Every show or movie has a set of leads anchored by supporting roles that provide greater depth to its storyline. There have been instances of supporting roles stealing the spotlight away from the show’s lead, and when their parts come to an end, fans can’t help but demand that they be brought back. Breaking Bad is one show that’s featured a ton of these supporting roles, and almost all of them were quite warmly accepted by the franchise’s fanbase.
After the show concluded its incredible five-season run in 2013, a prequel/sequel to the Emmy award-winning series Better Call Saul came out in 2015, speaking of the life of Bob Odenkirk’s character Jimmy McGill, an ex-con artist, or its alter ego, a criminal lawyer named Saul Goodman.
While there were a few Breaking Bad characters that made the crossover the Goodman’s universe, only one individual didn’t get a chance to do so, Patrick Kuby, portrayed by the iconic Bill Burr, who appeared in five episodes of Bryan Cranston’s hit show. So, what happened to Kuby, a fan-favorite who barely got a mention in Better Call Saul despite playing a small part in Goodman’s life?
Bill Burr couldn’t return as Patrick Kuby for personal reasons
Bill Burr’s character, Patrick Kuby, didn’t play any major part in the storyline of Breaking Bad, yet, his few appearances during the fourth and fifth seasons of the show left a visible mark on its fanbase.
Kuby’s fate was never really revealed, nor was his backstory, but his presence on the screen certainly brought some life to various scenes, serving justice to the show as well. Unfortunately, while there were a ton of characters brought from the Breaking Bad to Better Call Saul universe, Burr’s Kuby didn’t return because of a very personal reason.
In an interview with The Rich Eisen Show (via Cinemablend), Burr addressed the truth behind his departure from the storyline claiming that he couldn’t stand the thought of possibly missing a loved one’s death. He said,
I was supposed to be on it, and unfortunately I had somebody who was dying, and I knew if I did it, I was going to miss. I had to visit him, I had to say goodbye. It sucked. The whole thing sucked.
Bill Burr also acknowledged the fact that Breaking Bad handed him over an acting career while giving credits to four-time Primetime Emmy Award-winning writer Vince Gilligan for bringing life to his character.
Was Bill Burr’s character Patrick Kuby supposed to be featured on Better Call Saul?
Bill Burr was brave for choosing to walk away from a project that could’ve given his acting career much more credibility. According to the Comic Book Report, upon realizing that having the standup comedian back was no longer a possibility after what he chose to do, the writers simply gave Kuby’s subplot to Sobchak (Steven Ogg).
Having Burr’s character included in the storyline would have revealed more about his connections to Goodman and how their relationship came into being. Kuby was reduced to as much as a mention in the sixth episode of Season 6 titled “Axe and Grind”.
Dr. Caldera (Joe DeRosa) had a black book with names of various criminal connections, and Goodman was seen with the same book much later. This gives a little hint as to how Kuby becomes one of the ex-con artist’s henchmen.
Burr’s Breaking Bad episodes collectively boast an average rating of 9.1/10 on IMDb, which also stands as a testament to the impact Kuby had on the show’s audience.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul can be streamed on Netflix.
