Before we got over the top 10 TV shows to watch before season 6 of Better Call Saul, let us go over why we are here;

Season 6 started shooting all the way back in February of 2020, which feels like ages ago. Fans of Bob Odenkirk were hoping to see the latest season of Better Call Saul by early 2021. But as we all experienced, things did not go as planned due to Covid-19. They recently resumed shooting on March 10, 2021, according to a Twitter post by showrunner Peter Gould who has served as a writer, producer, and director for various episodes of Better Caul Saul. According to his IMDB, Vince Gilligan, who was absent from Better Call Saul for Season 5, is now back! The mastermind behind Breaking Bad will play a more weighted role for Better Call Saul season 6. You can read our review of the season finale for season 5 here.

As of the writing of this article, we are still in the first third of 2021. Better Call Saul Season 6 isn’t slated to drop until early 2022 (woof), and that’s assuming there are no more setbacks.

Fear not, for I am here with a guide to the top 10 TV shows that will keep your mind at ease till early 2022.

Before we get started, there is a ground rule I wish to impart unto you regarding the TV shows that will be listed; watch one season, then watch the season premiere of season 2. You gotta at least watch the entire first season or at the very least 75% of the first season to know if it’s for you. Some shows don’t find their stride till the following seasons. American Dad is a prime example of that.

Here are the top 10 TV shows to watch while you wait for season 6 of Better Call Saul:

10) Squidbillies

It follows a family of anthropomorphic squids who just so happen to be hillbillies. You’ll see them get into all kinds of shenanigans. The best part is that there are 12 seasons available to watch through HBO Max. I know what you’re probably thinking, “Why?” Well, let me tell you, the 15-minute runtime shows might have some of the best and concise writing I have ever heard. They have to because they only have 11 minutes in total of pages to work with, which is roughly a page a minute. So they have to set up the episode’s premise within the first few lines, which they do masterfully.

9) The Outsider

Don’t confuse this with the film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, with a similar name (The Outsiders, which was released in 1983; stay gold, Ponyboy). No, this one is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. I don’t want to give anything away about this show because that’s how I went into it, cold. This show might have the hottest start to a show, possibly ever. Again, I won’t say anything about it, no loglines, no plot points; all you need to know is that it’s based on a Stephen King novel, and it features Jason Bateman. If that’s not enough to get you to at least watch the pilot, then I’m not sure what will. It’s only got 1 season, and it premiered in January of 2020.

8) Mr. Show or W/Bob & David

I included two in the number 8 slot because W/Bob & David seems to be the spiritual successor for Mr. Show. Both are sketch comedy shows that star Bob Odenkirk & David Cross. It’s not as dramatic as Better Call Saul, but it does show the comedic side of Saul Goodman himself.

I’ve always thought that if you can do comedy well, you can easily transition to drama even better. Comedy has to be played straight for it to be funny, and drama has to be played to be impactful; it’s the same thing in my eyes. If you like what you read, go check out Mr. Show on HBO Max, and W/Bob & David can easily be found on Netflix or whichever streaming provider you want to use.

7) Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is one of the oddest shows ever; it’s a basic premise, who killed Sara Palmer, right? But David Lynch is anything but basic. The show is filled with strange and endearing characters with just as strange and endearing storylines. This show premiered back in 1990 and is currently available on Netflix and Fire Walk with Me, along with a 2014 movie by the name of Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. The intro to Twin Peaks is the most hypnotizing intro you will ever hear. It’s almost like a lullaby.

6) Breaking Bad

How could you not? Breaking Bad is the reason there is a show by the name of Better Call Saul. I don’t need to go on and on about how good it is. We all know how good it is, and me praising it would add nothing to this. This is where Bob Odenkirk first played Saul Goodman. Watch it again and say his name.

5) Shameless

I’m a Chicago homer and always will be, so of course, I will feature a show based in and shot in Chicago. Shameless is great if not for the fact that the city itself is also a character. Shameless follows the life of The Ghallager family living on the Southside of Chicago. Frank is the barely there, barely sober patriarch of 6 kids; Philip (Lip), Ian, Liam, Debbie, Carl, and the real head of the house, Fiona. The best bits of the show are the emotionally heavy moments that sometimes come unexpectedly. Brace yourself cause from 5, and on, things are gonna get a bit more serious. You’re gonna despise Frank Gallagher, but you’re gonna fall for his kids. Watch Shameless on Netflix.

4) The Wire

David Simon’s The Wire is the best show ever to have existed. It’s dense with all kinds of cop and legal jargon, numerous multi-faceted characters, and features some of the best dialogue you will ever hear. The show was shot in and took place in Baltimore. It might be tough to power through because most episodes bottom out at around 40 minutes and top out at 1 hour or more. Very dense show that will keep you busy. The Wire is easily one of my personal list of top 10 TV shows of all time.

The Wire features (very briefly) a charter named John Munch, who first appeared in Homicide: Life on the Street and has since appeared on numerous other shows, most notably; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Munch also makes an appearance on our Number 3 show on the list as Professor John Munch.

3) Arrested Development

Funniest show you will ever find. It might have the best ensemble cast to have ever ensembled—this one you have to watch numerous times to get all the jokes and all the foreshadowing. Mitchell Herwitz’s show premiered on Fox in 2003 and ran for 3 seasons before being canceled (woof). It got a season 4 when Netflix picked it up and, as recently as 2019, a season 5, which you can avoid if you have already seen it. Bob Odenkirk makes an appearance in one of the episodes alongside his Mr.Show co-star David Cross in the first season. And as mentioned before, so does Munch. Please do yourself a favor and watch it a lot. Just remember to have your ice cream sandwiches ready, and don’t forget; NO TOUCHING! We miss you, Jessica Walter.

2) Fleabag

Fleabag is a fast-paced, painful take on Fleabag’s life as she struggles dealing with the loss of a friend and the discovery of new, intruding love. 2 seasons, 6 episodes each, very consistent, just like Phoebe Waller-Bridge‘s writing. You won’t find a more powerful show. Even if you’ve seen it, watch it again; Better Call Saul is still a ways away, so why not take a couple of rides on the Fleabag roller-coaster. This experience is number 1 on my personal top 10 TV shows.

1) Patriot

Patriot revolves around an intelligence officer of the United States by John Tavner, who must stop Iran from going nuclear. That’s not even why it’s on the list. John has done some bad things, including some wetwork missions, that have taken a toll on him personally. The reason this is number 1 is based on how he deals with all that madness. Folksongs. It’s almost magical to hear him sing, knowing what he has done. The beauty comes in when he sings about the missions he has completed, literally externalizing what he has done for others to hear, but since it’s a folksong, you would assume he’s making it up, but he’s not. Highly recommend this show; with only 2 seasons, you will immediately empathize with John Tavner, the man who can’t smile.