(This post contains spoilers for the Better Call Saul episode, “Breaking Bad.”)
Even though Breaking Bad fans were expecting a Jesse/Walt/Saul Goodman reunion on the final season of Better Call Saul, it was still a wonderful (almost) surprise when the dysfunctional duo showed up on the latest episode of the hit AMC series. And it was also a good reminder of just how long it has been since we first met Walt and Jesse nearly 15 (!) years ago.
SURPRISE, BITCH!
— Breaking Bad (@BreakingBad) August 2, 2022
Obviously aging exists, but the show decided not to try out The Irishman-style of de-aging the iconic characters. Better Call Saul writer and director Thomas Schnauz told Variety that “it is what it is” when it comes to bridging the gap between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad’s timeline crossovers. “We don’t do a ton of de-aging on the show,” Schnauz explained. “There’s a little bit of stuff on the guys’ faces to take a few lines out here and there, but other than that, Aaron is not going to look like an 18-year-old kid or however old Jesse was during this time period.”
Despite the fact that they did minimal de-aging, it’s still a little jarring to see the actors jumping right back into a scene from over a decade ago. Fans on Twitter had fun with a 40-something actor getting back in the mindset of his 20-something character.
https://twitter.com/batb1ood/status/1554340433160962048
Better Call Saul showing us a close up of 40-some yr old Aaron Paul as 20-something Jesse Pinkman like pic.twitter.com/cI9SRKKxiU
— Hae Ji Cho (@HaeJi_Cho) August 2, 2022
A 42 year old Aaron Paul playing a 19 year old Jesse Pinkman in the latest episode of Better Call Saul pic.twitter.com/9PY04AI1XQ
— Brad Goddard (@brad_goddard) August 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/cleoofffilm/status/1554438305525235713
Aaron Paul tonight pic.twitter.com/kYaVScTHre
— Nariman (@itsnarimann) August 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/jessekellestine/status/1554458475874467841
https://twitter.com/cleoofffilm/status/1554455362740305920
https://twitter.com/MediaChicanery/status/1554473315062136832
Meanwhile, everyone had nothing but nice words for Bryan Cranston, who seamlessly became a solid season two version of Walter White.
It is terrifying how Bryan Cranston hasn’t missed a fuckin beat in 9 years #BetterCallSaul
— Fizz (@DoodSpooder) August 2, 2022
Bryan Cranston could be 90 and still look exactly the same as he did in 2009. Aaron Paul, I love you, but you can’t pass for 25 anymore ❤️ #bettercallsaul
— emily bx. (@BxPersonified) August 2, 2022
While reminiscing about older characters is fine and all, we should focus on the bigger picture here: where is Kim Wexler?!