Better Call Saul is one of those series that I am sad it is over. There are a few of them, in history, where the end felt like it was a show that would leave an empty hole where my great show viewings should be. The Shield, Farscape, LOST, Breaking Bad, Firefly, etc. It was wise of Vince Gilligan to wrap it up when he did but it doesn't mean I'll miss the show any less. I wanted to continue to live in New Mexico and follow the crazy adventures of Jimmy and Kim.
The series, as a whole, took more time to get rolling than Breaking Bad did. And yes, it's obvious to compare the two even though they are different shows both in tone and story. The first two seasons of Saul were rather slow but still had strong story building and character development. We had some of our old favorites in Jimmy and Mike, but who were Chuck, Howard, Kim, and Nacho? I am glad that they recognized the power of Kim as a character as her character arc through the series is one of the most compelling. Nacho is the other. We know where Jimmy ends up so there isn't as much 'mystery' to him.
Speaking of Jimmy, the Jimmy/Saul/Gene role was great and the way they ended each of these storylines was solid. Every season we'd get a few minutes to start with Gene in black and white and I argued, every season, that I wanted to see more of his story. Thankfully, in the final season my wish came true (not a real spoiler). The fallout of the Saul/Walt conflict from Breaking Bad was something I was super interested in. There is even a line in BB that comes to fruition in BCS.
I praise the performance of Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler in this series. She really is the heart and soul of the show. Jimmy, of course, is who we should be focused on, and are much of the time, but Seehorn steals many of the scenes. The other thing is that her character arc, from beginning to end, is the most interesting as we see her rise and fall and rise and, well, you get the point. You never quite know what is really going through her mind at any given time.
And, of course, we have the return of Mike, one of the greatest characters between the two series. Apparently he was only meant to be in an episode or two but Gilligan saw what he had and thankfully wrote him into the series. There is just something about Jonathan Banks that makes his presence on screen like glue. That and he has one of the saddest moments in his run later in the series. I love the fact that there is a meme about him now in lines of 'This is What We're Going to Do...' as it is so Mike!
Speaking of that, watching through BCS while watching the final episodes, it's a continued insanity the amount of detail they put into continuity. A throwaway line in a previous season, or in BB, pays off in seasons of BCS. One example (no spoilers) is a line that Francesca (Jimmy's secretary) says in season four which pays off near the end of season six. It didn't seem major, at the time, but it played out perfectly. The attention to detail was just insane. In a world where we have shows that completly wipe the character and story development of previous seasons (I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones), the amount of attention and care that went into crafting BCS (and BB) shows the love the writers had for the lore. For fans like me this shows the artwork that went into it. And yes, the entire show is art. From the choice of dialogue to the colors of a scene to the Shakespearian development of characters and story, it all comes together into a piece of art which is rarely seen in this day of 'easy' television.
There is so much to praise about this show. Which do I like better, Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul? I have to give it to BB mostly because it started off strong and never stopped whereas BCS took a bit longer to get rolling. But that's like comparing apples and oranges. They are both excellent in their own right and each are so well done it's just a matter of preference on what type of show you like more. I like the grittier, darker shows and BCS is not quite as gritty. Also, I constantly remember several big scenes in BB where there are only a couple in BCS.
So, the last season was pretty great. There were some moments where I wanted 'more' but it was because I was being greedy. I wanted things to end up a certain way and the writers went a different way. I did 'kinda' get the end right in regards to Jimmy's character but even then I was off a bit. The did change out one of the actors in the final season (due to filming conflicts) but it didn't affect the overall flow. We get a new several episode cameo from a famed actress as well. Anyhow, they ended it pretty perfectly and there was a sad choking moment between Jimmy and Kim that really put a bow on it.
If you couldn't tell, yes, I'll definitely recommend this series. You don't HAVE to see Breaking Bad to 'get' Better Call Saul, but it does give more of a connection between the two if you do. One of the great shows is now over which makes me sad, but it went out on a high note, which makes me happy.
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