The Howard Line On Better Call Saul That Deeply Affected Fans

When "Better Call Saul" premiered in 2015, the anticipation was extremely high. It had been two years since the conclusion of "Breaking Bad," and along with the excitement of seeing Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) again, fans were thrilled about the chance that characters from "Breaking Bad" would make appearances. The pre-Walter White storyline meant no Bryan Cranston, but there were plenty of other characters that could cross Saul's path. When the pilot episode began with an older, balding Saul working at a Cinnabon, viewers weren't sure what to expect.

As the episode unfolds, we focus on Saul's old life when he was still going by his real name, Jimmy McGill, and working low-paying jobs for the public defender's office. After he receives a severance check in the mail from Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian), viewers learn that his brother Chuck (Michael McKean) is also a lawyer and co-founder of Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill. Howard is a light antagonist (considering the baddies faced in "Breaking Bad,") and in the first episode of Season 1, Jimmy confronts Howard at the firm. At the end of the spat, Howard makes a comment to Jimmy that was profound for many fans. 

In the pilot episode of "Better Call Saul," when Jimmy is sparring with Howard, Howard cooly responds, "You know Jimmy, sometimes in our line of work you can get so caught up in the idea of winning that you forget to listen to your heart," before adding, "Give Chuck my love," and walking away. While this small comment is made at a time in the show where Howard is being framed as the main villain to Jimmy, the line deeply resonated with fans upon rewatching the show from the beginning, now with a more complete picture of Howard's character.

"Howard's advice for Jimmy hit me so hard that I quit my job and changed careers," u/tamiya_prime posted in a Reddit thread. Redditor u/JiveWithIt chimed in that "I'm in the process of switching to a 'less desirable' job because of this. No longer chasing money and fame, but well-being." The comments went back and forth, with some like u/Prv876 saying "He was kidding," and others, such as u/CMR300 saying "I think Howard was being sincere. Jimmy just wanted to ignore it."

Whether or not Howard was sincere — though it stands a good chance that he was — the fact that viewers are saying they've quit their jobs over this one line is truly remarkable.