BETTER CALL SAUL “Alpine Shepherd Boy” Review

Can this sensational new show continue to draw in viewers? Or has the concept ran it’s course all too quickly? Read on to find out.

The official description from AMC:

When his efforts to drum up new business are interrupted by alarming news, Jimmy is pressured to make a difficult choice.

We reach the halfway mark of Better Call Saul‘s first season, and though there’s still plenty of ground to cover in this Breaking Bad spin-off, this hasn’t stopped it from entertaining fans week in week out. That’s no different this week, as though “Alpine Shepherd Boy” isn’t quite as exciting as the episodes leading up to this point, the dramatic twists have certainly kept this fanboy intrigued, with there always being something questionable for Jimmy to get up to.

Having gained mass publicity following his “heroic” stunt in “Hero,” Jimmy now has the task of sifting through his new client list, deciding what’s serious/profitable, and what’s barely worth his time. This leads to Jimmy going with a new look, as though his choice to carbon copy HHM’s look didn’t go down well with brother Chuck, his new direction shows promise. Despite all this, it’s the events involving Jimmy’s brother Chuck that interest the most, as though the intense exchange in the last few episodes has excited, the dramatic twists in this development has appealed just has much. The creators behind this weeks episode capture this brilliantly, as though in good Breaking Bad fashion the direction style proves a little stagnant at times, it manages to give a visual depth that director Nicole Kassell should be proud of.

Though this series is still fresh, I find myself feeling like a broken record when it comes to the acting ability, with it once again being astounding. Continuing to be the shoulders on which this show stands on, Bob Odenkirk (Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman) once again gives a stunning performance, with his comic timing and emotional depth adding extra value to the entertainment. The accompanying cast also continue to impress more and more with each episode, and though the chemistry between Rhea Seehorn (Kim Wexler) and Odenkirk remains captivating, it’s Michael McKean (Chuck McGill) that stands out. Giving a thoroughly convincing portrayal of a man who doesn’t think he’s crazy, whilst clearly not being right in the head, McKean finally starts to allow his character to shine, as prior to this I found Chuck to be a rather irritable character.

Better Call Saul continues to astound this fanboy, as though “Alpine Shepherd Boy” may not be one of the better showings from this relatively fresh series, it’s dramatic depth certainly allures. The engaging character developments also manages to intrigue, and with the mysterious developments involving Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) near the end, this fanboy for one will certainly be returning next week.