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TL;DR:

  • Pat Healy replaced Don Harvey as Jeff in Better Call Saul Season 6.
  • The actor change was mostly due to scheduling conflicts.
  • The cab driver played an exciting role in Saul Goodman’s story.
Pat Healy as Jeff in 'Better Call Saul' Season 6 Episode 10. The image is in black and white, and he's standing in a kitchen.
Pat Healy in ‘Better Call Saul’ | Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 10, “Nippy.”]

Better Call Saul Season 6 jumped into the Gene Takovic (Bob Odenkirk) timeline in its latest episode, and it saw the return of a familiar face — no, we’re not talking about Saul Goodman, though he resurfaced as well. During this week’s chapter, Gene approached Jeff, the cab driver who recognized him in Better Call Saul Season 5. And it may take fans a moment to recognize the character in Better Call Saul Season 6, as he’s now played by Pat Healy instead of Don Harvey.

Who is Jeff from ‘Better Call Saul’?

Jeff isn’t a major character from Better Call Saul, but he did promise to become a problem for the prequel’s lead. Back in season 4, Gene Takovic hailed a taxi — and the driver saw through his current disguise and recognized him as Saul Goodman. He also called Gene out during season 5, when he ran into him at the mall where he works.

The cab driver in question is Jeff, and Gene makes a point of visiting Pat Healy’s character in Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 10. Gene won’t risk the cab driver revealing his identity. So, ever the conman, he sets up an elaborate heist at one of the department stores where he works. This gets Jeff in the game, but it also gives Gene leverage should the man ever turn on him.

And Jeff falls right into Gene’s trap, though it’s not quite the Jeff we met back in season 5. The Breaking Bad prequel brought on a new actor to play the cab driver. But why did Healy replace Don Harvey in Better Call Saul Season 6?

Why Jeff actor Don Harvey as replaced by Pat Healy in ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6

Although Jeff’s return to Better Call Saul was inevitable, fans may take a moment to recognize the character. There’s been a bit of an actor switch-up in Better Call Saul Season 6, with Pat Healy taking over the role. Don Harvey previously portrayed the cab driver, but he didn’t return for the Breaking Bad prequel’s final season.

According to Screen Rant, Harvey’s absence was due to scheduling conflicts. The actor wasn’t able to work on the final season of Better Call Saul because of prior obligations — namely, his role in HBO’s We Own This City. As such, Healy was asked to join the cast of Better Call Saul instead.

And maybe we’re just excited to see Saul Goodman slipping to the surface again, but we’d welcome another appearance from Healy. It’s possible he’ll show up again, especially if Gene sees an opportunity for another scam.

Have we seen the last of Pat Healy’s character?

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After their mall heist in Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 10, Gene tells Pat Healy’s Jeff that he doesn’t want to see him again. However, Gene puts his Saul Goodman ring back on at the end of this week’s chapter — and it sure seems like he’s longing for his old lifestyle.

With that in mind, we could see Jeff again in a future episode of Better Call Saul. There are only three left before the Breaking Bad prequel comes to a close, but they’ll have to show what becomes of Gene Takovic after the original series. Will he return to Jeff with another scam? Or will his journey take him elsewhere?

We’ll have to keep watching to see if Healy shows up again. There may be a larger reason for his inclusion in the show’s future timeline. As we approach the finale, all will become clear.

New episodes of Better Call Saul Season 6 air every Monday at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.

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