Critics share the opinion that the AMC series Better Call Saul is as good as its predecessor Breaking Bad. On Rotten Tomatoes, all of the five seasons have a score of 97% and above. The majority of fans also agree that the show is good but they tend to disagree on the direction of the plot points and characters. There is nowhere that this is more clear than on the numerous Reddit fan pages.
There are a couple of popular opinions that most fans share. A character was mean? Agreed. A villain is good? Agreed. But once in a while, a few users pop with an opinion that totally goes against everyone else's. For Better Call Saul, here are some of the unpopular opinions seen so far.
Updated on June 10th, 2022, by Stuart Kilmartin: With the incredible six-season run of Better Call Saul almost at an end, following a thrilling mid-season finale that saw the death of a major character, fans have some time to relax and ponder over everything they've seen thus far in preparation for the show's final five episodes. Reddit fans of the series have always been very vocal in their support and criticism of the series. Better Call Saul has always had a group of detractors, and the show's sixth season is no exception, with Redditors sharing some unpopular opinions about the hit AMC show.
Season Six Is Boring
Season six is the final season of Better Call Saul's incredible six-season run that has taken the character of Jimmy McGill and transformed him into the sleazy Saul Goodman fans know and love from Breaking Bad. While the vast majority of fans, and critics, agree that the first half of season six is another knockout from series creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, some fans have called the first half of season six boring.
Many Redditors, such as th3orist, called the season thus far "super boring". They complained that the pace of the sixth season has been too slow for a show that is in its home stretch, pointing to many unnecessary scenes and their lack of payoff. Better Call Saul has always been a slow-burn, for better or worse, but it's understandable that some fans may have expected a bit more urgency in the show's final outing.
The Episodes Are More About Cool Cinematography Than Storytelling
Even the biggest detractors of Better Call Saul cannot argue that show is handsomely filmed and edited. While the story of Better Call Saul has always centered on the transformation of Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman and the journey to the events preceding Breaking Bad, some Redditors believe that the show has focused too much on the cinematography to the detriment of the storytelling.
Redditor incollala states how episodes seem to focus more on well-shot vistas than compelling characters. This seems an especially harsh criticism of a series that has character at its very heart. Better Call Saul has given its cast of core characters time to develop and grow over the course of its six-season run, giving fans a different understanding of characters like Saul and Mike within the context of Breaking Bad.
Chuck Was A Good Brother To Jimmy
Chuck gave viewers every reason to hate him. Despite Jimmy taking good care of him when he was suffering from Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS), he never appreciated the sacrifices he made. He also didn't want Jimmy to become a lawyer because he felt that he would be a disgrace to the profession. Even sadder, he bluntly told Jimmy that he never meant that much to him.
Still, Reddit user youngadult5397 feels that Chuck was the best thing that happened to Jimmy. Part of his argument leans on the fact that Chuck was right about Jimmy being a crook and that if it wasn't him, Jimmy would never have had the motivation to become a successful lawyer and prove him wrong. Jimmy would still be rotting in prison too if Chuck hadn't intervened.
There's Too Much Of Mike
Mike seems to be everywhere but he doesn't do much. That's according to _Tartuffe_, who feels that the only thing Mike has achieved in the entire show is helping Gus build a lab that still isn't even complete.
It's true that Mike has multiple scenes in each episode but he has been key to almost every major subplot. Without his skills, Gus Fring wouldn't be much of a force. It's also because of Mike that Lalo fails to ruin the Super Lab's construction. And if it wasn't for Mike, Jimmy would have been killed during the desert scene.
Kim And Jimmy's Storyline Is Better Than The Cartel Storyline
There's no doubt that Kim and Jimmy have one of the best romance stories on TV, but claiming their story is far more interesting than the cartel storyline is bold. Given that Better Call Saul is very much connected to Breaking Bad, the inclusion of cartel subplots in the legal drama was inevitable. A couple of Redditors like Arghifth are of the opinion that this ruined everything.
In the last two seasons, the cartel subplots have surpassed the legal subplots, thanks to the introduction of the intriguing villain Lalo. Recent episodes have higher ratings on IMDb too, which means viewers are enjoying the cartel storylines more. So, the claim that Kim and Jimmy's storyline is superior is not exactly accurate.
Slow Pace With Little Payoff
According to Reddit user Spaceflip, most scenes tend to be dragged out too much. Characters spend ten minutes doing something that would generally take two minutes. One can't help but feel that the showrunners have total disdain for summary.
This claim won't sit well with most fans of the show because what makes it so unique is the attention to detail. The slow pace helps to highlight many other elements of the show, such as the cinematic mastery and the emotional expressions. The payoff always comes too, though viewers are often required to wait a little longer.
Kim Is Too Good For Jimmy
User stanettafish makes a more controversial comment, stating that Kim Wexler is out of Jimmy's league and would never be with him in the real world. It would have been far more interesting if such a remark had been made by Chuck in the show because it fits him so perfectly.
On paper, there are a lot of things Jimmy doesn't deserve. But his zeal, wit, and relentlessness push him to these things. There is no denying that Kim and Jimmy have great chemistry. They never fight and they always seem to have each other's backs. Sounds as perfect a couple as anyone can wish for.
Gus Feels Lost Without A 'Walt' In His Life
Gus was not only the best villain in Breaking Bad but also one of the best TV villains of all time. Some fans were even sad to see him die so quickly, thanks to Hector's wheelchair bomb that had been engineered by Walt. Given how popular Gus was, it made sense to explore his backstory in Better Call Saul.
Reddit user Iggy_Pops_Lost_Shirt states that Gus Fring's scenes in the prequel are a total waste of time. It's true that the mystique of Gus is lost because he doesn't have a Walter White to give him headaches but it's still important for viewers to know how he became the biggest drug lord in Albuquerque.
The Show Should Have Been A Sitcom
Given how funny Jimmy aka Saul was in Breaking Bad, Colonel_White argues that the prequel would have been better off as a sitcom. The user feels that the show spent three seasons going nowhere before turning into Breaking Bad II.
While it's true that the two latest seasons have been very similar to Breaking Bad, thanks to the doubling down of cartel storylines, a sitcom format would have been a huge risk. The change in genre could have discouraged fans of the original series from watching the prequel.
Lalo Is Cartoonish
According to Vince Gilligan, Lalo was never meant to appear in the prequel. The Breaking Bad creator felt that not ever character needed a background story but he is grateful that co-creator Peter Gould pushed for the villain's inclusion. This is because Lalo is one of the best things to happen to the show, full of charisma and plenty of great quotes.
Reddit user u/Coatzaking wonders why people like Lalo too much. The user feels that Lalo is just a poor imitation of Oberyn Martell from Game Of Thrones. And that his scenes, like him jumping onto a car or dropping down from the ceiling are cartoonish. Vince, Gould and plenty of the show's fans definitely don't agree.
Skyler Was More Daring Than Kim
The Skyler White and Kim Wexler comparisons have been present for a while now. While Skyler was hugely unpopular thanks to the unreasonable manner in which she handled all the drama that Walt brought, Kim has been popular, thanks to her calm nature and ability to be reasonable at all times.
However, Reddit user Hula4589 feels that Kim is far from interesting as a character because she always plays it safe. She enables Jimmy instead of calling him out, and appears to lean on his opinions rather than have her own. Well, being nice has never been a crime, so plenty of fans will disagree with this.
Hector's Fate Came Too Quickly
After Hector Salamanca's heart attack, Gus ensured he got the best treatment from one of the world's best therapists in order to prevent him from dying and making him suffer more. But when Gus learned that there was a chance of Hector fully recovering, he stopped funding the treatment.
User Treaty98733 argues that either Hector shouldn't have become incapacitated too early or Gus ought to have continued funding his treatment to ensure a full recovery. Their tense business rivalry needed to go on a little longer to make both characters more interesting, according to this Redditor. Helping an enemy get better so that he can be a proper business rival doesn't sound logical. Alongside Chuck, Hector was one of the least favorite characters, hence keeping him active would have caused some viewers to lose interest.