Joking Bad: Jimmy Fallon’s “Breaking Bad” parody goes deep into late-night TV

AMC announced on Wednesday that it had signed licensing agreements to move forward with a Breaking Bad prequel called Better Call Saul, but Jimmy Fallon already found a new gig for Bob Odenkirk’s “Saul Goodman” character, as witnessed in an epic-length spoof on last night’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

“Joking Bad” made its debut, clocking in at almost 13 minutes and introduced with a “Late Night Digital Original” title card, taking the “Breaking Bad” universe and spinning it into the ongoing late-night TV talk-show “wars.”

With less than six months left in Late Night, it’s not quite cancer, but it prompts Fallon’s version of Walter White — complete with fake bald head, not-so tighty whities and all — to go in with Higbones (Steven Higgins) and start selling jokes. A.D. Miles also goes bald to portray his version of the Hank character. There’s a visit to the Comedy Cellar to sell jokes to Colin Quinn. A guy impersonating Gus Fring, or a version thereof. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul make cameos, presumably as themselves. Sort of. Only Odenkirk stays true to his actual Breaking Bad character and universe, tying the whole thing together.

I tell you all of this, and there’s still at least one more plot twist not yet spoiled.

Laugh your ass off? Precisely.

Roll the clip.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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