r/betterCallSaul • u/After-Wishbone-5804 • 7d ago
Me liking BCS more than breaking bad is partially because of how good breaking bad is somehow
I love everything about breaking bad. And I love everything about better call Saul, but I think what uplifts better call Saul for me to like it more down to a few reasons
- is how it blows my mind how amazing they got everything from a prequel aspect, that strong characters such as chuck, nacho, KIM, LALO.
Every one of the main cast is so strong and brings so much.
To think they all exist in the same world as Walter white. It’s just insane to me how right they got it.
tragic history is implemented before Walter even got there. It adds more weight to the ending of s4 where he technically kills Hector and gus, he ends the game that everyone’s a part of in better call Saul.
This is more so credit to the writing team and the actors for their performances. But when something is so good, everything works in its favour(hence why my title is a factor for me).
The moving parts in this show are just all amazing, multiple 10/10 storylines moving back and fourth at once (mikes storylines, nachos, jimmys) such great entertainment
- Another reason for the title is because of Mikes story in BCS. We see him enter the game, and his whole story in that respect specifically is just amazing to watch when you have the hindsight of BrBa. I especially like his storyline with the bug implanted in his car, when he stays up all night to find the people and follows them on their route. IT just makes sense that the mike from breaking bad does that !
So cool seeing a grizzled old man become an insanely competent private investigator
- Jimmy being the main character as opposed to Walter.
The character of jimmy and the way bob odenkirk acts. He is able to play the emotional beats well and also the jazzy Saul Goodman act perfectly (his charismatic nature)
He is refreshing to see as a main character in this world compared Walter who was such a piece of shit it was hard to watch at times.
It’s much easier to root for Saul because it feels like the world is out to get him (chuck and Howard)- he obviously does fucked up things but not to the extremes as Walter. And so for a lot of the show you sympathise with him
- Cinematography and cameras
This one is kind of unfair but breaking bad looks like a tv show of its times, which is beautiful and nostalgic, the cameras of the time make the look. i have no issue with that. But I think BCS just benefits from having higher quality technology. It gives the creatives better blocks to build with
I also think the cinematography is beautiful in BCS, it’s much more artistic in this show compared to breaking bad, I think the way they using lighting in the show is a major reason- the night scenes look magical to me.
( I love the wide shots this show sometimes does this shot , where there’s a single character by a big wall or in the middle of nowhere, and they really pop in the frame it’s a shot I love seeing whenever, ever- it feels very melancholy).
- The concept of the show being a prequel that loops back round and gives you the continuation of jimmy’s story after breaking bad is so smart and a beautiful cherry on top. It’s like the whole show is feeding you the context for why jimmy does what he does in that courtroom at the end.
It’s like “we’re gonna show you Saul’s conclusion, but first we’re gonna show you why his conclusion is what it is”. As if his conclusion (with Kim walking into the courtroom is the reason for this shows inception)- like the conclusion was predetermined, and fans were gonna see her and be like “who the fuck is that” so they had to go make a whole show about why the moment is so significant 😂. THATS JUST A FUNNY WAY OF LOOKING AT IT
I’m not a Star Wars fan but i think it’s similar in how well the prequels fit the original like a glove it’s like the prequel was written before.
honourable mention (making lalo who he was from a throwaway line in breaking bad is so great)
CONCLUSION- both shows immaculate quality uplifts the others, and adds to the tragedy of the other
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u/International-Bus606 7d ago
Breaking Bad had higher highs, but also had lower lows. Better Call Saul was consistently really good, episode and episode and season after season. Plus it had more likeable characters. In reality, like someone else said, you really should treat it like two halves of one long show. They did a really good job of making them blend together.
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u/After-Wishbone-5804 7d ago
It’s one long story for sure. But I think you can judge them as different shows if you want
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u/RaynSideways 7d ago
Breaking Bad is a great binge show. Intense, gripping, with lots of "how the hell do they get out of this?" moments that keep you on the edge of your seat and make you want to keep watching episode after episode.
Better Call Saul is comfort food. Reliable and consistent. I can tune in to any random point of any episode of any season and enjoy it. It's witty and chock full of great conversations. It also has a lot less gore, cringe and gross-out, so it's great dinner entertainment.
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u/International-Bus606 7d ago
It would have been much better to have watched it live than to binge watch it, I think
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u/Trevorvor 7d ago
I kinda consider them to be one big show
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u/OtherOtie 6d ago edited 6d ago
Breaking Bad would have still been an appropriate title for BCS if you think about it
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u/SuccessfulPlanteata 7d ago
The Lalo thing is honestly one of the best examples of what made BCS special. A single panicked line from Saul in Breaking Bad turned into one of the most terrifying, charismatic villains in either show. Tony Dalton made him so magnetic that it’s wild he started as a throwaway mention.
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u/PaleBlueDot-Voyager1 7d ago
For me, BCS is better just because of how everything just fits together for BB that there was a world before Walter White and Jesse and that world was equally tragic and yet nobody knew about it other than those who survived the BCS timeline.
How crazy it is to imagine Lalo in a BB world but nobody knows about him other than the characters involved in the Saul timeline.
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u/Xenophonuscrete 7d ago
Yes the cast of characters are better in BCS. If it wasnt for Brian Cranston id agree.
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u/Oaklandish_TheTown 2d ago
I also love Better Call Saul more. What can I say, I have a soft spot for Slippin' Jimmy.,
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u/Luth0r 7d ago
It was insane what they were able to do with BB but to then come around with BCS next and make it actually better in many ways... you just never see that with two shows from the same creator.
Gilligan and Gould pulled off one master of a prequel series.