Better Call Saul, Season 3 Premiere

I will never forget the feeling of shocked disbelief I experienced when I heard that Saul Goodman of "Breaking Bad" was getting his own spin-off series. 

I thought it was a joke. Then, when I found out that it wasn't a joke, I thought that it was sure to be horrible. The finale of "Breaking Bad" was still pretty fresh in my mind, and it felt like a huge misstep for them to go back to that well and try to make something else. For the love of God, it was as close to universally loved as a television show can be, do we really have to turn it into a franchise?

This is the only franchise I want associated with Breaking Bad

In this age of obligatory sequels, prequels, remakes, and reboots, couldn't we just for once allow something to stand on it's own and speak for itself? 

Turns out, I was wrong. Not only was I impressed with "Better Call Saul," but I ended up liking it as much as (and possibly more than) it's meth-abusing big brother. With it's familiar writing style combining serious and humorous elements, well-known returning characters and cameos, and the city of Albuquerque providing a familiar backdrop, "Better Call Saul" managed to feel enough like "Breaking Bad" to satisfy it's fan base, while at the same time feeling unique, thanks to it's strong performances and original characters. 

"Better Call Saul" feels slightly more satisfying than "Breaking Bad" did for much of it's run, thanks to it's superior momentum. While the writing staff of "Breaking Bad" didn't always seem to know exactly what direction they were going in, "Better Call Saul" feels more coherent because has a more definite end result to work toward. The fates of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman might not have been set in stone, but we know that the fate of Jimmy McGill is to transform into his alter ego, Saul Goodman....a process that seems to be imminent at the end of season two, which leaves Jimmy's brother Chuck in possession of evidence which could prove damaging to Jimmy, and teases the upcoming appearance of Gus Fring. 

Season 3 of the series kicks off with an episode that, on the face of it, was a bit disappointing - but in terms of setting up what's to come, was fairly exciting. Jimmy appears to be facing some conflict on two different fronts. His brother Chuck (along with Howard Hamlin) is working against him, planning to use a secretly taped confession in which Jimmy admits to having committed felony evidence tampering. Simultaneously, the episode sows seeds of a widening rift between Jimmy and his law partner/romantic interest Kim Wexler, who's growing frustrated with their working relationship and wary of Jimmy's fast and loose approach to the law. 

Mike's story-line also appears to be heating up. Having had his plan to assassinate Hector Salamanca and finding a cryptic note on his windshield, he finds a tracking device on his car and begins the process of working to find out who is keeping tabs on him. We didn't find out much this week, but I think it's safe to say that we can expect everybody's favorite fried chicken/crystal meth purveyor to be making his appearance soon. 

All in all, I'd say that we're in for a pretty solid season. Looking forward to seeing Gus? How do you think the feud between Chuck and Jimmy is going to play out? What other cameos or "Breaking Bad" references do you think we might be in for? Get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter, or reach out to me on Twitter (@ByronDunlap69) and let us know what you think!

"Better Call Saul" airs on Mondays on AMC.