If you picture Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman in a black-and-white flash-forward, you probably immediately think of one thing: Cinnabon. Since Breaking Bad’s finale, Saul’s new life has become synonymous with managing the cinnamon roll hotspot in Omaha. But did you know that his workplace was originally going to be something very different?
Saul Goodman at… Hot Topic?
Peter Gould, Better Call Saul’s writer and producer, recently revealed an early draft of a script that would have set up Saul’s post-crime life at none other than Hot Topic - the edgy retail chain known for punk rock tees, goth fashion, and alternative culture.
Imagine Saul surrounded by band merch and skull-adorned accessories instead of cinnamon rolls. It sounds wild, right? But why the switch?
“If I’m lucky, a month from now, best case scenario, I’m managing a Cinnabon in Omaha.”
From Punk Rock to Pastry
The choice to scrap Hot Topic in favor of Cinnabon wasn’t just about avoiding product placement - although that played a role, since Hot Topic was already selling Breaking Bad merchandise. More importantly, the showrunners wanted to create emotional tension through contrast.
Hot Topic’s vibrant, countercultural vibe would have clashed with the tone of Saul’s new life. After all, Gene - the alias Saul uses to hide away in Omaha - lives a painfully mundane existence. He’s no longer the flashy, sleazy lawyer with a flair for the dramatic; he’s a man in purgatory, erased from his former life.
The Power of Monotony
Saul’s transformation into Gene is made all the more striking because of the environment he inhabits. Managing Cinnabon, with its repetitive cinnamon roll-making, the sterile uniform, and isolating suburban mall setting, symbolizes just how far he’s fallen.
This quiet, beige existence creates a powerful tension: a man once thriving on chaos and risk is now trapped in soul-crushing monotony. It’s exactly the kind of place someone like Saul would hide to disappear. And as fans remember, Saul himself mentioned this job in Breaking Bad when he told Walter White, “If I’m lucky, a month from now, best case scenario, I’m managing a Cinnabon in Omaha.”
Had Saul worked at Hot Topic instead, that contrast between his past and present wouldn’t have been nearly as sharp. A counterculture store wouldn’t have emphasized his forced immersion into bland, mainstream life - a key element of the storytelling.
The Perfect Setup for a Final Heist
The dullness of Gene’s world is a ticking time bomb. Fans watch him squirm in this beige cage, wondering when the clever, cunning Saul will break free. A Hot Topic gig might have made the scenes more entertaining but less emotionally complex, diluting the narrative weight of his exile.
Cinnabon’s role becomes even more crucial in Better Call Saul’s final season, particularly in the episode “Nippy.” Here, Gene’s relationship with mall security guard Frank - bribed with delicious cinnamon rolls - plays a vital role in an elaborate final heist, marking the start of his spiral back into crime.
That subtle storytelling moment wouldn’t have landed as well if Gene had been handing out edgy T-shirts instead of sweet treats.
The Real-Life Cinnabon Connection
Peter Gould also shared an interesting tidbit: Saul’s line about managing Cinnabon in the Breaking Bad finale was initially meant as a throwaway joke. But Cinnabon’s social media team quickly embraced the shoutout, tweeting just 11 minutes after the finale aired and eventually launching promotions around the character’s connection.
Bob Odenkirk took the role seriously, too. On Conan in 2016, he revealed that Cinnabon actually taught him how to make their signature cinnamon rolls, ensuring his portrayal was as authentic as possible.
So, what do you think? Would Saul Goodman’s post-Breaking Bad epilogue have worked if he was working at Hot Topic? Or is Cinnabon the perfect symbol of his painful purgatory?
