Better Call Saul - Series 1, Episode 1 "Uno" (Review)

AMC's spin-off of critically acclaimed, nuclear bomb TV series 'Breaking Bad' aired in the US on Sunday night, and reached the UK in the early hours of monday morning, ready to be digested by creator Vince Gilligan's starving fan-base. Announced in April 2013, 'Better Call Saul' is the long awaited answer to the question 'what now?' after the climax of the Walter White tragedy left fans of the show more open mouthed than it had kept them throughout the series.

This prequel and possibly sequel series see's Bob Odenkirk take his role as slimy, slogan-slinging lawyer 'Saul Goodman' into the forefront, supposedly six years before his dealings with the infamous, meth kingpin 'Heisenberg'.

This review/ reflection of the first episode will probably assume some knowledge about people's familiarity with the story as a whole and possibly spoil some elements of the original series, so if you belong to the minority of people without their 'I've seen Breaking Bad' badge, look away now (and watch Breaking Bad, like, immediately).

As the episode begins we have our beloved Saul shown to us in an unfamiliar habitat; behind the counter of a fast food dessert restaurant called 'Cinnabon'. It becomes obvious as the hints move into place that we have joined him sometime after his escape from his life as Saul Goodman. He has been away long enough to establish the character of 'Gene', the balding fast food dessert store manager, somewhere in Nebraska. Saul is somewhat comically disguised in a bushy moustache and glasses as he clambers through his daily work routine to the tune of 'The Ink Spots- Address Unknown'.

This opening black and white sequence did an excellent job of settling me back down into the Gilligan universe and establishing Saul as no longer the laid-back, tongue in cheek goofster that bounced in and out of Breaking Bad when called upon, but instead a fragile, deeply on edge, lead man, who has found himself in hiding, following his run-ins with some of the grittiest members of America's underworld.

I was naive to think that creator Vince Gilligan would loosen his focus and eye for detail in this spin-off series, as each camera cut and placement of objects seems to have meticulous planning behind it, forcing me to hunt for Easter eggs within the frame that may prove important later in the story or even provide a hat tip to Saul's prior adventures with Walt and company.

As we find Gene back at home and follow him around the house through stalker type angles, he rummages to find an old video tape of his alter-ego Saul. Placing it in the VCR player, he watches back his old TV adverts through seemingly gritted teeth and a face that is on the brink of tears. As he is reminded of what placed him in this foreign, snow topped town far from Albuquerque, New Mexico, we are snapped out of the black and white, eerie present situation of Gene and plunged back into the recesses of his mind, where we find James McGill, the original pseudonym of Saul Goodman (after the catchy credit sequence of course).


From then on we see a day in the life of struggling lawyer McGill as he attempts to earn a steady buck on the Public Defender circuit, while establishing his own law firm. With a couple of familiar faces thrown in from the Breaking Bad franchise, and a Grand Theft Auto mission-esque plot to con a potential client, we begin to see James McGill morph into Saul Goodman as the odds stack against him and he finds himself doing what he can to make ends meet.

This opening gambit, though not too highly anticipated from myself did not disappoint, whilst I was extremely hopeful of Gilligan's ability to carry out a spin-off in a manner that wouldn't take anything away from the original series, or borrow too much from it in order to match its stature, I was more curious to know whether or not it could be done, rather than looking forward to the idea of the series itself.

I am aware that many more cameo's will occur from the cast of BB which would be a trick too foolish to avoid, as the depth of each character definitely has my vote to be explored, however I hope this does not form the basis of the show and that it is allowed to stand on its own without the aid of Gilligan's home-run-hit.

Now it has me, I feel it won't lose me, the killer cliff hangar that left off the first episode has not just invited me into episode two, but more dragged me by the eyes.

Episode 1 is available now on Netflix and episode 2 drops at 7am Tuesday morning.

Going Cold Turkey: Vegetarianism (Part II - First Meat-Free Shopping Trip)

Having finally offloaded the last bits of meat in my freezer, the slate was wiped clean, and I was excited to stock up on some new products and go in search for items that wouldn't usually make the list.

I was mostly interested in meat-replacement services like Quorn and Tofu as I had never thought or looked twice at these products before I turned. Though, I have had Quorn before in the uncanny shape and demeanour of a sausage, I can't quite remember how I felt about it at the time, but I don't think it was at all negative. This time around I bought Quorn 'chicken' and 'beef' and await the response of my body to these fungi in disguise.

I've seen mixed reviews of Tofu and wanted to make my own mind up, but unfortunately I couldn't find any inside the belly of supermarket beasts Aldi or Tesco and so will look elsewhere. Unless I missed the secret passage that I'm to be lead down by whispering a code word inside one of the workers ears.

I'd hoped I wouldn't experience any kind of food snobbery, especially being a vegetarian noob after only just converting, but as I found myself skipping the 'poultry' 'beef' and 'fish' aisles there was an inkling of thought that slipped through, telling me I was more morally accomplished for throwing butternut squash in my trolley instead of a leg of lamb.

I was handed another moral dilemma as I was searching for eggs and having to check with my conscience which ones to get. Now I have to look for organic, free range, 'don't worry we gave them warm clothes and fed them treats in a luxurious garden before we forced them to shit out an egg' eggs, so as to not have a double standard about how I believe it is wrong to kill an animal for food, but that its OK to keep them cooped up in a shit filled B&B until they've eaten so much they might explode.

There I was, however, shopping in a supermarket, creating the demand for these shithouses by feeding a mass producing grocery retailer. But until I have enough space to house chickens and cows that can produce eggs and milk with a smile on their face, I will continue to be a cog.

I wasn't tempted to meat-out during this shop, despite my accompaniment for the trip flashing steak cuts and chorizo sausages in my eye-line, s/o Dan Morris for doing so.




 

The Cribs - 'Burning for No One' + 'An Ivory Hand' (Track Reviews/ Sigh)

Ahead of the release of their sixth studio album 'For All My Sisters' that will drop on the 23rd March this year from their own label 'Sonic Blue' records (in partnership with Sony RED) three piece, indie rock, band of brothers The Cribs have released the singles 'An Ivory Hand' and 'Burning for No One'.

This is the latest peeking of the Jarman brothers collective heads since their hibernation following 2012's full length release 'In the Belly of the Brazen Bull'. Teaser track 'An Ivory Hand' was gifted to Cribs fans shortly after the official announcement of the new record, and though it didn't have me clinging onto the replay button for days on end like I wish a new Cribs song would, after a few listens I felt an uncertain but familiar warmth that the band gave me in the lead up to their last LP.

The track kicks off and throws me back into a world with The Cribs like they'd never left, instantly feeling the force of all three Jarmans with help from producer and ex Cars member Ric Ocasek. A vocal mirroring synth runs alongside a weezer-esque melody and a crunching guitar riff in a cleanly produced menage a trois of catchyness. The Cribs have always had a way with chorus' and vocal hooks, and in this teaser track, front men Ryan and Gary continue their form, less in the spit soaked microphone screams that I have grown accustom to, and more fist on chest vocal bellows toward the back wall of space that they began to favour on their last record. This ever changing Cribs cycle looked to me to be continuing its evolution in a positive light.

Though something didn't quite sit right with me after hearing this teaser track; maybe it is the time apart and the growing both I and the Cribs have experienced over the years that meant I didn't click with the song, but I was desperate to hear more to know for sure whether we were both still on the same tracks.

Then I saw they had dropped a second teaser single. Hoping not to be correct about catchyness for catchyness' sake in this new direction, I went into 'Burning for No One' with a fragile mindset. Upon and after the four second mark of the song I fell weak at the ears. To be a long-serving member of The Cribs' fan-base and hear such blandness on all fronts was somewhat impossible to believe.  The song doesn't move on from it's pub band dwelling rhythm guitar twang that is revisited after a chorus that is flatteringly given a double round each time. The track comes and goes leaving nothing to look back on or revisit, unless you're going back to check whether what you just heard was in fact a Cribs song or not.    .

Perhaps this pop drenched offspring of 2009 album 'Ignore the Ignorant' exists due to the talk of a split LP from the band when they first hinted this new release. One record to accommodate their long standing fans, who recognize the band as a force that (with the exception of Johnny Marr induced hiccup 'Ignore the Ignorant') has pressed up against the box of mainstream British chart music and delivered a blemished and unforgiving alternative. The other to rightly or wrongly exist within said box and attract interest from those who may be unfamiliar with the band, or just prefer their more poppy adventures.

However, it seems instead that they could be looking to pass in and out of these two musical avenues within the track-listing of the one LP, which by the sounds of this second single, could mean more upsetting times to come. I will of course listen to the the full album and review it upon its release. I can only hope that within a full project I can see the bigger picture of songs like 'Burning for No One' whilst I get my teeth into what more is to come along the parallel of  'An Ivory Hand'.


In case you missed the hyperlinks you can check the songs out here:

Burning for No One - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tMG68Orftw

An Ivory Hand - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tMG68Orftw

CHECK OUT THEIR OTHER PROJECTS WHILE YOU'RE AT IT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.


   
   

Going Cold Turkey: Vegetarianism (Part I - My Reasons)

Eating meat has finally stopped making sense.

The idea of converting to a vegetarian lifestyle has been sat patiently at the back of my mind for a large chunk of time. While it seems to me now that there is no logical reason to continue eating meat, two weeks ago my brain couldn't comprehend a day without it.

While I attempted to understand these barriers, I found myself back home after my mindless weekly shop where i'd purchased meat as a force of habit. I'd bought enough to last me a couple of weeks at least, but as I prepared the beasts for the freezer I found myself repulsed by the idea of how convenient it was for me to do so. I get hungry, there's nothing to eat, I purchase the goods, and I'm fulfilled, painless. 

Being so far removed  and only seeing the end product as I would any other grocery, makes it a perfectly impersonal process, i'm sure that if I was handed a knife and told to bring steak for a household I would come back bearing the gift of canned beans and a loaf of bread. 

These thoughts got the ball rolling, however I knew my actions to abstain from meat would not affect the world at large, so why should I be the one to never visit that familiar roast ham haven ever again? Besides, wouldn't, given the chance, the animals that are slaughtered do the same to me in my shoes? I'm just lucky enough to find myself at the top of the food chain looking down; selecting what will sustain my deserving human body for the minute, it's just the way it is. 

Then I reminded myself that no decision I have ever made has affected the world at large, so this is no kind of excuse, I wish instead to change the world inside my head, whether it sends the animal kingdom into a frenzy to break free and run into my open arms to congratulate me or not. 

As for my stance at the top of the food chain, I do not feel I deserve that status, nor do I need it. If it were the case that I had to eat meat or starve to death I would be selfishly and infinitely thankful to our ancestors for teaching the generations to feed, but not now, not with all of the alternatives that are available to experiment with and discover. 

Aside from the obvious nutritional value, I feel I have no real obligation to meat. Aside from beef burgers of the cheese soaked, red in the middle with all the toppings I desire variety, I know I can look back on my meat filled days with a short lived glance. 

Being shown the website www.theppk.com/ by a friend who has recently taken the plunge into vegetarianism helped me to find a bunch of recipes that eased the pain of thinking i'll never eat for pleasure again.

I shall be using this blog space to  describe in detail the hallucinations and night sweats I experience with my withdrawal symptoms, but mainly just to mark my progress and commentate new food experiences. .