The Robbery Moment That Made Bob Odenkirk Realize Even Saul Goodman Isn’t Invincible
Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk says a real-life robbery left him staring down a gun barrel—an ordeal he relives on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert.
Bob Odenkirk has made a career out of playing guys who talk their way out of trouble. Early on, he didn’t get that luxury. He once got robbed at gunpoint, lost 300 bucks he really couldn’t afford to lose, and not long after, he was staring down bankruptcy. Then Breaking Bad called, and everything changed.
The night Odenkirk got a gun in his face
On Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert, Odenkirk looked back on an early-career low point: he and his then-girlfriend were in a car when a man pulled a weapon on them. The gun looked sketchy enough that Odenkirk wondered if it was even real — he described it like the kind of improvised, cobbled-together firearm people call a zip gun — but still very much a gun. He parked, got out, and froze up while the guy demanded cash.
"Give me the money."
Odenkirk says he went numb and took too long to react. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. He walked away lighter by 300 dollars, which stung even more because this was around the same stretch when he says he was close to filing for bankruptcy. Not exactly Saul Goodman energy.
From almost broke to Breaking Bad
He’s doing fine now — his net worth is pegged around 16 million dollars (Celebrity Net Worth) — but back then, he was pouring his energy into directing feature films he cared about while the money just wasn’t coming. On The Howard Stern Show, Odenkirk said his agent called with a part on a buzzy AMC drama that was just starting to catch on: Breaking Bad. He did his homework, phoned a friend and writing partner, Reed Harrison, and got a very simple note:
"That’s the best show on TV, you gotta do that. That’s the best thing there is."
He took the job. Saul Goodman popped, the audience loved him, and the gig didn’t just steady his finances — it led to his own series.
Why Better Call Saul hits differently
Better Call Saul isn’t just more Breaking Bad. It refines the character study. Walter White’s descent is a collapse that warps the world around him; Jimmy McGill’s slide into Saul Goodman digs into the ‘why’ — the mix of ambition, ego, love, professional pressure, and the environment nudging him step by step. For a prequel, the show keeps the throwbacks to a minimum, builds its own identity, and stands on its own legs.
The awards didn’t always show it (the Emmys gave it less love than it deserved), but fans widely treat it like one of the greats — and plenty will tell you it surpassed the parent show.
Better Call Saul quick facts
- Creators: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould
- Main cast: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, Giancarlo Esposito, Michael Mando
- IMDb score: 9.0/10
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are both streaming on Netflix in the US. Which one do you prefer?