Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul Mar 12, 2017 18:41:33 GMT

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Post by marlonbrawndo on Mar 12, 2017 18:41:33 GMT

Mar 10, 2017 14:06:05 GMT @annabanana said:

I like Better Call Saul, but it doesn't captivate me the same way Breaking Bad did. I think it's because we already know how Jimmy's story turns out. Breaking Bad was more exciting to watch as it was airing because the audience had no idea what was going to happen, and it was fun to theorize about how Walt was going to get himself out of the messes he created.

I agree with you about that to some extent, anna. We do know something about where some of the main characters are headed, but I think there's an intentional difference between the tone and pace of BB and BCS. Rather than rewrite it, I'll just post what I said on another thread:

The simple fact is, a show in which the main story line traces the transition of cynical, directionless huckster into a flamboyant, bottom-feeding lawyer is simply not going to offer a natural setting for the bombastic moments that are more fitting in a plot line about the manufacture and sale of an illegal drug.

I give Vince Gilligan & Co. credit for not just making Breaking Bad, Jr., perhaps focusing on the cartel, the DEA, or some other aspect of the original show which would have given a plausible setting for spectacular moments like the explosion of Tuco's HQ, the head-on-the-tortoise booby trap, Fring's hospital visit, etc.

Gilligan chose to change direction, to focus more on plot and character development, and to trust his viewers to decide whether to follow along.

Another thing some BrBa fans seem to forget is that there were quite a few, shall we say, moments of minimal excitement, as when we watched Walt meticulously, repeatedly crafting PB&J sandwiches for Flynn (as well as a captive meth dealer), installing a hot water heater, not to mention Hank's rehab, Marie's weirdo house hunting, etc. It wasn't all slam-bang action in BrBa, either.