I recently finished rewatching the TV show Better Call Saul, directed by Vince Gilligan who also directed the much more popular Breaking Bad. These two shows follow similar themes, however Better Call Saul follows the life of Jimmy McGill, a lawyer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Now, reading this description, you may think that a show about a lawyer is not going to be a very interesting show, as the profession can seem dull, especially for television which requires changes, dilemmas, character evolution, and unexpected twists. How could a show about the profession of a lawyer ever beat out the action-packed mainstream films today such as Marvel?
The show has a unique style of direction, and if you have seen Breaking Bad, you know what I mean when I say it is unique. If there is one word I could describe Better Call Saul as, especially in comparison to Breaking Bad, I would say “intelligent”. As you change the point of focus from a high school chemistry teacher to a struggling attorney, the topics of the episodes and seasons will naturally be more technical and include some legal jargon that could leave viewers feeling disconnected with the story. If you want an example of this feeling, watch the new TV show ‘suits’, and you will understand.
Vince Gilligan, the director of the show, however, does not let the viewers fall victim to this. The show perfectly strikes a balance of complexion of the story, through only poking through the surface of legal topics, while still maintaining a secondary aspect of the show. This secondary aspect of the show, is where the action comes in, and boy is it action-packed.
The show centers around two separate storylines.
- Jimmy McGill’s Legal law career, and his relationship with his brother, Chuck McGill.
- Saul Goodman (Jimmy’s shady lawyer name), and his illegal/unethical law practices as he navigates working for the Mexican cartel and several other foreign actors.
Unlike many other mainstream TV series’, the twists and surprises of this show are like no other. Oftentimes, shows can repeat the same, regurgitated themes each season, causing episodes to bleed together and seem hard to tell apart. This is not the case with BCS. The challenges the characters face and how they deal with them are excellently written. I give this show a 9/10 and highly recommend it for anyone, given you have at least a stomach for some blood.
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