Review #973: Better Call Saul (2015-Present)

Title: Better Call Saul
Year(s): 2015- Present
Creator: Vince Gilligan
Country: US
Language: English

Better Call Saul was originally the eight episode of the second season of Breaking Bad, a show about a chemistry teacher with cancer (Bryan Cranston) and his former drop-out student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) making meth . In the episode Pinkman's friend Badger gets busted by the police and they go to "criminal lawyer" Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) for help. After Breaking Bad ended, creator Vince Gilligan decided to create a spin-off show based off the sleazy lawyer. It has been renewed for its 4th Season. 

Better Call Saul is about the trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer, Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), in the time leading up to establishing his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

At the time of its conception creator Vince Gilligan had originally thought of Better Call Saul as a half hour comedy for AMC. Thankfully his mind was changed and what we received was an hour of mixed drama and comedy. Much of the show follows Slippin Jimmy's antics, but we also get a side of Mike Ehrmantrout (Jonathon Banks) and the story of how he became involved with Gus Fring. This side story gives us a much needed break from the main storyline. 

The writing, directing, acting and camerawork are on par with the masterpiece of television that is Breaking Bad. The villains are less immediately threatening and the consequences of losing aren't as bad as what Walter White had to endure, but damn are the situations still compelling. Michael McKean plays a convincing and conniving villain in Chuck McGill, Jimmy's self righteous yet ill brother. He plays the antagonist role so well that you can't help but yell "FUCK CHUCK" at your television screen.

For Better Call Saul to follow Breaking Bad and not get crushed under the weight of fan expectation is an achievement in itself. I find myself enthralled with this show and anticipating what will come of our main characters each episode. This is certainly one of the best shows to come out of the 2010's.