The most compelling question raised by this surprise headline was almost immediately expressed by Time's James Poniewozik on Twitter: If AMC is suddenly so desperate for more Breaking Bad, why were they in such a hurry to get it off the air just two years ago? The shorter version of that drama was that in the wake of Matthew Weiner's exorbitant contract to continue (and, eventually, end) Mad Men, AMC had to pinch pennies everywhere else, a strategy that led to things like a Kevin Smith reality show as well as Breaking Bad's foreshortened final two seasons. (AMC is pretending that last year's eight episodes link up with this year's eight to form a supersize fifth season. Don't believe the hype.)
Circumstances have changed slightly since then, though they haven't necessarily loosened any purse strings. The dustup with Dish Network last year caused AMC's stock to take a considerable hit, and while The Walking Dead continues to be massively popular it remains (a) expensive and (b) unrepeatable. And I think that, more than anything else, speaks to this sudden change of heart regarding Albuquerque's most amoral attorney. AMC has yet to find new series able to re-create even a fraction of the critical ecstasy engendered by Mad Men and Breaking Bad, and it's no coincidence those remain the only two of its shows to retain their original creative voices. The Walking Dead, despite enormous success, is on its third boss; Rubicon fizzled after its creator was fired early in production; and Hell on Wheels is returning but with an entirely new producing and writing team. The network's drama development and its reputation has been so poor of late that The Killing was resurrected for a waterlogged third season. If the rumors of Better Call Saul: The Series are true, staying in business with a major studio like Sony and a frontline creator like Vince Gilligan could send a message to Hollywood that AMC intends to keep its place at the big kids' table.
Now, as to whether the show itself is a good idea, who can say? Bob Odenkirk is a delightful and willing performer and Saul Goodman is one of the best supporting characters on television. That last point is key, of course: Just because someone makes us smile every time he pops up doesn't mean he can support an entire hour of our attention. Knowing that distinction is the difference between Frasier and Joey, and it's one I imagine Gilligan along with Peter Gould, the Breaking Bad writer responsible for the character's first appearance can navigate. Of all the characters in Breaking Bad, Saul is both the most portable and the least dependent on the machinations of Vamanos Pest. Having Saul pull up stakes and relocate his skeevy practice to, say, Las Vegas could make for a crackerjack series. It'd have the same desert-scorched desperation as Breaking Bad but with a wider range of potential clients and a little more opportunity for playful razzle-dazzle instead of grim, face-melting acid. A half-hour would probably make the most sense even though that's not a business AMC has pursued in the past. But in the world of Breaking Bad, Saul is exactly the man you call when you want to diversify your holdings. He may be reprehensible but he's there when you need him.
