By Jack Stewart and Nashwan Sanaullah
Created by Vince Gilligan in 2015, Better Call Saul is a prequel spin-off to his previous show Breaking Bad. The show focused around Jimmy McGill, who would grow to become Saul Goodman, Walter White’s lawyer in Breaking Bad. The series showed the intricacy of Jimmy’s character, his interactions with people, and how he changed into the character Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad. The show continuously aired to near-universal praise, with it holding an 8.9/10 on IMDB and a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Actor Bob Odenkirk, who portrayed McGill, also received praise for his portrayal of the lead character, receiving 6 Emmy nominations in the Lead Actor category for his portrayal of Goodman. Yet, he never took home an Emmy. Season 6 of Better Call Saul aired this year and was submitted for the 2022 Emmys: it was the grand conclusion to what is widely considered the greatest duology in television history. Despite the near universal love of Better Call Saul and the title character himself, it found itself Emmy-less yet again at the recent awards ceremony.
The Lead Actor category in 2022 featured some of the most critically acclaimed performances of recent memory. Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong were nominated for their performances in Succession, a sharp, sleek financial comedy-drama with relevant messages on modern day America. Both actors portrayed polarizing businessmen and they both received equally high praise for their performances. Jason Bateman was nominated for Ozark, a dark and gritty crime thriller. His character Marty Byrde is a morally ambiguous family man who resorts to a life of crime to support his family. His performance was dark and ominous, perfectly matching the dark atmosphere of Ozark. Adam Scott was nominated for his performance as Mark in Apple TV’s Severance. The show is a haunting and atmospheric near-future thriller, where the audience is constantly on the edge of their seat. Finally, the winner of the award, Lee Jung-Jae, won for lead portrayal of Gi-Hun in Netflix’s mega hit Squid Game. In the show, Gi-Hun was forced to do whatever it took to win the money, even if it meant competing in many near death experiences. This show swept the globe, with Variety magazine reporting that it “pull[ed] in a staggering 1.65 billion hours of viewing in 28 days following its September 17th premiere…”
Bob Odenkirk embraced the role of Saul Goodman, and it is evident in his performance. The show takes Breaking Bad’s side character and gives him immense depth, with Odenkirk being the perfect person for the role. He portrayed a range of powerful emotions in a scene found in Season 6, Episode 9, “Fun and Games”, which stuck with audiences.​ Jimmy McGill is a dynamic and intricate character, and his actions and relationships made his character enthralling and engaging for viewers. His performance, coupled with the prestigious writing by the show’s screenwriters, the exquisite cinematography from creator Vince Gilligan, and a well-developed plot, makes the show all the better. Many critics believe Odenkirk should have won the award, with Jacqueline Saguin at GoodHousekeeping writing, “This year’s swift snub [Odenkirk] proved an especially tough blow for fans…” Fans also unanimously felt that Odenkirk deserved the win and was robbed of the award. Twitter user @diencastillon shared their thoughts saying, “Bob Odenkirk played Saul Goodman, Jimmy McGill, and Gene Takavic so well. He should have won. He gave it his all in the final season of Better Call Saul. He deserved to win. I’m so heartbroken.”
While Lee Jung-Jae delivered a satisfactory performance as the protagonist of Squid Game, his performance does not live up to the standards of what Bob Odenkirk accomplished. Some online critics have described Squid Game as, “…a dumb, poorly written show reliant on cheap drama.” Additionally, the show holds an 8.0/10 on IMDB compared to Better Call Saul’s 8.9/10. In terms of support from critics, Better Call Saul is widely preferred over Squid Game. IMDB users label it as a “darkly comic and multilayered masterpiece,” a “tragic, beautifully written and directed show,” and “one of the best TV shows of the decade.”
Despite the praise from both critics and audiences alike, Better Call Saul and actor Bob Odenkirk still fell short at the recent Emmys. Odenkirk provided a once in a lifetime performance that we rarely see in modern television. His performance currently stands out, and will continue to do so for decades to come.
