10 Years Ago, No One Believed in This Show—Now It’s One of the Highest-Rated Ever!

On Monday, February 9, 2015, a series launched on Netflix in France that many had doubted. It was a spin-off from a highly acclaimed series, beloved by critics and audiences alike, setting a high bar for any successor. Yet, this series not only met the challenge but is often considered better than the original!

The Tale of a Lawyer

You might have guessed already; the show is Better Call Saul, a Breaking Bad spin-off focused on Saul Goodman, the lawyer who first appeared in the second season of Breaking Bad and remained until the end. No one expected his character to last beyond one episode. Breaking Bad’s gritty realism and dark tone contrasted sharply with the inclusion of a character as whimsical as Saul Goodman, played by comedian Bob Odenkirk, which initially made one of the show’s writers skeptical.

Better Call Saul starts before the events of Breaking Bad, at a time when Goodman is a small-time hustler wanting to “go straight” and become a public defender. The series chronicles his rise from these humble beginnings to becoming the “guy who knows a guy” beloved by fans of Breaking Bad.

“Breaking Call Saul”

Upon its release on February 8, 2015, on AMC in the United States, critics immediately praised the project, and the airing of the first episode set a new record for a series premiere on cable TV with 6.9 million viewers, surpassing the pilot of Deadwood, which had held the record since 2004. The following day, the show premiered in France via Netflix, at a time when it was the only popular streaming platform available. Consequently, the series also achieved success in France.

With six seasons aired between 2015 and 2022, Better Call Saul has established itself as one of the major TV series of recent years. Rated 4.4 out of 5 on AlloCiné, it nearly matches Breaking Bad, which holds the title of the best TV series of all time with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. Not bad for a series whose announcement had initially divided opinions, as evidenced by the comments under our article announcing the project.

Ultimately, the series, created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, managed to pay tribute to and enhance Breaking Bad while brilliantly developing its own narrative.

If you’ve never given the show a chance and want to form your own opinion, it is still available on Netflix.