Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul is an American TV drama series broadcasted on AMC. It is a spin-off of Breaking Bad and by design, its prequel. Better Call Saul is created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, who previously worked together on the Breaking Bad series. The TV show, traces the life of the lawyer Jimmy McGill, played by Bob Odenkirk, six years prior to his meeting with Heisenberg aka Walter White.
The first signs of a possible spinoff appeared in 2012, when Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan revealed that he is interested in a series focused on the lawyer, Saul Goodman. In 2013, it was confirmed that the makers of Breaking Bad were working on the series. Writers from the Breaking Bad team were inducted for the spin-off. During the development phase, there were plans to make the series a comedy. However, it was later decided that the tone of the show should match its sequel, and thus it became a thriller-drama. Vince Gilligan, finally settled the genre, which had a slightly low-but-right amount of comedy. The first episode of the season one premiered on AMC on February 2015. Interestingly, at the time of its launch, the show saw a record-breaking viewership.
The show reprised the role of Mike Ehrmantraut, played by Jonathan Banks. Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) is Jimmy’s love interest and a lawyer at the law firm Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill. Nacho (Michael Mando) is an ambitious and ruthless criminal, who does all the dirty jobs for Jimmy in the later episodes. The other cast members include the likes of Patrick Fabian playing Howard Hamlin, Kerry Condon plays Stacey Ehrmantraut, Mike's daughter-in-law, Míriam Colón plays Tuco's grandmother, among others.
Jimmy scrapes the bottom of Albuquerque, in the sense that he is trying desperately to get clientele from the less affluent section of the town. The show is the transformation of this grifting lawyer to a sleek will-get-done-anything Saul Goodman. Unlike Walter White, whose transformation into meth kingpin was orchestrated by fate, at least in the beginning, Jimmy has no such reasons. Therefore, although we know he will end up becoming Saul, it is really interesting to know what brought the transformation in him. As of now, he is sweet to his love interest Kim, and is also a gentle brother.
Jimmy has set his office in the back of a nail salon, and takes his calls by speaking in a high-pitched voice with a British accent, pretending to be his own secretary to his clients. Jimmy is seen trying all the tricks under his sleeve to get wealthy clients to sign up, only to fail pathetically. The unconfident character, Jimmy, stands in stark contrast against the Saul Goodman that we know. It is not surprising, considering that the show keeps delivering one blow after another to Jimmy’s pride. Eventually, Jimmy’s brother, Chuck, even sets him up at the law firm he works, by getting him a job in the mail room.
The storyline of Better Call Saul is chaotic to say the least. By way of contrast, there was always a sense of structure and direction in the activities of Walter White. The prequel also does not depend on adrenaline-inducing, action scenes or murders to entertain the viewers. Yet, the show has managed to muse a large viewer base. Clearly, Better Call Saul has sought and succeeded in charting its own path, thus preventing it from being overshadowed by the series that spawned it. The show has received a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a laudable feat. The series has received average to outstanding reviews from the critics and many fans even claim that it is better than its sequel. Check out this website for more great entertainment right now.
