Breaking Bad is widely-considered one of the best television shows of all time. So when a prequel was announced, more than a few people were skeptical. Riding the hype of the former show, Better Call Saul‘s debut episode landed 6.88 million viewers in the US. Its second episode halved that with 3.42, and never recovered. The only thing equivocal to this drop in viewership, was the rise in quality the show experienced from season to season, blossoming into the most well-told tragedy in modern media. As a whole, how does Better Call Saul resonate now that it’s finished?

Within Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman was known for his lightning-fast quips, his colorful analogies, and his overall chicanery that fueled the fire that Walter White kept burning throughout that series. With the focus on Saul, we see his origin as Jimmy McGill and how he comes to detest his brother Chuck, loathe his rival Howard Hamlin, adore his lover Kim Wexler, and later be mortified by Lalo Salamanca.

What makes Better Call Saul so gripping, so must-see, is the picture-perfect cinematography present in every single shot of the entire show. Camera angles are either stuck in the most unorthodox locations for a unique viewing experience, or crafting visual thematics that reward those who watch with a close eye and their undivided attention. It’s almost worth watching just from a filmmaking perspective, as the show is directed to perfection.

Another thing to consider is the titular character has four distinct personas portrayed throughout the entirety of the series. The mischievous Slippin’ Jimmy, the do-gooder Jimmy McGill, the slimy Saul Goodman, and the nervous wreck Gene Takovic, all with Bob Odenkirk at the helm. More so, supporting actress Rhea Seehorn brings Kim Wexler to life so masterfully that she’s a widespread fan favorite. Delivering a complex, intricate performance to characterize a person on our screen that we could encounter in everyday life and not question it for a second.

As a story is told, there’s rising action leading to a climax. Better Call Saul‘s hyper-fixated particular nature sees every scene contain something pivotal, meaning there’s not a moment of filler across six seasons. Everything that happens in the show is meaningful, as scenes tend to unveil themselves without revealing their purpose until they’re over. This unique brand of storytelling creates suspense with the best of them, leading to climaxes that shake viewers to their core in their severity and finality.

It’s impossible to sing the praises of Better Call Saul with words. As videogamedunkey “reviewed” a week ago in a four-second video, he states, “Um… you better watch this show.” It’s once-in-a-lifetime television that truly and fully manages to get everything right. It’s a show where I couldn’t wait for the day of the week where it released for a good seven-year stretch, and a rare case of a perfect ending that doesn’t ruin characters with a lack of closure or an ill-advised tonal-shift. From the opening scene of the first episode to the closing seconds of “Saul Gone,” it’s all good, man.

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Better Call Saul

10

Score

10.0/10

Pros

• Larger-Than-Life Characters
• Unrivaled Attention-to-detail
• Perfect Cinematography
• Career-Best Acting

Cons

• Slow Burn Too Slow For Some