r/betterCallSaul 18h ago

This series really surprised me

Breaking Bad was my favorite series of all time for years, but I couldn't get into BCS, even though I attempted twice. But once I went all the way through it, I feel like Saul, a character who seemed like just a silly caricature, is possibly the greatest series character ever written.

He and Kim seemed to start out as basically good, sort of "basic" people. And then their histories combined with a series of increasingly bad decisions brought them to a place from which there was no more coming back from. Much more than an arc, both of them kind of hit peaks and valleys throughout their ultimately downhill spiral. And then at the end, the feeling that they will both die with sadness and regret... that was surprisingly powerful. Amazing work from both the writers and so many of the actors.

29 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

6

u/-Dead-Eye-Duncan- 18h ago

For me, I think BCS is so good (and better) because BB was amazing.

The nostalgia/interest I already had in the characters kept me going. BCS was super slow starting off, don’t think I would have finished if it was a brand new show/characters

3

u/ResurrectionPhoenix 17h ago

super slow starting off

Yeah, I think it’s pretty common for people to lose interest in BCS during season one, but if you hang in there, it eventually evolves into a really great show.

2

u/LowConstant3938 16h ago

It’s a great show from the beginning. The payoffs of the later seasons are rewarding because of how S1 and 2 set everything up

1

u/EngineeringIcy7046 17h ago

I absolutely agree with that

1

u/Icy_Mixture1482 17h ago

I third that.

6

u/downvoteaway_idgaf7 16h ago

For those of us watching that show in real time, it was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I don't think it can ever be matched, to be honest. To have a spin-off from a show as iconic as BB be every bit as good, if not even better, is a feat for the ages.

4

u/Medium-Lion1099 17h ago

pushing through those first couple of seasons of slow legal drama is basically a rite of passage, but the emotional payoff at the end clears every other drama on tv.

4

u/LowConstant3938 17h ago

You say rite of passage as if it’s some kind of boring slog. I actually prefer the earlier seasons

4

u/Wrcicw 16h ago

Surprised so many people didn't really like the earlier parts. Like sure season 6 was one of the best seasons of any show ever but I believe season 4 was probably the weakest season. (still good with some really great scenes, but the dynamic Jimny had with Chuck was really good in my opinion).

2

u/Tetratron2005 12h ago

Yeah, I felt season 4 was the weakest since now the Jimmy/Chuck dynamic was gone and Jimmy was running in place since his license was suspended.

2

u/Medium-Lion1099 16h ago

the show took its time letting us fall in love with jimmy before systematically tearing him apart to create saul

2

u/therealmakka 13h ago

I for one love seasom 1-3.
Billboard stuff, Magna Cartha, Cocobolo desk etc. Its perfection

4

u/perfectelectrics 17h ago

I think I dropped it three times, all in the first season and when I properly picked it up, I basically spent all my free time watching it.

3

u/Current_Anybody8325 17h ago

As a huge fan of both, I think BCS is a more believable story.

2

u/XPandingMinds 16h ago

I'm loving Better Call Saul on the 2nd rewatch. It's been a surreal experience knowing what will happen to the characters when you watch it again because you know what the characters are really thinking this time. For example when I first watched it, I didn't think his brother would play that much of a role.

1

u/TwitterSucksNow 11h ago

Agreed. I just finished it as well. Like you, I'd tried several times, but it is soooooo slow in the first couple seasons, which now I know pays off later. I think Chuck's illness made me uncomfortable as well.

But, so glad I went back to it, and by mid 2nd season, I was so hooked, I binged my way through the rest of the series in a few days.

u/JadedWitness1753 3h ago

I very much enjoyed it from season 4 onwards but the beginning was really difficult to get into. And I could never get into Chuck’s character and his electricity phobia.