Prequels are always a double-edged sword. It can be fascinating to expand upon an existing universe and characters by delving into the past, but y꧑ou’re also dealing with a foregone conclusion that erases any and all meaningful stakes as a consequence. Making us care, especially for those with pre-ordained destinies, is no easy feat regardless of the medium.
Audiences know where the endgame resides, and thus where all of these personalities and places are going to end up whenꦆ the curtain falls, an♉d we’re left to ruminate upon it all. Better Call Saul is one such show, aiming to expand on the story of Breaking Bad while forever aware that the legacy it intends to reside within is so legendary that any attempt to deviate from it would be a very bad idea indeed.
Related: The Owl House Owes Us All�ꦑ� Therapy After The Events Of Hollow Mind
But somehow, Vince Gilligan has mana🧸ged to produce a show that is equally fantastic, and sometimes even more so, than the masterful drama that inspired it. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are nowhere to be found, but that doesn’t matter when Better Call Saul manages to craft an entirely independent cast of characters each with their own intricate motivations, alongside world building that ma🐲nages to evoke such a palpable sense of place that it’s impossible not to be drawn into the sun-scorched corruption of New Mexico.
The arrival of the sixth and final season earlier this month means we will soon be saying goodbye to Jimmy McGill as he completes his transformation into Saul G♓oodman, leaving the likes of Kim Wexler and Nacho Varga behind as he’s forced to adopt a new life that fully embraces the criminal underworld. We have no idea how he gets there, or what events this coming season will throw at us t💯o either kill select characters off or change the landscape in such a monumental way that they have no choice but to leave the scene altogether.
Prequels are predictable by nature in most cases, but Better Call Saul has spent several years building up an internal mythology so ripe with unique characters and themes that it stands apart from Breaking Bad as a worthy equal, and only now is it set to crossover with the return of beloved characters. This was inevitable, but unlike Star Wars, Ghostbusters, or Jurassic Park it isn't reliant on nostalgia to tell its story. We aren’t pointing at the screen and cheering when our favourites appear, we’re recognising their significance within the overarching narrative and how such an appearance is necessary. I imagine that will be the case with Jesse Pinkman and Walter White’s return in the coming weeks, since Vince Gilligan knows that making both shows dependent on one another is the worst possible scenario. Instead, they are symbiotic, existing on an equal playing field and recognising that two individual narratives can be woven on the same with tapestry without interference.
I wish more prequels in the wider zeitgeist recognised this, and executed upon them with an equal amount of artistic flair. Better Call Sa𒈔ul is so beautifully produced, with symbolic framing and heart-wrenching charaꦬcter dynamics that are all leading towards a tragedy that will see timelines converge and all of this fall away. Saul’s relationship with Kim is bittersweet, with the once prestigious lawyer being dragged down into depravity not out of greed or malice, but genuine love for a man whom she believes is capable of more. Yet she also bears a fascination for the life of a criminal, or helping those on breadline instead of corporate clients who only ever see themselves chasing profit and recognition.
There’s also characters like Nacho Vargo, who are so fundamentally interwoven witꦫh the likes of Gustavo Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut that I struggle to comprehend how he’s going to leave this season alive. Even though his death feels unavoidable, I can’t help but sympathise with his situation, and how he is a troubled man caught up in a life of crime while still clinging onto a sliver of morality. He cares for those caught in the crossfire, but is low enough on the totem pole that he has no choice but to follow orders and find himself blamed for the worst of it all. Other shows would label him as a dirtbag henchman and be done with it, but Better Call Saul has invented a layered character arc with meaning and nuance, one that fits perfectly within the universe instead of feeling oddly retrofitted. Mike has likely dealt with countless people like this in the past, as has Gus, so having Nacho play such an integral role in the show’s narrative doesn’t feel out of place, it feels powerful and like it belongs.
Heroes, villains, and those who fall between the cracks all find a way to shine in Better Call Saul, a show that arguably rises above Breaking Bad thanks to the universe it is able to simultaneously build upon and distance itself from. Casual viewers who lo🧜ved Breaking Bad for its violence, drama, and unexpected twists might be turned off by the prequel’s much slower burn and focus on political machinations above epic drug busts, but trust me when I say the investment is more than worth it. Simple court battles and hostage situations can carry the weight of the world if those involved mean something to us, and Better Call Saul manages to achieve that with an ease that few shows in history have done.
If you’re a fan of Breaking Bad or El Camino and haven’t dipped into Better Cal🃏l Saul, you are missing out o𒊎n one of the greatest dramas in recent memory. It might be a prequel with a known final destination, but Vince Gilligan has made that inevitability an afterthought by building a new cast of characters, themes, and motivations that go far beyond playful references and nods to what’s to come. It’s a masterpiece, and one of the greatest character studies television has seen for quite some time.
Next: I Think I Finally🐷 Understand The Appeal Of Pokemon Nuzlockes