The Official "Better Call Saul" Season 1 Thread

[hex]

Over all I'd give the first season a B+. I got a couple minor problems with it:

1. I dunno what the writers intention was for this season, maybe they'll give an outline in an interview. But if it was intended to be a self-contained intro about the story of Jimmy McGill and the subsequent rise of Saul, it's basically flawless. You could never watch another episode of this show, and it would still perfectly capture the transformation.

The problem is, there's no reason to plot a season like that. This show came out the gate with 23 episodes guaranteed, and it's virtually impossible for it to get cancelled. It's critically acclaimed, routinely in the 1-5 spots for ratings, and has early award show buzz. They could've basically done whatever the fukk they wanted, so from that point of view the finale is kinda creatively speaking.

Which is fine if season 2 is wall to wall fukkery....but we have no way of knowing that yet.

2. Some people say Mike is the best part of the show....and he's great....but for a show about Saul, not Mike, his scenes outline my second problem. Right now they have a lot of ingredients that work separate from Jimmy, but so far they haven't been incorporated into his story in any meaningful way. Hamlin, Kim and Chuck were utilized fairly well....but Mike had an entire episode where Jimmy appeared for 5 minutes. I know people are over that episode but we know Mike/Saul eventually team up, and this season did very little to further that arc.

And Nacho was billed as a main character, he's in 4 episodes.

I dunno how they're going to make a show with Jimmy as Saul, with Mike/Saul as a team, with Nacho as a factor....with Chuck, Hamlin and Kim still viable to the plot. Which is what happened this season, but in reverse. Mike and Nacho wouldn't fit in most of the scenes, so they weren't in most of the scenes.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and this is based on what I've seen of season 1. They knew they had 2 seasons early....and there is certain things I read that didn't appear in this season....so that leads me to believe they might've mapped out most or parts of 23 episodes and we've only seen a small part of the bigger picture.

Fred.

 

[Pifferry]

yea cuz that makes a lot of sense

i felt that would be perfect if we never saw chuck again..he watched jimmy drive away.

with the pre-existing universe this show has..it would feel like a waste if we spent another season with that boring blonde woman and chuck and hamlin etc.

with the way it ended i expect a lot of fukkery next season.. let's start fresh

You want goonery.
This show isn't a show for goonery like that so at this point you should probably get with the program and adjust though I'm expecting for the ante to get upped with Jimmy's turn at the end so that should be fun but it won't be a body dropping, gun blasting action fest.

 

[FlyRy]

You want goonery.
This show isn't a show for goonery like that so at this point you should probably get with the program and adjust though I'm expecting for the ante to get upped with Jimmy's turn at the end so that should be fun but it won't be a body dropping, gun blasting action fest.

fukkery does not =goonery.

again stop putting words in my mouth breh.

where did i mention action at all?

 

[Erik Killmonger]

Cant wait to see S2

 

[jay211]

Over all I'd give the first season a B+. I got a couple minor problems with it:

1. I dunno what the writers intention was for this season, maybe they'll give an outline in an interview. But if it was intended to be a self-contained intro about the story of Jimmy McGill and the subsequent rise of Saul, it's basically flawless. You could never watch another episode of this show, and it would still perfectly capture the transformation.

The problem is, there's no reason to plot a season like that. This show came out the gate with 23 episodes guaranteed, and it's virtually impossible for it to get cancelled. It's critically acclaimed, routinely in the 1-5 spots for ratings, and has early award show buzz. They could've basically done whatever the fukk they wanted, so from that point of view the finale is kinda creatively speaking.

Which is fine if season 2 is wall to wall fukkery....but we have no way of knowing that yet.

2. Some people say Mike is the best part of the show....and he's great....but for a show about Saul, not Mike, his scenes outline my second problem. Right now they have a lot of ingredients that work separate from Jimmy, but so far they haven't been incorporated into his story in any meaningful way. Hamlin, Kim and Chuck were utilized fairly well....but Mike had an entire episode where Jimmy appeared for 5 minutes. I know people are over that episode but we know Mike/Saul eventually team up, and this season did very little to further that arc.

And Nacho was billed as a main character, he's in 4 episodes.

I dunno how they're going to make a show with Jimmy as Saul, with Mike/Saul as a team, with Nacho as a factor....with Chuck, Hamlin and Kim still viable to the plot. Which is what happened this season, but in reverse. Mike and Nacho wouldn't fit in most of the scenes, so they weren't in most of the scenes.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and this is based on what I've seen of season 1. They knew they had 2 seasons early....and there is certain things I read that didn't appear in this season....so that leads me to believe they might've mapped out most or parts of 23 episodes and we've only seen a small part of the bigger picture.

Fred.

I think your analysis is spot on. Except I'll take it further. There were NO STAKES to this season. I was never worried about Jimmy's well being. I know it's not Breaking Bad. But Breaking Bad worked because it had extreme stakes. What if Walter's wife finds out he's a meth dealer?, what if his brother-in-law the DEA agent finds out, what if the school he teaches at finds out?, what if Walt dies from cancer before he secures his family's future?, what if Walt gets killed by these dangerous dealers in the Meth world?, What if the drug dealers kill his family?, what if Jessie rats Walt out?

I'm sorry but this is billed as a crime drama hybrid. A crime drama with no stakes, is like watching paint dry on the wall.

Do you see how high the stakes are for BB? Why the fukk do I care about Better Call Saul? Yes there were some funny parts. But to be honest the supporting characters were dreadful. Hamlin is one of the worst characters in TV. That blonde girl? Who gives a fukk about her? She was so one note. Chuck? fukk Chuck. Mike is the only good supporting character on the show. And Mike's far more fascinating then Jimmy. Which is a huge problem for the show. They better get to Saul Goodman quick in season 2. What's crazy is Saul was one of my favorite characters in BB. And yes, I understand Jimmy isn't Saul yet, but give me one reason to give a damn.

And BB didn't even have the greatest supporting cast. But they were head and shoulders above anyone not named Mike in Better Call Saul. And I'm holding Breaking Bad to the standard of the plethora of great supporting characters in THE WIRE, DEADWOOD, and SOPRANOS. etc

WEEDS (season 1-3) is a far superior version of what Better Call Saul is trying to be. It was entertaining, it had stakes, it had drama, and it had fukkery. And it had great supporting characters, from Conrad, Heylia, Celia, Doug, Andy etc,

 

[FlyRy]

Over all I'd give the first season a B+. I got a couple minor problems with it:
.

I'd give it a B ish. showed a lot of potential.

I agree with some of your issues

it felt rushed in a sense..i swear hamlin wore the same blue contrast collar shirt in every episode.

it doesn't have to turn full "Fargo" to have more fukkery like the other dude is suggesting..but i sure hope season 2 is more than ice runs, bingo and nail salon talks.

i have faith vince will deliver though.

 

[Francis White]

It's obvious how the story will be next season, we know that saul gets harden too that life since when you see him he suggested that Badger get stab in the chow line. He is an expert money launder and he knows the ons and and outs Of the legal system. Next year we will meet his mentor who I thinks works for the other larger firm and he will school Saul on being a criminal lawyer. This guy will fully form slipping Jimmy into Saul Goodman.

 

[Nature Boy Ric Flair]

I think your analysis is spot on. Except I'll take it further. There were NO STAKES to this season. I was never worried about Jimmy's well being. I know it's not Breaking Bad. But Breaking Bad worked because it had extreme stakes. What if Walter's wife finds out he's a meth dealer?, what if his brother-in-law the DEA agent finds out, what if the school he teaches at finds out?, what if Walt dies from cancer before he secures his family's future?, what if Walt gets killed by these dangerous dealers in the Meth world?, What if the drug dealers kill his family?, what if Jessie rats Walt out?

I'm sorry but this is billed as a crime drama hybrid. A crime drama with no stakes, is like watching paint dry on the wall.

Do you see how high the stakes are for BB? Why the fukk do I care about Better Call Saul? Yes there were some funny parts. But to be honest the supporting characters were dreadful. Hamlin is one of the worst characters in TV. That blonde girl? Who gives a fukk about her? She was so one note. Chuck? fukk Chuck. Mike is the only good supporting character on the show. And Mike's far more fascinating then Jimmy. Which is a huge problem for the show. They better get to Saul Goodman quick in season 2. What's crazy is Saul was one of my favorite characters in BB. And yes, I understand Jimmy isn't Saul yet, but give me one reason to give a damn.

And BB didn't even have the greatest supporting cast. But they were head and shoulders above anyone not named Mike in Better Call Saul. And I'm holding Breaking Bad to the standard of the plethora of great supporting characters in THE WIRE, DEADWOOD, and SOPRANOS. etc

WEEDS (season 1-3) is a far superior version of what Better Call Saul is trying to be. It was entertaining, it had stakes, it had drama, and it had fukkery. And it had great supporting characters, from Conrad, Heylia, Celia, Doug, Andy etc,

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Don Mack]

Isn't Marco the same fat guy on The Last Man on Earth?

 

[Bickin Back Being Bool]

i liked the finale... it's just the intro, the back story, why saul is saul? and we've learnt alot

and i was satisfied... now next season, i'm expecting some fukkery, and lots of it, and i think vince knows this

very dope first season... would be dope if they win some awards

til next time fellas

 

[JSS]

It's been awhile but I think I liked this season better than the first season of Breaking Bad. This show has been more Mad Men than Breaking Bad so far. I can see why some people didn't like it.

 

[FlyRy]

“I did not know that his children were in the backseat. There was a level of tint that I maintain to this day was illegal in an Illinois licensed vehicle.”

 

[satam55]

I never understood how dudes are able to find random gifs/memes/smiles & post them so quickly during live-posting a show that's airing live.

"Breaking Bad" reference!

Fred.

at your ability to remember the most random, minor, obscure "Breaking Bad" references.

 

[AkaDemiK]

i enjoyed the finale....and i the entire season...show is dope but still in it's infant stage....can't wait for season 2.

and....kim can get the pipe...milf

 

[hex]

I think your analysis is spot on. Except I'll take it further. There were NO STAKES to this season. I was never worried about Jimmy's well being. I know it's not Breaking Bad. But Breaking Bad worked because it had extreme stakes. What if Walter's wife finds out he's a meth dealer?, what if his brother-in-law the DEA agent finds out, what if the school he teaches at finds out?, what if Walt dies from cancer before he secures his family's future?, what if Walt gets killed by these dangerous dealers in the Meth world?, What if the drug dealers kill his family?, what if Jessie rats Walt out?

I'm sorry but this is billed as a crime drama hybrid. A crime drama with no stakes, is like watching paint dry on the wall.

Do you see how high the stakes are for BB? Why the fukk do I care about Better Call Saul? Yes there were some funny parts. But to be honest the supporting characters were dreadful. Hamlin is one of the worst characters in TV. That blonde girl? Who gives a fukk about her? She was so one note. Chuck? fukk Chuck. Mike is the only good supporting character on the show. And Mike's far more fascinating then Jimmy. Which is a huge problem for the show. They better get to Saul Goodman quick in season 2. What's crazy is Saul was one of my favorite characters in BB. And yes, I understand Jimmy isn't Saul yet, but give me one reason to give a damn.

And BB didn't even have the greatest supporting cast. But they were head and shoulders above anyone not named Mike in Better Call Saul. And I'm holding Breaking Bad to the standard of the plethora of great supporting characters in THE WIRE, DEADWOOD, and SOPRANOS. etc

WEEDS (season 1-3) is a far superior version of what Better Call Saul is trying to be. It was entertaining, it had stakes, it had drama, and it had fukkery. And it had great supporting characters, from Conrad, Heylia, Celia, Doug, Andy etc,

Eh....can't say I agree with that comparison.

"BB" and "Weeds" had their protagonists committing multiple felonies from jump street. Jimmy is just a struggling lawyer for most of the season. So right out the gate we're talking about two wildly different definitions of what "stakes" are in the context of the show. It would be like comparing "Mad Men" and "Dexter".

"BCS" is like "BB" season 0, if it showed Walt losing Gretchen, Grey Matter, and struggling for years in mediocrity before he chooses to break bad.

Some people would love that season, some people would find it boring. I personally like it despite my criticism, because we know what Jimmy eventually becomes.

Fred.