You better call Saul went home empty-handed from the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, which took place last night. A spin-off of AMC’s critically acclaimed crime drama Breaking Bad, You better call Saul follows Bob Odenkirk as the titular con man turned lawyer, Saul Goodman, aka Jimmy McGill, in his early years while also exploring the aftermath of the events of Breaking Bad.
But unlike its predecessor, You better call Saul has been largely ignored by the Emmys and most other major television awards, even though the show is just as good, if not better than Breaking Bad. You better call Saul released its sixth and final season this year, bringing the much-loved show to a climax and ending Odenkirk’s 14-year stint as the “criminal” attorney, Saul Goodman.
Since season 6 is the last, You better call Saul had some sentimental factors that worked in his favor at the Emmys this time around. And given the difficulties the creators faced while filming during the pandemic and Odenkirk braved a near-fatal heart attack, fans were rooting for You better call Saul to win.
You better call Saul he was not expected to rule the Emmys coincidentally – it had only four nominations: Best Outstanding Drama Series; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Odenkirk; Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn; and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Thomas Schnauz (Episode 8: Plan and Execution). But no one expected it to be completely overlooked either.
Odenkirk lost to Lee Jung-jae (squid game), while Seehorn was defeated by Julia Garner (Ozark) for her third straight Emmy as Ruth Langmore, and her fiery performance was more than deserved. As for the Outstanding Writing and Drama Series categories, You better call Saul lost to HBOs Successionn in both. You better call Saul didn’t do any better in the Creative Arts Emmys either, though the editing and cinematography have always been its plus points.
As expected, You better call Saul fans are not happy with the Emmys, and many are expressing their dismay on social media. You can view some of the responses below.
You better call Saul Still has a chance to win an Emmy next year
The Primetime Emmys of 2022 were a mixed bag. You better call Saul wasn’t the only show to be disapproved; several 2022 buzzy titles including: Only murders in the building, Yellowjackets, Barry, and The wonderful Mrs. Maisel, also failed to win in the top categories. You could say that the Emmys put popularity over quality, but Yellowstone season 4 didn’t even earn a nomination this year, and it has both.
In any case, all hope is not lost for You better call Saul, as it also qualifies for the 2023 Emmys. Season six premiered in two parts this year, and only the first half was considered this year. While it had a shocking mid-season finale and an explosive goodbye for Nacho Varga (Michael Mando), the second half is where Odenkirk could really shine. The series finale, which will go down in the books as one of the biggest ever, won’t be considered until next year.
But Bob Odenkirk seems to be taking his loss for now. The actor tweeted in support of the cast and crew, especially Seehorn.
“For the past eight years I’ve had the honor of working with the very best on stage and off. Way more than I deserved. Rhea, thank you for keeping my head off the concrete floor.”
Let’s hope 2023 comes with a long-awaited recognition for You better call Saul.