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| Bob Odenkirk |
The average spin-off is a thing of novelty, and one that usually doesn't turn out too well. Considering AMC's track record with Fear the Walking Dead, it is a miracle that Better Call Saul hasn't only been a good show, but at times captured the energy of its parent series Breaking Bad. While the first season may have been lacking, it served as a legitimate origin story to everyone's favorite corrupt lawyer, whose name was originally Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) and worked at an office with Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn). Still, it was strange to see McGill not be seedy - and season 2 improves upon the promise by showing him not only starting his own law firm, but also finding his own identity, his Saul Goodman if you will. While it has yet to be consistently engaging as Breaking Bad, it's pretty much doing a good job of being original.
The last season saw McGill driving away from his old job, frustrated by his choice to button up and fly right. Many were immediately excited that maybe after a season of McGill not being Saul Goodman that season 2 would jump right into it. To summarize: he still isn't. The season ends and he's still going by his birth name. However, the traces that connect him to his infamous future are finally present in almost every move he makes. Whether it's conning people with Kim for meals or forging documents, the confident lawyer is back on the trail and is attempting to con the elderly out of money with some fancy-looking trailers. In this sense, he is doing all right for himself. However, his family life with his lawyer brother Chuck McGill (Michael McKean), isn't doing so hot.
The thing that should be known about the show is that despite showing consistent glances into the Saul persona, the show is inevitably about the life before. It's a question as to what lead him to give up his old life. It can be frustrating, especially with some episodes barely progressing in the flashy ways that Breaking Bad seemed to do like clockwork. The drama is more insular and character driven, in which Jimmy must balance his life or follow his dreams. The two aren't as mutual as one would think, and Odenkirk delivers a great performance as he shows the evolution of his character. They're all slight moves, but they do end up creating a bigger picture.
But the bigger picture is a pretty appetizing one. McGill has an office, a partner in law with Kim, and a trusting brother. Along with Mike Ehrmantraut's (Jonathan Banks) ongoing story with the Salamanca family, the story is showing signs of breaking into the bleak future. It may arguably even be present in the cinematography and direction - which features an amazing montage with an inflatable man, a single take that shoots from a desert to a loading dock, and one of the most impressive uses of a Xerox machine. While the show has always excelled in visual appropriation, this season has arguably stepped its game up and has provided some of the show's most memorable visuals in both shows' history.
What is probably more impressive is that while last season was caught up in introductions and mediocre cases, this one is about family and friends more specifically. Whether it's more literally with the Salamanca family, or Jimmy's complicated relationship to Kim; it's about testing the waters of partnership and asking what one is willing to do to protect them. In most cases, they are there in the end. However, Jimmy's corruption puts Chuck in trouble and does set Jimmy up to be potentially unlikable more than his enthusiastic smile initially did. Still, there's a vulnerability and disappointment that everyone faces at some point, understanding that some sacrifices are selfish and don't amount to the happiness they seek.
What possibly makes this show even better is that it has evolved past being about Jimmy alone. Where the first season felt like it was intending to be a courtroom drama, this just feels like the morality tale that Gilligan has always succeeded at. Even if there's no violent highs yet, it manages to have sympathetic characters - no matter how explicitly awful they are - who matter. Long stretches of an average episode is spent in quiet and nuanced conversation, allowing us to better understand these characters. For lack of any exciting plot, the show does a great job of building empathy among the style of the series.
However, the series does deliver in one way akin to Breaking Bad at its peak. With the final minutes focusing on Jimmy opening up to Chuck about his corrupt past that was captured over the season, there is a discovery that Jimmy's likely to go down not by his own foolishness, but by his brother's dishonesty. Can you blame him, though? It only feels right to record those deeds and put Jimmy in his place. It is a loving kind of deceit, and one that makes Chuck both likely to be Jimmy's biggest downfall, and one of the biggest villains unintentionally. The only real question is how these characters will disappear when the show finally overlaps with Breaking Bad. Will Chuck or Kim die?
Whatever the case may be, Better Call Saul is a way different show now than Breaking Bad despite being essentially tales of the same kind. In both cases, it's "good" men turning to crime for fulfillment. Thankfully, the work of Gilligan and crew is so playful and rich that the average episode rewards close attention - not only because of its obscure connections, but also because of its nuanced details. It may not quite be on par yet, but considering that there's fun games even with the episode titles (they spell out "FRING'S BACK"), there's more to enjoy before Jimmy becomes Saul. Will it happen next season? Much like the first's finale, it does look like it will happen. However, it's now become more interesting to see how far things will go before that happens.
OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5
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