Better Call Saul

I have the same problem, Amy. I never really got Saul and thought the idea of his own show was stupid. I watched the first episode and will watch the second, but I'm still not sold.

 

Confession time.
I've never seen all of Breaking Bad. I just started watching it. I'm on episode 4 of season 1.
Can I watch Saul or is it going to go over my head?

 

Not having seen the first two episodes of Saul yet, I'm guessing you'll be fine. You might not catch some of the cameos or characters right off or grasp their importance (Mike has been in the Saul trailers but doesn't become a major BB character until Season 3, for example), but I doubt Gilligan and Co. would make it inaccessible to new viewers. I'm sure it'll stand on its own merits.

 

I think even if you haven't seen Breaking Bad, you'd be fine, but you obviously wouldn't recognize Mike.

It's a slow start. I think Breaking Bad has enough loyal fans that they'll hang around for awhile, but I hope things pick up quickly.

 

You'll be fine as long as you keep in mind that Saul is to the legal profession what Bill Belichick is to the coaching profession -- a lying, cheating, remorseless sack of shit.

 

I haven't watched the second episode, but the care taken with the courtroom scene in the opening episode killed me. The prosecutor (who also was in an episode of Portlandia BTW) saying nothing and slowly wheeling the creaky AV cart. The buzzing of the courtroom lights. Still using a VCR to display the evidence. Saul acting like the video won't be damning at all, waving his hand as if this video WON'T show the guys doing what they did. All of it just killed me.

 

You are right, the scene was fantastic, but just for the record, the scene was set in 2002 (use of the vcr).

 

The best part of that scene was the dude in the courtroom gallery who got up like he was leaving once the cart was being wheeled over...then when the video starts to play, the camera pulls back and that dude and others have gathered in the corner so they can see the screen! THAT is quality direction and staging.

 

And also the extensive use of flip phones and tube TV sets. We had it rough in 2002.

 

I thought the second episode was fantastic, the first 30 minutes especially. Michelle McLaren, who did a boatload of Breaking Bad episodes (and I think some True Detective work), directed it. I hope she does more.

 

You can also see the check he gets for his PD work in the pilot is dated 2002.

The desert scene in Episode 2 was great. A definite BB call-back.

 

Episode 5 was great. I'll try to avoid major spoilers. Hilarious first couple of scenes with the secessionist with the funny money and the guy with the sex toilet.

Then it delves into Chuck's mental illness and a turn with Jimmy aping Matlock at the senior center hawking Jello cups to drum up business. (The episode was originally titled Jello, but I bet a copyright got in the way.)

The last 10 minutes focused on Mike. Next week will fill in his backstory.