Summary

• Star Trek and Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul have shared many actors over the years, showcasing the versatility of these performers in both sci-fi and crime dramas.
• Actors like John de Lancie, Jonathan Banks, Mark Margolis, and Raymond Cruz have seamlessly transitioned from the utopian world of Star Trek to the morally ambiguous universe of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
• It's a testament to the talent of these actors that they can handle both high-concept science fiction and character-focused prestige drama, showcasing their range and versatility in their performances.

The world of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul could not be more different from that of Star Trek, but both fictional universes have featured many of the same actors over the years. Given the Star Trek franchise's episodic nature for the majority of its lifetime, it has often required an extensive list of guest artists. It's no surprise that these actors would then go on to roles in prestigious contemporary dramas like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. So big was Breaking Bad in the 2010s that Walter White actor Bryan Cranston was reportedly being eyed up to play the villain in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Beyond.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan was a veteran of The X-Files, and so had an impressive track record of TV sci-fi behind him. Star Trek and The X-Files were huge during the 1990s, and it's no surprise that both shows crossed over via casting actors from each franchise. It's perhaps more surprising that the gritty crime dramas of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul cast actors from the utopian, largely crime-free universe of Star Trek. However, it's a testament to the many great actors that have walked on to the various Star Trek sets over the years that they can handle both high-concept science fiction and morally ambiguous character-focused prestige drama.

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