Genre: Drama/ Comedy
The opening of the final season differs from that of the previous five seasons. Instead of black-and-white images showing what the absconding Jimmy McGill, better known as Saul Goodman, is up to, a different kind of prologue immediately picks up after the cliffhanger of season five. what concerns Jimmy after the events of “Breaking Bad” is not addressed untiol a later episode.
Just as the creators know their audience by avoiding life-threatening scenes, they also know that fans expected the timeline to collide with the perils of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in this final season. It does, but not in the way we thought it would. In theory, it’s interesting that the two storylines will intertwine, but in practive that would take away from the focus of the series. Which, therefore, thankfully stays with Jimmy.
SO once he’s at the point where the world to know him as Saul Goodman, the creators for the most part take us into the “present” where we see what he’s made of as Gene. As manager of a cinnamon roll bakery in a mall, he kept a low profile for a long time but in the last season, a random passerby recognized him from the commercials of his lawyer days. Is Gene the version of Jimmy who has learned from his mistakes? Or is he creeping back into the role of Slippin’ Jimmy, the con man who gets away with it more often than not?
The biggest question that surfaced years ago is how his wife Kim Wexler fits into the picture. She seems to be the linchpin of Jimmy’s life, so where will she be the moment he becomes Walter Whites lawyer? This final season finally provides an answer to that, revealing how (un)important she really is to him. In addition, we also memorably learn the conclusion of the chronic bashing of Howard Hamlin, Jimmy and Kim’s former boss who has been the target of their harassment since they left.
As it always does in this world, actions have their consequences. They shaped Jimmy into who is was and who he is. As with its predecessor, at many points in “Better Call Saul” the tension was incredibly high, but the pace was always slow. This continues in a final episode that doesn’t rely on sensation or action, but keeps you captivated by leaving you wondering. Where does this end? What’s his plan?
The season flies by thanks to the usual top-notch acting and the sleek cinematography that regularly recalls the visual work of the Coen Brothers. There was once a rumor that the spin-off series about Saul Goodman was going to be a comedy series, but it’s a blessing that the creators stuck to their established style.
Unlike Walter White, Jimmy McGill continually switches paths in life. Somewhere he wants to be free of his shenanigans, but somehow it’s in his nature. He is constantly in the middle of good and bad.
Like “Breaking Bad”, “Better Call Saul” is one of the few shows that has no single bad season, it’s solid throughout. I loved the show, hated that it had to end, but it ended perfectly. And many questions we had Saul Goodman, after “Breaking Bad”, were answered. The circle is complete and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
