Better Call Saul’s close ties toBreaking Badare presented in some commonalities between characters, such as Kim and Jesse, butBCSalso had a Hank Schrader replacement.Breaking Badis frequently hailed as one of the best TV shows in recent history. Thanks to the clever writing, the tight storytelling, and the meticulously designed characters, the show enjoyed five incredible seasons before ultimately wrapping up with an explosive finale.
However, whileBreaking Badwas resolved, the show did introduce some interesting side characters who were in a prime position to get a spin-off. Namely,Saul Goodman, aka Jimmy McGill. Jimmy is a well-meaning lawyer who has high ambitions, but due to misfortunes and poor decision-making, he frequently lands on hard times. But the series has a number of ways in which this character connects to Walter White, along with othercharacters around him who play similar roles as antagonists, friends, accomplices, and rivals.
Howard Is Better Call Saul’s Hank Because His Death Is The Tipping Point
Both Characters Pass Away In The Final Season Of Their Respective Shows
Now, the thing is,BCSis not a copy and paste story fromBreaking Bad. In fact, the characters from this series have their own unique characteristics and flaws that set them apart, and ensure the spin-off is not a blatant rip-off. However, there are clear similarities which occur between characters likeKim, who becomes Jimmy’s closest ally, even when he begins to behave in erratic or dangerous ways. And similarly, Howard Hamlin, one of the co-founders of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill,plays a similar role to Hank SchraderfromBreaking Bad.
Howard is a determined, intelligent man who hopes for the best from Jimmy McGill, but his suspicions rise as Jimmy’s behavior becomes more erratic. Likewise, Hank believed in his brother-in-law, and hoped Walter wouldn’t go down a bad path. However, he wasn’t stupid, and he quickly began to see the clues that suggested Walter was getting caught up in shady dealings. However, despite these men being intelligent, and seeing the wrongdoing take place,both men suffer a terrible fatesin the final season of their respective shows, which kicks off the major events that wrap up the series.
Hank Schrader Plays A Vital Role Opposite Walter White In Breaking Bad
In the midst of a group of bad actors, greedy individuals, and criminals,Hank and Howard stand out as two of the most respectable and decent peoplein either show. Hank is a law enforcement officer who works hard to keep the streets clean and ensure peoples' safety. However, in the line of duty, he is often treated in less than favorable ways. On the other hand, Howard is in a profession that invites disdain and frustration as a lawyer. However, he is a genuinely kind, caring, and sensitive man. He wants the best for his clients, and for those he works with.
This isn’t to say either man was perfect, butcompared to the crooks and scoundrels surrounding them, they were practically saints. And while Jimmy holds disdain towards Howard, believing he targeted and halted Jimmy’s progress, Howard was actually just acting on the orders of his business partner,Jimmy’s older brother, Chuck. Likewise, Hank does not dislike Walter. He is warm and kind, but when suspicions begin to arise, Hank does his best to uncover the truth, without baselessly accusing Walter of things he may or may not be responsible for.
Why Chuck Wasn’t Able To Be Jimmy’s Hank
Chuck Was Similar To A Different Character From Breaking Bad
Ultimately, while Howard and Hank may have had antagonistic attributes when considered as the protagonists of either series, they were not bad guys. They were caught in the crossfire of larger issues, and after trying to insert themselves and help the people who were struggling to pull themselves out of trouble, they were cruelly killed. And at first glance, it would appear thatChuck may have fallen into thatantagonistic rolein a more obvious way inBetter Call Saul, but he was never the show’s version of Hank.
This was down to the fact that Chuck and Jimmy’s relationship was too close, too complex, and too challenging. While Kim may have been a substitute to Jesse inBCS, Chuck probably falls into a role closer to that of Skyler. Skyler was Walter’s wife, and at some point, she loved him. However, that love turned into contempt and hatred over time. For Jimmy, he loved and looked up to his brother. He spent years of his life trying to make him proud and care for him. However, Chuck’s ego, and his disdain for his rule-breaking brother, led to a strained relationship. Which is why it makes more sense that Howard took on a role similar to Hank inBetter Call Saul.
Better Call Saul
Cast
Better Call Saul follows small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill as he navigates the legal world to make ends meet. The series, set six years before his encounter with Walter White, chronicles Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman, with notable interactions alongside fixer Mike Ehrmantraut.
