The Problem Better Call Saul Fans Have With Kaylee's Storyline
"Better Call Saul" is the "Breaking Bad" spinoff series that follows Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Bob Odenkirk), the sleazy Albuquerque ambulance chaser of a lawyer who will do everything he can to stay out of the courtroom. Although the show is a spinoff, it's actually a prequel to the original "Breaking Bad" series, taking place six years before Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is diagnosed with cancer and embarks on his career as a meth kingpin.
Saul is the star of "Better Call Saul," obviously, but the show also spends considerable time following the show's secondary characters. One of the most popular is Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), the crooked ex-cop who works as Saul's fixer and enforcer, and later does the same for Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
"Better Call Saul" Season 6 is set to arrive on April 8, 2022 (via Variety), and in the show's five seasons a lot has happened with Mike. In particular, the show has explored his relationship with his granddaughter Kaylee (played by Faith Healey, Abigail Zoe Lewis, and Juliet Dornenfeld) and his daughter-in-law, Stacey (Kerry Condon). It's some of the more dramatic content on the show, as Mike's criminal double life often intrudes on his relationship with his family.
However, there's just one problem: the established "Breaking Bad"/"Better Call Saul" timeline doesn't quite add up when it comes to Kaylee.
Simply put, Kaylee is a lot older than she should be
As many fans have pointed out, the version of Kaylee who appears on "Better Call Saul" is a lot older than she should be.
Kaylee first appears in the later seasons of "Breaking Bad." In Season 5 episode 2, "Madrigal," which takes place in 2009, it's established that Kaylee is ten years old (via the Breaking Bad wiki).
Since "Better Call Saul" takes place six years before the start of "Breaking Bad," that would mean Kaylee could only be three years old at the beginning of the prequel series. Despite this, the character only appears to be only a few years younger than she is on "Breaking Bad."
For lots of fans, this is a glaring error in an otherwise well-made television show. Here's how Redditor u/cagetheelephunk put it: "I seriously feel like an explanation is warranted by the creators or at least a subtle wink to the audience. I mean, with the INSANE level of planning and detail that they do in this show, it literally makes zero sense."
On the other hand, there are plenty of validity reasons why producers opted not to stay true to the timeline and cast a toddler. Older child actresses are typically more skilled, which offers more storytelling possibilities. As Redditor u/Dev-F put it, when it comes to toddler actors, "it's virtually impossible to get them to portray anything specific on screen."