Better Call Saul has been a killer prequel series to AMC's smash hit Breaking Bad. The show can absolutely stand on its own without constant callbacks to its parent series, and the original characters have become classics in their own right. Still, it's always a joy whenever Better Call Saul finds a way to bring in a Breaking Bad character. Fans have been crossing their fingers for years that a pre-Walter White version of Jesse Pinkman could turn up, and actor Aaron Paul weighed in on the possibility this week, telling Ellen DeGeneres:
God, I hope so, maybe I already shot it. We just -- or they just -- wrapped the last season... I would love to be on.
Unfortunately for fans who were hoping for a concrete "yes" or "no" from Aaron Paul about whether he'd appear in the upcoming Better Call Saul Season 3, the actor wasn't inclined to give a definitive answer. Still, he didn't rule out the possibility on The Ellen Show that Jesse would have a part to play in Season 3. Paul has always shown enthusiasm about the series, and he's been open about his willingness to return if the story calls for Jesse. He just won't say if he really will be back in the Breaking Bad world.
This wasn't the first time that Aaron Paul has played coy about the chances of him appearing in an upcoming season of Better Call Saul. In a Reddit AMA in early 2016, Paul refused to confirm or deny an appearance in the second season. He ultimately didn't appear in Season 2. Still, Paul's similarly cagey answer during a recent visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show doesn't mean that he won't have a part to play in Season 3. We shouldn't start planning any "Welcome Back, Jesse!" watch parties just yet, but we can't rule out an appearance.
Better Call Saul has already incorporated some of the most significant characters in Breaking Bad history into its prequel plots. We've seen Tuco and Hector Salamanca, and Gus Fring seems to be on the way for Season 3. Marie Schrader even almost popped into the plot at the end of Season 2 in her job as an x-ray technician. While Jesse is almost certainly too big of a Breaking Bad character to join Better Call Saul in any kind of ongoing capacity, surely Better Call Saul could find a way to bring him in for a little bit.
Of course, a lot might depend on Aaron Paul's schedule. Paul returned to the small screen in 2016 as star of Hulu's The Path, which was successful enough in its first season to warrant a renewal for a second season. He has plenty going on in his career without Jesse Pinkman. We'll have to wait and see if Paul makes it back to the Breaking Bad universe for an appearance on Better Call Saul in Season 3.
Better Call Saul returns to AMC for Season 3 on Monday, April 10 at 10 p.m. ET. Take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch in the meantime.
