Better Call Saul

[billyk]

Yeah, it’s pretty slow. It’s a TV series about lawyers. How are you going to make a show about lawyers exciting?

I think most series like this drag the plot along and string things out in order to provide more paychecks to the actors and studio staff.

Still, I thought they did a pretty good job of it.

[mcski]

Yeah, it’s pretty slow. It’s a TV series about lawyers. How are you going to make la show about lawyers exciting?

Hookers and Blow is an option

[TahoeJ]

I don’t mind a slow burn when it pays off the way this show does.

[bobz]

BCS was very good, but yeah, what Danno said. Really? Jimmy develops his burner phone biz for a whole season?

My main problem with BCS, compared to BrBa, is that it lacked (as much) humor. Which is ironic, given that one of Saul's main purposes in Breaking Bad was comic relief. I remember watching some BCS scenes with Saul's assistant Francesca, which prompted me to watch some of her scenes in BB; this one cracked me up and made me realize what BCS was missing:

[XXX-er]

I watched BB first and BCS second, I didn't always get it all but I never worry about that and I thot it was pretty good

[t-the-east]

I think dragging it out over many years is what turned ya a little salty to the show maybe? It was great entertainment while I recovered from my tibial plateau a few years ago, and since I couldn’t do a damn thing else, I was pretty laser focused on the plot and hammered out the show in a few weeks.
I almost feel like rewatching it actually…

[t-the-east]

I think dragging it out over many years is what turned ya a little salty to the show maybe? It was great entertainment while I recovered from my tibial plateau a few years ago, and since I couldn’t do a damn thing else, I was pretty laser focused on the plot and hammered out the show in a few weeks.
I almost feel like rewatching it actually…

[Danno]

I think dragging it out over many years is what turned ya a little salty to the show maybe? It was great entertainment while I recovered from my tibial plateau a few years ago, and since I couldn’t do a damn thing else, I was pretty laser focused on the plot and hammered out the show in a few weeks.
I almost feel like rewatching it actually…

Well, why do you think I dragged it out over many years? Because after slogging through an hour episode, I had zero desire to watch the next one. I have binge watched many shows, where after watching an episode, you immediately want to watch the next one. Sure as fuck did that with BB. But BCS? I just didn't have any desire to hit play on the next one. And if this show wasn't connected to BB and if people didn't constantly rave about it, I probably would have quit.

I did say it was very good. But it paled in comparison to BB, suffered in comparison, IMO. And it traded on the goodwill created by BB.

I'm glad you enjoyed the hell out of it. I liked parts of it a lot, and parts of it put me to sleep.

[bobz]

I shouldn't have said that less humor is the main problem. It's one of the problems. That BCS has less gonzo awesomeness (BB's opening scene: RV crash on dirt road wearing gas mask and underpants) is another reason.

Yet another is that there's simply less at stake in BCS. Partly because it's a prequel, and we know how most of the major characters turn out in the future that is Breaking Bad, if they live that long. But also because so many trajectories towards the BB time period are established rather early in BCS. Mike transitions from garage attendant to criminal fixer early on, Gus is a drug guy I think from his first appearance, and viewers see Jimmy's path to becoming a "criminal" lawyer even before he does. As for Kim-Jimmy, it isn't so much a question of how their relationship will blow up by the end of the series, as how it will keep from blowing up in the next few episodes.

But indeed, BCS is very good, fine character driven drama, first rate production values, and of course great BB fan service.