People who are fans of Breaking Bad should definitely watch this it expands the Albuquerque criminal underworld to unparalleled heights. It's easily one of the most tragic, beautifully written and directed shows of all time and for me at least is at the top of the list of my favourite shows it's tied with Breaking Bad. I'm not really someone who's into the crime genre but this show as well as Breaking Bad are two all time great crime dramas that I actually LOVE. It's a master class of writing and direction. This show is the fastest show I've binged I finished the first 4 seasons in a matter of 3 days. Season 5 isn't out in Canada on Netflix yet.
1,404 Reviews
It just keeps getting better and thats unheard of!!
brenden3325 April 2020
Someone is responsible for making this such an outstanding show, year after year. The intelligence in dialogue, empathy for characters, twists and expectations are genius. Breaking bad, The X Files are 2 other badges of brilliance. We are privileged to be living in this time as we might have been if living during Shakespeare. This may seem over the top but the scores are on the board, Vince Gilligan. Please correct or remove if I am wrong!
A Miracle In Television
rxckne8 February 2024
As of today, it's officially been 9 years since Better Call Saul was released. It's been a little over a year since the finale aired and I'm still mesmerized about how this crew lead by Peter Gould & Vince Gilligan pulled it off, again.
When Breaking Bad reached its finale, it was hard for me to imagine any other show being able to reach it's level, let alone arguably surpass it. And when I heard that there was a spin-off regarding Saul Goodman, I thought maybe the show could have some solid and funny moments, and maybe bring a bit of depth towards some beloved Breaking Bad characters.
Spin-offs in television are usually seen to me as fan service, or a way to make more money off of a franchise that was loved. That doesn't mean that all of them are bad, but most of them don't have the passion or care that'd make you think it was extremely necessary to make a spin-off, especially considering the risk of making previous characters look bad writing wise. And while Better Call Saul was AMC's idea to make more money off of the franchise, I'm shocked with how the creators and writers were able to make another masterpiece.
This show was always meant to be in the shadow of Breaking Bad in my eyes, and I never would've thought of these shows as something that'd be deserving to talk about in the same breath as one another. But Better Call Saul took the ball that Breaking Bad was rolling, picked it up, and launched it forward.
While I think Breaking Bad has peaks that no other show can reach, Better Call Saul was able to do things that it's predecessor never could. The depth and writing of these characters are honestly perfect. So much so that I'd consider the shows leads Jimmy and Kim to be two of the best written characters in television history. And while the cast of this show is extremely stacked, Chuck McGill to me is a character that's honestly overlooked compared to the rest. His character has a pretty clear consensus amongst most people, but there's so much to him and Jimmy's dynamic that's it's honestly not as black and white as most people make it out to be, despite both being objectively wrong in certain aspects of the series. It's really fascinating to me.
The main aspect of the show that baffles me is how perfectly timed the arcs are considering this is a prequel. Every event in the show is written so well and is paced in a brilliant way to the point where no character arc seems to be rushed, yet the show still remains interesting. You think you've reached the pinnacle of a characters journey, then a curveball is thrown that changes everything.
That's not even mentioning how balanced both the lawyer side and the cartel side of the show are. When I first started the show I was eager to get more of the Mike and cartel portion, but the lawyer side of the story honestly paved the way for the first half of this show and was the most compelling part of the first 3 seasons.
My word of advice to anyone who watches this show.
1. Be patient 2. Understand that this is not Breaking Bad.
At some point the show will get very intense, but enjoy what arcs you are given at the time because before you know it, you'll look back and realize you were in the good times of the show. If you watch Better Call Saul after watching Breaking Bad, you might ask for one thing early on. But when you actually get it, you'll realize that the destination wasn't the key, but it was the journey to get there.
Considering most of the characters in this show were never even supposed to exist, it's safe to call Better Call Saul a miracle in television. Whether that was because of an actor wanting to be written off, an actor having a busy filming schedule, or a throw away line that created two of the greatest characters in the entire universe, it's amazing that Breaking Bad was able to pave the way for one of the greatest shows of all time. But what's even more impressive is Better Call Saul makes it to where Breaking Bad is not even complete without its existence.
Kudos to Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan and the entire crew that returned to create Better Call Saul, and I'm grateful I got to experience this universe come to a close.
When Breaking Bad reached its finale, it was hard for me to imagine any other show being able to reach it's level, let alone arguably surpass it. And when I heard that there was a spin-off regarding Saul Goodman, I thought maybe the show could have some solid and funny moments, and maybe bring a bit of depth towards some beloved Breaking Bad characters.
Spin-offs in television are usually seen to me as fan service, or a way to make more money off of a franchise that was loved. That doesn't mean that all of them are bad, but most of them don't have the passion or care that'd make you think it was extremely necessary to make a spin-off, especially considering the risk of making previous characters look bad writing wise. And while Better Call Saul was AMC's idea to make more money off of the franchise, I'm shocked with how the creators and writers were able to make another masterpiece.
This show was always meant to be in the shadow of Breaking Bad in my eyes, and I never would've thought of these shows as something that'd be deserving to talk about in the same breath as one another. But Better Call Saul took the ball that Breaking Bad was rolling, picked it up, and launched it forward.
While I think Breaking Bad has peaks that no other show can reach, Better Call Saul was able to do things that it's predecessor never could. The depth and writing of these characters are honestly perfect. So much so that I'd consider the shows leads Jimmy and Kim to be two of the best written characters in television history. And while the cast of this show is extremely stacked, Chuck McGill to me is a character that's honestly overlooked compared to the rest. His character has a pretty clear consensus amongst most people, but there's so much to him and Jimmy's dynamic that's it's honestly not as black and white as most people make it out to be, despite both being objectively wrong in certain aspects of the series. It's really fascinating to me.
The main aspect of the show that baffles me is how perfectly timed the arcs are considering this is a prequel. Every event in the show is written so well and is paced in a brilliant way to the point where no character arc seems to be rushed, yet the show still remains interesting. You think you've reached the pinnacle of a characters journey, then a curveball is thrown that changes everything.
That's not even mentioning how balanced both the lawyer side and the cartel side of the show are. When I first started the show I was eager to get more of the Mike and cartel portion, but the lawyer side of the story honestly paved the way for the first half of this show and was the most compelling part of the first 3 seasons.
My word of advice to anyone who watches this show.
1. Be patient 2. Understand that this is not Breaking Bad.
At some point the show will get very intense, but enjoy what arcs you are given at the time because before you know it, you'll look back and realize you were in the good times of the show. If you watch Better Call Saul after watching Breaking Bad, you might ask for one thing early on. But when you actually get it, you'll realize that the destination wasn't the key, but it was the journey to get there.
Considering most of the characters in this show were never even supposed to exist, it's safe to call Better Call Saul a miracle in television. Whether that was because of an actor wanting to be written off, an actor having a busy filming schedule, or a throw away line that created two of the greatest characters in the entire universe, it's amazing that Breaking Bad was able to pave the way for one of the greatest shows of all time. But what's even more impressive is Better Call Saul makes it to where Breaking Bad is not even complete without its existence.
Kudos to Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan and the entire crew that returned to create Better Call Saul, and I'm grateful I got to experience this universe come to a close.
Better watch this
TheLittleSongbird5 January 2023
Had heard nothing but amazing things about 'Better Call Saul' (with nothing bad), with it being one of the most highly regarded shows in recent years. Am a huge fan of 'Breaking Bad', so was really psyched in seeing its prequel 'Better Call Saul' too. My opinion of Bob Odenkirk is also very high, so there was absolutely no way this was going to be missed. Have binged on many shows in the past seven years or so and was determined for this to be one of them, very like 'Breaking Bad'.
'Better Call Saul' was every bit as amazing as reputed. Have seen many shows that started off wonderfully but declined badly in their final seasons, a few with really bad last episodes ('House of Cards', 'Game of Thrones', 'Killing Eve'), but then there are rarities like 'Breaking Bad' where every season was at least positively received and on the most part universally acclaimed. 'Better Call Saul' is another one of the rarities and is the first show seen in a long time to not have a bad episode in it, since 'Breaking Bad'. Seriously compelling and addictive stuff and exceptional in every area.
Visually, 'Better Call Saul' is one of those shows that is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.
The writing for 'Better Call Saul' is a fine example to all shows of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and tense, although quite talky, while also have a darkly wicked sense of humour and heart-tugging pathos. The stories are texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of them consistently deliberate but taut. The pull no punches and gritty approach to the subject was often chilling and harrowing to watch. The direction couldn't be better.
Likewise with the acting, with Odenkirk on absolutely towering form throughout as one of television's most fascinating and meatiest leading characters, one that one is repulsed by but also one that is not hard to sympathise with in some situations. Rhea Seehorn and Michael McKean are excellent as well, McKean giving one of his best work in years. The character writing is rich and compellingly real.
Concluding, truly outstanding show. 10/10.
'Better Call Saul' was every bit as amazing as reputed. Have seen many shows that started off wonderfully but declined badly in their final seasons, a few with really bad last episodes ('House of Cards', 'Game of Thrones', 'Killing Eve'), but then there are rarities like 'Breaking Bad' where every season was at least positively received and on the most part universally acclaimed. 'Better Call Saul' is another one of the rarities and is the first show seen in a long time to not have a bad episode in it, since 'Breaking Bad'. Seriously compelling and addictive stuff and exceptional in every area.
Visually, 'Better Call Saul' is one of those shows that is both stylish and beautiful, with photography and editing that are cinematic quality and put a lot of films today to shame, where there are a lot of visually beautiful ones but also some painfully amateurish looking ones. The music always has the appropriate mood, never too intrusive, never too muted.
The writing for 'Better Call Saul' is a fine example to all shows of how to have a lot of style but also to have a lot of substance. The dialogue throughout is thought-provoking and tense, although quite talky, while also have a darkly wicked sense of humour and heart-tugging pathos. The stories are texturally rich, intimate, tense and layered, with the pace of them consistently deliberate but taut. The pull no punches and gritty approach to the subject was often chilling and harrowing to watch. The direction couldn't be better.
Likewise with the acting, with Odenkirk on absolutely towering form throughout as one of television's most fascinating and meatiest leading characters, one that one is repulsed by but also one that is not hard to sympathise with in some situations. Rhea Seehorn and Michael McKean are excellent as well, McKean giving one of his best work in years. The character writing is rich and compellingly real.
Concluding, truly outstanding show. 10/10.
Absolutely Amazing!
Rob133131 December 2022
Better Call Saul is not only considered one of the best shows of the last few years but it's also considered one of the best shows of all-time! The acting & storytelling are so good that it really does becomes addictive to watch. There's a reason why this show is one of the highest rated shows on this site and why it's always nominated for so many awards and that's because it's freaking amazing! People always want to compare it to Breaking Bad because it's a spin-off but don't. Even though it has the same feel and it's not quite as good as Breaking Bad, it's pretty darn close! I, along with everyone else who watched, was worried how they would end the show and hoping they wouldn't mess it up (like so many other great shows tend to do). Well, they didn't! The ending was fantastic and will go down as one of the better finales to a great show. If you are a fan of Breaking Bad then this is an absolute must watch!
before the events of "Breaking Bad", the legal profession was a gritty field in Albuquerque
lee_eisenberg31 March 2022
"Breaking Bad" was undeniably one of the greatest shows of the 21st century. If you then hear that one of the characters got a spinoff show, you could be forgiven for doubting the quality. Well, doubt no more. "Better Call Saul" is an equally fine piece of work.
The protagonist is lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), who it turns out is actually named Jimmy McGill. He engages in all manner of shady activity, while other characters from the previous show have their own things to deal with. As with the previous show, it's a serial, with episodes ending in cliffhangers. And make no mistake, you'll want to keep watching.
Basically, it's the type of series that you have to see to believe. There have been lawyer shows and crime dramas, but never have they gotten combined so splendidly. It's the perfect mix of comedy, tragedy and thriller. Definitely see it.
The protagonist is lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), who it turns out is actually named Jimmy McGill. He engages in all manner of shady activity, while other characters from the previous show have their own things to deal with. As with the previous show, it's a serial, with episodes ending in cliffhangers. And make no mistake, you'll want to keep watching.
Basically, it's the type of series that you have to see to believe. There have been lawyer shows and crime dramas, but never have they gotten combined so splendidly. It's the perfect mix of comedy, tragedy and thriller. Definitely see it.
Saul definitely deserves love too from Breaking Bad fans.
rainerraff-875196 May 2020
One thing that stopped me from watching this movie is because I knew this show has nothing to do with Walter White, the man that makes Breaking Bad, Breaking Bad. I believe most people also think the same.
Personally, after rewatching Breaking Bad few times, I have come to the conclusion that there is nobody in the show that I love from the beginning until the last second. What I like the most is the character development for all the important characters.
Then? What does it have to do with Better Call Saul? I believe I love this show as much as Breaking Bad because of the exact reason. I REALLY love how every character behaves and develops in this show. What more fascinating is, this show has everything you like from Breaking Bad. Tension, emotions, atmosphere, character flaws, good antagonists, you name it. One other similarity this show has, this show gets better when it is closer to the end. (I know, it has not ended yet) You really don't want to miss every second of it.
I can assure you, all Breaking Bad fans, your love to this show will be AT LEAST as big as your love to Breaking Bad. Easiest 10/10 after Breaking Bad.
Personally, after rewatching Breaking Bad few times, I have come to the conclusion that there is nobody in the show that I love from the beginning until the last second. What I like the most is the character development for all the important characters.
Then? What does it have to do with Better Call Saul? I believe I love this show as much as Breaking Bad because of the exact reason. I REALLY love how every character behaves and develops in this show. What more fascinating is, this show has everything you like from Breaking Bad. Tension, emotions, atmosphere, character flaws, good antagonists, you name it. One other similarity this show has, this show gets better when it is closer to the end. (I know, it has not ended yet) You really don't want to miss every second of it.
I can assure you, all Breaking Bad fans, your love to this show will be AT LEAST as big as your love to Breaking Bad. Easiest 10/10 after Breaking Bad.
extremely underrated
onnodewettinck14 December 2019
One of the best shows ever created!
Supermanfan-1331 January 2023
Better Call Saul has a 8.9 rating for a reason and that's because it's fantastic! It's absolutely one of the best shows ever created! The acting, writing, storytelling, etc are all as good as anything that's ever been on television. This was Emmy nominated for most outstanding drama every season it was on. The cast, led by Bob Odenkirk, are all amazing and all perfectly cast. There's not a weak link on the entire series. This is one of the rare spinoffs that is as good as the original. I'm blown away how they kept this show feeling so fresh and where every season is incredible. If you haven't seen this show yet then do yourself a favor and go watch it as soon as you can. Just warning you now though to give yourself enough time because you're going to want to binge it as fast as you can!
As darkly comic and multilayered as Breaking Bad, yet very much its own thing
gogoschka-19 February 2015
So here it is at last: one of the most highly anticipated new TV-shows of the year, the spin-off from probably THE most highly praised TV-show in the history of Television. Naturally, expectations were over the roof - and it was a forgone conclusion that meeting those expectations would be next to impossible. Well, here's the good news. Judging from the first couple of episodes, 'Better Call Saul' will be good. Just how good remains to be seen, but as far as promises go, those first episodes made a big one.
For those who haven't seen it yet: relax - I won't spoil a thing about the storyline. Instead, I'll concentrate on all other aspects of the show. The first thing you notice (as was the case with Breaking Bad) is the camera. The photography is simply gorgeous. All the visual trademarks I've grown to love so much in BB are there: the playful camera angles; the creative ways to establish even a simple scene with unusual, interesting shots (yet without ever distracting from the storytelling) - it's just beautiful to look at.
Then there's the music. From the wonderful introductions (before the opening credits) to the last scene of an episode, music is not just used as background "noise": carefully picked songs are there to give clues and are as much an integral part of the story as they help establish the tone of certain scenes. And the original music by Dave Porter feels as organic to 'Better Call Saul' as it did in 'Breaking Bad'.
The writing, directing and acting (so far) are on par with BB; anyone afraid this would be a rushed production trying to surf on BB's success can relax; not for a second did I get the feeling this was somehow not well thought through or cheaply constructed by a committee of writers - and although we do of course get some of our favorite characters back, new ones are introduced that promise to be just as original and interesting as the ones that helped turn BB into a cultural phenomenon. And adding high calibre actors such as Michael McKean ('This Is Spinal Tap') to the cast is probably an indication that Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould will not content themselves - or us - by mainly exploring the characters we already know.
And then, finally, there's the magnificent Bob Odenkirk. Starting off as a slightly one-dimensional character and comic relief in BB, the character we've come to love as the sleazy, slick Saul Goodman has already shown more layers in the first half of the first season of 'Better Call Saul' than over his entire run on BB. And that's as much thanks to Odenkirk as the fantastic writing: the actor obviously relished the opportunity to show what he's capable of as his character charms, squirms and threatens his way through his scenes, but - somewhat unexpectedly - he also manages to move you during the more quiet moments.
To sum up my overall impressions: 'Better Call Saul' is a darkly comic, multilayered story that could end up being just as unusual and exciting as we all dared to hope. The tone may be consistent with 'Breaking Bad', but make no mistake: this is very much its own thing. The writing, directing and acting - as well as the production values - are top notch, and if what we've seen so far is anything to go by, we're in for a great first season of a very promising new show. My (provisional) rating: 9 stars out of 10
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
For those who haven't seen it yet: relax - I won't spoil a thing about the storyline. Instead, I'll concentrate on all other aspects of the show. The first thing you notice (as was the case with Breaking Bad) is the camera. The photography is simply gorgeous. All the visual trademarks I've grown to love so much in BB are there: the playful camera angles; the creative ways to establish even a simple scene with unusual, interesting shots (yet without ever distracting from the storytelling) - it's just beautiful to look at.
Then there's the music. From the wonderful introductions (before the opening credits) to the last scene of an episode, music is not just used as background "noise": carefully picked songs are there to give clues and are as much an integral part of the story as they help establish the tone of certain scenes. And the original music by Dave Porter feels as organic to 'Better Call Saul' as it did in 'Breaking Bad'.
The writing, directing and acting (so far) are on par with BB; anyone afraid this would be a rushed production trying to surf on BB's success can relax; not for a second did I get the feeling this was somehow not well thought through or cheaply constructed by a committee of writers - and although we do of course get some of our favorite characters back, new ones are introduced that promise to be just as original and interesting as the ones that helped turn BB into a cultural phenomenon. And adding high calibre actors such as Michael McKean ('This Is Spinal Tap') to the cast is probably an indication that Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould will not content themselves - or us - by mainly exploring the characters we already know.
And then, finally, there's the magnificent Bob Odenkirk. Starting off as a slightly one-dimensional character and comic relief in BB, the character we've come to love as the sleazy, slick Saul Goodman has already shown more layers in the first half of the first season of 'Better Call Saul' than over his entire run on BB. And that's as much thanks to Odenkirk as the fantastic writing: the actor obviously relished the opportunity to show what he's capable of as his character charms, squirms and threatens his way through his scenes, but - somewhat unexpectedly - he also manages to move you during the more quiet moments.
To sum up my overall impressions: 'Better Call Saul' is a darkly comic, multilayered story that could end up being just as unusual and exciting as we all dared to hope. The tone may be consistent with 'Breaking Bad', but make no mistake: this is very much its own thing. The writing, directing and acting - as well as the production values - are top notch, and if what we've seen so far is anything to go by, we're in for a great first season of a very promising new show. My (provisional) rating: 9 stars out of 10
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
Season 6 couldn't be more late
samsepiol695 September 2020
Yet another masterpiece delivered by the amazing Vince Gilligan. Everything about this show is almost perfect. The writing, acting, cinematography are just beautiful. Also one of my favourite aspects about this show is the character development, and how well it covers two different parts of it's whole timeline (Jimmy/Saul's life at first and then getting into Gus Fring and the Cartel), something that hasn't been done as well in Breaking Bad. I truly think this show is one of the most underrated around and would definitely recommend watching it
Thank god I decided to give this a chance
grahamvandyke10 December 2018
Let's face facts: Spin-off TV shows tend to fare poorly to the original content. I was furious when I heard about the spin-off to the amazing Break Bad. Nonetheless centering around the buffoonish clown of a character Saul Goodman?! I was livid and heartbroken. I wanted Breaking bad to end on a high note and not let this potential disaster ruin it's legacy.
Breaking Bad was an absolute masterpiece of a show, with an amazing story, script, cinematography; you name it, it's there. But the one thing that made Breaking Bad shine, and in my option, be one of the greatest series ever made was it's deep, deep burial into the characters that made us either absolutely love or loath them. It didn't rely on special effects and had no fat to it whatsoever. No other show encapsulated a slow unfurling of characters so well that it was as if we were getting to know them in our real lives.
I finally decided to give Better Call Saul a shot after hating it's first episode on release. I figured, maybe I could eventually forget about the fact that it was attached to my favorite TV show, and when everybody who watches it is telling you it's amazing, there must be something there.. right?
Boy, were they right. Better Call Saul is just as good as it's predecessor. It maintains it's very high standard to every aspect of the production, and most of all, character development, motivation and relationships are centerfold once more. It is easy to find Better Call Saul even better than Breaking Bad, although I would chalk this up to it being more current and therefore more in the forefront of our minds in the Breaking Bad universe. If you, like me, have hesitated to give this show a shot for the same reasons, stop it. Let yourself feel uncomfortable for the 1st half of the first season, and then let it get it's clutches into you.
I'm so, so very happy I finally decided to give Better Call Saul a shot again 4 years later. With no hesitation, 10/10.
Breaking Bad was an absolute masterpiece of a show, with an amazing story, script, cinematography; you name it, it's there. But the one thing that made Breaking Bad shine, and in my option, be one of the greatest series ever made was it's deep, deep burial into the characters that made us either absolutely love or loath them. It didn't rely on special effects and had no fat to it whatsoever. No other show encapsulated a slow unfurling of characters so well that it was as if we were getting to know them in our real lives.
I finally decided to give Better Call Saul a shot after hating it's first episode on release. I figured, maybe I could eventually forget about the fact that it was attached to my favorite TV show, and when everybody who watches it is telling you it's amazing, there must be something there.. right?
Boy, were they right. Better Call Saul is just as good as it's predecessor. It maintains it's very high standard to every aspect of the production, and most of all, character development, motivation and relationships are centerfold once more. It is easy to find Better Call Saul even better than Breaking Bad, although I would chalk this up to it being more current and therefore more in the forefront of our minds in the Breaking Bad universe. If you, like me, have hesitated to give this show a shot for the same reasons, stop it. Let yourself feel uncomfortable for the 1st half of the first season, and then let it get it's clutches into you.
I'm so, so very happy I finally decided to give Better Call Saul a shot again 4 years later. With no hesitation, 10/10.
Decent but slightly pretentious and overrated
wunderbaum1120 August 2022
Better Call Saul is, like Breaking Bad, one of those shows that is very "correct" to say that you enjoy. It's not a bad show by any standard but its excessively slow pace, pretentious and "deep" character development that always leads to miserable destinies as well as pretentious cinematography and sounds (but also a decently written script, generally good acting and at least unpretentious casting) inherited from Breaking Bad seem to always guarantee good reviews among the critics and some kind of cult status among viewers because it's not tabloid or easily digestible.
I really wish they had gone for what they originally planned - a more easy-going, comedic show about Saul Goodman. It would have been more original trying to do things differently from BB, and it would also have suited the character of Saul Goodman better. I guess they realised there was less risk involved blueprinting the style of BB instead.
And of course, making a dark drama assures you a decently high rating on IMDB - dramas and TV-shows have inflated ratings compared to movies, comedies and actions.
I really wish they had gone for what they originally planned - a more easy-going, comedic show about Saul Goodman. It would have been more original trying to do things differently from BB, and it would also have suited the character of Saul Goodman better. I guess they realised there was less risk involved blueprinting the style of BB instead.
And of course, making a dark drama assures you a decently high rating on IMDB - dramas and TV-shows have inflated ratings compared to movies, comedies and actions.
A stillborn missed opportunity
dawnrzr26 March 2020
Around Season 2 or 3 i was hoping the series would take off, there had been plenty of character building (which is great ofc!). But no, the character building just kept on going, and going.
While that part is well made, especially for Jimmy, you would have hoped this interesting character would go in a interesting direction. I guess my hope, from the start, was that Jimmy would be meeting interesting (criminal) characters and getting into trouble. Perhaps one client per episode, each with a new exciting, smart and/or funny outcome. But no, we get Kim. We get a random client of hers who she wants to save (why??? They have no relation, and he's an stubborn a-hole!) She would last 1 day as a lawyer if her personality truly would be like this.
Ok, but so what does Jimmy do, is he up to anything interesting? No. For some reason he's trying to ruin Howards life(!) A man who's been trying to help Jimmy, who's totally harmless (sure, he's a rather boring and privileged "suit", but harmless nonetheless). It makes no sense at all. Also he's trying to get to the boss of Mesa Verde. Reasons? Nothing particular. He thinks he talks funny, a reason as good as any i guess when you to try to ruin someone's life.
Sorry but the writing of this show is really terrible. It's such a missed opportunity too, and with such great actors.
Ok, but so what does Jimmy do, is he up to anything interesting? No. For some reason he's trying to ruin Howards life(!) A man who's been trying to help Jimmy, who's totally harmless (sure, he's a rather boring and privileged "suit", but harmless nonetheless). It makes no sense at all. Also he's trying to get to the boss of Mesa Verde. Reasons? Nothing particular. He thinks he talks funny, a reason as good as any i guess when you to try to ruin someone's life.
Sorry but the writing of this show is really terrible. It's such a missed opportunity too, and with such great actors.
A Slow Burn That Is 100% Worth It
drechseltyler28 December 2022
Many people say that this show is better than the show that started it all, Breaking Bad. And while I don't agree with that, Better Call Saul puts up a really good fight and ultimately has become my second favorite TV show of all time(the first being Breaking Bad). If you go into this show expecting it to be similar to Breaking Bad, you're not going to enjoy it. Even though they are in the same universe, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are pretty different. There are two stories being told in the show. One story is the story of James M. McGill,(Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad) a man who's struggling with his career as a lawyer. And the other story is the story of Mike Ehrmantraut, a man who gets involved with the world of crime. Similar to the film Inglourious Basterds (2009), the show tells two different stories that collide for the ending. Each story builds up, adding more and more details to the plot until they both get to a point where they collaborate in an incredible and jaw-dropping finale. The show is also masterful at making the viewer understand exactly how each of the characters think and act. It makes you feel like your best friends with each of the characters in the sense that you know everything about them. What makes them angry, what makes them happy, what their interests are, etc. The show also has many easter eggs to Breaking Bad and answers some of the questions that were never answered in the show. The cinematography is also phenomenal. From the variety of bright and beautiful colors, to the camera angles, it's gorgeous to look at. Another great thing in the show is one of the many themes portrayed in it. That theme being that the law isn't perfect. Jimmy and other lawyers are able to use many different loopholes in the justice system to get their way. The final episode especially, shows that even though many people think of the law as sacred, it is anything but perfect. The acting is also great with Bob Odenkirk giving a phenomenal performance. Another story that this show tells is the story of Saul Goodman after the events of Breaking Bad, which are filmed in beautiful black and white. This part of the show is especially entertaining to the Breaking Bad fans. All in all, if you liked Breaking Bad, I would highly recommend this show. In my opinion, it was definitely worth my time. 10/10.
Everything is great about Better Call Saul
UniqueParticle18 March 2021
Exceptional cast just as good as Breaking Bad, writing is superb, soundtrack is so good, cinematography shots are very nice, and entertainment value is bomb! I'm surprised Bob Odenkirk hasn't won any of the Emmy nominations he's been up for. I'm a few seasons in when I started the series I wasn't reviewing then, glad I'm watching the show again I forgot how good it is. I love that the same crew from Breaking Bad is involved!
An easy 10
omarrafeh9027 September 2020
This show has filled the Breaking Bad gap in my heart.
frewars10 February 2015
I loved every second of the first two episodes of Better Call Saul. We are beginning the season with many strings left untied but I have complete faith in all questions being answered. If you loved Breaking bad for all the reasons I did including the cinematography, music, scenery, characters and most of all the story line, then you will love this. I apologize for going slightly off topic but in looking back at the breaking bad episode with the fly in the lab, some people found that they did not enjoy this episode, I on the other hand loved it. I appreciate the pure genius of the directing that goes behind every minute of the show. I understand and respect that people are entitled to their own opinion but after reading the negative reviews given here about "Better Call Saul" all I can say is that they don't get it, and that is OK. It is worth a watch because if you end up enjoying the show you wont just like it, you will love it. This is the next life changing show that will become something you look forward to for many years. I am truly excited for what's to come.
Hear me out it is important!!!
blndbahaden5 March 2021
If you have seen breaking bad and haven't seen this masterpiece of a show and you're hesitating don't just watch the first episode of the show and it will hook you but if you haven't seen breaking bad i suggest that you should watch breaking bad first forget the timeline and forget that breaking bad is after better call saul there are some things in breaking bad that are presentend as mysteries and if you watch this they are no more mysterious and no more exciting.
The most intense and complicated characters ever written.
EVON1TY13 March 2023
Better Call Saul was misunderstood at beginning. Some of the people were saying nonsense things. Some of them expected a TV show that similiar to Breaking Bad. It's definelty not similiar and it can't be.
The under-rated first season was quite an openning with its amazing twist. They build the most intense and complicated characters in this TV serie. Vince Gilligan is just brilliant at writing complicated characters. Characters even those who you hate are written perfectly, just like in Breaking Bad.
Every season characters evolving even slower. Every season adds a value to all the characters, adds a value and meaning to their purpose of actions. You're realizing even the characters from Breaking Bad wasn't complete. You're realizing, you just learnt characters motivation.
Can you imagine a complex character like Walter White, Saul Goodman, Chuck McGill, Gustavo Fring? I bet you can't find many.
Screenplay and Acting Performances are just brilliant. But also the technical details are in Better Call Saul is pretty amazing.
Cinematography is just perfect, amazingly done, so beautiful shots.
Film Editing is also so underrated in this show. Film Editing is so good. They know when to cut the scene, they know how to transfer the scene to the audience.
Costume Design is also quite good. Thanks to the costume designer, once again represents the characters motivation at the time.
Makeup is also quite good, you can't fix that easily the aging problem. I think they've managed a good job, I don't know if could it be better.
The under-rated first season was quite an openning with its amazing twist. They build the most intense and complicated characters in this TV serie. Vince Gilligan is just brilliant at writing complicated characters. Characters even those who you hate are written perfectly, just like in Breaking Bad.
Every season characters evolving even slower. Every season adds a value to all the characters, adds a value and meaning to their purpose of actions. You're realizing even the characters from Breaking Bad wasn't complete. You're realizing, you just learnt characters motivation.
Can you imagine a complex character like Walter White, Saul Goodman, Chuck McGill, Gustavo Fring? I bet you can't find many.
Screenplay and Acting Performances are just brilliant. But also the technical details are in Better Call Saul is pretty amazing.
Cinematography is just perfect, amazingly done, so beautiful shots.
Film Editing is also so underrated in this show. Film Editing is so good. They know when to cut the scene, they know how to transfer the scene to the audience.
Costume Design is also quite good. Thanks to the costume designer, once again represents the characters motivation at the time.
Makeup is also quite good, you can't fix that easily the aging problem. I think they've managed a good job, I don't know if could it be better.
Drags a lot
rws_2013 August 2021
Better Call Saul has its moments but the really good episodes are very few and far between. There's a lot of dragging out in this series, some episodes are just a load of different, boring subplots that you have no interest in but you just sit through it hoping that something interesting will start happening eventually; and it does, but it's a very slow climb to get to a point where the plot really starts to grab your attention.
I'd say it's definitely worth watching for those golden moments, just be prepared to sit through a lot of slow-paced waffle. The latest series (5) has been the best so far in my opinion, because the main plot is finally starting to take over all the subplots and the show is becoming a bit more action-packed.
I wouldn't say this series is better than Breaking Bad purely because the pacing is terrible, but it has been nice to see what was going on with all the characters before Walter and Jesse came along, and it looks like as we move from season 5 to 6, Vince is starting to make up for all the boredom the viewers have had to endure up to this point.
Overall, it's a pretty good series, worth watching, but I think 10 stars is a bit over-the-top for something that crawls along as much as it does.
I'd say it's definitely worth watching for those golden moments, just be prepared to sit through a lot of slow-paced waffle. The latest series (5) has been the best so far in my opinion, because the main plot is finally starting to take over all the subplots and the show is becoming a bit more action-packed.
I wouldn't say this series is better than Breaking Bad purely because the pacing is terrible, but it has been nice to see what was going on with all the characters before Walter and Jesse came along, and it looks like as we move from season 5 to 6, Vince is starting to make up for all the boredom the viewers have had to endure up to this point.
Overall, it's a pretty good series, worth watching, but I think 10 stars is a bit over-the-top for something that crawls along as much as it does.
Who needs 'Emmys' anyway?!
craigmunro30618 January 2024
I am disappointed that Better Call Saul did not win any Emmy's but does it really matter?
The whole series in my opinion is a absolute masterpiece, there is not a single bad episode.
It builds of the back of Breaking Bad but only slightly and could have easily been a stand alone series.
Bob Odenkirk is outstanding, you are always rooting for 'Jimmy' as he keeps getting knocked down and Rhea Seahorn is just fantastic. The chemistry between the two is brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end and to be honest liked it better than Breaking Bad.
Well worth a watch, 10/10 easily.
The whole series in my opinion is a absolute masterpiece, there is not a single bad episode.
It builds of the back of Breaking Bad but only slightly and could have easily been a stand alone series.
Bob Odenkirk is outstanding, you are always rooting for 'Jimmy' as he keeps getting knocked down and Rhea Seahorn is just fantastic. The chemistry between the two is brilliant.
I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end and to be honest liked it better than Breaking Bad.
Well worth a watch, 10/10 easily.
Definitely One of the best TV Shows Of the Decade!
mokoyoko8 September 2020
An impressive 'Breaking Bad' Prequel
Tweekums4 July 2020
These comments are based on watching the first five seasons of the show.
This series is set before the events shown in the series 'Breaking Bad'. It shows us how Jimmy McGill, conman turned lawyer goes from being a defender of the desperate to knowing players in New Mexico's drug dealing underworld. Jimmy isn't the only 'Breaking Bad' characters to feature; plenty of others show up, some as main characters others as important cameos. There are also plenty of new characters; I won't say which characters belong to which group so as not to spoil anything for those yet to watch 'Breaking Bad'.
As the story opens Jimmy is taking on a series minor cases as a public defender. He is also looking after his brother, Chuck. Chuck is a partner at a prestigious law firm but hasn't worked for some time as he believes he is allergic to electronic devices. Other key characters include Jimmy's friend Kim Wexler, a lawyer at Chuck's firm and Mike Ehrmantraut, a former Philadelphia police officer who when we first meet him is working at a parking attendant.
Over the course of the series we see Jimmy get into a number of scrapes and dodgy plans as he tries to advance his legal career; these inevitably lead to him meeting some dangerous characters. Meanwhile Mike is looking for other work which leads to him meeting even more dangerous people; most notably Gustavo Fring and various members of the Salamanca crime family.
I must admit I was a little unsure about this series; I really enjoyed 'Breaking Bad' and thought Saul Goodman was a great character but was unsure if he'd be able to carry a series... I needn't have been concerned. This series is really good. Importantly it doesn't matter whether you've seen 'Breaking Bad' or not. The characters are great and the story interesting. It might not move as fast as some would like but I'd rather a story takes its time being told than have it feel rushed. The cast is great; most notably Bob Odenkirk, Johnathon Banks and Rhea Seehorn as Jimmy, Mike. The rest of the cast, be they returning from 'Breaking Bad', new recurring characters or just minor roles also impress. Overall I'd definitely recommend this whether you are a fan of 'Breaking Bad' or not... it provides great drama, a good amount of tension and a fair few unforced laughs. I can't wait for season six.
This series is set before the events shown in the series 'Breaking Bad'. It shows us how Jimmy McGill, conman turned lawyer goes from being a defender of the desperate to knowing players in New Mexico's drug dealing underworld. Jimmy isn't the only 'Breaking Bad' characters to feature; plenty of others show up, some as main characters others as important cameos. There are also plenty of new characters; I won't say which characters belong to which group so as not to spoil anything for those yet to watch 'Breaking Bad'.
As the story opens Jimmy is taking on a series minor cases as a public defender. He is also looking after his brother, Chuck. Chuck is a partner at a prestigious law firm but hasn't worked for some time as he believes he is allergic to electronic devices. Other key characters include Jimmy's friend Kim Wexler, a lawyer at Chuck's firm and Mike Ehrmantraut, a former Philadelphia police officer who when we first meet him is working at a parking attendant.
Over the course of the series we see Jimmy get into a number of scrapes and dodgy plans as he tries to advance his legal career; these inevitably lead to him meeting some dangerous characters. Meanwhile Mike is looking for other work which leads to him meeting even more dangerous people; most notably Gustavo Fring and various members of the Salamanca crime family.
I must admit I was a little unsure about this series; I really enjoyed 'Breaking Bad' and thought Saul Goodman was a great character but was unsure if he'd be able to carry a series... I needn't have been concerned. This series is really good. Importantly it doesn't matter whether you've seen 'Breaking Bad' or not. The characters are great and the story interesting. It might not move as fast as some would like but I'd rather a story takes its time being told than have it feel rushed. The cast is great; most notably Bob Odenkirk, Johnathon Banks and Rhea Seehorn as Jimmy, Mike. The rest of the cast, be they returning from 'Breaking Bad', new recurring characters or just minor roles also impress. Overall I'd definitely recommend this whether you are a fan of 'Breaking Bad' or not... it provides great drama, a good amount of tension and a fair few unforced laughs. I can't wait for season six.
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