After Breaking Bad ended, I felt pleased with the ending of the show. I thought it had a nearly flawless 5 season run (season 5 was split in two parts) and I wasn’t into the idea of a spin off show. I like Saul Goodman, but not enough to say he deserves his own show. However, I am pleased to announce that not only was Saul/Jimmy great in the show, the show itself is on par with what you expect from a show like Breaking Bad.
It’s Showtime!
First things first, on a technical perspective, the show is flawless. The cinematography is gorgeous, the writing is superb, and the music is perfect. It looks like Breaking Bad, but has it’s own tone. Something else that I really enjoyed was how they had a new intro for every episode. I thought that was really unique and it is something I want to see more of in future seasons. Now onto the performances. Every cast member excelled, but the three I want to focus on are Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, and Michael McKean. Odenkirk truly shines as Jimmy. He maintains some of Saul’s demeanor, but still feels different enough. He struggles with doing what’s right, and watching him transform from Jimmy to Saul is a fascinating experience. While he still has a long way to becoming Saul, I love seeing the parallels between who he is and who he will become. Next up is Jonathan Banks. He did a great job as Mike in Breaking Bad, but now we get to understand him much better than ever before. There is a particular episode, episode 6, that focuses primarily on him. That episode not only showed his high caliber acting expertise, but it also provided some much needed backstory on Mike and why he choses a life of crime. It was a gut wrenching episode, and I hope Mr.Banks gets nominated for an Emmy. Last up we have Michael McKean as Chuck (Jimmy’s brother). He was really great. He had a great character arc, but what I find most fascinating about him is where he will end up in the future. If you haven’t watched Breaking Bad be warned. VERY MILD SPOILERS AHEAD. Chuck isn’t part of the show, and Saul never mentions him, so what will happen to Chuck? That’s the big question on my mind and if this season is any indication, it will not end well with him.
I’m a Lawyer, Not a Criminal
The overarching plot was fairly good, and connected really well. However, some moments did drag on. There were a few episodes where I thought the show was a bit dull. Now that doesn’t mean I want action and explosions, just something more going on. I love the episodes where Jimmy is in a tough situation and you have to watch him get out of his predicament. It isn’t a major complaint, but hopefully the pacing is better in later seasons.
Closing Remarks
Overall, this is a really great show. It isn’t as good as Breaking Bad, but it doesn’t try to be. It is better than most shows on air right now, and I’m expecting great things from it in the future.