Probably you would have heard this a thousand times as I am writing about an old series but I recently started watching it and when it ended there was an emptiness. Have you ever felt like that when a show ends? That’s how good the show was.
I am talking about Saul Goodman, aka Jimmy McGill. (P.S. I am not going to add anything new, but you know.)
The Show
Better Call Saul is a masterclass in storytelling, delivering the grit, drama and dark humor that made Breaking Bad a sensation, but it has a personality of its own.
Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the show digs deeper into the origin story of a morally gray lawyer, Saul Goodman (formerly Jimmy McGill), offering a profound exploration of ethics, ambition and identity.
The story is set in Albuqureque, New Mexico, the series goes on for six seasons, each shedding light on Jimmy’s transformation into Saul. I would say it as a rollercoster of emotions, a jourey that is deeply tragic and widly entertaining.
Spoiler-Free Plot Summary
The series spins around the life of Jimmy McGill, a struggling lawyer with a rough past who is trying to make a name for himself. But as he starts his law career, the shadows of his darker, more resoruceful alter ego, Saul Goodman starts to creep in,
Better Call Saul masterfully balances Jimmy’s personal challenges, complex relationships, and budding cateer with ever-encroaching hints of the criminal underworld.
Character Development
The way Jimmy transforms to Saul is just astounding. Bob Odenkirk has played it brilliantly. His portrayal of Jimmy McGill is nuanced, where he experesses vulnerability and ambition in a depth that’s rare in television dramas.
The supporting cast, especially Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler and Jonathan Banks as the stoic Mike Ehrmantraut, adds layer of complexity. Jimmy’s fluidity is countered perfectly by Kim’s moral compass and Mike’s hardened wisdom. Each character feels fully realized, connecting with the audience where motives unfolds naturally over the seasons, making their journey both inevitable and deeply human.
Direction and Cinematography
I should say this is peak cineamatography here in this show. From showing a bunch of ants eating the fallen ice cream to connecting the past, present and the future in different colors and depths have made it more connecting.
The direction here is artful, paying homeage to Breaking Bad’s iconic visual style while establishing a unique asthetic for Better Call Saul. Cinematographer Marshall Adams and his team has delivered goregeous, stark landscapes, often juxtaposed with the claustraphobic, closed in shorts that perfectly reflects Jimmy’s moral confinement.
The camera work and pacing immerse you fully into the show taking you slowly into the nuanced workd of legal and personal battles. It makes it even the mundane scenes geel rick with tension.
Themes and Messages
At its core, the show questions identity, integerity, and moral compromise. It gives you the idea how seemingly small choices – bending the law here, compromising a princple there – can lead to monumental consequences. The show is both a critque of the Americal legal system and a poignant study of ambition’s darker side. Its themes resonate on a personal level inviting viewers to consider their own boundaries of right and wrong.
The Breaking Point
I think the breaking point for Jimmy to transform into Saul has everything to do with Chuck, his brother. He could have supported instead of being jealous of how good Jimmy was with people. Chuck was one of the biggest influences on the birth of “Saul Goodman.”