Creators: Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael McKean, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando and Raymond Cruz.
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 486 minutes
It goes without saying that Better Call Saul is a television series accompanied by a huge amount of expectation and trepidation. The highly anticipated prequel not only carried the weight of expanding upon one of the most popular television characters of recent years, but also to successfully revisit the world of the global small screen juggernaut that is…Breaking Bad.
Many apprehensive viewers doubted that Vince Gilligan and AMC could find a genuinely fresh and unique way to delve back into the rich, entertaining and immensely addictive world of Walter White. However, this time round audiences have been treated to a closer look at Saul Goodman, Walter’s slimy, smooth-talking and often hilarious criminal lawyer.
Taking place five years prior to the start of breaking bad (around 2002), the show tells the story of a young Saul AKA Jimmy McGill and what drew him to the criminal underworld. Thankfully, those who dismissed the series as a shameless cash-grab can put away their pitchforks. From this absolutely phenomenal first season it’s clear that Gilligan and his crew have more than a few things left to say about Saul.
The first episode opens with a black and white flashforward sequence to an elderly Saul reflecting on his younger years via some extremely dated video tapes. While Gilligan previously stated that the show would take place ‘before, during and after’ the events of Breaking Bad, it was definitely a welcome treat to see the series reflect this statement in the opening moments of its premiere. This also helps the show redefine itself as a character piece, rather than a prequel that exists as nothing more than a rehash of references and returning characters.
Having said that, Raymond Cruz does make a surprising appearance as the psychotic and terrifying Tuco Salamanca. Although this is a wonderful piece of self-referential storytelling (harking back to Breaking Bad‘s own first season), his appearance is satisfyingly brief and effective. While it seems inevitable that Mr White and Jesse Pinkman will eventually make some sort of cameo appearances, it’s clear that this is (rightfully) being saved until Better Call Saul has fully established itself further down the line.
If it hasn’t already been made clear, then it should be stated now that this series manages to accomplish quite a bit in its tender run of 10 episodes. However, one achievement that deserves to be commended is how much the it differentiates itself from its parent show in terms of tone and style. While Breaking Bad heavily drew from its dark and gritty subject matter, Saul embraces the inherent sleaze that comes with its central character. Although this makes it undoubtedly lighter and more humorous than its predecessor, viewers would be very wrong to assume that it makes the characters less complex.
In fact, Jonathan Banks’ expanded role as Mike Ehrmantraut is utilized as a fantastic opportunity to add more layers to the character then he ever received opposite Walter White. One of the most endearing and interesting aspects of Ehrmantraut was always the deeper wounds bubbling under his gruff surface. Thankfully however, this is delved into wonderfully throughout the series (particularity in episode 6 where is dedicated an entire episode).
Overall, it’s incredibly difficult to find anything wrong with Saul’s first solo outing other than the fact that the series is only ten episodes long. Odenkirk is clearly fully immersed inside the head of McGill/Saul now, and as a result delivers an outstanding performance as a driven-yet-downtrodden man constantly struggling to succeed within the confines of the law. It’s evident that Better Call Saul is a labor of love, with everything from the show’s cheap motel style opening, to its beautiful direction, to Saul’s thickened hair clearly pointing to that. With only a few short months until the second season debuts, fans will definitely be left wanting more from Saul and his filthy world of crime and crude humor by the end of the first season.
Better Call Saul Season 1 is out now on Blu-Ray and DVD.
