Better Call Saul

One of the best TV shows out there. The screenplay writers are some of the best. Character development at the highest quality. This is why this needs to be a TV show and not a movie, you need time to develop a character.

I like this show just as much as Breaking Bad. BB had a better story, and better characters, and better lead acting, but only by a small, small margin. Cranston and Paul gave two of the best performances I've ever seen, but Odenkirk and Seehorn are barely a step behind. Mando is great, McKean is fantastic, and Tony Dalton in seasons 4 and 5 is one of the five best performances from either show. The story and characters don't undergo as dramatic of transformations as Breaking Bad, and there's some story beats that feel the same as Breaking Bad because the shows are really the same at the core. But even with these caveats, as small as they are, Better Call Saul is better scripted and much stronger visually, enough to put it on par with Breaking Bad in my mind.

Season 1: 9/10
Season 2: 9/10
Season 3: 10/10
Season 4: 10/10
Season 5: 10/10

10/10 overall one of my favourite shows

Do you know what I appreciate with this show, and especially with the creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould? The fact that they trust us, the viewers. They do not make things unnecessarily obvious, but rather plant small easter eggs from Breaking Bad and it is up to us to figure it out and make the connections. I believe that is what makes this show so incredibly well-made. Every time I rewatch an episode I find something new that gives the show and the characters of both Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad a whole other dimension. I have been on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this show. It really has been a pleasure watching it, and I fully believe that Better Call Saul is a worthy prequel of Breaking Bad. The characters are incredible, the dialogue is witty, the cinematography is so beautiful, the writing and plots are amazing. I feel like every single thing on this show - from the dialogue, to the props, to the colors, to the camera angles, everything - has been thought out and planned. Nothing has been left for chance. I am in awe. 10/10. A fantastic show.

The **Best** :medal: show I have ever seen. Great love to all the staff. Still can't believe BCS lost to the squid game. 😢

With Breaking Bad over and Fargo between seasons, this is probably the best show on television. Bob Odenkirk reprises his role as "Slipping Jimmy" better known as Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad. He brings a lot of new depth to the character in this underdog origin story and is in my opinion, a far more sympathetic character than Walter White of Breaking Bad. Mike Ehrmantraut(Johnathan Banks) is back and is as cool and savvy as ever.

Series Rating: 9.6/10

Better Call Saul did what I thought was an impossible task and actually rivaled BB in terms of quality and as one of the best shows ever. I'd have to rewatch BB in order to fully determine how close it comes to it, but all I can say for now is that BCS is impeccably made on a technical level while having some of the absolute best character arcs put forth on TV. It's amazing that even though we go into the show knowing pretty much where Jimmy McGill is going to be by the end, it doesn't take away from how gripping watching his story play out is. Much of that is thanks to Bob Odenkirk's masterful performance, but it's also thanks to the writing and getting to see the ways in which Jimmy falls further and further into his Saul Goodman persona. The entire show is fleshed out with characters that rival Jimmy in terms of writing and acting, some of which we get for just a few seasons and others are along for the entire ride with him. His relationship with Kim is full of so much depth and Kim has her own spectacular arc throughout the series that is her own but also related to Jimmy's beautifully. The other side of the show largely centers on Mike's involvement with the Salamancas and Gus Fring, and this side provides a lot of the entertainment value but also doesn't short change its characters -- Mike and Nacho are fantastic. And all of the supporting characters (Chuck, Howard, Gus, Lalo, etc) are used so well within the story, fully fleshing this show out with characters that both cross over with BB but also its own characters, and all of them are executed so well. BCS is a show about the origin of Saul Goodman and Jimmy's descent into that persona, but it's also a show about decisions. About the decisions you make and the paths those decisions set you on, and how you react to and deal with the consequences of where those paths bring you. While we see Jimmy ultimately sink further and further until eventually completely embodying the Saul Goodman we see in BB, the show picks us up for four final episodes post-BB to show us what ultimately becomes of him, and these episodes provide a different arc for Saul. Whereas Jimmy descended into Saul, Saul ascends back into Jimmy. He can't undo what he has done, and because of the decisions he's made he is set on a path that can only end badly for him, but in the end he finally musters up the courage to embrace who he is to his core and take responsibility for those decisions he has made, both in BCS and in BB. Jimmy McGill is very much a tragic character, yet in the end Saul Goodman finds victory in a deep and meaningful way. Truly some of the best TV you can watch.

Was quickly hooked on the show. Saul Goodman was an entertaining character in Breaking Bad, but I couldn't have guessed he'd have this much depth and be such a fantastic lead. BCS is an exceptional character study that shows the gradual development of all the people carrying the action in it. Several Breaking Bad characters make an appearance, though they are never shoehorned in. Fan service is not once forced and always carries the story. BCS functions as its standalone show, although there are just a few moments that knowledge of Breaking Bad would explain.

The show balances all its moments, from one comedic end of the emotional spectrum to the other, tragic one, in a great manner. It's absolutely hillarious and utterly devastating when it decides to be. Witty writing and outstanding acting allow them to do so and bring the series to a level of immersion where each scene is memorable and to be savoured. The magnificient cinematography further enhances these aspects. Each shot is carefully placed and visually impressive. The music selection is great and gives new layers to the story. I was very impressed by some of the original tracks too.

What separates Better Call Saul from just any show is the complex interconnected plotting and subtle character development. Not one minute in the series is pointless, everything builds up to something. Everybody has their own motivations, reasoning, personality. Present are themes such as the road of crime having no option of turning back, moral degradation, naivette and many, many more. Examining the layers of storytelling here will net many results, but this would be nothing if the pacing and general mood set didn't carry it forward.

There's a lot to say about Better Call Saul, but summing it up is, in a sense, too easy. There's nothing wrong with it, but much great stuff that it has to offer. It has cemented its place as a favourite series of mine alongside its parent show. I can't wait for the final season!

Started this only because it brings back Breaking Bad's memories for me but I really liked it!

Cant wait for the next season :)

Excellent show that captures the brilliance of Breaking Bad yet at the same time feels unique, exciting, and you don't need Walter White or Jesse Pinkman to make this good. It's great without them. Not that I wouldn't say no to a cameo, though.