56 Emmy nominations and not a single win. Seven straight years as one of the most watched and most critically acclaimed series around the world. Two years separate the final episode of Breaking Bad (2008–2013) from the very first episode of Better Call Saul (2015–2022). And there it is… a handful of numbers that only begin to hint at the weight behind a story that had to stand right next to its own mother series. Not only that, it had to live up to a loyal and skeptical audience, one that time eventually placed exactly where it deserved to be. February 10, 2025. Ten years since the premiere of the story of James Morgan McGill.
Known as Slippin Jimmy, Gene Takovic, Saul Goodman, or Viktor with a K, what started as nothing more than a minor character in the second season of Breaking Bad eventually became a masterpiece of audiovisual storytelling. A series that surpassed every expectation its creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould might have had at the time. The legacy these two men built is incredible. I am not even sure we are fully aware of the influence they have left for the generations that will come thanks to the creative and cinematic work that is the Breaking Bad Universe.
I was honestly shocked when I realized that ten years had passed since that prequel premiered. In my mind, that much time simply had not gone by. My God, everything moves so fast. So as a fan, an admirer, and honestly someone deeply influenced by this universe, I have to admit my opinions and arguments are not exactly objective. This series is one of my favorites, and it has been there for me during some truly difficult moments. On top of that, the story itself invites the deepest kind of reflection.
Walter White. A good, honest, brilliant, self sacrificing man who ends up hated, hunted, cursed, and terribly sick. All because he wanted to become what he believed he had to be. Power as the ultimate motivator. James Morgan McGill, Jimmy to his friends. One day he will be known for defending the worst of society, for profiting from a lack of ethics and taking advantage of what is immoral. And yet neither of them became who they became overnight. Little by little they allowed their worst versions to take control, enchanted by the desire to reach what they believed would make them better.
Along the way they left behind everything they once loved in a pure way. Excessive ambition, futility, but above all power kept them from recognizing what truly mattered. Nothing is free, nothing is purely good or bad, but there are always consequences to pay. Always. I doubt there is anyone in this community who has not seen at least one of these series. They are extremely famous and rarely attract haters. But if you are one of those people who has not watched Better Call Saul yet or has not finished it, let me tell you something I genuinely mean. I envy you. I would love to watch it again and feel that sense of wonder from the very beginning. Ten years have passed, and I still treasure and appreciate you, dear series.
