152. Better Call Saul

by Adam Ferenz

As a series that is still ongoing, soon to air the fourth season and possibly to go as long as six or seven seasons, this will not be a “complete” review but will attempt something a little bit different in approach.

Upon being announced, this prequel to Breaking Bad caused fans and critics alike to scratch their heads and wonder why, not only because who needed or really wanted, another Breaking Bad, but why focus the series on Saul Goodman? Saul was a fun character, but slight and a bit lightweight. Besides, he had been sent to live in parts unknown, as a result of Walter White’s flight from the law. Soon, word came that this was a prequel, with hints of what happened after, and still, people thought “no, no, we will just be getting a lot of cute cameos and nods to the future, in Breaking Bad” and then we got word that Jonathan Banks was joining the cast as Mike Erhmantraut, and that Michael McKean had been cast as Charles McGill, the brother of Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill. Saul-or should we call him Jimmy-had a brother?

Then the series began, and at the end of the first episode, we saw Tuco, the first “big bad” of Breaking Bad, but instead of feeling like we were going to get a greatest-hits, what we saw in the opening hour felt unique and superbly well crafted. This was certainly in the Breaking Bad universe, but it may well be its own thing. For one, Mike was not yet the sinister cleaner/fixer for Gus Fring, who was nowhere to be seen, and Jimmy was working out of the back room of a nail salon and caring for his brother, one of the partners at a large law firm, who obviously suffered some sort of disability. There was also Kim Wexler, a fellow attorney, who worked at Charles-Chuck’s-firm, and was on intimate terms with Jimmy.

So, the audience said, you’re telling me that Jimmy-after you have seen the show, you will stop calling him Saul and start calling him Jimmy, it just happens-had this whole life that was completely gone a mere five or six years later? Now, that was intriguing. As the series progressed, we were introduced to low level dealers of drugs and arms, both from Mike’s side of the story, and from Jimmy’s side. On Mike’s side, his work with Jimmy eventually brought him into contact with Tuco’s operation, and Tuco’s uncle, Hector, who at this point was not in his chair, though he was not a well man, often seen popping pills. As Mike got drawn deeper into the Salamanca outfit, he desired to gain his own vengeance on Hector, but received a mysterious warning, which turned out to be from Gus Fring. This took until two full seasons had passed. By then, the audience was engrossed in the happenings of these earlier versions of Mike and Jimmy. And then came season three, in which we witnessed the early stages of what lead Gus to take a chance on Walter White, which was part of his plan to take out the Salmanacas and the cartel. We saw Mike become enmeshed in Gus’s group and saw the decline of Chuck, a vital turning point in making Jimmy become Saul.

Through all of this, we are seeing an “anti-hero’s” journey. In words Jimmy might appreciate, we are watching-at least in his case-a schmuck’s journey from lovable loser to “Criminal” attorney. It is a form of tragedy, as we watch two men who are ultimately so likeable and ultimately contain a lot of good, give in to base desires and make decisions that will cause their ruination. Perhaps Walter White was not the sole cause, but an almost inevitable consequence of long ago choices by two men who wanted something different, something better, but never could make the right choice.

As the series continues it will be fascinating to see how much focus remains on the characters, and how much goes to plot. Breaking Bad excelled because of the balance between plot and character, but this series has largely been about the characters and the story of their lives. Season three, as it wound down, seemed to make logical shifts into more plot based storytelling. If the same balance from Breaking Bad can be regained in Better Call Saul-and with much of the same crew and some of the same cast, there’s little reason to think it impossible-the audience has a lot to look forward to. If you are a fan of Breaking Bad but have been waiting on this one or uncertain of it, just start it. Watch the first three seasons. You will be surprised by how much its own show it is, yet how seamlessly it fits into the “Breaking Bad Universe” and that is truly exciting. One of the best shows ever has gotten perhaps the greatest spinoff in television history.