Better Call Saul Season 5 (2020) Review

Better Call Saul Season 5 (2020) Review

 After catching up on the previous 4 seasons of the show I have now finished watch new fifth season of Better Call Saul and here is my review. The premise of the season sees Jimmy McGill restart his law practise under the new name Saul Goodman, while Mike and Nacho are in the middle of a war between Gus & Lalo. 

Main Character 

Bob Odenkirk is back as Jimmy McGill and this is the season where he really starts the transition from that character to the more sleezy Saul Goodman that we would see in Breaking Bad. There is so much depth to his character, he is uber charismatic in his Goodman persona but it is the more personal scenes that stand out for me. Jimmy's relationship with Kim is one of the most fascinating relationships on not just this show but any show on television and it really adds to both characters. 

Supporting Characters

As mentioned Rhea Seehorn's character Kim Wexler's relationship with Goodman is a real highlight of the show. She is a great character and one that you truly empathise with as her development over the show has been just as interesting as Goodman's has been. Jonathan Banks as Mike has a great arc this season too, you see how the effects of last season really hits him and makes him question exactly if he is making the right decisions whis adds layer to his performance. Michael Mando has been on the show from the very beginning and he continues to do a great job on the show, he has so much depth to him and you see just how his relationships with the gangsters is really affecting him and you really just want to see him succeed. Tony Dalton gets a larger role as Lola Salamanca and wow this guy is a scene stealer, he is so charismatic and even though he is a terrible person he actually can come across as quite likeable and somebody that you actually would want to hang out with. The one thing that should be said is that the showrunners heavily hyped the return of the character from Breaking Bad Hank Schrader and if you come to see him then don't he isn't really on the show and feels like it shouldn't have been advertised so heavily. 

Story

One of my criticisms of the show has been that the stories have felt quite seperate, but this season really fixes that. You see how Saul Goodman's life is affected by all these things and all the arcs are fascinating and makes these characters feel like people we can care about. It also feels like the stakes are risen this season and that adds some more excitement to the plot, the last few episodes particularly are a real rollercoaster and are truly memorable. 

Script

The script is brilliant, this is probably the funniest and most grim season of the show. The humour works really well especially with Lalo and Saul who are very funny people but the drama is nailed this season. The simple meetings are made more intense by some fantastic writing that fleshes out the characters and truly make them feel like real people in exceptional circumstances. 

Style

Again my other criticism of the show has sometimes been the pacing of the show but it is much improved this season, the 10 epsiodes fly by and feel appropriate to get the most out of all the arcs. The style is also more fast paced and thrilling which adds to to the high quality there are some truly memorable scenes that are editied perfectly and delivered brilliantly.

Overall

Overall I have thought Better Call Saul has been a great show, but this season steps it up in every way, it is a brilliant season that if you have given up on this show then get back on as the characters are truly memorable. 

Rating - 10/10