AMC's Better Call Saul just wrapped up its incredible fifth season, cementing it as one of the best shows on television and one of the greatest spinoff series of all time. The show follows the early days of Jimmy McGill, the scrupulous lawyer who eventually becomes Saul Goodman.
While Saul was a great supporting character on Breaking Bad, this show makes him a fascinating protagonist. With one more season left, it's still hard to figure out if we should be rooting for him or against him. Here are some of the reasons Saul Goodman is the perfect villain protagonist and some reasons he is just a terrible person.
Perfect: Funny
When a character can make us laugh, it does a lot for getting us on his side. Walter White and Tony Soprano are examples of characters that do terrible things yet we are still fascinated by them. Saul does terrible things as well, but he also has a great sense of humor.
Because we can laugh along with him, we are not only fascinated by Saul, but we also like him. If he can keep up that wit, the audience can forgive a lot from him.
Terrible: Greedy
When we meet Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad, he is a crooked lawyer who only really cares about making money. He is willing to bend the law in many ways if it means he gets paid a little more. That side of Saul is really beginning to show in Better Call Saul.
As he is drawn more and more into the criminal underworld of the cartel and beyond, Saul has shown he's ready to do a lot of things for a payday. Greed is a common motivation for bad guys, but it's a hard one to cheer for.
Perfect: Motivation
It can be risky giving backstory to a character who just seems like a bad guy. Many fans probably felt exploring Saul Goodman's past was a waste of time. However, the series really has uncovered a lot about the character that makes us understand Saul Goodman more.
From his relationships with his brother Chuck and his now-wife Kim, Saul's motivations become much more interesting than just money. He is a man with something to prove, and right or wrong, that's a more sympathetic path.
Terrible: Never Learns
The show does an incredible job of continuing to make the audience think Saul is not too far gone. When he seems to realize his mistakes, it feels like he might finally turn himself around. But then we remember we already know he's only going to get worse.
Saul is a man who never learns from his mistakes. It is one of the things that makes him such a brilliant character and also so frustrating. He might have a conscience somewhere deep down, but he keeps burying it deeper and deeper.
Perfect: The Skill
Part of the reason we wanted Walt in Breaking Bad to succeed in his business as a meth kingpin was because he was so good at it. Watching him cook a batch of meth, though terrible, looked like a work of art. It's fun seeing people do something they are really good at.
The same goes for Saul Goodman. It is so entertaining seeing him work the system and play around with the rules of law. He takes the risks and breaks the rules that allow him to win. If he's smart enough to win by fighting dirty, then it's not hard to want to see him win.
Terrible: Destructive
Saul can be incredibly impressive in the courtroom, but he rarely looks at the bigger picture and what his actions cost. He sees himself as the perennial David fighting Goliath, but his underdog routine blinds him to the harm he is causing.
He is willing to tear down the legal system if it means his own victory. It seems like his story is building to the moment where he will need to turn around and confront the destruction he left in his wake.
Perfect: Everyman
Saul Goodman is a normal man in a dangerous world. There are many stories like this and it's always easy to cheer for the little guy. The show follows the amazing journey that started with Jimmy McGill and has now led to Saul Goodman.
It's hard not to admire what this man has been able to build one his own over the years. Especially given that many of the people around him are not stand up citizens either, Saul's success story makes him the guy we want to see come out on top.
Terrible: Unapologetic
Audiences can put up with a lot of bad stuff from a protagonist before they start rooting against them. However, it is important to audiences that they feel the protagonist still has a moral center. That center is growing smaller and smaller with Saul.
He no longer seems to feel bad about the things he does. He will hurt people out of spite and rationalize it in his head. He feels no remorse about Chuck's death and even fakes an emotional reaction to it. Without remorse, Saul can be pretty deplorable.
Perfect: Potential Redemption
We know that Saul will eventually team up with Walt and Jesse and continue his crooked and greedy ways. Breaking Bad showed that there was no redemption for Saul during that series. But Better Call Saul has also reminded us Saul's story continues after Breaking Bad as well.
The final season of Better Call Saul will likely show Saul's new life in hiding. This also opens up the possibility that he will, in fact, find redemption and turn himself around.
Terrible: A Black Hole
In the final episode of the fifth season found Saul coming to self-realization as he asks Kim, "Am I bad for you?" While Kim shuts down the idea and rightfully points out that she makes her own decisions, it's hard to argue that he hasn't been a bad influence.
In fact, it seems like everyone that Saul comes in contact with gets sucked down into his downward spiral. Yet he is the one that comes out the other end unscathed. The series could find redemption for Saul, but it could also find him ruining the lives of those around him.