'Better Call Saul' Season 5: Hank's Return Is Not For Nostalgia

“Better Call Saul” Season 5 is racing towards the end of Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) journey, and that means fans will get to see many characters from “Breaking Bad.” The latest character to return in the spin-off is Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), but the actor said in a recent interview that there is good reason for the DEA agent to return.

Hank is not back just for nostalgia factor. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Norris said that in his conversation with producer Peter Gould the only question the actor had before reprising his role was whether it is “worth” his return.

Norris didn’t want his character’s return to be “gratuitous.” Producer Vince Gilligan assured the actor that it wasn’t, and he agreed to reprise his role.

How is Hank important to the story? According to Gould, Hank will play a small role in the character development of Jimmy in “Better Call Saul” Season 5. The DEA agent will help push Jimmy to truly transform into the new person he is trying to become.

In an interview with TV Line, Gould explained how this is the right time to bring in Hank and his partner from “Breaking Bad.” He pointed out that as the story progresses and the DEA needs to get involved, there are only two characters in Albuquerque that they can bring in.

With new and familiar characters on the show and Jimmy taking his on road, Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) got her own story. TV Guide called Kim the “best character on TV” because of the way she has to balance her career by working for a bank that is doing things that make it difficult for her to accept, and at the same time she is using her skills to help people.

“Better Call Saul” Season 5, episode 4 is titled “Namaste.” It will air on March 9 at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.