From Los Pollos Hermanos fast food restaurants to Madrigal Electromotives, the shared universe of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul (BCS) has no shortage of businesses with real-world equivalents. Over the next four parts of this series, we’ll look at each season of the Better Call Saul Employee Training series to sort out the good practices from the downright horrifying.
For anyone living under a rock, Breaking Bad was one of the biggest hits of broadcast television, airing 2008-2013 on AMC. Its follow-up series, Better Call Saul, aired 2015-2022. Both series garnered huge followings, using their respective run-times to flesh out their shared, crime-filled world.
Straightaway, AMC commissioned four seasons of minisodes to promote Better Call Saul, with each one focusing on a different type of employer. Altogether, these comical mock-ups of traditional corporate training videos feature various fictional businesses from the world of BCS and Breaking Bad.
Obviously, you shouldn’t take the advice in these videos seriously, and it would be a bit concerning if you thought otherwise. Even so, they effectively satirize the traditional format of training videos across four highly varied professions. If you want to improve employee training and development, they’re worth watching as an example of engaging content delivery.
Better Call Saul Employee Training seasons 1-4
Over the next four articles, we’ll look at each of the workplaces featured in Better Call Saul Employee Training and see what do’s and don’ts we can establish for a modern learning management system like Learn365.
If you’re a fan of the Saul Goodman character, you might be disappointed to learn he’s not the focus of BCS employee training. Instead, a different popular supporting character presents each season.
We’ll go over the lessons each presenter covers, their overall teaching style, what to take away, and what to avoid at all costs. So, start taking notes, don’t do anything illegal, and remember, s’all good, man!
1. Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training with Gus Fring
“Hello, and welcome to the Los Pollos Hermanos family. My name is Gustavo, but you can call me Gus. I am thrilled that you’ll be joining our team. Each and every day, we serve our customers exceptional food with impeccable service.”
Los Pollos Hermanos’ 10-week online seminar is led by the iconic Gus Fring, with his signature blend of charming civility and unsettling intensity. Gus takes newly hired employees through the basics of life working in one of Albuquerque, New Mexico’s most famous fictional fast-food diners.
In this workplace training course, you’ll learn about basic responsibilities, like health and safety, or when to look the other way for your own good. In order, the episodes are:
- Communication
- Cleanliness
- Shipping and Receiving
- Customer Service
- Employee Code of Conduct
- Loss Prevention
- Sustainability
- Brand Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Emergency Situations
2. Madrigal Electromotives Security Training with Mike Ehrmantraut
“Before we begin today’s lesson, one of your Madrigal supervisors has requested that I read the following disclaimer: The views expressed in these training videos are in no way to be taken as threats of physical violence. What? Hey, y’know, Lydia, you don’t like my tone, you can come here and read it yourself.”
As a security consultant for Madrigal Electromotives, the world’s most level-headed hitman, Mike Ehrmantraut provides a 10-week refresher course for security personnel. Although Mike doesn’t seem to take his seminars very seriously, he walks his audience through some essential topics and even soft skills:
- Employee Accountability
- Hiring Practices
- Perimeter Security
- Social Intelligence
- Information Security
- Professionalism
- Workplace Safety
- Confidentiality
- Morale
- Chain of Command
3. Ethics Training with Kim Wexler
“No matter what strategy you use, remember to be patient. Building a client base takes time. You won’t become a household name overnight, so stay focused and keep working… and working… and working.”
Of all the presenters for Better Call Saul Employee Training, Kim is definitely the most straight-laced. As a senior partner at Schweikart and Cokely, she takes her job seriously, and expects the same of those viewing her ethics seminars for lawyers. Even so, BCS’s unique blend of dark yet zany humor can’t help but creep in. Altogether, the episodes include:
- Marketing
- Communication
- Civility
- Self-Care
- Strategic Alliances
- Conflicts of Interest
- Marital Privilege
- Money
- Client Privilege
- Decision-Making
4. Filmmaker Training with Saul Goodman Productions
“If you’re watching this, it means you got the filmmaking spirit, congratulations. The next great cinematic masterpiece might just be inside your head. All you need to bring it to life is a camera.”
This one features Jimmy McGill’s hired film students, Marshall, Phil and Sherry walking first-time filmmakers through the basics. Its depiction of a more creative industry is in contrast to prior seasons. Furthermore, the Saul Goodman Productions Crew are easily the least professional presenters of the bunch.
However, unlike previous seasons of Better Call Saul Employee Training, Filmmaker Training only has six episodes:
- Safety
- Set Life
- Visual Storytelling
- Working with Actors
- Editing
- Movie Magic
What does Better Call Saul Employee Training do right?
Namely, with its anachronistic training video format and unpredictable cast, Better Call Saul Employee Training isn’t exactly the sort of content you’d want on your corporate training software. Even so, these videos actually do a few things right in terms of making content that’s both engaging and informative.
Bite-sized training
Firstly, each episode of Better Call Saul Employee Training is only a few minutes long, with some running for less than two. This means that, even with all the scenery chewing and visual gags, info has to be delivered in a concise way. It’s a great example of bite-sized course content for your employee training software.
Using humor as a teaching tool
Secondly, while the criminal goings-on hinted at in these videos certainly aren’t model behavior, they definitely liven things up. A study of young adults (18-34) published in the ICA Journal of Communication found participants were more likely to remember and share information that was communicated humorously.
An engaging animation style
Finally, the BCS Employee Training’s animated segments are another way the series avoids boring its audience. Although nobody expects you to have AMC’s budget or animation experience, even a simple infographic can break up the tedium.
For example, an image or animated vignette is worth a thousand words, after all. For instance, lots of people are visual learners, and even those who aren’t can still burn out on an endless lecture or wall of text.
BCS comedically highlights the need for a modern LMS
Better Call Saul Employee Training succeeds at being entertaining, but also highlights the flaws of traditional training methods. The videos don’t have any interactive elements, and to call their presenters questionable would be an understatement. So if you enjoyed this, stay tuned for the next installment.
However, one thing that the series has highlighted is the need for solid tools to conduct training. For example, a software-based, AI-powered LMS for employee training can transform even basic materials into full course content with interactive exercises. Additionally, it can provide access to curated libraries of content from accredited experts. And the embedded AI tools can help you create courses quicker than it takes you to finish another episode. See for yourself below:
Your employees deserve better training—are you ready to deliver?
Most companies fail at employee training—and it’s costing them productivity, engagement, and top talent. Ultimately, without a clear plan, learning becomes disorganized, inconsistent, and ineffective.
Now is the time to get serious. A structured training plan isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of a high-performing team.
Get started with our free and editable Employee Training Plan Template—your first step toward smarter, more effective workforce development.
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