Despite being just as big a hit as its predecessor, Breaking Bad, one question that has long bothered Better Call Saul fans is why the spin-off series, starring Bob Odenkirk, has never won an Emmy, the most renowned honor given to television and emerging media performances.
The show’s composer Dave Porter has recently reflected on why exactly the series had been unable to land itself an Emmy, as he compared the crime drama to the losses suffered by another hit series, The Wire.
Better Call Saul Composer’s Stance on the Show’s Record-Breaking Emmy Losses
Premiered in 2015, Better Call Saul has been an acclaimed series, earning 53 Emmy nominations throughout its six-season run. However, despite being deemed one of the greatest TV series of all time, the crime drama didn’t win a single Emmy, making it the most snubbed show in the Emmy’s history.
When asked about the unfortunate record in a recent interview, the show’s composer Dave Porter shared that winning an award was never a goal for the show.
He told ComicBook.com
I can promise you no one in the Better Call Saul writers’ room was thinking about Emmys when they wrote the show — You know what I mean? You can’t spend your time thinking about that.
He also mentioned The Wire, which has been omitted from winning major television awards, including The Emmys, despite being hailed as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. “My response is two words: The Wire,” he said, suggesting that a show’s success isn’t solely determined by awards.
Porter further noted that the writers of the show were much more focused on the creative process as he noted the difference between the inceptions of Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad and the situations surrounding their release.
Dave Porter on the Varied Circumstances Surrounding Breaking Bad And Better Call Saul
During his conversation with ComicBook.com, Dave Porter also reflected on the reasons why the writers of Better Call Saul did not aim to win an award or an Emmy.
“So much of that depends on politics and timing and a million other things,” he said while discussing how the need for award recognition for the spin-off starkly contrasted with the original series.
He noted how the recognition and the acclaim helped build the confidence of Breaking Bad while it was still “fragile” during its early days.
I think that Breaking Bad got recognition particularly early on because it was a fragile show very early on. And those early awards, I think, built confidence in the network and everybody else that the show could be something special.
However, the circumstances were not the same for Better Call Saul, as it already had the established framework to become a great show starring Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman.
“Better Call Saul obviously was… great to begin with and a known quantity,” he said. The composer further stated, “So I don’t think it was super important,” suggesting that the show was not focused on winning awards.
Breaking Bad earned critical acclaim upon its release, earning Bryan Cranston his first Emmy and subsequently five more. The show won 16 Emmys out of 58 nominations, including two Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series.
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are available to watch on Netflix.
