Breaking Bad was the hottest thing on television at the start of this decade. Following the rise and fall of Walter White was compelling, as his unpredictable nature had viewers on the edge of their seat for sixty minutes every Sunday. The show wrapped up just about perfectly in 2013, but left room for interpretation. Only two years later, Better Call Saul, a prequel to the wildly-popular show, made its debut in February. The show would explore Jimmy McGill, known as Saul Goodman in BB, and included other BB-regular Mike Ehrmantraut.

Seasons of Better Call Saul start after the events of Breaking Bad, getting an insight on Saul’s reformed persona, Gene Taković, who runs a Cinnabon in Omaha. Wanted by the law, this disguise shows Saul walking on eggshells, but also longing for the days where he could defend anyone in court. As a prequel, the stalwart Jimmy juxtaposes the sleazy Saul seen in BB. Jimmy’s struggles draw empathy from the viewer, even though they are aware of what he becomes by the events of Bad.

What Better Call Saul does that I have yet to experience in other shows is tell several stories within an episode, while attracting similar urgency and not losing focus. Every scene matters, as something significant takes place. Sometimes scenes take place without explanation given to the viewer, having them ascertain what happens as it happens. Every commercial break was agony, as I was left wondering what would happen next; this level of unpredictability is retained from BB.

Jimmy’s brother, Chuck (portrayed by Michael McKean), is the standout character of the series. Affected by what he brands “electromagnetic sensitivity”, this hard-to-believe condition truly stems from his mental illness, and confines him to his home with all electronics disconnected. However, scenes with Chuck outside show the viewer in excruciating detail how he truly believes the condition to be real, displaying panic attacks with excellent sound design and fast, worried cuts with the camera. Chuck’s ploy to undermine his brother, stemmed from jealousy, is built up over several seasons, and the climaxes of their clashes make for nerve-wracking television.

The cinematography in Better Call Saul is bar none. Unbelievable camera angles are employed, which complement the scorching desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The intensity of the meteoric conflicts between characters puts the viewer in a front-row seat for some truly compelling drama. A great deal of BB alumni return for the show, with season three’s return of kingpin Gus Fring revealed in a clever way; the first letter of every episode of season two can be rearranged to spell “FRING’S BACK”.

Building upon the legacy of the critically-acclaimed Breaking Bad was a nigh impossible task, but Better Call Saul is proof that showrunner Vince Gilligan has all but mastered his craft since the prior show concluded. Season four of Better Call Saul is my favorite season of television, narrowly edging out Mr. Robot‘s season two. The only gripe I have with the show is how long we have to wait between seasons; thankfully, season five debuts in February of 2020, so my long wait is almost over.

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