I'm a huge fan of Breaking Bad and I thought Odenkirk's Saul Goodman was jarringly out of place tonally when I first saw him (and it sounds like Odenkirk agrees). So I'm looking forward to seeing where he goes with it. And if you haven't seen Breaking Bad, here's a brief plot summary of everything that has happened so far:

It Gets Worse. No matter how bad things look, no matter how bleak, it just gets worse.

Breaking Bad is, hands down, the buzz-killingest thing ever shown on TV. It's a GREAT show, and the humanity of the central characters just makes their dire predicaments that much more painful to watch. It's a flinch-fest. I have never seen a TV show go to such extremes to wring every last drop of despair out of its cast. Watch it.

But remember, Bryan Cranston came to Breaking Bad after several seasons as the Big Goofball Dad on Malcolm in the Middle, so Odenkirk's 'odd casting' is not unprecedented; it just was harder for him to get into 'buzz-kill' mode (and the parodic style of the commercial didn't help him).

I thought Odenkirk added a nice element to the show that was otherwise missing. I wouldn't say "levity" exactly, but something like that.

Ooh, good point about that, oneswellfoop. You know some freshman composition student has written a paper titled Walter and Hal: The Modern Dad on TV or something like that.

I can't wait for the new season to start 3/21!

I thought Odenkirk was simply perfect as Saul Goodman. Everyone in that damn show is perfect.

And as to "it gets worse," it gets worse because these people full well damn themselves. They aren't victims of anything. Their eyes are wide open. They just deny what they see. It blows my mind.

Plus, having grown up in New Mexico, I find the stark landscapes achingly beautiful. They must find just the bleakest parts of Albuquerque and surrounding area and film there because it's really not THAT barren. But the look of the land fits the show.

Yes! Yes, I am.