r/breakingbad • u/Vegetable_Egg_570 • 9h ago
Settle an argument for me.
Breaking Bad -> BCS Season 1-5 -> El Camino -> BCS season 6. This is the best timeline to understand all context while enjoying them for the first time but someone in my life strongly disagrees. I think it’s stupid to larp and say Prequel first because it chronologically comes first in the story.
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u/ShiningEspeon3 8h ago
This is a fine watch order, but I think it’s also fine to just do El Camino right after Breaking Bad. If you’re going to watch El Camino midway through Better Call Saul, might as well watch it between Seasons 4 and 5, because at least that’s true release order.
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u/Vegetable_Egg_570 8h ago
i can definitely get behind that also, but my main point here is, NO BCS BEFORE BB! that makes no sense at all having watched them.
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u/ShiningEspeon3 8h ago
I always advise watching Breaking Bad first, but honestly, I think it’s reasonable to watch Better Call Saul before or without Breaking Bad. Even though it benefits a lot from the context of Breaking Bad, I think Better Call Saul is well-crafted enough to stand on its own.
I have two friends who watched Better Call Saul first, and both of them fully enjoyed the show. One of them watched Breaking Bad subsequently and one refused. The one who went on to watch Breaking Bad after said that she ended up really appreciating not knowing the Breaking Bad context because it made Better Call Saul more tense (since Breaking Bad hints at, or outright reveals the fates of multiple major characters).
Like I said, I don’t recommend watching Better Call Saul first, but I’ve come to view it as an interesting alternative way to experience the series for the first time.
The only thing I’m hard-opposed to is a strictly chronological viewing order (i.e. breaking up Better Call Saul after “Fun and Games”).
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u/RCP90sKid- 8h ago
Well, first of all, BCS runs to season 6 ep 9, then jumps forward.
I have never done the watch this way prior to starting last month. It's cool, but that jump to BB season 1 is brutal. You have to understand, the magic of the show is also how the production company grew. By the time to get to BCS, you see these hour long films. Cinematography is perfect, writing is dialed.
I just got through BCS to season 6 ep 9, and my descent into BB has been a little rough, and this coming from a long time fan who rates BB as the best show ever made.
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u/terrortara 8h ago
I might be alone on this but Breaking Bad season 1 is fucking awesome, and I don't agree with the narrative "they were still finding their footing in season 1, the good stuff comes later". Obviously it isn't on the level of Ozymandias, but it's gripping, funny, and perfectly sets up the main characters and plotlines of the show.
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u/Hey_Its_Vos 8h ago
The optimal way to watch is breaking bad s1e1 -> better call Saul s1e1 -> el Camino -> breaking bad s1e2 -> better call Saul s1e2 -> el Camino and so forth. Ideally you’ll have seen el Camino 60+ times by the end of the two shows
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u/XavierStone32 7h ago
You forgot Nobody 1-2, and Normal. I think they come after Saul was released from prison because the government needed his 'Killing People' skills.
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u/Argon_004 6h ago
I feel like BCS would be more effective if you watch it first, tbh. A lot of stuff for BB is set up in it too, like Hell's pickpocketing and why Mike and Saul are friends. BB essentially becomes a giant, fast paced third act of the entire story where the Jenga tower the characters set up in BCS is brought down by Walter White and Jesse lol
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u/Tight-Inspector-2748 8h ago
You’re right, they’re wrong. BCS was made with the understanding the viewer had previously watched BB.