10 things you need to know about Better Call Saul

With Breaking Bad regarded as one of the most important TV properties of the decade, the build-up to the new series has approached deafening. For the benefit of anyone wondering about the fuss, here are ten things you need to know about the show.

1: It's A Spin-Off – But Probably Won't Be A Rubbish as 'Joey'.

With one or two recent exceptions, the television spin-off is a uniquely American institution. Better Call Saul honours this tradition of taking a well-loved minor character and putting them front and centre in their own series.

The genesis of the project was the Breaking Bad writers' room – whenever an idea came up that seemed interesting but wasn't appropriate for BB, show-runner Vince Gilligan and his team would joke about using it in a future Saul Goodman spin-off. Eventually, they stopped wise-cracking and took the notion seriously.

Granted not every spin-off has lived up to expectations. Still, judging by early reviews, it is unlikely Saul will be a car-crash in the vein of Friends' follow-up Joey.

2: You Don't Have to Know Anything About Breaking Bad to Enjoy It.

If you never had the time or inclination to get into Breaking Bad, fret not. Better Call Saul makes no assumptions of prior knowledge. "I think you can watch the show never having even heard of Breaking Bad and you’ll be just fine," said Gilligan recently. "You’ll get it."

3: It Probably Won't Be As Grim as Breaking Bad.

The first season of Breaking Bad flirted with bittersweet comedy. However, as teacher-turned-drug dealer Walter White's moral decline gathered momentum, the humour largely evaporated. By the end, the tone was very, very bleak: even wry chuckles were at a premium.

Better Call Saul, in contrast, will stay at the shallow end of the pool. Odenkirk, who has written for comedies such as Saturday Night Live, has stated the new show will be 15 per cent chuckles, 85 per cent drama. Sounds like the right blend to us.

4: It Has An Relatively Unusual Setting.

As with Breaking Bad, the backdrop for Better Call Saul is Albuquerque, New Mexico – a low-rise metropolis of about half a million skirting the bone-bleached Chihuahuan desert. It's an idiosyncratic location for a city – and a surreal setting for a drama.

5: It Will Satisfy The Curiosity of Those Wondering What Happened to Saul.

At the end of Breaking Bad, Goodman fled New Mexico for Nebraska. As Better Call Saul opens we see him living under an assumed name, baking buns in a Cinnabon restaurant in suburban Omaha.

"They're pretty simple to make," Odenkirk said recently of the character's stint as a baker. "But you have to do the proportions right. It's just white flour and sugar and big hunks of margarine just all…ppffffff."

6: But It Isn't Really A Sequel.

Ten minutes in, the action zips back to 2002, long before Goodman crossed paths with Walter White. Saul is a struggling lawyer trying to make a living – and not above cutting corners as required.

7: Odenkirk Didn't Know Breaking Bad Was THAT big a deal.

When Odenkirk was cast as Saul in 2009, he was aware of Breaking Bad's popularity – but only vaguely. "I tried to catch up! I did, I swear to god," he said in a recent interview. "I put the DVDs in. But then a kid would come in, and I'd have to turn it off. "

8: Walter White MAY return.

Breaking Bad star Brian Cranston is set to direct several episodes of Better Call Saul and, given that his character is still toiling as a high school chemistry teacher through the show's timeline, it would be foolish to rule out a cameo from the future crystal meth overlord.

9: It Should Have Been Called 'Better Call Jimmy'.

The king of self-promotion returns to Netflix tomorrow. #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/8uHvPNlQN2

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) February 8, 2015

"Saul" is a nick-name derived from the main character's habit of saying 's'all good man'. His real name, we learn early on, is James McGill.

10: The Hype Is Crazy.

You’re a bit early for your appointment. Would you like a glass of water while you wait? #BetterCallSaul pic.twitter.com/j8eyYymmTJ

— Better Call Saul (@BetterCallSaul) February 8, 2015

There may be a more anticipated TV series in 2015 – if so, it has yet to reveal itself. Ahead of today's premiere in America, the internet has been abuzz with 'Saul' speculation. You can judge for yourself whether it's worth the hype when it arrives in Ireland (via Netflix) tomorrow.

— Ed Power