Review: Better Call Saul - Season 5

When he is reinstated as a lawyer, Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) states that he will be practising under a new name. The look of worry and confusion on his girlfriend Kim’s (Rhea Seehorn) face is palpable. She asks him what his new name will be. He turns, with an ominous smirk and pointed finger-guns, answering back ‘S’all good, man’. He wanders away from her down a long corridor, and the screen cuts to black. For fans of Breaking Bad, this was a scene we had been waiting for.

The looming question is whether this narrative can continue to surprise us despite knowing how it all ends

It has been almost two years since the cliffhanger ending of the last season of Better Call Saul. This prequel series chronicles the genesis of Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), the slimy criminal lawyer that later becomes the personal fixer for Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) drug empire in the heady events of Breaking Bad. As we watch the gradual descent of Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman, the looming question is whether this narrative can continue to surprise us despite knowing how it all ends.

That answer is a resounding yes. Ever the slow burn, Better Call Saul’s fifth season revels in its depth of character and considered storytelling. Saul is, for now, a similar man to Jimmy: a charming and innocuous scam artist who just can’t help himself. His new identity simply allows room for more flair and garishly coloured suits. Odenkirk’s comedic instincts are wonderfully directed in schemes and plots to outmanoeuvre his rivals and gather a new felonious client base. But in slower moments, we notice the trauma of past seasons lingering at the fringes of his new and extravagant self.

Alongside him is Kim Wexler, the highly driven corporate banking lawyer caught in an ethical dilemma. Rhea Seehorn is brilliant, and perhaps the most talented actor currently on mainstream television. Finding her high-power job at a law firm increasingly unrewarding, she desires to help people in the form of taking on impoverished pro bono clients. Much like her partner Jimmy, she finds herself trying to live two lives to find happiness. The tension between the ever-drifting lifestyles of Jimmy and Kim is contrasted with delightfully easy-going chemistry between Odenkirk and Seehorn. We know for their own good that they really shouldn’t be together, but we cannot help but root for them.

However, in a sharp turn, the different worlds of Better Call Saul collide irrevocably. The playful chicanery of Saul Goodman is quickly transformed into a desperate struggle with mortal consequences, forcing Jimmy and Kim to reconsider their morals and identities. They reencounter the world-weary ex-cop Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) and the regretful cartel member Ignacio Varga (Michael Mando), who in turn covertly carry out the orders of a restaurant owner and drug kingpin Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Banks, Mando and Esposito reprise these hardened roles wonderfully, and the writers continue to surprise us by showing the defensive deficiencies in these oft unimpeachable characters.

The writers continue to surprise us by showing the defensive deficiencies in these oft unimpeachable characters

The source of their perturbation is the brilliant Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton). This quick-witted villain was introduced in the latter half of season four, but in his most recent outing, he takes centre stage with menace and irresistible charm. Dalton’s Mexican roots provide authentic charisma in Spanish-speaking scenes, and his ability to abruptly express a glassy-eyed false smile is bone-chilling. He is a more than the formidable opponent to a cast of familiar characters. While we as viewers should be very afraid of Lalo Salamanca, you can’t help but want to see what he will do next.

The colour palette is vivid, and the wide shots are consistently striking

The Better Call Saul team have again made a season of entertainment that is visually and auditorily stunning. The cinematography is original and inventive, with many shots leaving you scratching your head and wondering how on earth they pulled it off. The colour palette is vivid, and the wide shots are consistently striking. Furthermore, Dave Porter’s original score is subtle and effective, and the soundtrack provided by Thomas Golubić is brimming with humour, style, and pathos.

This review may sound as though I am gushing, and in truth, I probably am. However, if one television programme this year deserves the highest praise, it is this one. Whilst the credit is often placed solely at the feet of the show’s co-creator Vince Gilligan, this season is a testament to collaboration. The in-house team of writers and directors work together in the drafting stage before taking individual episodes away to work on as if they are their own short movies. Combined with top talent from the acting industry, the result is a varied and thought-provoking drama filled with memorable and breath-taking moments. Better Call Saul’s latest season is masterful television.