Breaking Bad went down in history as one of the greatest show’s in the history of television, and due to its popularity, it was no surprise to see a spin-off show take place, with Saul Goodman being the perfect character of choice to continue telling stories from that world.
Thankfully, Better Call Saul continued the high standard that Breaking Bad had set, with the quality of the story and detailed characters, which is why it has gone on to become incredibly popular. Both shows have had some incredible episodes of television, but in order to get to grip an audience, the key is to have fantastic opening episodes, and within this list, we will rank the season premieres of both shows from worst to best, according to IMDb.
Mabel (8.2)
The lowest-rated episode of every season premiere of the two show’s comes from Better Call Saul, with the episode ‘Mabel’ having a rating of 8.2 by IMDb which saw the relationship between Chuck and Jimmy begin to deteriorate even more.
The brothers continued their strained relationship with Chuck plotting away at his next move, while a lie ends up haunting Jimmy as Jm struggles and feels the pressures of running her own firm. Even though it is the lowest-rated episode on this list, it is still a very impressive episode of television, which is why the spin-off show has been so successful.
Smoke (8.4)
The latest season premiere for Better Call Saul, taking place in season four was titled ‘Smoke’ and gained an IMDb rating of 8.4 as Jimmy really struggles to cope with Chuck’s tragic death, as he falls into depression, providing a totally different side to his character.
Away from Jimmy’s struggles, Mike gets his first payment for his job as a contracted security consultant, something that Gus created in order for him to launder all the money that Mike stole from the Salamancas. Mike makes the decision to take on the role and notices a ton of security problems as he demands that Lydia should know he has been around to discuss the issues.
Switch (8.4)
Next on the list is the episode titled ‘Switch,’ which also has an IMDb rating of 8.4 as Jimmy turns down a dream job at Davis & Main and ends up making the decision to quit law, closing down his own practice as well in a major change to his life.
Away from Jimmy’s journey with Kim, as they make decisions on what is next for him, Mike also breaks ties with a former associate, which leads to a major problem for Pryce as Nacho ends up ransacking his house. While this isn’t the best episode of the series, it is a very strong opener to the season, setting the tone perfectly for what is to come.
Uno (8.6)
The highest season-opening episode in Better Call Saul’s history is titled ‘Uno’ and it received a rating of 8.6 by IMDb which is actually the very first episode of the show’s history, with this opening season one. This episode took fans of Breaking Bad straight back into that world, showing Saul Goodman long before he became the crooked lawyer, where he works under his real name, Jimmy McGill as a struggling public defender.
The episode did a fantastic job of introducing all of the main characters on the show and setting the tone, which is different from Breaking Bad, yet has just as many similarities as fans began to enjoy the new show.
No Más (8.6)
The lowest-rated season premiere in the history of Breaking Bad took place in season three with the episode ‘No Más,’ however, the episode still managed to gain an 8.6 rating from IMDb, showcasing how strong the show’s quality is in general.
In this episode, Walter White has to deal with the aftermath of the plane crash, which leads to him giving an incredibly awkward speech to the entire school as the students attempt to come to terms with the situation. Meanwhile, Skyler and the kids have moved out and the Salamanca twins begin to make their way to kill Heisenberg in what is a very tense episode, especially in terms of Walt’s family life.
Seven Thirty-Seven (8.7)
Next on the list is the season two premiere episode of Breaking Bad, titled ‘Seven Thirty-Seven,’ which was given an IMDb rating of 8.7 as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman attempt to work their way out of their partnership with the insane, Tuco.
However, their plans don’t quite work out and the episode ends with Tuco holding both men hostage, at gunpoint, as he ends up in firm control of the situation, proving that he isn’t someone that can be messed with once again. As well as that, Skyler realizes that Hank has always known about her sister’s shoplifting habits, which left her even more stunned about the entire situation.
Pilot (9.0)
The very first episode of Breaking Bad set the show going to a perfect start as we are introduced to Walter White, a high-school chemistry teacher who finds out that he is dying of lung cancer, which leads him to make some drastic decisions to secure his family’s future.
After being given just two years to live, Walt decides to go on a ride-along with his brother-in-law, which leads him to see a former student, Jesse Pinkman, as he sneaks out of the house to not get busted for cooking meth. With Walter deciding to seize the opportunity, he and Jesse end up heading out to the desert in an RV to cook meth, and he quickly ends up deep into the world, having to barter for his life.
Box Cutter (9.2)
‘Box Cutter’ is one of the greatest episodes in Breaking Bad history, and it more than earned its tremendous IMDb rating of 9.2, with the season four premiere episode being an incredibly tense one from start to finish.
In this episode, Walt and Jesse face deadly consequences with Gus, as they come face to face and quickly learn that the drug kingpin is not somebody to cross, and he is not someone to take lightly as he is more than capable of getting his hands dirty. Their decision to kill Gale quickly turns into a bad one, meanwhile, Marie attempts to help Hank recover from his injuries, despite the fact he really doesn’t want her to do so.
Live Free Or Die (9.3)
The final season premiere in Breaking Bad history also happened to be the highest-rated opening episode of the show as well, with ‘Live Free Or Die’ getting an IMDb rating of 9.3, kicking off the final season in style.
After managing to successfully kill Gus, Walt, Jesse, and Mike must do everything they can to cover up their tracks. However, Walt’s family life continues to be a problem for him as Skyler admits she is afraid of him. It becomes even clearer that they’re not going to work out. Things get even worse for Skyler when she finds out Ted Beneke has woken up, which leads her to visit him in the hospital where he was intimidated and promised to never talk.
