Jackson Ball reviews the third episode of Better Call Saul…
It’s been a week since Better Call Saul’s two-episode season premiere, and we’ve all had time to digest what we’ve seen from the much anticipated Breaking Bad prequel. There’s been many similarities drawn between the series and its predecessor, as well as some vital differences, but with episode 3, entitled ‘Nacho’, we’ll find out even more about the story of Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk).
Warning! Spoilers Ahead – You have been warned!
For the third episode in a row, Better Caul Saul starts in a different time and place from what you’d call the ‘central’ narrative. This time the we jump backwards on the timeline (well, further backwards) to venture even further into Jimmy’s past. We find him in the orange overalls of a convicted man, meeting his brother Chuck (Michael McKean) for legal counsel. It’s a purposely vague scene, refusing to shed too much light on Jimmy’s predicament, but it does reveal a few more intricacies in the brothers’ relationship.
After the flashback, we’re straight back into the main narrative thread: currently consisting of Jimmy’s reluctant embroilment with Latino gang-members. We pick up right where we left off in episode 2; Jimmy has just been approached by a man known as ‘Nacho’ (Michael Mando), the right-hand man to drug lord Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz). Jimmy has been roped into a proposed armed robbery, and much of this episode centres around his ongoing battle with his conscience.
Sound familiar? Yes, there are more than just a few parallels here between Jimmy and his future client Walter White (Bryan Cranston). The representation of a regular man deteriorating into the Albuquerque underworld is clearly a riveting one; and one that Vince Gilligan specialise in.
Similarities aside, there is one striking difference between Jimmy McGill and Walter White, and it’s the key difference between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. It’s the same issue that befalls every prequel of any form: dramatic irony. The use of dramatic irony can be employed to devastating effect in prequels, especially in these internet-heavy, easter egg-laden days we live in (it’s why Jonathon Banks’ brief cameos have been so brilliant).
However, on the flipside of that, dramatic irony can have a negative impact on the production of tension within the programme. For example, in all three of Better Call Saul’s opening episodes the central element tasked with generating tension has been the same: placing Jimmy’s life in danger. Every episode has at some point threatened his life, be it via Tuco or Nacho. It’s a strong tactic that works in many other cases, and would most certainly work here… were it not for that fact that we already know that Jimmy doesn’t die. At least not until after the events of Breaking Bad have taken place.
It makes the narrative choice to rely so heavily on Jimmy’s mortal safety all the more perplexing…
Jackson Ball – follow me on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqtW2LRPtQY&list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E
Originally published February 19, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
