Better Call Saul

[rico]

As I am sure many of y'all already know, a spinoff of "Breaking Bad" titled "Better Call Saul" will be airing in 2014. This is going to be a prequel to Breaking Bad and will be based on the character of Saul Goodman from "Breaking Bad."

I, for one, will be watching. I'm sure the majority of all of you other "Breaking Bad" fans will be as well. Might as well get the discussion going sooner rather than later.

So... what are your hopes, expectations and/or concerns with the show? Here are some of mine:

Hopes: I hope to see Saul do his thing in the courtroom. I hope to see strong, unique supporting characters. I hope to see Breaking Bad foreshadowing. I hope he has an intriguing paralegal and/or assistant. I hope to see Breaking Bad characters such as Fring, Mike, etc...whoever. I hope the show kicks ass.

Expectations: I don't expect it to be as good as "Breaking Bad" (because nothing else is, really), but I expect it to be good since Vince Gilligan is writing. I somewhat expect it to have an even balance of comedy and drama...since Saul undeniably provides a substantial amount of comedic relief in "Breaking Bad." I expect to see "courtroom Saul." I expect the "Breaking Bad" references and character cameos to be less than what I hope. If it isn't even a fraction as good as "Breaking Bad," I expect it to be better than 95% of everything else on TV, since there is some shitty shit on TV these days.

Concerns: I'd be a liar if I were to say that I didn't think this show has potential of flopping and certainly failing to meet the presumed high expectations of the audience. Don't get me wrong, I think it will be good... but I think it COULD suck if not executed properly. My main concern is Saul ultimately proving himself to be a "little dab will do ya" type of character, which would lead to a show centered around his character not working out. I am hoping that the character of Saul will not be so over-used and constantly over the top, that he becomes annoying to me, thus ruining his character for me altogether... Not saying I think this will be how it goes down...just saying I think there is a CHANCE of this being the case, which prompts me to believe that a strong supporting cast is VITAL in terms of the amount of success/quality this show will accumulate. All in all, I don't think VG will steer us in an unfortunate direction though...I think they'll pull it off.

Thoughts?

DISCUS!!!!

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

We're clearly at an impasse, but the process is driven by the creation of the script.

If scripts were called for quicker and funded, they would show up quicker and more personnel would be recruited for the DETAILS of locations, production, casting, sets and editing. And the ****ING ACTORS would be there to perform as well.

In that respect, South Park and The Daily Show are exactly like network TV. South Park has maniacal workaholic creators who can write quality episodes on a dime. The Daily Show has an armada of researchers and detail personnel who can assemble the called for material on demand.

Music? SP has musical episodes with indelible songs with lyrics, created on the same deadline.

So educate me. If an hour show takes an 80 week to score, do 30 minute shows take a 40 hour week? Does a 2 hour movie take 2 80 hour weeks to score? Does a min-series take 3-4 weeks? I mean, if it's a strict time-on-task matter, can a twice as gifted composer compose twice as fast like a twice as fast fabricator at the Ford plant? Did the theme for Green Acres take more or less time than the theme for Dr. Zhivago? Did the theme for Seinfeld take more or less time than The Godfather?

I don't know why you are so hung up on this. It's a creative process. That's fine. It's not a knock.

Sometimes The Beatles bang out a few of the greatest pop songs ever in an hour or so. Sometimes, a less inspired or qualified prog rock group takes decades to put together an album. Sometimes, the cast and crew of Apocalypse Now nearly kills themselves over months in the jungle. Sometimes a Kevin Smith or Robert Rodriguez pump out a classic in weeks on adrenaline, credit cards, and the time appropriate version of a GoPro.

Good ****ing God.

I'll address all these fallacies in due time.

But for someone who watches everything, it's amazing how little respect you have for it all.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Good ****ing God.

I'll address all these fallacies in due time.

But for someone who watches everything, it's amazing how little respect you have for it all.

Actually, the more you press this, the less respect you are showing.

I've told you numerous times, it's not a knock.

Creative content isn't a push button operation. If you write a good score or script in 40 hours. You don't write a great score or script by adding 10 or 20 hours more.

You seem to be conflating the logistics of the . . . less . . . creative details like sets, casting, location scouting, continuity, wardrobe, effects, etc., with the creative process. Those things can be hammered out with recruitment and investment.

Are you seriously suggesting that a Lorre or a Milch or an Abrams create twice as good a product in a given 2 weeks than they do in a given week?

Appreciate time and logistics, but that's not the same as creative.

Heck, watch retrospectives on any great show, and there are tons of anecdotes where the best moments were punched up on the spur of the moment, minutes to air. Or a genius plot that drives a season coming from a dream or a drunken encounter or a chance conversation.

There's a reason that 'stroke of genius' is a cliche and not 'lunch pail of genius.'

[eDave]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Actually, the more you press this, the less respect you are showing.

I've told you numerous times, it's not a knock.

Creative content isn't a push button operation. If you write a good score or script in 40 hours. You don't write a great score or script by adding 10 or 20 hours more.

You seem to be conflating the logistics of the . . . less . . . creative details like sets, casting, location scouting, continuity, wardrobe, effects, etc., with the creative process. Those things can be hammered out with recruitment and investment.

Are you seriously suggesting that a Lorre or a Milch or an Abrams create twice as good a product in a given 2 weeks than they do in a given week?

Appreciate time and logistics, but that's not the same as creative.

There's a reason that 'stroke of genius' is a cliche and not 'lunch pail of genius.'

As a creative myself, absolutely. NO doubt. As a creative, Dane will agree.

Why you think you know how creatives work?

[RobBlake]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Actually, the more you press this, the less respect you are showing.

I've told you numerous times, it's not a knock.

Creative content isn't a push button operation. If you write a good score or script in 40 hours. You don't write a great score or script by adding 10 or 20 hours more.

You seem to be conflating the logistics of the . . . less . . . creative details like sets, casting, location scouting, continuity, wardrobe, effects, etc., with the creative process. Those things can be hammered out with recruitment and investment.

Are you seriously suggesting that a Lorre or a Milch or an Abrams create twice as good a product in a given 2 weeks than they do in a given week?

Appreciate time and logistics, but that's not the same as creative.

Heck, watch retrospectives on any great show, and there are tons of anecdotes where the best moments were punched up on the spur of the moment, minutes to air. Or a genius plot that drives a season coming from a dream or a drunken encounter or a chance conversation.

There's a reason that 'stroke of genius' is a cliche and not 'lunch pail of genius.'

Just curious, how many things have you worked on based purely on being creative and mostly original that you want other people to enjoy ten years from you releasing it?

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Actually, the more you press this, the less respect you are showing.

I've told you numerous times, it's not a knock.

Creative content isn't a push button operation. If you write a good score or script in 40 hours. You don't write a great score or script by adding 10 or 20 hours more.

You seem to be conflating the logistics of the . . . less . . . creative details like sets, casting, location scouting, continuity, wardrobe, effects, etc., with the creative process. Those things can be hammered out with recruitment and investment.

Are you seriously suggesting that a Lorre or a Milch or an Abrams create twice as good a product in a given 2 weeks than they do in a given week?

Appreciate time and logistics, but that's not the same as creative.

Heck, watch retrospectives on any great show, and there are tons of anecdotes where the best moments were punched up on the spur of the moment, minutes to air. Or a genius plot that drives a season coming from a dream or a drunken encounter or a chance conversation.

There's a reason that 'stroke of genius' is a cliche and not 'lunch pail of genius.'

Great things are created through hard work. If a show isn't well made to begin with nobody will give two shits about those anecdotes or it's "strokes of genius"

Where you got the inspiration for a plot, song hook, chord progression, is irrelevant. The real work is turning it into something that people will love.

The Beatles could write hit songs in 15 min because of 1000's and 1000's of hrs they put into mastering their craft. Not to mention elite, natural musical talent to go along with it.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Great things are created through hard work. If a show isn't well made to begin with nobody will give two shits about those anecdotes or it's "strokes of genius"

Where you got the inspiration for a plot, song hook, chord progression, is irrelevant. The real work is turning it into something that people will love.

The Beatles could write hit songs in 15 min because of 1000's and 1000's of hrs they put into mastering their craft. Not to mention elite, natural musical talent to go along with it.

There's a difference between mastering your craft and producing product.

Analogous to the difference between Michael Jordan practicing and playing in the finals.

That's an artificial construct where the time is purposefully constrained to present the 'product,' but the comparison remains.

Creators lean on their entire life experience in their creative process. That doesn't mean a great idea fleshed out in a few days becomes a better idea with more sitting around ruminating or tinkering or fine tuning.

Sure, plenty of great idea require a great deal of legwork to bring to fruition. For instance GoT with elaborate sets and locations, or stop motion animation, or CGI extravaganzas. But a lot of that detail intensive time consuming work is separate from the creation.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Actually, the more you press this, the less respect you are showing.

I've told you numerous times, it's not a knock.

Creative content isn't a push button operation. If you write a good score or script in 40 hours. You don't write a great score or script by adding 10 or 20 hours more.

You seem to be conflating the logistics of the . . . less . . . creative details like sets, casting, location scouting, continuity, wardrobe, effects, etc., with the creative process. Those things can be hammered out with recruitment and investment.

Are you seriously suggesting that a Lorre or a Milch or an Abrams create twice as good a product in a given 2 weeks than they do in a given week?

Appreciate time and logistics, but that's not the same as creative.

Heck, watch retrospectives on any great show, and there are tons of anecdotes where the best moments were punched up on the spur of the moment, minutes to air. Or a genius plot that drives a season coming from a dream or a drunken encounter or a chance conversation.

There's a reason that 'stroke of genius' is a cliche and not 'lunch pail of genius.'

You're a ****ing moron that has absolutely NO clue what it takes to create a TV program week in and week out, albeit a popular show that's ingrained in the culture.

Any reference to The Beatles further proves your dumbassery.

Maybe for your third career, you should pack up, move to Hollywood and create/produce/write a weekly TV series.

Because, you know, it's easy and all and doesn't require working 9-5.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

it's easy and all

and doesn't require working 9-5.

Two completely different concepts.

Never said it was easy, liar.

[DJ's left nut]

Better Call Saul starts up again tonight, FYI.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Better Call Saul starts up again tonight, FYI.

Binging now.

[Baby Lee]

It remains between this and The Leftovers as the best shows of the past year, for me.

There's been plenty of quality stuff, but those two stand out among titans.

Very excited. I know people love Breaking Bad, but I think Saul's descent is an even better milieu for Gilligan's storytelling style.

[Buehler445]

Thanks for the reminder. We got a new Dish unit and didn't get this one set on the DVR.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Thanks for the reminder. We got a new Dish unit and didn't get this one set on the DVR.

Hopper 3?

[Demonpenz]

The fat guy who had a heart attack in season 1 can play in "Clock blunders....the Andy Reid Story"

[BWillie]

Excellent episode. By the teasers for next week...looks like they are really going to make his metamorphosis into Saul abrupt, at least from an outsider looking in.