Better Call Saul

[GH2001]

I agree that it wouldn't hurt to do Breaking Bad first.  Otherwise you might not get things like Krazy-8 or even the "working in a Cinnabon in Oklahoma" reference that kicks it all off. 

It IS a prequel, yes. But it has so many callbacks --- call forwards? --- to Breaking Bad that it would be a shame to miss all of that context. 

It also begins before Breaking Bad, but allegedly ends in a world after Bad was over.  So in that way, it's almost as much a bookend as a prequel or sequel.  If it does, that is. 

One thought.... if Breaking Bad hadn't existed or if you watched Saul first and then decided to follow with Breaking Bad would it have the same impact?  If Bad hadn't existed, I don't know that Saul gets six seasons.  I kind of think the audience for it might have been bigger had it been first, though.  It's a really well-written show, solid acting, solid story.  The way it's shot is really fantastic.  The camera angles, the visuals.  Even simple, throwaway shots like looking up at a pissed off Hector from beneath the pool water.  It carries that same sense of framing and style from Breaking Bad that was so fantastic but it's (in my opinion) even better. 

Another thought.  It's 'Better Call Saul' but it's really much more than that. 

It's Gus Fring's story.
It's Mike's story.
It's Krazy-8's story.
It's Hector Salamanca's story.
It's Tuco's story.
It's Saul's story.
All of them were contributors to Breaking Bad

But it's also
Chuck's story.
Kim's story.
Howard's story.
Lalo's story.
Nacho's story.

In the time it has, in each episode, it weaves components of all those vastly different but intertwined stories into a single cohesive narrative. 

I don't mind admitting when I was wrong and I was.  It's a fucking great show.

So I kicked this off this week.....halfway through season 1 now but so far, I'm pleased with it. And yes, if you haven't seen BB first, you will miss a lot of the refer backs and small nuances. Its a prequel designed and produced AFTER the original so it makes perfect sense in how Gilligan does that. One thing I've noticed is the movement, photography, camera angles, imagery.....its grade A just like BB. Im only 10% of the way through this whole thing and I can already say this (along with BB) will cement Vince Gilligan as legendary status for a long time. Just a marvelous piece of work - the whole BB ARC.

[CCTAU]

When is this Saul guy gonna die...

[GH2001]

When is this Saul guy gonna die...

He doesn't.

He simply becomes Paul later on.

[Kaos]

He doesn't.

He simply becomes Paul later on.

[AUJarhead]

Outstanding mid-season finale last night.

[wesfau2]

The setup on Howard was just fucking exquisite.

Redirected the PI, staged the cash withdrawal and payoff, got the eye dilating substance on the photos...

Just fucking genius.

The way Howard went from smug, to manic, to raving paranoid lunatic...to spoiler: dead

Then the fucking candle flickering...

Fuck is it July 11 yet?

[AUJarhead]

The setup on Howard was just fucking exquisite.

Redirected the PI, staged the cash withdrawal and payoff, got the eye dilating substance on the photos...

Just fucking genius.

The way Howard went from smug, to manic, to raving paranoid lunatic...to spoiler: dead

Then the fucking candle flickering...

Fuck is it July 11 yet?

Also wondering about the way Kim stares at the business card in the black book, and if I should have hope that maybe she survives the season. 

[Kaos]

The setup on Howard was just fucking exquisite.

Redirected the PI, staged the cash withdrawal and payoff, got the eye dilating substance on the photos...

Just fucking genius.

The way Howard went from smug, to manic, to raving paranoid lunatic...to spoiler: dead

Then the fucking candle flickering...

Fuck is it July 11 yet?

The big takedown of Howard was kind of a letdown.  Guess I expected more crash and burn.  D-Day should have been epic as much time was spent building it up.  But the complexity and depth of the plot was outstanding.  Anticipating his every move and playing one step ahead. 

Part of me was bothered by it though.  Why?  Why Howard?  He championed Kim.  He defended Jimmy. Yeah he deferred to Chuck but he tried to fix it.   Wanted to bring Saul into the firm as soon as Chuck’s overbearing influence was gone.  Why spend the time and effort to break a guy who actually appreciated you for who you are?

As it wore on I felt sorry for Howard.  Overshadowed by pretentious asshole Chuck.  Trapped between his (deserved) loyalty to that smug prick Chuck and his admiration for the recklessness and resilience of James.  Always caught in the hedges between them, always forced to side with the interests of the firm. But he tried to make it right.  Other than banishing Kim to the basement for betraying him - which she kind of deserved - I never really faulted his actions.

Outstanding character development by the writers to take what could easily be a one-note throwaway character and turn him into a fully realized and sympathetic three dimensional player. More than anything else the humanization of Howard illustrates the brilliance of the writers and producers of this show.  That I came to care as much of more about Howard’s fate and his chances to disrupt the plot and win the day is evidence of that mastery.   

I agreed with everything he said in his apartment speech.  They are soulless. They are sociopaths.   They are toxic together. Even in defeat he took it like a man. No fury.  No vows of vengeance.   “You won.  But why? Help me understand what I did to deserve this from you…”

Made Jimmy and Kim look petty.  He didn’t deserve their wrath. They were the bad guys in that scenario.  I didn’t want them to win.   

[GH2001]

I was wrong about everything.  This is a great show and it’s a real shame it never found an audience. 

Kim is languidly hot in a way I should have realized.

This is one of the better shows of all time.
It’s definitely the best prequel. It’s brilliant in the way it hooks all the tiny pieces together. I hate to see it end.

Comparing it to breaking bad was an injustice. 

It may actually hold up better than BB.

I don’t like odenkirk’s politics but he is fantastic in this role. 

I will be wearing my American Samoa Law School T-shirt when I watch the return.

I am at Episode 2 of Season 6 now.....my thoughts ON YOUR THOUGHTS:

I was wrong about everything.  This is a great show and it’s a real shame it never found an audience. - Couldn't agree more. Its fantastic. But I saw it in binge mode. Not the way Wes did. I don't know if I would have felt the same if I had to see all of that over an 8 year period. I saw it all in 3-4 weeks. But its great nonetheless.

Kim is languidly hot in a way I should have realized. - Lord yes. I love her.

This is one of the better shows of all time. - YES YES and YES.
It’s definitely the best prequel. It’s brilliant in the way it hooks all the tiny pieces together. I hate to see it end. Also Yes.

Comparing it to breaking bad was an injustice.  - They are comparable to me. Both great. But as you watch this one and see the whole arc, its very apparent that BB and Walt were just ONE PART of this whole thing. You could argue that Jimmy/Saul is bigger to the overall arc.

It may actually hold up better than BB. - We will see, but I won't argue that at all.

I don’t like odenkirk’s politics but he is fantastic in this role. - He and Cranston were both late bloomers like Gandolfini - just needed the perfect storm of character and writing with a terrific director like VG. Credit where due - his politics aside - he is pretty awesome as Jimmy/Saul.

I will be wearing my American Samoa Law School T-shirt when I watch the return. - Not going that far. You weirdo.