Better Call Saul

In 2022 Better Call Saul concluded after six award-winning seasons. A prequel to the classic TV series Breaking Bad, it managed to establish its own identity by following a freeform writing process that allowed for character growth, while paying homage to its source material, in a way that has never before been seen on television. 

Breaking Bad was pitched as “a man transforms himself from Mr. Chips to Scarface,” starring Bryan Cranston as a cancer-stricken science-teacher-turned-drug-dealer. 

By the time it ended its five-season run, it was a smash hit, and is now considered one of the best TV shows of all time. 

So when Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, along with Saul co-creator Peter Gould, posited the idea of a spinoff, most were surprised that it would be a prequel focusing on Saul Goodman, the sleazy lawyer portrayed by comedian Bob Odenkirk. After all, Breaking Bad was famous for its colorful (read as: dangerous) characters and gritty violence, whereas Saul Goodman was known for his colorful (read as: tacky) suits and silly local commercials.

In a show full of cartel members, federal agents, and hardened criminals, it was hard to envision the world of Breaking Bad revolving around a defense attorney initially created for a four-episode arc as comedic relief.   

That’s a lot easier to envision now. IMDB users have ranked Better Call Saul as one of the 50 greatest TV shows of all time. 

Gilligan kept enough specific touches to make the prequel feel like it belongs as part of the Breaking Bad universe—especially its loving rendition of early 2000s Albuquerque, ornate cinematography, impeccable writing, and the occasional shockingly audacious action sequence. 

But Better Call Saul excelled when it resisted the temptation to be the “next Breaking Bad.” The consensus best episode of Breaking Bad starts with a bloody shootout. The best episode of Better Call Saul centers on a bar association hearing. Both are riveting.

Most importantly, the show, and its characters, were allowed to breathe. Even though the audience knew the fate of every character that would eventually appear in Breaking Bad, Gilligan repeatedly claimed he could “only see two inches” in front of his face as the plot was established, never planning the events of more than one season at a time. 

Over time, sympathetic characters become villains and villains become sympathetic. Instead of showing the downward moral spiral of its main character, like Breaking Bad did, it focused on Saul’s complicated humanity. And it didn’t center itself around flashy drug dealing story lines (okay, fine, there’s still some drug dealing).

As a result, the show gradually shifted from “the story of the Breaking Bad lawyer” to a legal drama centered around both a love story and an improbable redemption arc.

Better Call Saul was able to repeat its success by following a similar approach to its predecessor (focusing on character development, setting, and choreography), while still creating something new and unique. In doing so, Better Call Saul helped cement itself as one of the greatest shows of all time by forging its own path and telling its own story.