BETTER CALL SAUL “Five-O” Review


What has Mike done to warrant the attention of the Philadelphia Police Department? And will Jimmy be able to help him out? Read on to find out.

The official description from AMC:

Mike’s tragic past comes back to haunt him, and he’s forced to seek help from an unusual source. Jimmy’s moral compass is put to the test.

Television has never been better, as with The Walking Dead finally getting it’s act together, and Better Call Saul delivering amazing episodes week in, week out, AMC are definitely proving to be one of the best networks to watch at the moment. Having enjoyed every minute of this Breaking Bad spin-off, with the quirky look into Saul Goodman’s past not failing to disappoint, I always get excited about waking up on a Tuesday morning, known that Netflix is only one click away. That is no different this week, as “Five-O” proves to be one of this show’s best outings yet.

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Mike Better Call Saul…. or should that be Jimmy, as when old colleagues of his from the Philadelphia Police Department turn up looking for answers relating to the murders of two cops, Mike finds himself in a sticky situation. Giving an intense feel of drama and grit from start to finish, the creators do a wonderful job of looking into Mike Ehrmantraut’s past, with the popular Breaking Bad alumni finally getting the attention he deserves in this spin-off (opposed to the brief cameos). The way that the episode transitions between Mike’s past, and present also allows for a mixture of drama and suspense, with the wonderful tone that director, Adam Bernstein, captures, and the intriguing dialogue in Gordon Smith‘s script adding great depth. The exchange of words between Mike and Jimmy also goes to further tease the future relationship we see in Breaking Bad, putting more pieces into this large puzzle.

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For the first time in the shows short history, Bob Odenkirk (Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman) isn’t the prolific actor in an episode, taking a back seat to Jonathan Banks (Mike Ehrmantraut). Though Banks is best known for his hard man persona, with his gritty voice, and motionless stance making his character alluring, there’s always a lot of emotion on display, with that never being more present than it is here. Between Mike’s altercation with former PPD colleagues, Sanders (Barry Shabaka Henley) and Abbasi (Omid Abtahi), and his interaction with Jimmy, the character certainly proves his worth, possibly becoming more interesting than he ever was in Breaking Bad. In addition to this, Bob Odenkirk also adds some humour, with his comic timing allowing for a lighter tone to what otherwise is a tense atmosphere.

Better Call Saul is certainly the best new show of 2015 to date, with the must watch program delivering breathtaking episodes week in, week out. The way that it deviates from the current course in this episode only goes to emphasise this, with the deep developments and wonderful character interaction astounding from start to finish.

OUR RATING
9.5
  • + It's all about Mike!
  • + Jonathan Banks gives his best performance to date as Mike.
  • + Wonderful pacing.
  • + Fabulous character depth.