‘Better Call Saul’ Is Boasting The Best Ensemble Cast On TV Right Now

It’s no secret that we’re in something of a golden age of television right now, and with big players like HBO, Netflix, FX, and AMC in the game, it’s not hard to see why – these prime examples of prestige TV are gifting us with moving dramas and flooring performances, but the one that has perhaps surprised us most of all is Breaking Bad prequel/spin-off Better Call Saul. With Breaking Bad vets Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould at the helm, it was always going to be good – but the series was originally marketed as a comedy, and with Bob Odenkirk‘s skeezy Saul Goodman at the center, it seemed built for that kind of story. What we didn’t expect, however, was a collectively stunning group performance from an ensemble cast of characters that were mostly not part of the Bad universe we were privy to.

Better Call Saul has been consistently great every week since the show began. Currently in its third season, the series has began to inch closer to its Breaking Bad origins, but has found a way to seamlessly integrate drama and comedy in a manner that is unparalleled on television. The elevated storytelling at play on the series warrants a plethora of praises, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, Giancarlo Esposito, Michael McKean, Patrick Fabian, Mark Margolis, Michael Mando, and a slew of other incredibly talented actors have come together and effectively become the strongest ensemble cast on television at the moment. There’s not a single week they don’t bring their A-game; whether on a villainous rampage, con-athon, or quest for justice, every single character takes viewers on a fascinating journey.

With the exception of Odenkirk, Banks, Margolis, Mando, and Esposito, the majority of the actors on Better Call Saul were brand new to viewers when the show began. Odenkirk, who has recently impressed with his tackling of dramatic roles, clearly understands the importance of his position as the eponymous character and delivers the performance of his career. The range of emotions that he plays – sometimes going from hilariously deadpan humor to heartbreaking devastation in one scene – are no easy feat, but Odenkirk skates between them with an apparent effortlessness. What Odenkirk is capable of was undeniable from the beginning of the series, and in case we’d forgotten, he gave us a flooring reminder of his chops in the second episode of the third season when he confronted Chuck about the tape. The way he moves between anger and devastation, the cracks in his voice, the expressions on his face – it’s as if he’s giving an acting master class. It’d be one thing if Odenkirk, the show’s lead, was the only one delivering such an astounding performance, but he’s not. The rest of the cast, whether alone on screen or opposite Odenkirk, have proved time and time again what they’re made of.

Seehorn, who takes center stage as brilliant lawyer Kim Wexler and Jimmy’s on-again, off-again love interest, brings a depth to the character that many other actresses might play as one-dimensional. She’s conflicted, she’s determined, she can let go or hold on tight – and that’s what makes watching her so much fun. When she leans into her chemistry with Jimmy, we can’t help but root for them to get together – but we also can’t blame her for going cold when he messes up and doesn’t see the problem with his lies or misguided behavior. There’s something in Seehorn’s eyes that speaks volumes – she says what she needs to say without ever opening her mouth in many scenes. Her conflict of interest with Mesa Verde this season and guilty conscience about what she did to Chuck has allowed Seehorn to deliver one of the most subtly moving performances on the show – the twisted road she’s gone down with Jimmy has been followed with the best intentions, but where’s it going to lead her? Seehorn’s navigation of Kim’s emotional roller coaster is completely riveting week-to-week. McKean, who we know and love from This is Spinal Tap, is something of an olympic actor-lete on the series. Portraying someone who believes they have electromagnetic sensitivity could have easily come off as some kind of goofy gag, but the methods to McKean’s madness – and the way he plays his complicated fall from grace – are extraordinary. It’s not difficult to hate Chuck for the torment he places on Jimmy – but the layers that McKean has created within the character make him both sympathetic and infuriating. Watching the brothers’ verbal tennis match in “Chicanery” was heart-racing – and by the end, had certainly cemented the both of them as awards-season frontrunners. It’s an overwhelming five minutes of television, one that could only have been accomplished with actors of this caliber.

The series’ silent, stoic secret weapons, Mike and Gus, bring us the Breaking Bad touch without ever feeling fan-servicey or overplayed. Banks, who typically plays Mike with a quiet, curmudgeonly charm, tore out our hearts early on in Better Call Saul‘s first season when he tearfully admitted he “broke his boy”, and the depth accessed by Banks was a devastating, awe-inspiring surprise. It only spoke further to the assets possessed by the cast, and Banks has consistently kept things interesting as new components of Mike’s past and present have been introduced – he’s a man who says it all with his eyes. The highly-anticipated introduction of the fan-favorite villain played by Esposito has also developed organically and excitingly; it’s entirely too much fun to watch this earnest, integrity-driven fast food chain manager run his establishment when we know what kind of gory things he’s capable of. We know what he can do with a box cutter, but his subdued smiles and polite mannerisms – and brief moments of weakness when he reveals his true feelings about Hector Salamanca to Mike – paint a dynamic, intriguing picture of a man that won’t let you know him too well. These two – especially when on screen together – are a force to be reckoned with. It’s electrifying, and the fact that both actors deliver each scene like they have a secret makes it all the more gripping.

Mentioning every single talented individual on Better Call Saul would take days, but the truth is that there is not a single other series with such a cohesive group of actors that deliver these kinds of performances both solo and together on television right now. Whether they’re in long, silent pursuit of a shady character and tell the entire story with their eyes, having a space blanket-covered meltdown, or making the most cringeworthy commercial ever created, every role on this show is filled by an actor with an immense capacity for honest storytelling. So don’t write off Better Call Saul as just another simple comedic spin-off or show to add to your queue; it’s home to the best ensemble cast on television, and attention should damn well be paid.