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'Better Call Saul' leaves 'Breaking Bad' fans with solid spinoff

(Photo courtesy of High Bridge Productions)
(Photo courtesy of High Bridge Productions)

(Photo courtesy of High Bridge Productions) (Photo courtesy of High Bridge Productions)

When AMC announced that it would be giving a full series order to “Breaking Bad” spinoff “Better Call Saul,” I was both excited and nervous. On one hand, it would allow me and anyone else who followed Walter White’s journey, to return to that world, even if the Whites, Jesse Pinkman and the majority of the other characters we came to love would be absent. On the other hand, giving the character of Saul Goodman his own show was a daunting task. Sure the character was enjoyable in doses, but would he wear out his welcome if given a show centered on him?

Fortunately for fans of its parent series, “Better Call Saul” works beautifully as both a spiritual (and in the opening minutes of the premier a literal) continuation of “Breaking Bad,” as well as its own stand-alone show.

Better Call Saul2-10

“Better Call Saul,” named after the eighth episode in its parent series' second season in which Saul Goodman makes his first appearance, stars Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill, the man who will eventually go on to become Saul Goodman. The series is set to follow McGill’s journey as he goes from a struggling, no-name public defendant to Walter White’s confidant, and if the series’ opening minutes are any indication, perhaps even beyond that. Also reprising his role from “Breaking Bad” is Jonathan Banks, who played Mike Ehrmantrout. While he only appears briefly in the opener, fans will surely look forward to seeing how his and McGill’s relationship develops to the where it is at on “Breaking Bad.”

Odenkirk is better than ever as McGill through the two episodes, dialing back the blunt nature of the character as we know him, and playing him instead as painfully ignorant. McGill isn’t an attorney because he wants to help people; rather, he’s in the profession because he wants money. The problem is that he’s a no-name lawyer and can’t land any clients.

This results in him attempting to scam a prospective client into hiring him for his services, a plan which backfires and in a pleasant twist of events for viewers (certainly not for McGill), Jimmy finds himself face-to-face with none other than Tuco Salamanca, making for a radically different but just as enjoyable second episode.

While the premiere was more comedic in tone, its follow-up is much darker and dramatic and is certainly closer in tone to that of “Breaking Bad,” with Tuco taking Jimmy’s accomplices into the desert and whipping out punishment as he sees fit. This scene in particular was my favorite of the two episodes, showing that the series is capable of featuring numerous callbacks that fans of its parent series will catch, while still managing to stand wonderfully on its own. McGill’s sharp tongue is on display and for a moment, he fully becomes Saul Goodman, giving audiences a pleasant peek into what his future may hold.

Other story lines that seemed a bit forced and need more time to develop include McGill’s older brother Chuck, who was a partner at a major law firm until he was forced to take a temporary leave due to illness. While this storyline is certainly interesting, it needs more time to evolve and be fleshed out, something that will hopefully be done as the series continues.

If the show manages to find a balance between the more comedic tone of the pilot and the darker, more dramatic tone of the second episode, "Mijo," it will live up to the hype, and more importantly, be a worthy successor to “Breaking Bad.”

For now, “Better Call Saul” serves as a well-thought out and fantastically crafted spinoff to one of the greatest television shows of all time, that both “Breaking Bad” fans and non-fans alike should no problem getting hooked on.

 

Reach the reporter at seweinst@asu.edu or follow @S_Weinstein on Twitter

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