In the arena of accolades, dare we say it, snubs have sometimes become unpleasantly routine. However, when a highly acclaimed television series such as AMC’s Better Call Saul continues to find itself at the bottom of the Emmy disfavor list, you are forced to question the value of the process. The only thing driving the fans crazy is the mystery surrounding this show’s Emmy rejection story.
After six seasons and 53 Emmy nominations, Better Call Saul still has not taken home a single trophy. With seven Emmy nominations this year, the highly acclaimed Breaking Bad spin-off never quite achieved the same level of award success as its predecessor. While Breaking Bad won 16 Emmys out of 58 nominations, its spin-off, despite critical acclaim, was unable to secure any.
Better Call Saul’s Fans Once Again Vent After 0 Wins out of 53 Emmy Nominations
Another year has passed, another Emmy Award has been organized, and Better Call Saul is still not acknowledged. The producers, actors, and crew of Breaking Bad’s prequel/sequel were left empty-handed from Monday night’s glitzy 75th Emmy Awards, which had seven nominations.
For a series as compelling and expertly made as Better Call Saul, one would believe that Emmy Awards would be handed out like candy. Alas, despite receiving a staggering 53 nominations over the years, the series is simply unable to catch a break.
From the brilliant work of creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould to the acting prowess of Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul is a true masterclass in TV artistry. However, with each snub, fans become increasingly dissatisfied, unable to understand why such an exceptional series is still overlooked. Many fans of the critically acclaimed television series think it is a “sick joke”.
Here are a few of the fans’ tweets expressing their willingness to exact revenge for this Emmy joke:
You think this is bad? This? This chicanery? Better Call Saul has been nominated for 46 Emmys. FORTY. SIX. And they never won. Not one. What other prequels are good, let alone a masterpiece that almost surpasses the original!? Greatest prequel of all time. What a sick joke! pic.twitter.com/bidpJduPFL
— Stephen Ford (@StephenSeanFord) September 13, 2022
I'm hoping the Academy is pulling a SCHITT's CREEK and going to give it all the awards its last season. But also, if it's up against THE CROWN and SUCCESSION next year…don't hold your breath.
— Michael Marcelin (@mikethewriter1) September 13, 2022
Better Call Saul didn't get a single Primetime Emmy award, ever!
It speaks volumes about the standards of the awards committee than about BCS team.
A major let down.
What a sick joke!@petergould @TomSchnauz @mrbobodenkirk @rheaseehorn @odenhead @BetterCallSaul @nocontextbcs— JabarDasti (@jabardasti) September 13, 2022
Emmys, along with the Grammys and the Oscars, are meaningless.
— Sigrun, Warrior Princess (@althingprincess) September 13, 2022
You don’t need a shitty Emmy to be the greatest. The Wire never won an Emmy and it is an undisputed masterpiece.
— S.I.N (@LOVNADVICE) September 13, 2022
Yes! Prequel & sequel wrapped into one with the lead basically playing 3 characters! The writing & cinematography are taught in college classes! Emmy Awards a joke.
— Lindsay R (@Lindsay32317578) September 13, 2022
In the series, Odenkirk plays the ace lawyer Jimmy McGill, who later transforms into his alter ego Saul Goodman, whom we all know from Breaking Bad. He has delivered stellar performances in all of these seasons, and fans will never forget how he suffered a heart attack (per Deadline) on the set of the final season.
Better Call Saul is Unable to Repeat Breaking Bad’s Success?
Better Call Saul, which Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould co-created, is a spin-off of the hugely popular crime drama Breaking Bad.
The show chronicled the exploits of Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), who goes by Jimmy McGill, a con artist. He plays a sly attorney who becomes entangled in a criminal network several years before he meets Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher-turned-drug lord. The series also features a number of well-known cast members from the original show, including Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito.
Breaking Bad did not face the same issue as Better Call Saul, which was unable to win any Emmys during its tenure. Even though both programs won numerous accolades from critics, Breaking Bad is regarded by many as the best television program of all time, and its Emmy wins appear to support that opinion. The show received 16 Primetime Emmy Awards.
The American Film Institute ranked Breaking Bad among the top ten TV series for five years, from 2008 to 2013 (via Deadline). Meanwhile, according to The Guardian, many critics have hailed Better Call Saul as a deserving successor to Breaking Bad; some have even gone so far as to claim that it surpasses the original.
Whatever the reason—be it a hidden bias, the Breaking Bad association, or a question of taste—one thing is certain: real television excellence and Emmy recognition are not the same. It is time to let Emmy know that Better Call Saul is just one hug away from capturing the coveted gold.
The entire Emmy-nominated—but not Emmy-winning—series (Better Call Saul) is available to stream on Netflix.
