Better Call Saul (2015–2022)
9/10
An impressive 'Breaking Bad' Prequel
4 July 2020
These comments are based on watching the first five seasons of the show.

This series is set before the events shown in the series 'Breaking Bad'. It shows us how Jimmy McGill, conman turned lawyer goes from being a defender of the desperate to knowing players in New Mexico's drug dealing underworld. Jimmy isn't the only 'Breaking Bad' characters to feature; plenty of others show up, some as main characters others as important cameos. There are also plenty of new characters; I won't say which characters belong to which group so as not to spoil anything for those yet to watch 'Breaking Bad'.

As the story opens Jimmy is taking on a series minor cases as a public defender. He is also looking after his brother, Chuck. Chuck is a partner at a prestigious law firm but hasn't worked for some time as he believes he is allergic to electronic devices. Other key characters include Jimmy's friend Kim Wexler, a lawyer at Chuck's firm and Mike Ehrmantraut, a former Philadelphia police officer who when we first meet him is working at a parking attendant.

Over the course of the series we see Jimmy get into a number of scrapes and dodgy plans as he tries to advance his legal career; these inevitably lead to him meeting some dangerous characters. Meanwhile Mike is looking for other work which leads to him meeting even more dangerous people; most notably Gustavo Fring and various members of the Salamanca crime family.

I must admit I was a little unsure about this series; I really enjoyed 'Breaking Bad' and thought Saul Goodman was a great character but was unsure if he'd be able to carry a series... I needn't have been concerned. This series is really good. Importantly it doesn't matter whether you've seen 'Breaking Bad' or not. The characters are great and the story interesting. It might not move as fast as some would like but I'd rather a story takes its time being told than have it feel rushed. The cast is great; most notably Bob Odenkirk, Johnathon Banks and Rhea Seehorn as Jimmy, Mike. The rest of the cast, be they returning from 'Breaking Bad', new recurring characters or just minor roles also impress. Overall I'd definitely recommend this whether you are a fan of 'Breaking Bad' or not... it provides great drama, a good amount of tension and a fair few unforced laughs. I can't wait for season six.
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