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Breaking Bad Universe Watch Order
The full Breaking Bad universe in order: watch Breaking Bad, then the sequel film El Camino, then the prequel-sequel Better Call Saul. A chronological alternative is included too.
Breaking Bad Universe Watch Order โ complete list
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Why this order?
The Breaking Bad universe is small but unusually interlocked, so the order you choose changes how much lands. The recommended watch order is a narrative one rather than strict release order: Breaking Bad first, then El Camino, then Better Call Saul. (For the record, the real release order is Breaking Bad in 2008, Better Call Saul in 2015, and El Camino in 2019 โ but watching El Camino right after the series finale, before doubling back for the prequel, is the most satisfying way through the story.) Breaking Bad sets up every character and stake; El Camino picks up Jesse Pinkman literally seconds after the series finale and only works once you have seen that ending; and Better Call Saul, while mostly a prequel, is richest after you already know who Saul Goodman, Mike, and Gus become.
The big gotcha is Better Call Saul. It opens roughly six years before Breaking Bad, following con man Jimmy McGill on his slow slide into the lawyer Saul Goodman. If you only knew the timeline, you might be tempted to start there. Do not. The show is engineered as dramatic irony: nearly every scene gains weight because you already know these people's fates. It also extends past Breaking Bad, with black-and-white sequences set after the events of both the show and El Camino, so it is a prequel and a sequel at once.
The chronological order untangles the timeline for rewatchers: Better Call Saul begins in the Jimmy McGill flashback era years before Breaking Bad, then Breaking Bad, then El Camino immediately after the finale. The one wrinkle the list cannot show is that Better Call Saul's black-and-white epilogue actually falls last of all, a couple of months after El Camino โ so the single Better Call Saul entry below sits at the front for its prequel bulk, even though its closing chapter is the true end of the timeline. It is a fascinating way to revisit the saga once you know everything, but it flattens the surprises and is a poor first watch.
If you enjoy morally grey crime sagas, the closest cousins are The Sopranos and Ozark, both of which share Breaking Bad's slow-burn descent into the drug trade.
Timeline 2008โ2019
Every entry plotted by release year โ see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I watch Breaking Bad in?
Watch Breaking Bad first, then the film El Camino (which continues right after the finale), then Better Call Saul. This narrative order preserves every twist and gives Better Call Saul its full dramatic weight. Note that it is not the same as strict release order, in which Better Call Saul (2015) actually arrived before El Camino (2019).
How many shows and seasons are in the Breaking Bad universe?
There are two TV series and one film. Breaking Bad ran five seasons, Better Call Saul ran six seasons, and El Camino is a single feature-length movie that follows Jesse Pinkman.
Should I watch Better Call Saul before Breaking Bad?
No. Even though Better Call Saul begins years earlier in the timeline, it is written as a prequel for viewers who already know Breaking Bad. Watching it first spoils key fates and removes its dramatic irony.
When does El Camino take place?
El Camino begins in the moments immediately after the Breaking Bad series finale, following Jesse Pinkman's escape and what happens to him next. Watch it only after finishing the main series.
Is Better Call Saul a prequel or a sequel?
Both. Most of it is a prequel set about six years before Breaking Bad, but its black-and-white sequences are set after Breaking Bad and El Camino, making the show a prequel and a sequel at once.
Do I need to watch the whole universe, or just Breaking Bad?
Breaking Bad stands fully on its own. El Camino and Better Call Saul are rewarding extensions, but the core story is complete without them if you only want the main series.
Last updated · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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