Better Call Saul season 5: Series exec on the future of Gene

We’ve said this before, and more than likely, we’ll say it many more times: We’re super-curious in the story of Gene on Better Call Saul season 5. How could we not be? This character is effectively getting to see the other side of Jimmy McGill from this show and Breaking Bad, and he is a person who’s experienced a lot of loss and pain. He’s scared of his own shadow and is carrying out this super-mundane existence at a Cinnabon in Omaha.

While we’ve advocated for a full episode all about Gene or even an arc of a few episodes (what better way to end the series?), nobody among the show’s producers have been altogether keen to commit to anything. While it does feel like there is an enthusiasm when it comes to bringing out more stories from this particular character, enthusiasm is all we’ve got at the moment. Take, for example, what show co-creator Peter Gould had to say to Entertainment Weekly:

“I am very, very interested in Gene Takovic … In some ways, Gene is very enigmatic. In some ways, he’s the opposite of Saul Goodman because he speaks so very little, he’s so afraid. But I’m fascinated by that situation and by the question of: is there still any chance of redemption or ray of light in this guy’s life after all the terrible things that he’s done, now that he’s run away and hidden himself in Omaha?”

You can easily argue that there is no redeeming someone like Gene given everything terrible that he did in the past; yet, you could also argue that what he’s gone through since losing everything as Saul is punishment served. We’ve admitted that a part of us has long hoped for Kim Wexler, someone who has some sort of apparent ties to Kansas City (not ridiculously far from Omaha), turning up and offering Jimmy at least some sort of opportunity for redemption. This is a man who has gone through a lot and hopefully learned some lessons throughout the journey. Kim loved him; if she ever does leave him during season 5 in the show’s primary timeframe, it probably is only happening because she feels like he’s going to drag her into some sort of abyss.

What do you want to see moving forward when it comes to Better Call Saul and the Gene character? Share some of your thoughts on the matter below! (Photo: AMC.)