The brainchild of Vince Gilligan and Peter Goud, Better Call Saul is the spin-off from Gilligan’s previous work, crime series Breaking Bad, serving as its prequel. The legal drama premiered on AMC, airing for a whopping 6 seasons and amassing an outstanding 53 Emmy Nominations over the years.
The black comedy starring Bob Odenkirk has managed to win none of its nominated categories. Unlike the acclaimed Breaking Bad series that had clinched an impressive 16 Emmys during its AMC tenure, ‘Better Call Saul’ experienced a drought of its deserved accolades at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, on January 6 and 7. In all of the three hours aired and 26 categories presented on Fox, many highly nominated works were snubbed.
Ted Lasso (with 21 nominations), The Last Of Us (second most nominated series) and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (with 14 nominations for its last season) failed to win a single award during the highly anticipated televised main ceremony, which had been delayed for months due to the 2023 Hollywood labour disputes. Each series, however, won 2, 8 and 2 awards respectively at the Creative Arts Emmys held last weekend. The series lost to Succession in all but one category, where Jennifer Coolidge of The White Lotus beat Better Call Saul’s Rhea Seehorn for best supporting actress. Christopher Storer’s American Comedy-drama The Bear and Beef starring Ali Wong dominated the star-studded night with 6 and 5 wins each.
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences shocked audiences by abandoning the critically acclaimed drama led by the stellar cast of Bob and Rhea. Many of us can attest to questioning the internal voting process of the prestigious television awards. But fans know that even getting a single nomination is a tough reach for many shows. The Wire got one nomination over five seasons, which it lost. Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia is yet to be nominated over the course of its 16 seasons.
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What is ‘Better Call Saul’?
The patient visuals gently carry us through a meticulously woven narrative. Depicted against the dusty landscape of New Mexico, it highlights the seedy underbelly of Albuquerque. Jimmy McGill swears to stay away from the world of crime, but as the lines between legalities blur, he finds himself sinking deeper into it. The shifty lawyer starts questioning his own ethics, captivating viewers away from Breaking Bad’s universe of high-stakes drug lords. Witness Jimmy’s moral compass wobble as he navigates the cutthroat Albuquerque legal scene, battling against a rigid system that seems determined to keep him down.
The ‘An earnest lawyer turned a conman’ narrative has managed to garner a loyal fanbase, which, frankly, is often found proletysing about the niceties of the show quite often. It isn’t simply a Breaking Bad prequel, it is a gripping drama with stunning cinematography and a pulsating soundtrack full of suspense.
Odenkirk portrays the slimy lawyer Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman brilliantly. The greasy no-gooder tries his best to run away from his life of shady dealings, but only to slide right back into it. His hilariously dark comedic timing and his character’s slow downfall lay his vulnerabilities bare. Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, Jimmy’s fiercely ambitious girlfriend gives one of the most criminally underrated performances in the annals of AMC and television history.
Better Call Saul went out on a high note with a brilliantly crafted final season. The show finds its strength in the compelling and meticulously laid down framework. The slow burn pace kills one from the inside, as you find yourself at the edge of your seat every moment. The seedy sets and shifty frantic looks instil a sense of uncertainty and insecurity in the spectator, as Saul makes his way through the dubious nature of his newfound shenananigans. Beyond its exceptional acting, Better Call Saul crafts a meticulously crafted world. Critics and audiences alike hail it as one of the greatest television shows of our time.
Nominations and Previous Accolades
Throughout the show’s run, Better Call Saul’s lead Odenkirk received six nominations in the Best Lead Actor in a Drama category while Seehorn earned two nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. Both went unacknowledged at the Emmys this time as well.
Better Call Saul was also nominated twice in the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series category. Writers Gordon Smith and Peter Gould were up for the episodes “Point and Shoot” and “Saul Gone,” respectively. Succession creator Jesse Armstrong, however, took home the award for the season 4 episode titled “Connor’s Wedding.”
But it has garnered multiple accolades over the years. Better Call Saul has been nominated for 185 and has won a total of 31 industry awards since premiering in 2015. It won four awards for Television Program of the Year from the American Film Institute. Bob Odenkirk was nominated for three consecutive Golden Globes for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama. Rhea Seehorn won two Satellite Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film, and one Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television.
Fans with a-“S’all good” Attitude
WE DID IT!!!! https://t.co/rrgUjs5Flb
— Thomas Schnauz (@TomSchnauz) January 16, 2024
While Better Call Saul did not secure any Emmy wins, it doesn’t claim the record for the highest number of losses. However, it does hold the distinction of receiving the most nominations without a single win.
Enthusiastic fans and the cast and crew of the show alike were very much unfazed by the no-win situation at the prestigious awards. Across X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, dedicated followers passionately shared their love for Better Call Saul, with some of them even calling it too good for the Emmys. Better Call Saul writer Thomas Schnauz remains unaffected.
#bettercallsaul writers, rhea, bob, peter, vince, you won in our hearts. you won every goddamn year. every one of those 53 nominations were rightfully yours to win. i’m sorry the television academy never understood the game changing piece of art you put on our screens for 6 years pic.twitter.com/EKsHSAcSfH
— ❄️duncan elliott❄️ (@duncann_donutss) January 16, 2024
Fans of the show displayed a very ‘Saul Goodman’ attitude, with their ‘S’all good’ memes all over Twitter. For Better Call Saul to go through all those ups and downs and end up empty-handed is a very Better Call Saul kind of result. It’s still the same show it ever was, even without the accolades. That sense of grievance will make sure it always has a lot of people ready to leap to its defence. With or without its wins, the show is one of the finest achievements of the industry, and its legacy will surely hold the test of time.