Television

Guillermo Del Toro Prefers 'Better Call Saul' To 'Breaking Bad', And With Good Reason

Guillermo Del Toro Better Call Saul
By Chris Evangelista/

Over the course of four seasons, Better Call Saul has somehow evolved into a better show than its predecessor, Breaking Bad. At least, that's what I think. But don't just take my word for it – allow Academy Award winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro to school you on Saul's brilliance. The filmmaker took to Twitter to proclaim his love for the prequel series, and you can read his thoughts below.

I often tell people I like Better Call Saul more than Breaking Bad, which usually results in those people telling me I'm insane. Don't get me wrong: Breaking Bad is a phenomenal show – one of the best examples of the glorious age of Peak TV. And when Better Call Saul was first announced, I was skeptical. It seemed to be little more than a cash-in – something to keep the Breaking Bad train rolling even after that series ended. But once Saul started, I quickly realized that the show was something special.

Part of what makes Saul so great is its inherent tragedy. While both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are about the rise and eventual downfall of their main characters, Breaking Bad's Walter White never really seemed that sympathetic of a character. Bryan Cranston's performance was incredible, but Walt was always kind of a jerk – something the series hammers home in its final season, where Walt admits that he became a drug kingpin for his own selfish reasons, and because he liked it. The path for Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, is different. We know Jimmy is doomed because when we met him as Saul on Breaking Bad, he had morphed into a corrupt buffoon – someone with no moral compass at all. But the character on Saul starts off a genuinely sympathetic individual. Yes, he's terribly flawed, and yes, he's willing to break all sorts of rules (and laws). But you get the sense that deep down, Jimmy is a good guy. And that's unfortunate, because we know it won't last. He'll eventually turn into Saul Goodman.

Guillermo del Toro has a similar approach to the show, and shared his thoughts on Twitter over the weekend. "A small reflection in the middle of Better Call Saul's new seasson [sic]: I like it even more than BB, not to be a contrarian but because the evident stakes seem smaller but the moral downfall strike me as deeper, more poignant," the filmmaker begins, before delving into things more. You can read his comments below.

Again: this is all a matter of opinion, and I'm sure plenty of people will be vehemently opposed to this idea. Some might even argue it's unfair to compare Bad and Saul, since Saul hasn't ended yet. That's fair! All that said, it's interesting to see how far Better Call Saul has come over its four seasons.

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