'Better Call Saul': Is it a worthy successor to 'Breaking Bad'?
'Saul' focuses on 'Breaking Bad' character Saul Goodman, portrayed by comedian Bob Odenkirk. The series premiere of 'Saul' did very well in the ratings.
'Saul' focuses on 'Breaking Bad' character Saul Goodman, portrayed by comedian Bob Odenkirk. The series premiere of 'Saul' did very well in the ratings.
What are critics saying about the new AMC TV series 鈥淏etter Call Saul鈥�?
鈥淪aul鈥� certainly has some of the biggest shoes to fill in recent TV memory. The show is a spin-off of the AMC television series 鈥淏reaking Bad,鈥� one of the most acclaimed TV programs of the new millennium. 鈥淏ad鈥� concluded in 2013 and 鈥淪aul鈥� centers on the character of Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), who in the original series served as lawyer to protagonist Walter White (Bryan Cranston). 鈥淪aul鈥� serves as his origin story 鈥� in the new series, Saul is going by Jimmy McGill. The show also stars Michael McKean as Jimmy鈥檚 brother Chuck and Jonathan Banks, who is reprising his 鈥淏reaking Bad鈥� role as Mike Ehrmantraut, a private investigator.
So with very high expectations, how is 鈥淪aul鈥� doing so far? According to Variety, the show scored big ratings when it premiered on Feb. 8. The episode got the highest cable ratings ever for a premiere in the highly valued 18-49 demographic, according to the publication.
As for critical reception, the show is doing fairly well so far. USA Today critic Robert Bianco gave the show three-and-a-half stars out of four and called it 鈥渁 constant visual treat.鈥�
鈥淛immy's path to Saul may be similar [to Walter White's], but his motives are less pure and his fall more predictable,鈥� Bianco wrote. 鈥淪o why follow him? Because the writing, with its sudden shifts from drama to comedy and its sympathetic view of its bumbling characters, is so stellar鈥� And because Odenkirk is terrific鈥oes that make聽叠别迟迟别谤听as great as聽Bad? No, not yet. But in its first few hours, it's certainly very good.鈥�
Washington Post critic Hank Stuever agreed, writing that the show is 鈥渞ight in line with the tone and style of the original, now-classic series鈥� Odenkirk鈥檚 talent is on full display.鈥�
However, Variety critic Brian Lowry wrote that viewers would have to wait and see if the show would develop into a great one.
鈥淥denkirk is perfectly fine in bringing added dimension to the character,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淚t鈥檚 asking a lot, though, to build virtually every scene around him with minimal support鈥� 鈥楽aul鈥� contains some attractive elements, fine moments and a fabulous pedigree, but even Jimmy/Saul might be forced to concede the jury鈥檚 still out in terms of proving it has the right formula.鈥�