Including that it doesn’t have an official name yet:
Some of the points made in the write-up I linked to:
Yay.
I’m looking forward to the show because I think it’s going to be fun, but I’m not sure how I feel about that cameo thing. I think our last look at Walter White was the right one, so I don’t need to see a pre-Breaking Bad version of the character as a semi-joke. I’m not that eager to see a 35-year-old Aaron Paul play a 22-year-old Jesse either. They’ve done more than enough to earn my trust, but in this show I’m more interested in Saul than callbacks to Breaking Bad. On the other hand it seems like they could easily fit Hank into a couple of episodes if they want to.
What you are saying makes sense on a lot of fronts. Aaron Paul does have a very baby face, but that would start to look skeevy and pull me out of the show. Walt would have to be a “drive by cameo” situation - by definition he didn’t know Saul prior to the ep where Jesse discusses the need for a criminal lawyer, not a criminal lawyer.
It’s easy to see how they can work Pinkman in; that’s a no-brainer. The entire criminal underworld of Albuquerque knows Saul Goodman. Jesse, Badger, Spooge, and Skinny Pete can be in practically every episode. Maybe even Tuco. And certainly Mike. But Walt is going to be a toughie, unless Junior maybe got picked up for shoplifting a box of Raisin Bran Crunch from the local A&P prior to the events of season two of BB.
All things considered, though, I’m amped for this. I know it will be quality product. Maybe not 99.2 percent Breaking Bad, but I have faith that Gilligan and his exemplary writing and production team are not going to let us down.
I’m committing to at least one episode. Odenkirk is too cool to miss, and as long as the writers stay faithful to the guidelines they used in BB, it can’t help but be a fun ride – for a while.
I just wish a similar treatment for Mike could be greenlighted. Banks had me as far back as Beverly Hills Cop (1984). Probably those dead eyes and that cold-blooded vibe.
That’s the beauty of it. There’s plenty of material for them to milk before it runs out of steam. A Mike backstory could easily span four or five episodes. Ditto with Fring.
Realistically, Aaron Paul is going to be too busy with bigger projects to make a lot of appearances. He has a new series right now and a much higher profile than he did when Breaking Bad started. It’d be easy enough to find ways to fit these guys into the story, but what I was saying is that this is a prequel, so the age of the actors would be kind of an issue (moreso than with Odenkirk).
There’s backstory to be milked if they want to, but I want this show to stand on its own. As I see it, a bunch of greedy idiots and barely competent criminal lowlifes walks into Saul’s office every day of the week. I want to see how he deals with them and gets involved in their illegal enterprises while staying ahead of the law. Oh, and I assume he has a sarcastic talking dog. If not, I’m out.
Now that you mention it, the aspect of Breaking Bad that moves it into solid competition for All-Time Best Crime Drama with the likes of The Wire, The Sopranos, The Shield, and (for me anyway) Justified is the depth and 3D nature of the characters. Not just types, people.
What other shows even deserve mention in that company?
The talking dog is key for me as well. I’d also settle for a puppet alien.
Only if he has a cutesy but insulting nickname for Saul.
Why does he talk? Is his barking bad?
And is voiced by Seth MacFarlane.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the spinoff take place after Breaking Bad. It starts as kind of a fish-out-of-water type deal, but then Saul could start building his underworld connections again in the new environment with his new identity.
For cameos they could easily for Marie in as needed a lawyer to quickly get her out of a shoplifting charge.
We’re gonna need a laugh track.
And a sardonic receptionist.
I’m going to ignore it is coming until it gets here and hope that I’m wrong and it is good. While I love the Saul character within the context of the show I’ve just never thought “wow, I wish I could have a full episode of this.”
Saul is, except in comparison to the meth business a truly horrible person. When he’s the center of things I don’t see how what he does will be funny.
But I hope I’m wrong and pleasantly surprised.
Except for the Norman Lear franchises and A Different World, I can’t think of a spin-off that has been successful.
Frasier was somewhat popular. Law & Order had several lasting spinoffs.