Better Call Saul

Can a prequel be better than the original?

M. I. McAlpine

IT IS WIDELY ACCEPTED that most prequels and sequels of successful movies/TV shows fail to live up to the appeal of the original. Common complaints about prequels are the greedy cash-grab nature, or simply the failure to capture the greatness and soul of the original. Some of the most popular films of all time have prequels that don’t quite live up to the original magic. The Star Wars prequels are disliked by some for a number of reasons, namely the overuse of CGI. The Lord of the Rings prequel – The Hobbit – represented something similar, a worse version of an original classic. These films aren’t terrible, yet in contrast to classic, widely loved films, fall short of what makes them special. That doesn’t mean there aren’t great prequels – The Godfather, Part 2, is half prequel, half sequel and won ‘Best Picture’ like its predecessor.

Yet the challenge for those tasked with writing a prequel is that the audience knows how most of the characters end up, making it difficult to create interesting stories. The audience loses interest if there is nothing at stake.

Better Call Saul (2015-2022) is the prequel to critically acclaimed series Breaking Bad (2008-2013). It follows the relationships and chicanery of Saul Goodman – a ‘criminal lawyer’. In the original series Saul is simply a side character, there to help main character Walt launder money, and provide comic relief. Better Call Saul fleshes out the character, chronicling his descent from small-time attorney Jimmy McGill to criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. The show is slower in pace, more of a character study than the action filled Breaking Bad. Director and producer Vince Gilligan has managed to make it on par with the original series, introducing new characters and fleshing out backstories of existing characters.

Much of the greatness of Breaking Bad culminates in the last few episodes as a complex build up comes to climax. It is not yet known how Better Call Saul will end, as its final season is currently airing, but if it’s anything similar, it will be a thrilling and fitting end to the story of the two shows.

The final episode of Better Call Saul releases on 16 August on Stan.