Jimmy McGill years before he becomes the lawyer known as Saul Goodman, detailing his professional struggles and his eventual transformation into the character from the 2008 series.
Does El Camino relate to Better Call Saul?
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie serves as a follow-up to the events of Breaking Bad. While it shares the same universe as Better Call Saul, the film focuses on the aftermath of the original series rather than the prequel timeline established in the story of Jimmy McGill.