Originally published July 11, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
Better Call Saul
“I thought you were proud of me”
I, like many a Breaking Bad fan, was a little skeptical coming into Vince Gilligan’s and Pete Gould’s new brainchild. How on earth where they going to recreate the magic of one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, television shows of all time? Better Call Saul had nearly impossible standards to match and it reminded me of the huge pressure on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight follow-up The Dark Knight Rises.
The tale of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman has become an instant classic, born of intelligent writing, dynamic directing, a vibrant setting, breathtaking performances, all coming together perfectly to provide one hell of an adrenaline rush. So when Gilligan and Gould decided they wanted to deliver a spin-off show centered around the slimy, cowardly Saul Goodman, the world was a little hesitant. Not because they didn’t want it to succeed but because of the realisation that it’s parent programme was always going to be looming large over its shoulder, whispering “you’re never going to be as good as me” every chance it got.
However, after watching the very first episode of Saul earlier this year the world could rejoice. Saul was everything that a Breaking Bad fan could have possibly have dreamed of. It was a huge sigh of relief and allowed expectations for the rest of the season and beyond to sky-rocket. The guys behind and in front of the camera had created not a clone of our beloved show but something new that while was very connected and lived in the same world as Walter, Hank and Tuco, was indeed its own show, with its own style and sensibilities. It retained the same, dark, dramatic moments that made Breaking Bad so gripping but also provided a larger nudge into the comedic, not that Bad wasn’t hilarious (it was) but Saul skewers the percentage slightly the other way. Low and behold it works fantastically. The greatest thing about the show however, which has already been renewed for a second season, is the way it makes you feel about its protagonist. Saul wasn’t particularly likable in his small but scene stealing role on Breaking Bad but as he appears now, using his real name Jimmy, he is impossible not to fall in love with. He is depicted as a man that means well, that just wants to succeed, to impress his brother who has always kept him where he thinks he belongs, right under his boot. Jimmy isn’t a bad man, like what Walter became to be, Jimmy is just a regular guy who is terrible at being good, who finds that bending the rules is getting him further in life then being the ‘nice guy’ was ever going to. It’s heartbreaking to witness over the course of the first season, the decisions he makes and the paths he chooses for himself, both anger and toy with the audience who just want to see him succeed but alas, we already know that he doesn’t, that poor old Jimmy is destined to become the wheeling and dealing Saul Goodman whose fate is so cruelly bound to the monstrous Walter White. This however doesn’t hinder the show like it might another series, the writing is far to good to let that happen. Knowing what happens to Jimmy years into the future without knowing his eventual, final fate, means that we have a sense of dread and trepidation waiting around every corner, causing us to root for Jimmy that little bit harder, just in case we might somehow change his date with destiny.
My only gripe with the series so far is that the season ender lasted a beat too long, denying us an ambiguous ending that would have led fantastically into season 2. This, however, is a very small detail that doesn’t spoil ones enjoyment of this otherwise greatly conceived and executed show. Bring on Season 2.
