Everyone’s favorite crooked lawyer is back on television in AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” Now seven episodes in, this spinoff of the hit series “Breaking Bad” is off to a great start as it explores the origins of the title character.
The show opens with a rather depressing introduction, featuring an aged Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) following the collapse of his career and key relationships. From there, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould transition into his younger days, where we learn that Saul’s birth name is James “Jimmy” McGill.
Jimmy lives in a cheap apartment, has his office in the back of a nail salon, cares for his mentally troubled brother Chuck (Michael McKean), all the while furthering his practice as the town’s go-to lawyer.
In these first few episodes, viewers see elements of both black comedy and drama infused into the show’s overarching narrative. So far we’ve seen Jimmy work with a pair of hoodlums to con an old woman and end up getting captured by “Breaking Bad” villain Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz), follow a family with stolen cash into a campground and rescue a construction worker hanging on the side of a billboard as a publicity stunt.
These more humorous moments are then juxtaposed with murders, rivalries within Chuck’s firm, glimpses into the character’s past as a criminal and drama involving his brother. So far the writers have been able to find an appropriate balance between Jimmy’s antics and the darker storylines encapsulating the series.
For fans of “Breaking Bad,” this show isn’t a matter of where Jimmy will end up, but how he gets there. Gilligan and company provide a number of other teases to the original series, such as chronicling the first encounter between Jimmy and Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks).
While we first see Mike here as a toll operator irritated with Jimmy’s inability to follow the rules, we then learn more about his past as a cop and father. Last week’s episode was very Mike-centered as it showcased the beginnings of his life as an assassin.
Odenkirk no doubt shines as both the lead role and as a producer of the series. He displays great chemistry with his coworker and potential love interest Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn), along with a number of other supporting cast members.
McKean steps right in as Jimmy’s brother and mentor, though his character’s condition has prevented him from continuing his law practice for some time. Believing he’s allergic to all forms of electricity, Chuck spends his days cooped up in his house with an aluminum foil blanket to shield himself from the outside world. It’s pretty remarkable the amount of depth the writers give him, which is all the more complemented by McKean’s outstanding performance.
If anything, the pacing of the series as a whole is a bit slow. “Breaking Bad” also exhibited this somewhat in the beginning in order to lay out important exposition but picked up by the time season two rolled around. I doubt “Better Call Saul” will last as long as its predecessor did. Though I’m sure Gilligan and Gould have plenty more to do with the character.
Although this series doesn’t seem to have found its Gus-like villain yet, Jimmy’s nemesis and Chuck’s old partner Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) is shaping up to be a formidable antagonist. His conniving tactics and willingness to backstab his associates makes him a great addition to the series.
Perhaps the best part of the show is its more episodic format. While an overarching narrative exists, the writers focus on Jimmy’s trials and tribulations, allowing them to tell complete stories each week. It’s a refreshing approach given the binge-watch culture we live in.
Although “Better Call Saul” may not be as groundbreaking as “Breaking Bad” (is that even possible?), Gilligan and company deliver a fresh and exciting series featuring characters we already love. With a stellar ensemble cast, dynamic writing and a Tarantino-like tone, this is a show every TV enthusiast should be tuning into.
