Better Call Saul: Season 1, Episode 5: Alpine Shepherd Boy
Okay, so let me get this out of the way: “Breaking Bad” is a masterpiece. It is the best television show I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Vince Gilligan is a genius and there has never been a more impressively acted character than Walter White. In fact, let’s just give everyone involved in that show whatever awards they want.
There are so many subtle and fantastic setups, perfect character arcing and one of the most realistically progressing story possible. Let’s not even get into the cinematography, camera and sound direction and editing. I recommend that show to everyone with eyes and a brain. It is the 10/10 that any hour long TV drama will be measured against on this blog.
Whew, it was hard to stop there. I could go on all day about it. On to “Better Call Saul.” This show has been excellent so far. So much so that I almost wish I had started this blog four weeks earlier just so I could’ve started writing about it at the beginning. There have been small connections to its fantastic parent show and they have been artfully placed and not even slightly overwhelming. It’s like having a reunion with a group of old buddies and everyone having nothing but good news.
This week’s episode was a perfect follow up to last week’s. Bob Odenkirk chews the scenery as always, showing his range and Michael McKean… Whoa! He was pure dynamite in this episode. It was great to get more insight into Chuck’s condition from an actual doctor. The way he and Saul acted was a cause for doubt and this was really well done.
I wouldn’t have expected Jimmy to keep taking emotional hits after the successes of last week. I’m loving the transition between down on his luck, morally conflicted Jimmy McGill and well connected, snake in the grass Saul Goodman. It’s pretty clear that he is on a steady decline into an “look out for number one” mind-state, but I’m more than ready to witness his breaking point. I have a feeling I’m going to get a perfect amount of hints and teases right up to that point.
The ending of the episode was very enticing. Mike has always been a very compelling character and it’ll be good to see more of his backstory. What was his fall from grace from policeman to parking booth operator? Who was the woman he was watching on the street? What took him forward from toll booth operator to merciless PI/Hitman?
There’s so much to look forward to with this show and even without the spinoff connection to the greatest show ever, it is great all by itself. So far, so good!
Jonathan Thomas Jones is a speculative fiction author and founder of geekhavenreviews.com. He has been passionate about all things geek for his entire life. See more about him at jonathanthomasjones.com and follow him on twitter @jtgloryjones.
