Vince Gilligan initially developedBetter Call Saulas a half-hour sitcom, which would’ve been awesome, but the more grounded, dramatic version we got is even better. In an interview withRolling Stone, Gilligan explained that when he started working on a Saul Goodman spin-off for AMC, it was conceived as a more straightforward episodic comedy. This version of the show would’ve seenSaul in his officewith a revolving door of eccentric clients. Each week, a new guest star would come into Saul’s office with a new legal problem, which Gilligan compared to the format ofDr. Katz, Professional Therapist.
As Gilligan and his co-creator Peter Gould discussed this original concept, they quickly realized they didn’t have the skillset for a half-hour comedy, having spent their careers working on hour-long dramas. So, they switched to an hour-long format, but decided to make it “a really funny hour” that would flipBreaking Bad’s ratio of 25% humor to 75% drama. However, asBetter Call Saulwent on, they even ended up dropping that conceit as the spin-off became justas heartbreaking and dramatic asBreaking Bad. While that’s the best possible version of the spin-off, the original idea sounds great, too.
Better Call Saul As A Half-Hour Comedy Show Would’ve Been A Lot Of Fun
The Saul Goodman Character Is Tailor-Made For A Sitcom
The final version ofBetter Call Saulis arguably the best possible version of a Saul spin-off. Its style is more in line withBreaking Bad, andit ended up studying and deconstructing the Jimmy McGill character in just as much depth asBreaking Bad’s study of Walter White.The animated spin-off,Slippin’ Jimmy, proved that taking aBreaking Badshow out of the franchise’s established style is a very risky move that can easily fail. Butit’s hard not to imagine that a half-hour sitcom version ofBetter Call Saulstill would’ve been a lot of fun.
The main storyline ofBetter Call Saultakes place from roughly 2002 to 2004.
The Saul character is tailor-made for a sitcom. He’s an unscrupulous lawyer who’ll do anything to keep his clients out of a court of law —that’s the perfect setup for a comedic subversion of the legal procedural. BeforeBreaking Badrevealed what a great dramatic actor he was,Bob Odenkirk was an acclaimed comedian. He co-headlined one of the greatest sketch comedies ever made,Mr. Show with Bob and David, and had scene-stealing supporting roles inHow I Met Your MotherandThe Larry Sanders Show.Better Call Saulis an incredible drama, but it would’ve made a hilarious sitcom.
Better Call Saul Being A Legal Sitcom Wouldn’t Have Allowed Odenkirk To Show His Range
It Would’ve Made Great Use Of Odenkirk’s Comedic Talents
WhileBetter Call Saulwould’ve made for an amazing sitcom,the half-hour format would’ve restricted the series in the long run. In the first couple of seasons, it would’ve been fun to see which guest stars came in to recruit Saul’s services and how he would get them out of legal trouble. Butthe never-changing status quo of an episodic sitcom would’ve meant that the series couldn’t evolve. In its final form,Better Call Saulcharted a similar trajectory toBreaking Bad; the tone and narrative changed as the protagonist changed.
The dramatic version of Better Call Saul really sunk its teeth into Saul’s psychology and what made him tick. It showed how a wayward young underdog got gradually corrupted and became a criminal lawyer.
IfBetter Call Saulhad been a sitcom, it would’ve given Odenkirk plenty of opportunities to show off his comedic talents, but it wouldn’t have demonstrated his dramatic range like the hour-long version did. The dramatic version ofBetter Call Saulreally sunk its teeth into Saul’s psychology and what made him tick. It showed how a wayward young underdog got gradually corrupted and became a criminal lawyer. The sitcom version of the show couldn’t have done any of that;its character development and storytelling abilities would’ve been seriously limited.
Better Call Saul Is One Of The Funniest TV Dramas Ever Made
Just becauseBetter Call Saulwasn’t a full-blown sitcom, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny. Similar toBreaking Bad, it’s one of the funniest TV dramas ever made.There’s still plenty of character humor and situational comedy inBetter Call Saul; it’s just planted in the middle of a much more layered narrative with much more three-dimensional characters. From Jimmy’s ridiculous scams to Mike’s dry one-liners,Better Call Saulis full of hilarious moments.
I’ll Forever Defend This Better Call Saul Episode Everyone Seemed To Hate
A lot of Better Call Saul fans seemed to really hate season 6, episode 10, “Nippy,” but I think it’s underrated – it’s a great episode of television.
In a way,Gilligan and Gould got to have their cake and eat it, too. By makingBetter Call Saulas an hour-long drama, they were able to recapture what was so great aboutBreaking Bad— the serialized storytelling and in-depth character development — while still featuring all the comedy they would’ve imbued into the sitcom version.Better Call Saulmight not be a traditional sitcom, but it’s funnier than most sitcoms.
Better Call Saul
Cast
Better Call Saul follows small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill as he navigates the legal world to make ends meet. The series, set six years before his encounter with Walter White, chronicles Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman, with notable interactions alongside fixer Mike Ehrmantraut.
