With "Better Call Saul" needing to work around a spider's web worth of pre-existing "Breaking Bad" canon, each of its six seasons had to be meticulously crafted considering the larger franchise's devoted fanbase would be watching for any errors. According to Bernstein, the writers' room developed the show's plots "index card after index card." But with Cranston and Paul having become superstars after the success of "Breaking Bad," their limited availability made the "Saul" showrunners scramble to put together a satisfying ending to a saga that began with the original series' 2008 pilot. Thomas Schnauz, who wrote and directed the episode, told Variety that the crossover was never a sure thing, but when the actors' schedules' aligned, he had to film episode 11 before episode 2 had even wrapped.
But despite any last-minute changes happening in the background, Saul Goodman's swan song was a hit with both fans and critics. With "Breaking Bad" being one of the most celebrated shows in recent history, "Better Call Saul" faced an uphill battle to live up to and continue its predecessor's legacy. Still, it stuck the landing, even though the creators were forced to totally reevaluate their storytelling approach. But much like the characters that inhabit the weird world of the "Breaking Bad" universe, the showrunners were able to find a way to make their plan work.
