The sixth and final season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul premiered on April 18, 2022, in the United States, and concluded on August 15, 2022. The thirteen-episode season was broadcast on Mondays at 9:00pm (Eastern) in the United States on AMC and its streaming service AMC+. Each episode was released on Netflix the day after in certain international markets. The season was split into two parts; the first consisting of the first seven episodes concluded on May 23, before resuming with the second half consisting of the final six episodes on July 11. Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Tony Dalton, and Giancarlo Esposito reprise their roles from previous seasons. Better Call Saul is a spinoff, prequel and sequel of Breaking Bad created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.

The first nine episodes mainly take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2004, four years before Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk) begins his association with meth cooks Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). The season shows the further evolution of Jimmy into the eponymous character, criminal defense lawyer "Saul Goodman", as he and his wife Kim Wexler (Seehorn) execute their plan to force a resolution of the Sandpiper case by ruining the career of Howard Hamlin (Fabian). Simultaneously, it depicts Lalo Salamanca (Dalton) seeking revenge on Gus Fring (Esposito) for orchestrating an assassination attempt on him. The remaining episodes mainly take place in 2010, after the events of Breaking Bad, and show Saul living in Omaha, Nebraska under the alias "Gene Takavic", hiding from the authorities after Walter's demise.

The sixth season was filmed in Albuquerque over a period of eleven months. The production experienced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic; further delays ensued after Odenkirk suffered a heart attack while filming "Point and Shoot". It was near-unanimously acclaimed by critics, particularly for its performances, writing, visuals, emotional weight, and similarity to Breaking Bad. The first half received four nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. The second half received five nominations for the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Odenkirk's sixth nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Seehorn's second nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Cast and characters

Main Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman, a criminal defense attorney practicing under the name Saul Goodman. In the post-Breaking Bad timeline, he manages a Cinnabon store in Omaha under the alias Gene Takavic. Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut, a fixer in Gus Fring's criminal enterprise who is hunting down Lalo after Gus's attempted assassination failed. Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, a lawyer and Jimmy's wife and confidante. Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin, managing partner of the Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill law firm. Michael Mando as Nacho Varga, a Salamanca lieutenant who oversees daily operations in Albuquerque and Gus's unwilling mole within the Salamanca organization. Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca, acting head of the Salamancas, a family of drug dealers and enforcers for Don Eladio's cartel. He surveils Gus to learn the secret of Gus's planned underground meth lab. To keep the secret, Gus orchestrates an assassination attempt. Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring, an Albuquerque narcotics distributor for Eladio's cartel who uses his fried chicken chain Los Pollos Hermanos as a front.

Recurring Ed Begley Jr. as Clifford Main, founding partner of Davis & Main Attorneys at Law, who is working with Howard on the Sandpiper case. Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca, a once-brutal drug dealer and cartel enforcer who suffered a stroke and is unable to walk or speak. Daniel and Luis Moncada as Leonel and Marco Salamanca, twin hitmen for the Juárez Cartel and nephews of Hector. Ray Campbell as Tyrus Kitt, one of Gus's henchmen. Javier Grajeda as Juan Bolsa, a Juárez drug cartel underboss. Jeremiah Bitsui as Victor, one of Gus's henchmen. Juan Carlos Cantu as Manuel Varga, Nacho's father, who owns an upholstery shop. Peter Diseth as Bill Oakley, a deputy district attorney. Harrison Thomas as Lyle, the assistant manager of the Los Pollos Hermanos branch in Albuquerque. Jessie Ennis as Erin Brill, a lawyer at Davis & Main. Tina Parker as Francesca Liddy, Saul's secretary. Lennie Loftin as Genidowski, a con man hired by Jimmy and Kim to pose as Howard's private investigator. Josh Fadem as Joey Dixon/Marshall, a UNM film teacher who helps Jimmy on various projects and schemes. Hayley Holmes as Make-up Girl/Drama Girl/Cheri, a UNM film student. Julian Bonfiglio as Sound Guy/Phil, a UNM film student. Sandrine Holt as Cheryl Hamlin, Howard's estranged wife. John Posey as Rand Casimiro, a retired judge who is mediating the Sandpiper case. John Ennis as Lenny, a grocery store employee hired by Jimmy and Kim to impersonate Casimiro. Dennis Boutsikaris as Rich Schweikart, founding partner of the Scweikart and Cokely law firm. Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a middle-aged high school chemistry teacher who, during the events of Breaking Bad, becomes involved with the drug trade and enlists Saul to help launder his money, appears in flashbacks. Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, a former student of Walter's who, during the events of Breaking Bad, works with him to produce and sell meth, appears in flashbacks. Pat Healy as Jeff, a cab driver who recognizes Gene as Saul Goodman. Healy replaced Don Harvey, who was unable to reprise his role due to another filming commitment. Max Bickelhaup as Buddy, Jeff's friend and partner in crime. Carol Burnett as Marion, Jeff's mother who takes a liking to Gene.

Guests Julie Ann Emery and Jeremy Shamos as Betsy and Craig Kettleman, a married couple whom Jimmy, and later Kim, represented during an embezzlement case, and who attempted to extort Jimmy. Since Craig's release from prison they have operated a shady tax preparation service. Rex Linn as Kevin Wachtell, CEO of Mesa Verde Bank & Trust. Lavell Crawford as Huell Babineaux, professional pickpocket and Jimmy's bodyguard and fixer. Julie Pearl as Suzanne Ericsen, an assistant district attorney. Eileen Fogarty as Mrs. Nguyen, owner of a nail salon that houses Jimmy's law office in its utility room. Julia Minesci as Wendy, a street prostitute working out of the Crossroads motel, reprising her role from Breaking Bad. David Ury as Spooge, a small-time criminal, reprising his role from Breaking Bad. Keiko Agena as Viola Goto, Kim Wexler's former paralegal. Andrea Sooch as Margarethe Ziegler, Werner Ziegler's widow. Kerry Condon as Stacey Ehrmantraut, Mike's widowed daughter-in-law and the mother of Kaylee Ehrmantraut. Joe DeRosa as Dr. Caldera, a veterinarian who serves as Mike and Jimmy's liaison to the criminal underworld. Stefan Kapičić as Casper, a member of Werner's construction crew. Kirk Bovill as Mr. Ryman, a seemingly innocent suburbanite who works for Gus Fring. Joni Bovill as Mrs. Ryman, a seemingly innocent suburbanite who works for Gus Fring. Jean Effron as Irene Landry, Jimmy's former elder law client who represents the class in the Sandpiper lawsuit. Steven Bauer as Don Eladio Vuente, head of the cartel. Reed Diamond as David, a sommelier at a prestigious restaurant and Fring's frequent confidante. Jim O'Heir as Frank, a security guard at Cottonwood Mall whom Gene befriends. Devin Ratray as Alfred Hawthorne Hill, a boorish man who falls victim to Gene's identity theft scam. Kevin Sussman as Mr. Lingk, a man with cancer who is targeted for a scam by Gene. John Koyama as Emilio Koyama, Jesse's future partner in the drug business during the events of Breaking Bad. Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader, Hank Schrader's widow. She appears as a witness against Saul Goodman when he is finally arrested and attends Saul's trial. Michael McKean as Chuck McGill, Jimmy's deceased brother and partner at Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill, appears in a flashback. Poppy Liu as Jo, a prostitute living with Nacho.

Production Development In January 2020, AMC renewed Better Call Saul for a sixth and final season. Showrunner Peter Gould and AMC representatives confirmed it would consist of 13 episodes, higher than the usual 10. This brought the series' total episode count to 63, one more than its predecessor Breaking Bad. Gould stated, "From the beginning when we started this, I think all our hopes and dreams were to be able to tell the whole story... and make it to be a complete story from beginning to end... We're going to try like hell to stick the landing of these 63 episodes." Giancarlo Esposito had previously speculated in April 2019 that the series would end with a sixth season because it was the "comfortable way" to do so, similar to how Breaking Bad fifth and final season was split into two halves, giving the feeling that the latter half was the sixth season. Gould said he initially doubted how he could do 13 episodes because the 10-episode count of previous seasons proved physically exhausting for him, but executive producer and writer Thomas Schnauz convinced him to go for 13, saying, "You'll know it's the last 13 so you'll see the barn in the distance. You'll be like the horse that gallops down the last bit."

Writing

In February 2020, Gould suggested the sixth season would explore Saul Goodman's flashforwards as Gene Takavic to a greater extent than previous seasons. Gould later said the season would explore if there was any way for Saul to earn redemption after his criminal activities throughout the series. During filming of the season, series star Bob Odenkirk said that Gould told him that "when Better Call Saul is done it will shed new light... you will see Breaking Bad and the story of Breaking Bad in a different way", comparing to its final season where Gilligan had "start[ed] knocking things down and start[ed] lighting fires and burning everything down".

To deliver a satisfactory conclusion to Better Call Saul, Gould brought co-creator Vince Gilligan back to the writer's room "for a good chunk of the season". Gilligan had not been involved in the writers' room since early in season three. By April 2020, scripting for the season had already begun. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the writing staff was forced to communicate through Zoom rather than in person. By December 2020, scripting was still not complete; Gould would compare the writers room communicating through Zoom to "trying to dance in quick sand".

Casting Laura Fraser confirmed weeks after the premiere date's announcement that she was unable to reprise her role as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle for the final season. This was due to COVID-19 restrictions preventing travel between the United States and Scotland, where she lived when the final season began filming. Prior to the season premiere, it was announced that Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul would reprise their roles from Breaking Bad for the final season as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively.

During the mid-season break, it was announced that the latter half of the season would feature Carol Burnett in the role of Marion, although details about the character were not disclosed. Burnett was previously mentioned by Chuck McGill during the second season episode "Rebecca". It was also revealed that the character of Jeff, the cab driver who recognized Saul in Omaha, had been recast from Don Harvey to Pat Healy. Fans theorized this was due to Harvey's filming commitments on We Own This City. Harvey later expressed disappointment in not being able to reprise the role due to scheduling conflicts, but praised Healy for making the character his own.

Filming COVID-19 delays