Better Call Saul Review: Drugs, Chicanery, and Love
Slashfilm.com
January 2, 2023
Better Call Saul, the prequel to the award-winning show Breaking Bad, has officially come to a close. After years of conspiring, constructing the most nefarious schemes, and bending the legal system Saul Goodman faces the consequences of his actions. Better Call Saul follows the past life of small time lawyer Jimmy McGill and his development into shady, corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman. Family conflicts, legal conflicts, and the irresistible urge to con and scheme all cause Jimmy McGill’s transformation to Saul Goodman.
Better Call Saul, a six season show, was developed and created by directors Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Its first season aired in 2015 on AMC but the show can also be watched on Netflix (seasons 1 to 5), Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video. This legal drama and American crime show features some actors and actresses such as Bob Odenkirk playing Jimmy McGill, Rhea Seehorn playing Kim Wexler, Jonathan Banks playing Mike Ehrmantraut, and Michael Mando playing Nacho Varga.
The show begins with Jimmy McGill as a struggling pro bono lawyer. He does his best to defend those from injustice and save the innocent from being put behind bars but faces irrefutable cases. Meanwhile his brother Chuck McGill, suffers electromagnetic hypersensitivity and stays home to protect himself from the outside world. However, he is a dedicated and elite lawyer for the city of Albuquerque and views the law as one of society’s greatest creations. Kim Wexler, a passionate and hard working lawyer, is Jimmy McGill’s best friend/girlfriend. The both of them are like binary stars and want nothing to separate them. Their lustful love for each other forever holds them like glue and together they conquer. Nacho Varga, a criminal who works for the cartel, battles between his work and his father. He doesn’t have the most stable relationship with his father and wants to escape the game and sever ties with the cartel. But, once you’re in the game you’re in the game.
Seeing these characters’ developments and downfalls is one of my favorite highlights of the show. Many of these characters were once so high but then came crumbling down. Their images tarnished, morals disbanded, and fall into delusion all a cast what one can experience when they meet rock bottom. Especially with Jimmy McGill’s downfall. Once a man who defended the elderly and put justice first became a friend of the cartel. He kept tricking and scheming and like his brother predicted he hurt everyone around him. It was fate for Jimmy McGill to become slimy lawyer Saul Goodman but in the end he had redemption.
The acting and emotion these actors and actresses displayed was phenomenal. Their tears, anger, and utter fear during scenes stood out and I was able to feel their emotions. They maintained a nice balance of being realistic but not going over the top. Seeing these characters struggle, triumph, and development made me feel as if they were family. Saying goodbye to this show and to its characters felt tragic but I’m grateful that I was able to witness such a stunning spectacle.
The ratings that Better Call Saul has received over the years are heavily deserved and each and every single worker for this show deserves an award for their dedication and undying commitment to make in my opinion one of the best tv spin offs in history. Whether you watch the show or not just remember it’s all good man.
