What a fucking ride. I feel like Ron Burgundy in "Anchorman."
I'll spare everyone the details for the time being on "Better Call Saul" (BCS) but I will say that the finale was *Chef's kiss*, ending exactly as it started. Nothing and I repeat NOTHING on this show was unintentional. Every cut scene, every prop, every angle, the lighting, nothing was spared. There were no throwaways. Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould & Co. after 14 years of honing their craft in the "Breaking Bad" (BB) universe truly became untouchables in their line of work and we were lucky enough to be alive at the same time to consume all of it.
Basically, the entire cast and crew behind BCS are like Jay in "40 Year Old Virgin" when Andy asks him if he thinks he's good-looking.
"You think this was an accident?!"
Now, I have a sincere question to ask you: is BCS one of if not the most well-written love stories we've seen in contemporary television? When you strip it down to its core, the focus of the series was centered around the unorthodox yet plausible love between Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler. Two people who, at their center, could not have been more different yet something inside both of them ignited both their best and worst characteristics.
The ending was flawless because it was where all of this was headed. Some shoot 'em up blaze of glory scene a la Walter White in BB wouldn't have been sufficient or made sense. BCS had separated itself from that world despite existing because of it and towards the end seamlessly intertwined itself with its timeline. Which, was a great way to revisit some all-time characters that hadn't graced our TV screens in quite some time.
Shit, we even came to understand that Saul Goodman and Walter White were two men at a pivotal point in their individual lives who ultimately both broke bad as a direct result of encountering one another. Without Saul, there is no Walter and arguably vice versa.
The mastery!
Admittedly, I was guilty of comparing the two shows, and often. It almost felt unavoidable at times. "Which one is better?!" And I would argue that BCS was for reasons I've outlined in a previous blog post.
But, I've made peace with it. To me, there is no discussion. No debate. Because doing so would strip away the immense amount of enjoyment and outright entertainment I've been fortunate enough to receive over the past 14 years. The book has closed and I can unequivocally say that I am fully satisfied with its ending.
Will I miss the characters? Absolutely. Hell, I've already started to rewatch BB (highly recommend). But, the avenues and arcs for which to explore them in this world have been exhausted. Everyone has arrived at their appropriate destination. Even if that destination is painstakingly working for Palm Coast Sprinkler in Titusville, Florida.
Better than being dead? Maybe.
The odds of anyone who has had their hands involved in the creative process behind BB and BCS reading this are .0000000000001% but I still have to say, thank you. I suppose this is a love letter of sorts. I owe them a million thank yous and in an ideal world a beer or two for the years of high-quality content they've provided. BB was revolutionary, and BCS was the impeccable bow on the overflowing gift in front of us. Moreso a gift bag with its contents spilling out. You get the picture.
This truly might be the best on-screen experience I've ever had. To quote a good friend, "The Breaking Bad" world has probably been the only constant in my life since my last year of college." 14 years, 125 episodes over 2 shows and 1 movie. What a ride. And, like all good things in life, eventually, it comes to an end.
Saul gone.
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