TV Series Review: ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 6 Part 2
Lavell Crawford and Bob Odenkirk on Breaking Bad Film Set for Season 4. Picture Source: Irmin Wehmeier
Spoilers ahead for ‘Better Call Saul’ & ‘Breaking Bad.’
That’s Saul folks! Yesterday saw the critically acclaimed ‘Better Call Saul’ conclude for its final time. Hence the end of the 14-year Breaking Bad universe... for now. Following episode seven’s shocking cliff-hanger, the second half of the show had the daunting task of tying up its loose ends.
And it started exactly where we left off, in quick fashion too. It was rather surprising to see that the main timeline of the show ended just two episodes in. Many fans guessed that the Lalo vs Gus face-off would have proceeded in a much longer fashion, similar to the battle we saw between Walt and Gus in Breaking Bad. But no, we saw Lalo’s demise in the first episode back.
Safe to say it raised questions about where the writers were going to take the show next. It left great unpredictability on how exactly the show was going to end. However, the death of Lalo was rather disappointing.
Nacho's death felt intense, and Howard's death was shocking, however, Lalo’s death felt lacklustre. With the scene between him and Gus in the underground lab, there was no chance of escape for the Salamanca. His outcome felt predictable. Especially as we know that Gus hid a gun inside the lab in a previous episode. Gus’s vulnerable position with being held at gunpoint felt pointless as we already know where his fate lies in the show's predecessor.
On the other hand, our beloved characters' other conclusions were written beautifully. Gus’s reminder that the job isn’t finished, Mike explaining his regret of taking that first bribe, Kim passing the torch to Jesse and Walt's regret of handing his partner over to the Nazis. All scenes were perfect closers for the characters we’ve grown fond of over the years.
Short Trailer for the Second Half of Better Call Saul Season 6
After episode nine, we delved straight into the Gene timeline. The colourless episode ‘Nippy’ is the weakest in this second half. We see Gene deal with the menacing taxi driver, Jeffie, who was a massive threat for exposing his secret identity. However, it felt like he lost his sinister touch. A re-cast of the character didn’t help either.
Throughout the episode, we see a theft heist between the two, which was fine on its own. However, in the next episode ‘Breaking Bad,’ they delve into another scam. Which made the previous episode seem like filler.
And with the enticing name of the episode, it gave us multiple time jumps. Which felt annoying as the episode aired. Scenes that delved into the Breaking Bad timeline were exciting and riveting, but when they leapt back into another heist with Jeff, who isn’t much of a threat to Gene anymore, it felt provoking.
Let’s talk about that final episode then, if many were thinking it would be similar to ‘Felina’ in Breaking Bad then disappointment is imminent. There is no grand explosive finish that many would’ve expected, rather a full coming to circle for the protagonist. When the show first aired in 2015, we started with Jimmy Mcgill, and as the show drew its final curtain, we see Saul do a full 360 back into the man who started it all. A pure poetic ending.
Speaking of Breaking Bad, the parallels between both shows are immaculate. We would be here all day if we went over every reference that the episodes give us. The writers give the viewer immense pleasure and reward by watching and falling in love with Breaking Bad. Whether that’s similar cinematography or moments. For example, watching Gene run away from Marion after she calls the police is a carbon copy of Walter running away from this family after the results of ‘Ozymandias.’
However, the best parallel we see is not from the show's predecessor, it's from Better Call Saul itself. The scene between Jimmy in jail with Kim. A cigarette-sharing scene is the exact moment when we're introduced to the duo. In the scene, Kim finally gives him approval and respect after owning up to what he did. And it was the perfect ending we could’ve asked for. Gene went from a Saul sentence of seven years to a Jimmy sentence of 86 years. To not only grant Kim’s wishes but to take the blame for Howard’s fate so that she can fulfil a new chapter in her life. A true love story.
Stars Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, for ‘Better Call Saul.’ Picture Source: Gage Skidmore
And that’s the pure beauty of this show. Creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould should receive impeccable credit for how they’ve conveyed the show. It feels poetic at times. Rather than telling us how these characters act, they simply show us. We already know what they are in Breaking Bad, the writers have already done the hard part. It is now simply showing us every minor detail that led to the character's fate, and they’ve done a remarkable job doing it.
Whether the writers decide to end this beautiful universe for good or delve into another show with these beloved characters, we can all agree that Better Call Saul will be written into the history books as one of the greatest pieces of television ever created.
9/10