The following is a review of the second episode of AMC’s Better Call Saul, which premiered in Europe on Netflix this morning.
If you were, like I was, worried about how (and if) they would handle Breaking Bad-style action on a show like Better Call Saul – then you got your answer in this episode. Though front-heavy, this episode gives us an idea of where Saul Goodman’s Jimmy McGill’s story goes from here.
If the first episode was a near-perfect introduction to one of the more fun-aspects of the Breaking Bad-story, the second episode attempts to blow you away in amazement. The opening 25 minutes are spectacular. Not only do you have a perfect portrayal of Tuco Salamanca by Raymond Cruz, but you are treated to an excellent build-up at the Salamanca-home.
When Jimmy shows up at the door, the show becomes a lovely mix of AMC-violence and the morbid humor of TV’s most nerve-racking attorney. Watching Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy McGill ease his way out of danger – excellently I might add – and to watch how he fought for the skater-boys after they had ‘sold him out’ was really interesting – and fun, in the macabre sort of way.
As I mentioned, however, this episode is front-heavy. But there’s only really one scene or interaction that I felt lacked weight – and that’s when we learn more about the peculiarities of Jimmy’s brother. He’s interesting, for sure – but it felt like the director wanted us to catch our breath – and I, personally, don’t think that that scene stuck the landing.
It was really interesting to see how Jimmy almost felt rejuvenated when he returned to the court of law – and the montage was a lot more cheered up than you could’ve expected following the mishap at the bar around the 26-minute-mark. He almost seemed addicted to the life/death-scenario in this 2002 montage. Which, to put it frankly, isn’t the character you saw at the very beginning of the show – looking nervous while working at a Cinnabon.
Here at the end of the review I’d like to add how happy I was to see Michael Mando as Nacho – the associate of Tuco who seeks out Jimmy at the very end. Gamers know Mando best as Vaas Montenegro from Far Cry 3 – so it’s nice to see him working on a show like this.
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I’m Jeffrey Rex
I'm Jeffrey Rex 