Better Call Saul is a spin-off prequel of the popular series Breaking Bad. Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the show’s first season received positive responses and was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards at the 67th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The series takes place in 2002, six years before the events of Breaking Bad, and follows the story of James Morgan “Jimmy” McGill, a former con artist turned lawyer, who often resorts to underhanded tactics to achieve his goals.
In the show’s first season, Jimmy McGill operates as a lawyer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. One day, he attempts to represent a married couple, Craig and Betsy Kettleman, who have been accused of embezzling $1.5 million. However, they choose the law firm Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill (HHM) to handle their case instead. HHM is one of the largest law firms in Albuquerque, founded by Jimmy’s brother Chuck McGill and George M. Hamlin.
Feeling slighted, Jimmy devises a scheme to become the right person to solve the Kettlemans’ problem. He enlists his acquaintance Lars and Cal, twin skateboarders, to carry out his plan. One of them will pretend to be hit by Betsy’s car and fake a broken leg. Jimmy would then come to the rescue, saving Betsy from the trouble.
Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned as the twins target the wrong car. They pursue the car and demand compensation for the collision. The driver turns out to be an elderly woman with a grandson named Tuco Salamanca, a gangster. Lars and Cal are then held captive in Tuco’s garage. Jimmy arrives at the scene and tries to explain the situation to Tuco, who suspects Jimmy to be a cop and points a gun at him.
Tuco kidnaps the group and takes them to the desert along with Nacho and his henchmen. Jimmy negotiates with them and finally persuades Tuco and Nacho that they targeted the wrong car. Nacho then asks Jimmy to uncover where the Kettlemans have hidden the $1.5 million. Jimmy refuses and tells Nacho that he is not a criminal. Nacho gives Jimmy his number and asks him to call if he changes his mind.
That night, Jimmy disguises his voice and calls the Kettlemans from a phone booth, warning them that they are in danger. The next morning, Jimmy learns that the Kettlemans have disappeared and are believed to have been kidnapped. Meanwhile, the police arrest Nacho because his van was parked in front of the Kettlemans’ residence.
Nacho hires Jimmy as his lawyer to handle the case. In the interrogation room, Nacho accuses Jimmy of framing him and threatens to kill him unless he can prove his innocence.
Throughout the first season of Better Call Saul, the character of Jimmy McGill does not change much. Bob Odenkirk portrays Jimmy with impressive skill and retains his trademark raspy voice and behavior. The audience is taken on a journey through the beginnings of Jimmy’s career as he strives to become a respected lawyer in Albuquerque.
