Reunited and it feels so good. It’s been almost a year-and-a-half since Breaking Bad left our lives, but on Sunday night fans of the series were reacquainted with one of the show’s most iconic characters: Saul Goodman. Well, Jimmy McGill.
On Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk has revived the role of the shady lawyer for this origins story (though the series kicks off with a bleak post-Walter White fall-out life working at a Cinnabon). There’s plenty of new things we’re learning about the man behind those epically bad suits and comb-overs, but there were also plenty of classic “Saul Goodman” moments and hilarious one-liners during the series premiere.
Here’s our favorite Saul-esque zingers from “Uno”:
In a flash forward, a weary, world-beaten Saul is constantly paranoid, looking over his shoulder, or closing his blinds.
If you got tied up with the likes of Walter White and saw what happened to everyone in his path, you’d feel anxious, too. Even at Cinnabon.
He defends a group of teens that broke into a morgue and defiled a headless corpse.
Or as Jimmy put it, “Oh, to be 19 again.” Of course, the man who would eventually help the likes of White wouldn’t have a problem describing these sick kids as “near-honor students” and pleading with the jury that their “bright futures [shouldn’t be] ruined by a lapse of judgment.”
Jimmy’s failed courtroom catchphrase: “I bet if we were in church right now, we’d get a big ’Amen!'”
We can still hear the crickets chirping.
Jimmy’s various fake IDs and voices.
At one point he seemed to be impersonating Mrs. Doubtfire on the phone.
His battle of the wits with Mike Ehrmantraut in a parking lot.
Some things just never change.
Jimmy trying to con a new client by telling them “Lawyers, we’re like health insurance. We hope you never need it, but man oh man, not having it…no!”
Just in case that wasn’t shady enough, he tried to woo them by sending “flowers that look expensive, but aren’t.”
Jimmy on his crummy yellow car: “The only way that car is worth $500 bucks is if there’s a $300 hooker sitting in it!”
All that’s missing his is “LWYRUP” license plate.
The almighty buck comes first.
Even when it comes to his ailing brother Chuck (Michael McKean).
Quoting Ned Beatty to intimidate those at the law firm of Hamlin, Hamlin, and McGill.
“From Network…for Chrissakes, guys!”
Conspiring with skateboarding scammers to help him do his dirty work.
Seriously, these guys made Badger and Skinny Pete look like upstanding citizens.
Coming face-to-face with Tuco Salamanca’s gun.
Some things never change.
We missed you, Saul/Jimmy, you sketchy bastard, you. It’s so good to have you back on our TVs on Sunday night.