PART ONE

Despite having some idea of how things must turn out (and the fact that they did the dumb “split final season” thing), Part One of Better Call Saul’s final season manages to tell a mostly complete story full of tension, schemes, laughs, and emotion. This batch of episodes stands on their own more than any other “Part One” I’ve seen by never feeling like they exist solely to set up Part Two. Everyone involved does typically excellent work, but special shoutout to Patrick Fabian, who may have earned an Emmy nomination with his work in the mid-season finale. Overall, a terrific beginning of the end.

PART TWO

While the structure of Part Two leaves a little something to be desired (the first two episodes feel like Part One’s finale followed by four episodes of black and white epilogue), there is no denying the masterclass this series has given in handling both a prequel and a final season. It’s tense, emotional, and perfectly acted, all while delivering satisfying ends to Kim (Rhea Seehorn) and Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk). Admittedly, the epilogue aspect makes it a tad anticlimactic towards the end, and some may claim it’s too predictable, but these minor complaints don’t detract from what has been one of the best shows this century.