The Better Call Saul season six premiere was the first time that the show didn’t start with a black and white flash-forward to Gene Takovic, Omaha’s most famous Cinnabon manager. No offense to the other Cinnabon managers living in Nebraska’s largest city. We haven’t seen the last of Gene — but we have seen the last of the actor who played Jeff, the taxi driver who recognized Saul Goodman in the season five premiere.
TVLine reports that “the role of Jeff has been recast, with Pat Healy taking over for Don Harvey.” Harvey has made two appearances on the Breaking Bad prequel, in “Smoke” and “Magic Man,” but he “recently appeared in the HBO drama We Own This City and couldn’t return to reprise his Saul role due to ‘contract obligations’ on that show.”
Healy made his debut in the ominous teaser trailer above.
“I know who you are. You know who you are. Just say it. Come on. Come on, man. Say it!” the taxi driver demands of his passenger, who sighs, “Better call Saul.” The Albuquerque Isotopes air freshener is a nice touch. It’s a small part, but an important one: Saul is so rattled by being spotted by Jeff that he calls Ed “The Extractor” Galbraith (played by the late Robert Forster) for help before deciding that “I’m gonna fix it myself.”
The final season of Better Call Saul continues on July 11.
