Ashamed as I am to admit it, I still haven't gotten around to watching Breaking Bad, something I will hopefully remedy now given our current circumstances. That being said, I have been a consistent follower of its spinoff prequel, and if Breaking Bad is anything like this, I know I'm in for a good ride. Better Call Saul is a show that, like its titular character, has experienced a gradual evolution as a series. With the conclusion of its penultimate fifth season, it has truly become something special. Let me get into why that is the case:
UPS
- Jimmy's continual descent. Now taking on the mantle of Saul Goodman, we are really starting to see the sleazy lawyer we all know and love come into fruition. Despite that, there still is a little piece of Jimmy left in him, and that makes for compelling viewing that the writing and the ever dependable Bob Odenkirk make great use of. Now that Jimmy is sinking deeper and deeper into the criminal underworld, it'll be interesting to see what finally pushes him over the edge...and how this factors in to the flash forwards involving "Gene." However, what makes this season so memorable is that even though we are finally seeing Saul in action, it actually wasn't the most shocking and interesting development to happen. Case in point...
- KIM WEXLER! This...this was not what I expected! At all! Am I complaining? Hell no! Throughout the series, Kim has always been the heart and the moral compass that kept the series grounded in reality. We watched her grow, struggle, and persevere. She was the shining light that brightened the day when things weren't going so well otherwise. Throughout this season, we really see that put to the test as her relationship with Jimmy is pushed to its breaking point. And still, we root for her, pray for her, wish that things will be okay for her...and then this happens. Yes, it seems like Kim is now one of the many characters in this franchise to, pardon the pun, break bad, and even more disturbing is that, if her plans for Howard are anything to go by, her schemes seem to be more vindictive and damaging to her soon-to-be victims. Really, when Jimmy becomes worried, you know we're gonna be in for a hell of a ride come the final season.
- How everything is starting to come together. Now that we are reaching the end, we are starting to see how this series will gradually lead Jimmy to where he ends up in Breaking Bad, and the results have been pretty exciting. Not only did the aforementioned, earth-shattering development occur, but we now have Lalo on a warpath after having just survived Gus' latest assassination attempt. And with everything he has seen and knows, I expect a lot of characters being in danger as we reach the final go-around. I don't know what to expect, given I actually expected Lalo to bite it in the finale, but man oh man, I am biting my nails in anticipation!
DOWNS
None of particular note.
OVERALL
Better Call Saul: Season 5 was a perfect penultimate season. It set the stage for the conclusion in a grand and exciting way. I can't wait to see what happens, and hopefully I'll be all caught up with Breaking Bad and El Camino beforehand. For now, though, I am so impressed with how far this show has come, and while I am sad to see it go, I just hope that when the final season does come along, it goes out on a high.
RATING: 10/10 - A+
And that's it for this post, guys! Tune for more coming your way and till then, take care :)
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