BB was usually pretty slow at the start of every season, then by the last 3-5 episodes you would get excited about it and they would be good episodes
in contrast BCS has captivated my attention and kept me excited from the first minute to the end of ep4
in BB the family dynamics were frustrating and i disliked the characters of the wife and the son who had a lisp i think
in fact the only character i cared about in BB was Saul. BCS has a lot of believable characters who have some depth and interest to them. which makes them likeable
so now we have Better Call Saul, an excellent choice by the dudes who created the show, exploring the only worthwhile character on the tv show you put on a pedestal. and the style, cinematography, music and plot all destroy BB in every facet.
Just watched the first two episodes tonight, excellent show. Bob Odenkirk easily carries this spin off on his own, glad to see he's getting some recognition for his work on this.
Its unfair to compare Better Call Saul to Breaking Bad. Yes, they are related to each other in as much as they exist in the same universe. With BB, you have a show that is ranked among the likes of The Sopranos, The Wire, and The Simpsons as the greatest shows of all time. BCS is barely in its first few episodes of the its maiden season.
To argue someone is wrong for liking one more than the other is like complaining that someone prefers starfruit over passionfruit. (protip: passionfruit wins)
BCS isn't the crazy, explosion-fest thriller that many remember BB as. And Jimmy isn't Saul . . . yet. If you're looking for meth labs blowing up and drug lords getting their throat slit --- look elsewhere. Nuanced character development isn't for everyone. This show is slow paced (see: Figure A) and it's meant to be that way. I wouldn't be surprised if 'Saul' doesn't make an appearance until the season finale. Until then, I am enjoying watching the melancholy, eager-to-make-it-out-the-ghetto loser that is 'Jimmy'.
Personally, I'm done with this show. Not because it isn't Breaking Bad, but because the acting and the writing are subpar... I don't think any of the shows critics, on this thread, are making literal comparisons... Regardless of whether or not they (the shows) have different styles, many members of this forum have legitimate criticisms IMO. Comparing the show's overall quality to that of BB is inevitable.
If you're looking for meth labs blowing up and drug lords getting their throat slit --- look elsewhere. Nuanced character development isn't for everyone.
Just because people don't like Better Call Saul doesn't mean they're primarily interested in explosions... nor does it mean they aren't interested in "nuanced character development"... That's a load of bullshit... Sure, the show is slow. But that doesn't bother me, at all... I like a lot of slow TV shows / films...
I agree that people who don't like it shouldn't condemn those who do, but who has actually done that?
Most of the "haters" (God, I hate that word ) are just stating their opinion.
I was genuinely looking forward to the show.
It is, IMO, seriously disappointing.
The premise of BB is much more compelling. Better Call Saul is a bad lawyer show.
It's evidently written by people who have little to no understanding of the reality of being a lawyer.
The same can be said for Breaking Bad, but it didn't matter as much since BB was so over-the-top and fantastic.
In other words: you don't have to be realistic when you're making a Die Hard film.
The scams that Jimmy operates don't even make sense.
The Rolex scam, for example, relies heavily on numerous unlikely events.
Why does the guy they're scamming have $500+ dollars in his wallet, for example?
It's bad writing. It's convenient and convoluted. It isn't nuanced. It's stupid. (IMO)
There are better shows about lawyers on TV.
There aren't better shows about meth cooks.
To be fair there were/are no shows about meth cooks. Also cooking meth and chasing ambulances are two different things.
Treme was produced more or less by the same folks as The Wire, two completely different shows, two completley different audiences. Some people watched and loved the Sopranoes and hated and panned Boardwalk, its all in the penis of the beholder....right?
^ True opinion is subjective. I guess I just appreciate the way Vince Gilligan tells a story. BCS is giving us the background story involving other side characters in Breaking Bad. I kind of want to watch Breaking Bad all over again now on Netflix as it has been years since I watched the series, or a year, whenever that last season aired. You can tell the show is within the same realm as Breaking Bad. I will continue watching for these reasons if no others. I miss BB. BCS brings me back and I still think it's going to be awesome!
That was kind of my point. BB is the best of it's kind, because it is the only show of it's kind.
Whereas Better Call Saul is competing with dozens of other similar shows.
Of course opinion is subjective. I just resented the way Max reduced those who don't like Better Call Saul to unsophisticated viewers (those interested in explosions, not "nuanced character development"), which implied that opinion isn't subjective... It read like: "If you only want to watch stuff that is full of mindless action, BCS isn't for you..." and that's bullshit.
There is no correct opinion. BCS is not a great show, unless you only like mindless shit, like Max was implying... nor is it a bad show, unless you have bad taste, like Trying2Iso was saying... The criticisms that people have made are as valid as the praise... My penis says no thanks and my penis isn't "wrong".
The scams that Jimmy operates don't even make sense.
The Rolex scam, for example, relies heavily on numerous unlikely events.
Why does the guy they're scamming have $500+ dollars in his wallet, for example?
It's bad writing. It's convenient and convoluted. It isn't nuanced. It's stupid.
Or, when Jimmy claimed "dibs" on the watch, what if the other guy was just like "word." Actually I wish this happened as watching Jimmy trying to back peddle from that could have been a lot of fun.
Pretty much every 18 to 25 year old male that I knew watched breaking bad when it was on. Watching Better Call Saul, I sort of have the feeling that someone had that thought that if they could just recapture even 15 - 30 % of that audience, the show would still be profitable / get good enough ratings. I cannot believe anywhere near the same amount of effort went into the writing of this show.
But the show still has a sort of charm for me, and I look forward to it for some light entertainment each week to put on while doing some cleaning or cooking or something.
Pretty much every 18 to 25 year old male that I knew watched breaking bad when it was on. Watching Better Call Saul, I sort of have the feeling that someone had that thought that if they could just recapture even 15 - 30 % of that audience, the show would still be profitable / get good enough ratings.
The debut episode set the record for the highest-rated scripted series premiere in basic cable history, with 4.4 million viewers in the 18–49 demographic, and 6.9 million viewers overall.
If this show wasn't a spin off of one of the most popular shows ever, it wouldn't have got the ratings it did... and it wouldn't have been picked up for a second season months before the first episode aired... I don't think it would make it into the second season, at all, if it wasn't related to BB... It doesn't deserve a second season, so far...
It's subtle. it's slow. It's very creative. Keeps you watching; I dig the baller dude who is going mental, loosing his mind and job. Saul who deals with sometimes heavy stuff and doesn't do coke. I like how he prepares before anything like he is really nervous, then totally fine and aces it.
Maybe they will continue with this which i have np with.
Personally, I'm done with this show. Not because it isn't Breaking Bad, but because the acting and the writing are subpar... I don't think any of the shows critics, on this thread, are making literal comparisons... Regardless of whether or not they (the shows) have different styles, many members of this forum have legitimate criticisms IMO. Comparing the show's overall quality to that of BB is inevitable.
Just because people don't like Better Call Saul doesn't mean they're primarily interested in explosions... nor does it mean they aren't interested in "nuanced character development"... That's a load of bullshit... Sure, the show is slow. But that doesn't bother me, at all... I like a lot of slow TV shows / films...
I agree that people who don't like it shouldn't condemn those who do, but who has actually done that?
Most of the "haters" (God, I hate that word ) are just stating their opinion.
I was genuinely looking forward to the show.
It is, IMO, seriously disappointing.
The premise of BB is much more compelling. Better Call Saul is a bad lawyer show.
It's evidently written by people who have little to no understanding of the reality of being a lawyer.
The same can be said for Breaking Bad, but it didn't matter as much since BB was so over-the-top and fantastic.
In other words: you don't have to be realistic when you're making a Die Hard film.
The scams that Jimmy operates don't even make sense.
The Rolex scam, for example, relies heavily on numerous unlikely events.
Why does the guy they're scamming have $500+ dollars in his wallet, for example?
It's bad writing. It's convenient and convoluted. It isn't nuanced. It's stupid. (IMO)
There are better shows about lawyers on TV.
There aren't better shows about meth cooks.
As much as I enjoy a good discourse, I'm hesitant to reply to you, specifically, based on your history of seemingly endless 'poo slinging' with other users. I can only assume you enjoy it, on some level, but of course this is merely an assumption on my behalf. I don't really have any interest in that, so just giving you a heads up this will be one of the shorter back-and-forths you have on Bluelight.
BCS isn't trying to compete with Law & Order or even Ally McBeal. Trying to classify it as a lawyer show and compare it to others is akin to comparing it to BB just because they exist in the same universe. Just look at the show for what it is. A show. It's not Matlock.
The character development comment I made earlier wasn't trying to put down any segment of the viewership as much as it was trying to describe what I believe Vince n Co are doing early on in the series, which is exploring the background of Saul and setting the stage. At times this is painfully slow and not for everyone. Which is fine, but I've spoken with people who are looking for that fast-paced thriller style that BB had and since they are not finding it, are disappointed with the show. My comment, as presumptuous as it sounds, was addressing that particular subset and their respective sentiments.
I can agree with you on the acting. Bob Odenkirk is no Bryan Cranston, and a lot of the reason why BB was so successful was due to how Cranston carried that show. I'm not expecting BCS to be holy shit balls amazing or up there with BB. I'm looking at is as a spin-off and a fun show to pass the time. Its far from the worst show out there. Bottom line, as with anything, if you like it then keep doing it. If you don't, then stop. Life's too short to waste your time on doing things you don't want to do.
As much as I enjoy a good discourse, I'm hesitant to reply to you, specifically, based on your history of seemingly endless 'poo slinging' with other users. I can only assume you enjoy it, on some level, but of course this is merely an assumption on my behalf. I don't really have any interest in that, so just giving you a heads up this will be one of the shorter back-and-forths you have on Bluelight.
Sometimes I get "locked into discussions" that I don't want to have and misguidedly feel like I have to reply to people, endlessly... It takes two to tango, as they say, and whoever I happen to be having a discussion with is just as much to blame as I am... If they stop responding, so do I... Like, in this situation, I don't want to have a long discussion, either... I'm done with the show, and I'm done with this thread, yet I feel compelled to respond.. partly out of politeness, but mostly due to my compulsive tendencies... It is just as frustrating for me to have endless discussions as it is for whoever I'm engaging with, and I'm working on that... In short, your assumption is incorrect. More often than not, I do not enjoy it... I almost always regret the endless back-and-forth discussions I have with people and I'm often relieved when threads that have gotten out of hand are shut down... It gets embarrassing after a while, which makes me more anxious, and I try to dig my way out of the hole I have created...
I'm much more inclined to respond in length if people make personal comments, like yours, because I feel like I'm misrepresenting myself on this forum... and, frustratingly, my attempts to clarify my position just end up contributing towards it... I don't think it's fair to single me out and say that I'm the one who goes on endlessly, because I never have discussions with myself... I don't make multiple posts, one after the other... I just reply to people and they reply back.. and then I reply, ad nauseam.
I have a bad habit of not being able to resist replying even when I don't want to. I have serious anxiety issues.
People misinterpret my anxiety as something that it is not.
I'm also very blunt and I have a weird sense of humor which lends itself, particularly on the internet, to being misinterpreted tonally as me being an asshole... I'm actually a very nice person..
^(Off-topic.)
BCS isn't trying to compete with Law & Order or even Ally McBeal. Trying to classify it as a lawyer show and compare it to others is akin to comparing it to BB just because they exist in the same universe. Just look at the show for what it is. A show. It's not Matlock.
No shit, it's not Matlock dude. I am looking at it for what it is.
For the third time in this thread: I'm not making literal comparisons.
Qualitative comparisons are inevitable, however, because everything is relative.
If you don't make any comparisons, then you don't have a personality... full stop.
In order to like something, in other words, you must dislike something else (relatively).
To like Better Call Saul, you need to compare it to other TV shows.
And, to like The Simpsons, you need to compare it to other animations.
You can't tell me, honestly, that you don't do this. I know you do.
You've made many statements about The Simpsons being the best show ever made.
It is only possible to make these statements, if you're comparing it to other television...
If you think a particular horror film is one of the best ever made, you must (relatively) dislike other horror films.
It makes sense to compare the overall quality of Better Call Saul to the overall quality of Breaking Bad, because they're both made by the same guy.
It makes sense to compare Beethoven's 5th symphony to his 3rd symphony, for the same reasons.
If you refuse to do this, then I don't see how you can have a personality.
I think Abbey Road is a better album than Beatles For Sale.
Your logic is, what, I should like them both equally because they're different?
The character development comment I made earlier wasn't trying to put down any segment of the viewership as much as it was trying to describe what I believe Vince n Co are doing early on in the series, which is exploring the background of Saul and setting the stage. At times this is painfully slow and not for everyone. Which is fine, but I've spoken with people who are looking for that fast-paced thriller style that BB had and since they are not finding it, are disappointed with the show. My comment, as presumptuous as it sounds, was addressing that particular subset and their respective sentiments.
Me too. But it's not fun, for me.
I don't watch a lot of serial television.
Breaking Bad was an exception because it was exceptional.
Better Call Saul is mediocre and I have better things to do.
(Like getting locked into never-ending discussions on BL )
Since then, I've lost interest.
It has gone downhill since the first episode IMO, and I'm not enjoying watching it.
I find myself getting distracted and leaving it on pause for ages.
It has (already) become a chore, for me, to watch...
So, as I said earlier, I'm done with it.
I still watch The Simpsons, though.
Bottom line, as with anything, if you like it then keep doing it. If you don't, then stop. Life's too short to waste your time on doing things you don't want to do.
) are just stating their opinion.