"I HAVE PEOPLE WAITING FOR ME": THE REDEMPTIVE POWER OF LOVE AND SACRIFICE IN BETTER CALL SAUL

Abstract

A spin-off of one the most critically acclaimed TV shows ever, Better Call Saul had to meet very high expectations of the Breaking Bad fans and critics. However, thanks to its complexity and its memorable characters, the show turned out to be not only as good as the previous one, but also more successful in certain aspects. One of the reasons for such positive critical acclaim is certainly the introduction of numerous morally am- biguous characters, whose complexity blurs the boundaries between good and evil. In this paper, we are going to focus on the development of such characters with the aim of unveiling their good characteristics, and the aspects of their personalities which distin- guish them from their morally corrupt counterparts. In the analysis, particular atten- tion will be paid to four characters – the main character, Jimmy McGill, his partner Kim Wexler, and two supporting characters involved in the drug trafficking business – Mike Ehrmantraut and Nacho Varga. As we are going to demonstrate, what these characters have in common is the fact that, unlike the other characters involved in criminal affairs, they are capable of loving other people unconditionally and ready to sacrifice for them, which proves to be the key to their redemption.