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Better Call Saul fans waited two years between season 5 and season 6. First, the pandemic delayed production. Then Bob Odenkirk had a heart attack on the set. Better Call Saul creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould agreed it took longer to write the final season than previous ones. Gould even put a number on it. 

'Better Call Saul' Season 6: Kim (Rhea Seehorn) and Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) peruse a coded black book in a season that took an extra 3 months to write
Rhea Seehorn and Bob Odenkirk | Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television

Gould and Gilligan resumed the Better Call Saul Insider podcast when season 6 premiered. In the first episode introduction, they reflected on how much longer Better Call Saul Season 6 took than others. The midseason finale of Better Call Saul season 6 airs May 23 at 9 p.m. on AMC and streams on AMC+.

‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6 added 3 months to the writing , Peter Gould says

If it took longer to produce Better Call Saul Season 6, it also took longer to write it. Gould may have been joking or exaggerating when he said exactly how much longer he took, but he’s probably in the correct ballpark. 

“I think it added three months,” Gould said. “Three months, two days and four hours would be my guess. Minutes I’m not absolutely sure. It’s a big part of what made this season and what shaped it, the challenges we faced and figuring out ways to get around them.”

Writing ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6 on Zoom took longer, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould confirm

Even if it wasn’t exactly three months, two days and four hours, Gould confirmed writing season 6 took longer. Crafting the Better Call Saul series finale might have been more complicated anyway, not being able to do it in person added a hurdle. 

“It’s true, I think Zoom slowed us down, there’s no question,” Gould said

When the pandemic shut down every production, writers started getting together on Zoom to continue work. While Zoom helped keep shows like Better Call Saul in business, Gilligan described why it’s not the same. Gilligan also directed episodes in the final season.

“Zoom, I’m glad it exists and god bless all the people at Zoom but Zoom is not the same thing as being in the same room together,” Gilligan said. “The writers room was definitely different doing it over Zoom and it was not my favorite thing, to say the least, because it’s weird. It’s like an impediment to communication because there’s these weird pauses. It’s like bad dreams I’ve had where I’m trying to talk and no one is listening. That’s what Zoom is.”

The final season took an entire year to write 

Gould’s introduction to the podcast says it all.

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“Vince, I have a theory that this was our most difficult season yet,” Gould began. “What do you think?”

Gilligan confirmed Better Call Saul spent half the two-year gap writing the season.

“I think you’re right,” Gilligan said. “It was certainly the longest. It was well over a year, right? The writers room was probably at least a year. I’ve lost track.”

Gould didn’t lose track. He confirmed Gilligan’s estimate.

“Yes, the writers room took a full year,” Gould said. 

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