A Different Kind of Drama
Breaking Bad features some of the most unique drama to ever be displayed on television, as it chronicles a school teacher’s transformation into a notorious drug kingpin. With such a ruthless line of work, it is no surprise that the show relies a lot on bloodshed to captivate its audience and create tension.
While Better Call Saul definitely has brutal moments, most of its tension revolves around how Jimmy will be able to pull off a con or get his criminal defendants off. An example of just how crazy and cunning he is can be best seen in the first season with a simple billboard.
At the outset of this episode, Jimmy is a character that looks spiteful and stupid when he takes out a billboard that uses the same format and image as his competitors at Hamlin, Hamlin, & McGill.
This leaves the viewer wondering why he would take out an ad, and against a law firm of all things, that is clearly going to get taken down due to copyright infringement before he’d be able to shoot his commercial in front of it.
What his competitors and the audience don’t know is that Jimmy paid the man who was supposed to take it down to act as he fell in the process. Under the guise that he’s shooting his commercial, Jimmy “rescues” the man, getting it all caught on film while looking like a hero in the process.
So Jimmy goes from looking like an idiot to being a brave man who saved the day. Who wouldn’t want a courageous lawyer to represent them?
That is just a small example of how Better Call Saul is able to create interesting drama without relying on danger or high stakes. And the best part is that the drama only increases as the show goes on.
