'Masterpiece' crime drama series with 98% score that's a prequel to 'best show ever made'

There are some TV shows that stay with you long after you've watched the final episode. And there's one series in particular that was always expected to be overshadowed by its much more famous sequel, but ended up becoming a global hit in its own right.

The gripping crime drama, which ran for six seasons and racked up more than 50 Emmy nominations, has a near-perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers and critics say the series has amazing storytelling, acting and cinematography, with many calling it one of the best series ever made.

The show explores the slow moral decline of a struggling lawyer who turns into a shady criminal defence attorney, and features fan-favourite characters from its better-known predecessor.

Set years before the events of the show it spun off from, the series offers a deeper look at how its lead character is pulled into the world of crime, corruption and violence.

And the series in question? Better Call Saul - the award-winning prequel to Breaking Bad.

Audiences around the world absolutely love it and cannot stop raving about it.

One reviewer said: "Better Call Saul is a legal masterpiece that seamlessly weaves drama, wit, and intrigue into every episode.

"The writing is so sharp it could cut through red tape, and the characters are as complex as any legal case Jimmy McGill takes on."

Another added: "It is one of the greatest pieces of television ever made."

A third wrote: "Better Call Saul is a masterclass in character-driven storytelling - an extraordinary prequel that not only lives up to Breaking Bad, but in many ways, surpasses it."

Another fan said: "Vince Gilligan has created another astonishing masterpiece that's a prequel to the best show ever made - Breaking Bad. It is one of the greatest pieces of television ever made."

Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, Better Call Saul first aired in 2015 and ended in 2022.

It follows Jimmy McGill (played by Bob Odenkirk), a small-time lawyer and ex-con artist who slowly transforms into Saul Goodman, the flamboyant fixer and criminal lawyer known to fans of Breaking Bad.

The show also stars Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, Michael McKean as Jimmy's brother Chuck, and Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut, a corrupt former cop who becomes a fixer for drug cartels.

As the story unfolds, familiar faces return and storylines begin to overlap with Breaking Bad.

Review scores increased with each season. The final run holds a 99% approval rating and a 94 score on Metacritic, with critics calling it a "masterfully controlled" and "visually sumptuous" finale.

Some even say it's the best prequel ever made. One critic summed it up: "Over six series, Better Call Saul evolved into a more profound and beautiful drama about human corruption than its predecessor."

The full series is available to stream now on Netflix.