Like a lot of “Breaking Bad” fans, I’ve been waiting for “Better Call Saul” with both eagerness and trepidation.
The addictive AMC hit that ended its five-season run in 2013 ranks as the best television series I’ve ever seen. When something’s that good, it’s only natural to want more.
But what if more — i.e. “Saul,” a show initially (and incorrectly) billed as a half-hour comedy prequel — only tarnishes that legacy and comes off as a cheap piece of fan-service?
After watching three episodes of the new spinoff, I’m happy to report that “Saul” stands on its own as a compelling hourlong drama while delivering a welcome dose of nostalgia for “Bad” fans in the throes of withdrawal.
In addition to several familiar faces, “Saul” shares a lot of DNA with its predecessor, from the dark humor and sharp writing to the bright, blue skies of Albuquerque and some of the most creative cinematography on TV. The stakes in “Saul” aren’t as high as they were with “Bad,” and the pacing — at least early on — is more slow-burn than pedal-to-the-metal. But co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, who wrote the season two episode of “Bad” that introduced fan-favorite Saul Goodman, have cooked up what looks to be another great series.
The premiere of “Saul” is bookended by two starkly different but equally jaw-dropping scenes that, like the series itself, will naturally mean more to viewers who’ve seen “Bad.” And if you haven’t, I congratulate you for being on the brink of curing cancer. Because that’s the only valid excuse for not having already watched this masterpiece.
Even if you’re new to the “Bad” universe, the set-up of “Saul” is clear from the start: This is an origin story. Not of a superhero, but of shady lawyer Saul Goodman (Naperville native Bob Odenkirk), whom “Bad” viewers know as the man who would go on to hang his shingle in a strip mall topped by an inflatable Statue of Liberty.
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‘BETTER CALL SAUL’
Rating: [s3r star=3.5/4]
When: Two-night premiere 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday; regular time slot 9 p.m Mondays
Where: AMC
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Set — for the most part — six years before the beginning of “Breaking Bad,” it’s the story of Saul prior to becoming Saul, criminal lawyer and consigliere to chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White. (You may recall Goodman telling White that he made up a Jewish sounding name for the homeboys because “they all want a member of the tribe.”)
It’s a character study of Saul back when he was just Jimmy McGill, a former scam artist from Cicero, Illinois, who got a law degree and followed the footsteps of his brother Chuck (Michael McKean, “This Is Spinal Tap”) to the Land of Enchantment.
RELATED: ‘Slippin’ Jimmy’ McGill got his shady start in Cicero
While the seeds of Saul are evident, especially in a memorable skate park scene in the premiere, Jimmy is a different animal. Unlike Saul, who sports loud-colored shirts and pocket squares, Jimmy dresses in a more subdued, traditional way. He can barely make ends meet as a public defender sleeping in a shoebox-sized office devoid of faux Ionic columns and U.S. Constitution wallpaper. (The location of his office is a big wink to “Bad” fans.)
Jimmy drives a beat-up Suzuki Esteem and is in desperate need of validation — right down to the lack of stickers on his courthouse parking pass, which gets routinely rejected by the stone-faced lot attendant. “Bad” viewers will instantly recognize him as “fixer” Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), Saul’s former P.I. who threatened to break his legs.
The burgeoning relationship between Mike and Jimmy promises to be a pillar of the series, which gives viewers an in to explore the backstories of myriad “Breaking Bad” figures. (Gilligan and Gould have said “the sky’s the limit” when it comes to tapping old characters, but don’t hold your breath for Walt or Jesse — at least not in season one.)
Entirely new players include an intriguing thug named Nacho (Michael Mando, “Orphan Black”) and a couple of polished attorneys (Rhea Seehorn from “Whitney” and Patrick Fabian of “Grey’s Anatomy”) at a fancy firm built on the back of Jimmy’s older brother Chuck, who suffers from a mysterious debilitating illness.
Jimmy’s relationship with his troubled sibling helps humanize this ethically compromised lawyer relegated to comic relief on “Bad.” Thanks to some impressive dramatic acting on the part of Odenkirk, who came up through the comedy ranks, we get to see the vulnerable side of Jimmy. We also witness the gamut of circumstances — some scary, some hilarious, many both — that shaped him into Saul.
While Walt’s journey from Mr. Chips to Scarface was a steady downward spiral, Jimmy’s transformation reads more like a fever chart. He’s a two-bit shyster from the Chicago suburbs who’s trying to go legit but keeps digging himself into holes.
We already know where he ends up, but it sure is fun watching him get dirty along the way.
