Better Call Saul: Prequel Perfection

When Better Call Saul premiered two years ago, I remember watching the black-and-white opening scene, featuring Saul in hiding as a Cinnabon manager following the events of Breaking Bad. And then I stopped watching because I decided there was no way this show could match up to the explosive brilliance of Breaking Bad. However, after my boss wouldn't stop talking about it (thanks Anthony!), I saw the pilot episode on Netflix last weekend. And three days later, I blinked my bleary eyes and discovered I had mainlined twenty episodes and was all set for the Season 3 premiere.

Watching this show has been such a whirlwind that I'm still trying to pinpoint what exactly made me binge watch it with such fanaticism. The key reason is likely the writing: considering Vince Gilligan is at the helm (along with co-creator Peter Gould, who wrote the first Breaking Bad episode to feature Saul Goodman), I should have known this show would be a writer's delight. Upon trying to describe the show later to a friend, all I could say was that it is like reading a novel, except it's taking place on screen. Much like Breaking Bad, every episode ends on an agonizing cliffhanger, which makes clicking on "Play Next Episode" the only sensible choice. And within each episode, you will be treated to quippy dialogue, fast-paced action, and gradual mysteries that unfold over the course of silent minutes, episodes, or an entire season. 

Of course, this storytelling excellence requires the support of an amazing cast, and after you watch a couple of episodes, there's no surprise that they chose to give Bob Odenkirk this spin-off prequel. He plays Jimmy McGill, the man who will eventually become Saul Goodman, and watching this character's origin story is a reminder of how much we take supporting characters for granted. While I always relied on Saul for some comic relief, I never thought twice about how exactly this seemingly goofy but nice guy became a lawyer adept at facilitating money laundering and covering up heinous crimes. Now that I've watched two seasons of Better Call Saul, however, his psychological make-up is becoming clearer by the minute. And lest I forget, Jonathan Banks is back on this show as Mike Ehrmentraut (he is also the only actor who seems immune to the makeup department's de-aging wizardry; let's face it, he was born looking like a stoic old man), and his back story is proving to be just as enlightening.

I was afraid Better Call Saul would be too gimmicky, but it is in fact proving to be a singular sensation, able to stand completely on its own merits, whilst still weaving in the elements that made Breaking Bad such a groundbreaking piece of television. I hadn't realized how much I missed the cinematic landscape of Albuquerque, New Mexico, until I saw those miles of blue sky and desert wasteland, and the music choices are spot on as ever. The costume and set design are particularly adept, as is the wig department's efforts to keep the audience in touch with what timeline we're in by altering Odenkirk's hairline. And apart from Banks and Odenkirk, full kudos are due to Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, and Michael McKean, the new supporting actors who have been so expertly cast that you won't realize all the pre-conceived notions their casting brings to bear until you are at the end of Season 1 and everyone's motives are flipped on their heads.

TL;DR: Better Call Saul is worthy of all the hype, and if you have been procrastinating like I was, cancel all your weekend plans and binge it with a vengeance. You will get drama, mystery, comedy, romance, action, murder, legal manipulations, sibling rivalries, and everything else under the sun. It is a cornucopia of television excellence and the sooner you begin, the sooner you can learn what the rest of the world has been delighting in for the past two years.