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Better Call Saul (AMC, 2015) S: Odenkirk, Banks

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Better Call Saul (AMC, 2015) S: Odenkirk, Banks

Old 07-04-13, 08:06 PM
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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.
Old 07-04-13, 08:19 PM
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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.

Last edited by RichC2; 07-04-13 at 08:31 PM.
Old 07-04-13, 09:20 PM
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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.
Old 07-04-13, 09:27 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by Mike86
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.
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.
Old 07-04-13, 09:47 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

It could be Mary Tyler Moore to Breaking Bad's Lou Grant.
Old 07-05-13, 12:35 AM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by bluetoast
It could be Mary Tyler Moore to Breaking Bad's Lou Grant.
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.
Old 07-05-13, 12:52 AM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by My Other Self
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.
I'd really rather that not happen to be honest. That just gives more of a chance to potentially fuck up the universe that was created and taint Breaking Bad. Truthfully the more I think of it I kind of wish the idea would just be scrapped all together despite liking Saul's character a lot.
Old 07-05-13, 07:47 AM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by Mike86
I'd really rather that not happen to be honest. That just gives more of a chance to potentially fuck up the universe that was created and taint Breaking Bad.
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.
Old 07-05-13, 09:11 AM
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This could probably be a standalone thread: attack of the genre-jumping spin-offs!

Originally Posted by bluetoast
It could be Mary Tyler Moore to Breaking Bad's Lou Grant.
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...
Old 07-05-13, 04:10 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by My Other Self
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.
I think that might kind of ruin some of the mystery elements of those characters though by showing more of their backgrounds. Prequels usually seems like a good idea in theory but are rarely ever executed as well as they should be.
Old 09-11-13, 03:41 PM
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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.”

Last edited by dex14; 09-11-13 at 03:46 PM.
Old 09-11-13, 03:49 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Interesting, a prequel huh?
Old 09-11-13, 03:51 PM
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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.
Old 09-11-13, 03:54 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by RoyalTea
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.
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.
Old 09-11-13, 03:55 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

So this means Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito could feasibly guest star in this.
Old 09-11-13, 04:01 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by DJariya
So this means Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito could feasibly guest star in this.
Saul and Gus didn't know each other before the show.

Come to think of it, didn't Saul "know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy" who knew Gus? Or am I thinking of the vacuum guy?
Old 09-11-13, 04:13 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by RoyalTea
If Odenkirk isn't involved, there's no way I'm watching.
Odenkirk has said he's dying to do this. Why wouldn't he be involved?
Old 09-11-13, 04:24 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by cungar
Odenkirk has said he's dying to do this. Why wouldn't he be involved?
how early would the prequel be? If it's 5-10 years before BB, Odenkirk's involved. If it's Saul in his 20s, would the look for a younger actor?
Old 09-11-13, 04:27 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by RoyalTea
Come to think of it, didn't Saul "know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy" who knew Gus? Or am I thinking of the vacuum guy?
Both. He may not know Gus on a professional level but Mike definitely knew Saul so there's potential there for overlap.

I also don't see how Odenkirk couldn't be involved, since his character is the star of the show.
Originally Posted by RoyalTea
how early would the prequel be? If it's 5-10 years before BB, Odenkirk's involved. If it's Saul in his 20s, would the look for a younger actor?
Why would they do that? The news even indicates Odenkirk has been involved in the negotiation process.
"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."
I'm wondering if this would revert to a 30 minute format.
Old 09-11-13, 04:29 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by RoyalTea
Saul and Gus didn't know each other before the show.

Come to think of it, didn't Saul "know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy" who knew Gus? Or am I thinking of the vacuum guy?
The Saul-Mike-Gus connection is quite fascinating in itself. The info is kinda hinted at if you piece it together.

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.
Old 09-11-13, 04:41 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by My Other Self

I'm wondering if this would revert to a 30 minute format.
Article says 1 hour.
Old 09-11-13, 04:44 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

I hope they go all the way back to the early days when Saul accidentally scruffs Gus's Adidas.
Old 09-11-13, 05:02 PM
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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.
Old 09-11-13, 05:25 PM
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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.
Old 09-11-13, 06:56 PM
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re: Better Call Saul (AMC, Premieres 2014) S:Odenkirk

Originally Posted by RoyalTea
how early would the prequel be? If it's 5-10 years before BB, Odenkirk's involved. If it's Saul in his 20s, would the look for a younger actor?
People love Odenkirk as the character, not the general idea of a sleazy lawyer. I think it's safe to say he's got the part.

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