10 Reasons Better Call Saul Is Better Than The Walking Dead
2. The Pacing Is Slow, But Doesn't Stall
One of the criticisms levied against Better Call Saul is that it is very slow paced and doesn't go anywhere, but this is unfair. True, it is very much more Star Trek than Star Wars when it comes to action and pacing, but if you don't require break-neck story telling from a show, then the slower pace actually provides a much richer story. The slow reveal keeps you guessing and draws you into the story much more effectively than a speedier one could ever do. People don't change overnight and the slow moral erosion of Jimmy, and to a lesser extent Mike, shouldn't be rushed. Moreover, every episode has so much packed into it, that repeat viewings usually end up revealing things that we didn't notice the first time.
When it comes to season openers and finales, The Walking Dead can be quite fast paced and action packed, ultimately being very entertaining. But while a lot of effort is put into these episodes, the majority of the regular episodes run at a much slower pace. This is not an integral feature of the storytelling, it happens because there is often no story to tell. Trying to stretch a narrative over 16 episodes is tough and leads to it being quite thin in places. Most episodes are worth watching, but sometimes it feels as if two or three episodes should just have been merged into one.