While Better Call Saul is classified as a prequel, the series has also featured scenes that presumably follow the events of Breaking Bad, but when do they take place in the timeline? Better Call Saul follows Bob Odenkirk back in the role of scam artist lawyer named Jimmy McGill years before he first encountered Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. By then, the man was fully working under the pseudonym of Saul Goodman. Based on Saul’s involvement in Walt’s dangerous drug empire, he wound up taking on yet another alias before relocating to Omaha, Nebraska, as shown in black-and-white flash-forward scenes in Better Call Saul.

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Saul officially requested an identity changed in Breaking Bad season 5’s penultimate episode, “Granite State.” With the help of Ed Galbraith, Saul became Gene Takavic, the manager of the Cinnabon in an Omaha shopping mall. The first Gene scene was featured in the Better Call Saul pilot, which showed the man watching old Saul Goodman commercials as he seemingly grieved his past. In other flash-forward sequences, Gene went out of his way to avoid police or anything connected to his old life, even when it put his health at risk. As shown in Better Call Saul season 5, a taxi driver recognized Gene as Saul Goodman, but rather than disappear again, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Despite airing for five seasons from 2008 to 2013, the events of Breaking Bad only took place over the course of two years. Season 1 was set in September 2008 and by the time Walt’s arc came to an end, it was September 2010, which happened to be his 52nd birthday. Better Call Saul, on the other hand, was originally set in May 2002, and after five seasons, the setting is leading up to the summer of 2004. While it’s assumed that the events of the prequel will eventually lead to Breaking Bad, viewers have also questioned when the Gene scenes take place. According to co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould earlier this year [via The Wrap], the timeline of the Gene sequences is purposely unclear. While Gould called it an “open question,” Gilligan added that “it’s one that will have to be answered at some point, like a lot of these things.” The pair also insinuated that the scenes could take place before Walt’s demise in the Breaking Bad series finale, but the past evidence points otherwise.

The Details Surrounding Better Call Saul’s Gene Scenes

A fan [via Reddit] did some deep-diving into the Better Call Saul‘s Gene scenes to find specific details regarding the time span in which the flash-forwards take place. Based on a shift calendar shown on-screen, the viewer theorized that Gene was shown working at Cinnabon in either the spring of 2011 or the winter of 2013. The fan then went on to alter the prediction to July 2014 due to Cinnabon flavor releases. Granted, others suggested that the company’s marketing more likely corresponded with when the scenes were filmed, not when they were intended to take place.

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Better Call Saul went out of the way to show Gene living in Omaha while it was snowing, suggesting a winter or early spring timeframe. In one particular scene, Gene was driving a car with a 2012 license plate. Even though the prequel hasn’t confirmed exactly when the Gene sequence takes place just yet, it’s very likely that it’s within three years of Breaking Bad‘s conclusion. This would give Gene plenty of time to build a new life, but it’s not long enough for him to feel safe from his past.

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Kara Hedash
(1744 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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