Better Call Saul: 5 Ways Jimmy McGill is Different Than Saul Goodman (& 5 Ways They Are Similar)
After the heights Breaking Bad reached, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould had an almost impossible task to match their previous masterpiece. And, with Better Call Saul, they not only matched the viewers' expectations but some even say that Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad.
With season 5 coming to an end recently, the viewers got to know more about Jimmy's transformation into Saul Goodman. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the five ways Jimmy is similar to Saul and five ways they are different.
10 Different: Jimmy Wasn't "In The Game"
In Better Call Saul's New Mexico, there are two kinds of people: one, those who are involved with drugs and two, those who are not. Jimmy wasn't involved in the game when he first sought out to become a lawyer.
He always knew that this field existed but he never wanted to pursue it until he became Saul Goodman, who worked to protect criminals. And criminals in Albuquerque are most likely drug lords.
9 Similar: Will Do Anything For Money
Be it, Jimmy or Saul, their driving motto has and will always be money. There's never enough for him. Fans can see that when Jimmy fights for his life, walking for a day in the desert, and when Kim asks him, "Was it worth it?" He shows her the bag of money and says, "That's what it's all about."
As far as Saul is concerned, on numerous occasions in Breaking Bad, he shows the knack of running after money.
8 Different: Jimmy Wants To Make His Brother Proud
All his life, Jimmy wanted to make his brother proud as Chuck was a high time lawyer at HHM, while Jimmy was just a clerk. So, he worked hard, became a lawyer, and thought that finally, he would get some respect from his brother.
But, instead, Chuck gets jealous of Jimmy and before taking his own life, Chuck tells Jimmy that he didn't care about him. That took something away from Jimmy and pushed him toward being Saul Goodman.
7 Similar: Hustler
It's a trait one can't take away from a human being. You either have it, or you don't. On numerous occasions in Better Call Saul, one can see Jimmy running around everywhere, without even thinking about rest. So much so that even Howard called him "Jimmy Hustle."
The same can be said about Saul and it can be seen in Breaking Bad. Always on his toes, with a coffee in hand, storming into a courtroom, and doing what he does best: getting his clients out of a precarious situation.
6 Different: Jimmy Is A Romantic
Another new thing that we see with Jimmy in Better Call Saul is that he is, in fact, a romantic. His relationship with Kim Wexler is absolutely adorable, something which the viewers didn't get to see in Breaking Bad.
From the way he keeps the "2nd best lawyer in the world" mug (gifted to him by Kim) close to him, to the way he does anything to make her smile, it's adorable.
5 Similar: They Get Things Done
Jimmy and Saul are go-getters. If there's one thing you can expect from him, it is that he will get things done, regardless of how complicated the situation is. Jimmy did it for Lalo Salamanca, and Saul has done it uncountable times in Breaking Bad.
This trait is what makes him such a fierce lawyer and so trusted among the criminals. As Jesse Pinkman said, "He's the best in the business."
4 Different: Jimmy Isn't Driven By Selfishness
Saul Goodman does things for himself; that's his driving force. In contrast, that just cannot be said about Jimmy. Firstly, he became a lawyer because of Chuck as he wanted his big brother's seal of approval.
Also, when Jimmy is stuck in the desert, it's the memory of Kim which drives him towards survival. If Saul was stuck in Jimmy's place, he would have given up. Jimmy clearly wants to please the people he cares about, something that Saul does not seem interested in doing.
3 Similar: Love To Con People
It's just what Jimmy and Saul do best. They absolutely love to con people or swindle them. In Better Call Saul, there are loads of examples of the same, and Chuck even has a name for it, "Slippin' Jimmy."
For Saul, it comes naturally as there is no one around to judge him but, that's not the case with Jimmy, unfortunately. And that's why Jimmy has always had to be extra careful while pulling off some of these things.
2 Different: Jimmy Cares
Jimmy has a moral code. There are things he refrains himself from doing, as he wants to look good in the eyes of the people he cares about. He cares for Kim, he cared for Chuck, and he cared for his friend Marco.
Saul, on the other hand, owes nothing to anyone. He cares about himself only. For example, in Breaking Bad, he helped Walter White drug a kid. Jimmy would never do that.
1 Similar: Good Liars
The biggest similarity between Jimmy and Saul is that one just can't tell when they are telling the truth or lying. Jimmy's bluffing game is so strong that even Kim can't tell sometimes and she knows Jimmy the best.
Saul Goodman is a born liar. He makes his living through lying and talking his way out of situations. It's a gift that Jimmy has, which is used to its fullest by Saul.