A certain cab driver may look a bit different the next time we see him in Better Call Saul. At the start of the Breaking Bad spinoff's first five seasons, black-and-white scenes set in the "present day" have shown viewers what Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) is up to while living a life on the lam as a Cinnabon manager. Though he dealt with frequent anxiety and paranoia, things seemed to be going well enough for him until he was spotted and identified by Jeff, an eccentric cab driver from Albuquerque. After forcing Jimmy to say his famous catchphrase, Jeff promises that he'll be seeing him again soon.When we last saw present day Jimmy/Saul (aka Gene), he had decided to face this Jeff problem himself rather than going back on the run. But it remains to be seen what exactly Jeff is up to here, and what it is he really wants from Saul, and the answer to this mystery has kept fans intrigued ever since. Season 6 did not start with the Gene scenes like the prior seasons, but a new teaser promoting the final six episodes compiles various Gene moments from those previous episodes, suggesting that this will all be explained in the coming episodes.Many fans watching the teaser noticed that something was off about the compilation. Included is the scene where Jeff first recognizes Saul in the cab through the rearview mirror. A voice can also be heard saying, "It is you," similar to what Jeff had told Saul. But while only part of Jeff's face can be seen in the mirror, it is clearly not Don Harvey, the actor who played Jeff in seasons 4 and 5. The voice is also clearly different.
Will There Be a New Jeff in Better Call Saul's Final Episodes?
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Many fans took this to be a sign that Jeff has been recast, and perhaps that scene had been reshot with a new actor. Others questioned if this had been an intentional swerve by the Better Call Saul creators just to keep fans talking until the new episodes premiered. While this hasn't been officially confirmed by AMC or anyone from the series at this time, the fan page all_about_saul on Instagram claims to have verified that the Jeff role has been recast due to scheduling conflicts.
"'Jeff' has been recast and Don Harvey will not be reprising that role in S6 due to contract obligations with HBO on We Own This City," the post reads, noting the name of the new cast member is unknown. "Today’s teaser showing the reshoot in the cab was an introduction to the new 'Jeff' so that we can be prepared to see that when it airs and hopefully not be so jarring."
How this all ultimately plays out remains to be seen. There have been minor recastings in the past on the series. But viewers have been waiting specifically for the return of Jeff the cab driver, as the character is pivotal to revealing Jimmy McGill's ultimate fate. As Harvey has such a unique look and personality, it may confuse many viewers if it's someone completely different when the character shows back up. Even so, fans will likely forgive the reported recasting as long as the show still ends in a satisfactory way for the story of Saul Goodman.
Better Call Saul returns on July 11 on AMC and AMC+.