When talking about Breaking Bad spinoffs, the conversation usually either goes to its existing prequel, Better Call Saul, or the Gus Fring prequel many of us want to see. However, the hit AMC show has three spinoff series most people don’t know about, likely because they’re shorts that play off the original story rather than creating their own. While Better Call Saul is a show that’s just as masterfully written as its predecessor, the same can’t be said of these titles.
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To be fair, they aren’t trying to be prestige TV in the way that Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are. But with both shows accumulating huge followings, it’s telling that these spinoffs aren’t on many viewers’ radars. It suggests a harsh truth for the franchise — one it must consider if it ever attempts to expand further.
The Three Breaking Bad Spinoffs You Probably Haven’t Seen
While most Breaking Bad fans can say they’ve seen Better Call Saul and El Camino, few are familiar with its three spinoffs comprised of shorts. There are several reasons for this. For one, they weren’t that well promoted. They were also primarily released as web series, meaning fans needed to go online to watch them (and know to do that in the first place). And they all attempted to add to the world while remaining separate from the main shows. As you might imagine, this meant little of significance happened during these series:
- Breaking Bad: Original Minisodes
- Better Call Saul Employee Training
- Slippin’ Jimmy
Breaking Bad: Original Minisodes consisted of brief glimpses into the characters’ lives, which might have been welcome had they aired during or after the main show. As these were mainly released online (and between seasons, no less), they didn’t get much attention. There’s also the fact that they embraced a more comical tone. While they told us new things about the series’ characters, they didn’t fit well with the main show.
Better Call Saul Employee Training was probably the best of Breaking Bad‘s unknown spinoffs; it even won an Emmy in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category. And AMC promoted this one a bit, which made somewhat recognizable. Unfortunately, it still struggled with a similar issue to the Original Minisodes: its installments were mostly played for kicks.
And then there was Slippin’ Jimmy, a Breaking Bad spinoff most people either ignored or mocked. Tragically, the response was sort of warranted. The animated show followed Jimmy during his younger years. This could have been an interesting way of unpacking his complicated upbringing and dynamic with Chuck. However, Slippin’ Jimmy didn’t make great use of its six short episodes. Everything from the animation to the humor fell short, so it’s no wonder no one really talks about it today.
These Overlooked Additions Hint at a Harsh Truth for the Breaking Bad Universe
These overlooked Breaking Bad spinoffs may seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things. However, they point to a harsh truth about AMC’s franchise. Although Better Call Saul proves that it’s possible to catch lightning in a bottle twice, these titles make it clear that success isn’t a given — even for a TV universe as renowned as this one. Extending the world won’t necessarily be successful just because it’s attached to Breaking Bad. If AMC ever decides to make more spinoffs, it will need to be thoughtful about the direction it takes. Clearly, humor and shorts are not Breaking Bad‘s forte.
Have you seen any of Breaking Bad‘s lesser-known spinoffs? What did you think of them? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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