Better Call Saul Recap: "Uno"/"Mijo"

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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I have a confession to make, I have yet to watch Breaking Bad. I know. I've committed a television foul and shamed myself all at the same time, but I can assure you that it is a show that is on my Netflix queue, especially now that I have managed to sit down and enjoy the beginning of the prequel/spinoff, Better Call Saul. 

In fact it may be a good thing that I've had the opportunity to see Saul without having enjoyed Bad first simply because I'm coming to everything with a fresh set of eyes, and quite frankly the first thing that attracted me to this show is that I am a huge Bob Odenkirk fan, and so far, after only being two episodes in, I'm hooked on the character and the concept. 

Now I know enough to know that Jimmy McGill will later become sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman, but who doesn't love a good origin story and that's exactly what this week's Series Premiere fiesta brought to us, along with hints of the future, beyond Breaking Bad with a sorrowful cold open in the first episode showing that someday Jimmy will become Gene, mild mannered manager of a mall based Cinnabon somewhere in Nebraska who pines for the glory days when his life was all about the law. In fact what I gathered from watching these first two episodes is that Jimmy's story is nothing more than a grand American tragedy about a guy who wanted to do right, and could only do wrong to succeed.

This is evident from his early work as a public defender, which by the way includes one of the most hilarious defenses of three guilty parties that I have ever seen on television, but I digress. With his inability to land new clients, and his constant work to stay true to the law and his mentally ill older brother, you instantly feel for the guy, especially due to the fact that when Jimmy lets loose with the lawyer talk, he is genuinely talented, he simply cannot catch a break. But its obvious that unsavory deals are the future to Jimmy's career and his hair brained scheme to rip off a potential client who burned him has clearly begun to lead him down that path with Tuco's associate, Nacho, coming to him to figure out how to finish the scam on the Kettleman's.  

Either way, I'm loving this show. I love the look and the feel of it. Love the healthy mix of comedy that comes with it and I'm quite looking forward to the evolution of Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman because this man's fall from grace is already obsessively fascinating. If anything I think watching this show first before I finally dig into the iconic bag that is Breaking Bad will only enhance my experience when I see everything slowly come together. But either way, I'll be front and center to see Jimmy in action on AMC on Monday nights. Until next time...

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