Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul exec producers Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould watch Bob Odenkirk being made up as Jimmy McGill during filming for Season 3.by KenBearing in mind how historically tight-fisted Breaking Bad mastermind Vince Gilligan has always been about over-revealing what's to come, it's not entirely surprising that AMC's heralded first sneak peek at Season 3 of Better Call Saul ("F

Look who's back! In case you were wondering, no, in the future, which is to say in Breaking Bad times, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) and "Tio" (Mark Margolis) never did meet -- or never do meet? (It's hard to get the verb tenses right.)by KenOkay, I'm reminded in the interview we're going to get to with that great character actor Mark Margolis that in Breaking Bad we actually did see Hector "Tio" Salamanca, the onetime cartel-kingpin uncle of the terrifying Tuco Salamanca, talk: in flashback.

It's the birth of the "real" Mike! (Foolish as those other guys are made to look, I'll bet the actors were thrilled to be doing a scene with Jonathan Banks.) In this corner, the next-to-last episode of Season 1 of Better Call Saul registered as a "wow!"by KenThere's been an inordinate amount of crap to wade through on the TV scene, but also some oases. This includes a number that probably deserve -- and may yet get -- individual attention, but which I didn't want to go uncelebrated.WASN'T THAT AN AWESOME BETTER CALL SAUL?"You're not a real lawyer," Chuck McGill says to brother Jimmy.

It's kind of a shame that we already knew that Jimmy McGill going to tangle with this familiar-to-us face, but the producers had to give us something in the name of -- gasp -- publicity, if only to guard the important secrets."You also realize that it wasn’t the drug that made him that way. Deep down inside, he just has anger issues."-- Raymond Cruz, on playing Tuco Salamanca again,but now six years before Breaking Badby KenYou know how I always say I'd like to know as little as possible about a TV show or movie I'm going to watch? Case in point: the premier episode of Better Call Saul.

Bob Odenkirk talks to Jimmy Kimmel about Better Call Saul, and shows him some, er, surprising clipsJimmy tells Bob he's really enjoyed the two episodes he was given to watch. Bob tells Jimmy he's only seen one -- but hopes the second one turned out well.

Better Call Saul showrunners Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan"The character of Jimmy McGill has taken us places we never expected. Jimmy's not yet Saul Goodman: he's his own man, and he's messy and struggling and still finding himself."-- from the open letter from Vince and Peterby KenI realize that I'm risking becoming a PR shill for Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad prequel that AMC is unveiling in a two-part premiere Sunday and Monday, February 8 and 9, at 10pm/9pm CT.

"Money is not 'beside the point.' Money is the point."-- Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), aka Saul Goodman,in AMC's Better Call Saulby KenThanks for clarifying that, Saul . . . er, Jimmy. Note that as we edge closer to the two-night premiere of Better Call Saul, February 8 and 9, AMC has released this "extended trailer."Which still leaves the matter of a second possible Breaking Bad prequel that has been discussed, The Rise of Gus. While rummaging around online, I found this interview with Giancarlo Esposito which was posted in May 2014.

AMC is running a complete Breaking Bad marathon.by KenIf you're reading this now, chances are pretty good that you're not in at the start of AMC's complete-series segmented marathon of Breaking Bad, which began this morning at 10am ET/PT, 9am CT, and 8am MT (as best I can tell -- if ever there was a time to consult your local listings, this is it), but you've still got oodles of time to join in.

by KenDon't get too excited -- there's not much to it, but come on, it's been two full weeks since we passed on news of the Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul. I realize we're being manipulated shamelessly by the AMC publicity machine, dribbling out snitches 'n' snatches of not much, but what're ya gonna do?