Better Call Saul (AMC, 2015) S: Odenkirk, Banks
#26
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
So...is the consensus that Breaking Bad is actually a dark comedy (perhaps ala Chas. Addams?)
I've never seen it but I've always got a gist it was a comedy the first season that migrated to drama or, at best, a dramedy.
I've never seen it but I've always got a gist it was a comedy the first season that migrated to drama or, at best, a dramedy.
#27
DVD Talk Hero
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
It's a dramedy. It gets very dark and serious, but it has a lot of humor (some extremely dark) in it. The series always felt like a graphic novel adaptation to me.
If they give Saul a Boston Legal style show (dramatic comedy but through wit instead of acting goofy) then I think it has a chance.
If they give Saul a Boston Legal style show (dramatic comedy but through wit instead of acting goofy) then I think it has a chance.
Last edited by RichC2; 07-04-13 at 08:31 PM.
#28
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I don't know if I'd label it a dramedy personally. It has some dark humor now and again and moments where you have to suspend disbelief but it's overall a fairly serious drama in my opinion.
#29
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
Agree. I think it is brilliantly written so has moments of dark humor but its a straight up drama. Also some of the best television ever, maybe even THE best. It is ludicrously good.
#31
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I've never seen a full episode of Lou Grant but I watched parts of one on YouTube and was kind of shocked what a stark difference it was from MTM.
As much as I like Saul and would like nothing more than the Breaking Bad universe to continue past this summer, something just seems off to give him a show to himself. I think there'd be more potential with a prequel, since you'd be able to bring back to life some of BB's best co-stars (i.e. Fring and Mike).
Honestly, I think a prequel series showing Fring's trials and tribulations as he rises to power would be entertaining as hell. There's a lot there to explore besides the one background episode we got in Season 3.
As much as I like Saul and would like nothing more than the Breaking Bad universe to continue past this summer, something just seems off to give him a show to himself. I think there'd be more potential with a prequel, since you'd be able to bring back to life some of BB's best co-stars (i.e. Fring and Mike).
Honestly, I think a prequel series showing Fring's trials and tribulations as he rises to power would be entertaining as hell. There's a lot there to explore besides the one background episode we got in Season 3.
#32
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I've never seen a full episode of Lou Grant but I watched parts of one on YouTube and was kind of shocked what a stark difference it was from MTM.
As much as I like Saul and would like nothing more than the Breaking Bad universe to continue past this summer, something just seems off to give him a show to himself. I think there'd be more potential with a prequel, since you'd be able to bring back to life some of BB's best co-stars (i.e. Fring and Mike).
Honestly, I think a prequel series showing Fring's trials and tribulations as he rises to power would be entertaining as hell. There's a lot there to explore besides the one background episode we got in Season 3.
As much as I like Saul and would like nothing more than the Breaking Bad universe to continue past this summer, something just seems off to give him a show to himself. I think there'd be more potential with a prequel, since you'd be able to bring back to life some of BB's best co-stars (i.e. Fring and Mike).
Honestly, I think a prequel series showing Fring's trials and tribulations as he rises to power would be entertaining as hell. There's a lot there to explore besides the one background episode we got in Season 3.
#33
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
We know Fring was inititally in business with his brother and Mike we got nothing on. Showing how savage Fring was as we saw in "Box Cutter" would be pretty awesome.
#34
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This could probably be a standalone thread: attack of the genre-jumping spin-offs!
Although I certainly couldn't guess whether the Saul spin-off would work as comedy, that is a good analogy: MTM was a comedy, whereas Lou Grant was more of a drama.
I caught a few episodes of MTM and a few of Lou Grant when they were shown in the UK (as repeats, I think, rather than first time around) and remember being surprised, even as a relative youngster, that an originally comedic character could be given his own serious show.
It looks to have been an inspired decision and certainly one that paid dividends, per Wiki, as Lou Grant lasted for 114 eps and garnered 13 Emmy Awards. My dim memory is that I preferred the few episodes I saw each of Lou Grant and Rhoda to the few that I saw of the parent show itself!
Aside from the above instance (and of course potential BB/Saul potential show that sparked this thread), I wonder how often that kind of thing has been done/proposed before/since...
I caught a few episodes of MTM and a few of Lou Grant when they were shown in the UK (as repeats, I think, rather than first time around) and remember being surprised, even as a relative youngster, that an originally comedic character could be given his own serious show.
It looks to have been an inspired decision and certainly one that paid dividends, per Wiki, as Lou Grant lasted for 114 eps and garnered 13 Emmy Awards. My dim memory is that I preferred the few episodes I saw each of Lou Grant and Rhoda to the few that I saw of the parent show itself!
Aside from the above instance (and of course potential BB/Saul potential show that sparked this thread), I wonder how often that kind of thing has been done/proposed before/since...
#35
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I'm all for continuity, but I don't see potential to mess anything up when we don't have full backgrounds on the supporting cast. It gives you an opportunity to flesh out the universe a bit more.
We know Fring was inititally in business with his brother and Mike we got nothing on. Showing how savage Fring was as we saw in "Box Cutter" would be pretty awesome.
We know Fring was inititally in business with his brother and Mike we got nothing on. Showing how savage Fring was as we saw in "Box Cutter" would be pretty awesome.
#36
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
Breaking Bad‘s Saul Goodman will live on at AMC. After lengthy negotiations, the cable network and Breaking Bad producer Sony Pictures TV have reached a licensing agreement for a spinoff from Vince Gilligan‘s acclaimed drama series. The spinoff series, tentatively titled Better Call Saul, had been in the works for months. It centers on one of Breaking Bad‘s most recognizable supporting characters, Bob Odenkirk‘s unflappable criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. Conceived by Breaking Bad creator Gilligan and series writer-producer Peter Gould, who created the Saul character together for a Season 2 episode written by Gould, the spinoff will be a one-hour prequel that will focus on the evolution of the Goodman character before he ever became Walter White’s lawyer, AMC said. The network wouldn’t elaborate on the project’s status, but I’ve learned Better Call Saul has a series order pending the complication of Sony TV’s deals with Gilligan, Gould and Odenkirk. The pact between AMC and Sony TV came after talks between the two sides came down to the wire, with other outlets, including Netflix, which has had huge success with Breaking Bad, very interested in snatching the spinoff series.
The title of the spinoff comes from the original Saul episode of Breaking Bad, titled “Better Call Saul”, in which Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) hire the flamboyant Goodman after Badger (Matt L. Jones) is caught by the DEA. Goodman, who has been a regular presence on the show since, is a sleazy but highly competent criminal lawyer with a penchant for over-the-top TV commercials in which he uses his signature tagline “Better Call Saul!” Saul has served as Breaking Bad‘s comic relief, which is not surprising given Odenkirk’s strong comedy background. While houlong, the spinoff is expected to be be far less dark than the original series, with more comedy infused into it.
Gilligan has been high on the idea for over a year. “I would love to see a Saul Goodman spinoff,” he said in a July 2012 interview. “I like the idea of a lawyer show in which the main lawyer will do anything it takes to stay out of a court of law. He’ll settle on the courthouse steps, whatever it takes to stay out of the courtroom. That would be fun — I would like that.”
The title of the spinoff comes from the original Saul episode of Breaking Bad, titled “Better Call Saul”, in which Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) hire the flamboyant Goodman after Badger (Matt L. Jones) is caught by the DEA. Goodman, who has been a regular presence on the show since, is a sleazy but highly competent criminal lawyer with a penchant for over-the-top TV commercials in which he uses his signature tagline “Better Call Saul!” Saul has served as Breaking Bad‘s comic relief, which is not surprising given Odenkirk’s strong comedy background. While houlong, the spinoff is expected to be be far less dark than the original series, with more comedy infused into it.
Gilligan has been high on the idea for over a year. “I would love to see a Saul Goodman spinoff,” he said in a July 2012 interview. “I like the idea of a lawyer show in which the main lawyer will do anything it takes to stay out of a court of law. He’ll settle on the courthouse steps, whatever it takes to stay out of the courtroom. That would be fun — I would like that.”
Last edited by dex14; 09-11-13 at 03:46 PM.
#37
DVD Talk God
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
Interesting, a prequel huh?
#38
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
If Odenkirk isn't involved, there's no way I'm watching.
And would Vince Gilligan be involved, too?
I can't remember where I heard this, but supposedly, Netflix basically gave him a blank check already to develop a show.
And would Vince Gilligan be involved, too?
I can't remember where I heard this, but supposedly, Netflix basically gave him a blank check already to develop a show.
#39
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I would think any network would have to be idiots not to try and lure in Gilligan and his current writing team. I will watch whatever he works on now.
#40
DVD Talk God
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
So this means Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito could feasibly guest star in this.
#41
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
#42
#43
DVD Talk Legend
#44
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I also don't see how Odenkirk couldn't be involved, since his character is the star of the show.
"The network wouldn’t elaborate on the project’s status, but I’ve learned Better Call Saul has a series order pending the complication of Sony TV’s deals with Gilligan, Gould and Odenkirk."
#45
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
Mike was Saul's private P.I. who Saul originally used to track Walt back to his chemistry room at school. We just hadn't met Mike yet up to that point.
Saul is speaking of Mike as "the guy who knows a guy". I don't believe Saul realized that Mike really worked for Gus at the time, but what a brilliant move by Gus to tap into all kinds of info. This is how Gus first hears about Walt. It's also possible Saul was so scared of Gus he didn't want to mention his name to Walt. Remember "Gus didn't mention my name did he?" He seemed to generally fear him.
Mike could certainly be in a prequel show. I'd love to see something worked into the show about Gus' background in Chile.
#46
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#48
DVD Talk Legend
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I'll tune in since Gilligan is involved. I just hope it's good and not something forced because AMC wants to try and ride on the success of Breaking Bad for a while longer.
#49
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk
I'm not a big fan of prequel stuff, I'd rather see it set after. I already know where the character will end up which is kind of a turn-off. THAT SAID- I'll watch it because of who's involved. We don't even know yet if Saul is still alive at the end of BB. This might mean he doesn't or ends up in prison.
#50
re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk