Among the cable networks, AMC has had great success with original series in recent years.

The recently concluded run of “Breaking Bad” ranks right up there in popularity with “Mad Men.” Both shows put AMC on the map for serious television.

Speaking of the Emmy-award winning series “Mad Men,” the final seven episodes begin on Sunday, April 5.

There’s still time for binge viewing of all the previous seasons. I lost track of the number of seasons, but two months should afford enough time to gain an appreciation for the pending fates of the main characters.

Meanwhile, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the creators of “Breaking Bad,” are launching the new drama series “Better Call Saul,” which is both a prequel and origin story to their award-winning series set in Albuquerque, New Mexico at a time six years before Bryan Cranston’s drug dealer Walter White came in to the picture.

Before Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman became the notorious top criminal lawyer in Albuquerque, he was just a bottom-feeding attorney taking public defender cases only because he was struggling to make ends meet.

“Better Call Saul” takes us back to when Saul was going by his real name, Jimmy McGill.

When we first glimpse Jimmy/Saul’s legal skills, he’s in a courtroom trying vainly to portray three knucklehead teenage defendants in a vandalism and trespass case as merely unwise and foolishly reckless youth engaged in harmless indiscreet pranks. The prosecutor’s videotape evidence demonstrated otherwise.

Always on the prowl for a big payday case, Jimmy may believe he’s the underdog fighting the good fight, but his moral compass, such as it is, and his ambition are often at war with each other.

Hence, his unfortunate encounter with two skateboarding brothers leads to more bad decisions.

Just like Jimmy McGill walks a fine line between serving justice and doing just the opposite, critics have been requested to not reveal storyline details in advance so as not to ruin the fan’s experience of the full impact of plots as they unfold throughout the season.

Speaking to the recent gathering of the nation’s TV critics, Peter Gould proclaimed, in the spirit of full disclosure, that Walter White would not appear in Season One, noting that “we don’t want to mislead people into expecting something that’s not going to happen.”

As a result, “Better Call Saul,” standing on its own, brings new characters and situations to the fore, though some familiar faces appear in a different light.

For instance, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), before he was Saul’s fixer, is currently a parking lot attendant who is amusingly discourteous and combative.

In a manner of fashion, Jimmy is looking after his older brother Chuck (Michael McKean), a name partner in one of New Mexico’s most prestigious law firms, who is on leave due to an unfortunate illness.

Though a new character, Chuck lends an air of familiarity to Jimmy’s ultimate transformation.

Full of bravado, Jimmy has an explosive scene when he storms uninvited into the boardroom of Chuck’s law firm, bellowing accusations at the smug Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian), whose good looks, charm and success are a source of great annoyance to a lawyer trapped on the lower rung.

When his efforts to enlist as a client the local county treasurer facing a serious embezzlement indictment fizzle, Jimmy concocts a bizarre scene to use the skateboarding brothers in a staged accident that would result in a tidy settlement. Instead, the scam ends up in a series of unfortunate unintended consequences.

At one point of negotiation with a potential client with dubious intentions, Jimmy avers that he’s “an attorney, not a criminal.”

The point seems to be arguable, given the circumstances of his questionable behavior during the first two episodes that will debut on back-to-back nights.

“Better Call Saul,” which was originally conceived to be a comedy series, in deference to Bob Odenkirk’s comedic talent, has morphed into a drama series that will explore Jimmy’s fairly messy descent to the dark side as he moves toward becoming devoid of ethics as the sleazy defense lawyer Saul Goodman.

The more dramatic tone of “Better Call Saul” nevertheless does not blunt the black humor that Odenkirk so capably delivers when he unleashes his pointed tirades at colleagues, clients and even the officious clerk at the courthouse pay station.

Much like “Breaking Bad,” the prequel “Better Call Saul” commands the viewer’s attention to details and the nuances of the storyline.

Patience may be required to track the shady lawyer’s transformation into the man who puts the “criminal” into “criminal attorney.”

If anyone can make it work, it will be Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The office of Congressman John Garamendi is now accepting submissions for the annual Congressional Art Competition.

The deadline to submit artwork is 5 p.m. April 24.

All high school students residing in California’s Third Congressional District, which includes all or portions of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties, are invited to submit their original artwork.

To find out if you are a resident of the Third District, go to http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ .

To view a map of the district, go to http://garamendi.house.gov/our-district .

Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has provided an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of young constituents. 

The winning piece from California’s Third Congressional District will be displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol Building.

The artist and one guest will also be invited to Washington, DC to attend an awards ceremony.

Artwork receiving special merit recognition will be displayed in a district office.

Artwork entered may be up to 28 inches by 28 inches and up to 4 inches in depth. All entries must be original in concept, design and execution.

Rules and instructions for the competition can be found at http://garamendi.house.gov/how-can-i-help/art-competition .

Students interested in submitting artwork or have questions concerning the competition may contact Congressman Garamendi’s Davis Office at 530-753-5301.

Artwork may be submitted to any district office location no later than 5 p.m. April 24 at:

– Davis District Office: 412 G St.
– Yuba City District Office: 795 Plumas St. (Note: The Yuba City District Office will begin accepting art submissions on Monday, Feb. 16.)
– Fairfield District Office: 1261 Travis Blvd., Suite 130.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – La Voce del Vento Chamber Players present the second in a series of Chamber Music concerts on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The concert will take place at 3 p.m. at the Soper Reese Theatre, 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport.

The highlight of the program is a world premiere performance of a bassoon concerto with strings composed by Jeff Ives.

Two septets for winds and strings, one by Bervald, the other by Beethoven, and a bassoon quartet rendition of “Send In The Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim round out the program.

Performers include Larry Ames, bass; Nick Biondo, clarinet; Joel Cohen, cell; Tammy Dyer, violin; Holly Fagan, violin; David Hall, viola; Ann Hubbard, bassoon; Patricia Jekel, flute; Eva Kidwell, bassoon; John Konigsmark, violin; Clovis Lewis, cello; Linda Marks, violin; Randy Masselink, horn; Julianna Matteucci, bassoon; Beverley McChesney, bassoon; Paula Mulligan, viola.

Reserved seat tickets are $20 and $15, and are available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com ; at the theater box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St., Lakeport, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information call 707-263-0577.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Second Sunday Cinema's February film will be “For the Bible Tells Me So” on Sunday, Feb. 8.

The showing will take place at 3 p.m. at the Kelseyville United Methodist Church, 3810 Main St.

Admission is free.

The United States is in the midst of a massive discourse on the lives and rights of the LGBT community, nowhere felt quite so intensely as in the Christian community.

Parents with gay children ask themselves, “Is it morally OK for me to stay close with my child who has come out?”

Surprisingly upbeat and happy-making, this documentary introduces us to families who have answered that question with a resounding and loving, “Yes!”

Viewers also meet a mother who answered “No,” and learn what happened.

Come see this film for the infectious happiness – and learn that while the Bible calls the gay lifestyle an “abomination,” it also condemns eating shrimp with the very same word.

The group will have a local speaker for this film, and will enjoy a discussion afterwards.

Come meet neighbors and make new friends in the warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We describe people we admire by throwing around words like “indomitable spirit,” but here’s an example and a proof by Don Welch, a Nebraska poet.

Shuffling Out Toward Morning

After an hour in the infusion lab,
Taxol dripping into her,
fighting her cancer;

after sitting nauseous
next to a man
vomiting into a Pepsi cup,

she rose, palming the wall,
stooping only to pick up
a pen a doctor had dropped,

giving it back to the doctor
who had slipped it poorly
into his coat.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2013 by Don Welch, whose most recent book of poems is Gnomes, (Stephen F. Austin Univ. Press, 2013). Poem reprinted by permission of Don Welch. Introduction copyright 2015 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

Looking to break out of a slump, the FOX Television Group’s fate is in the hands of Dana Walden and Gary Newman, the new chairmen and CEOs of a network desperately seeking programming hits, a fact they acknowledged at the winter TV press tour.

The network chiefs fully realize that FOX now languishes in fourth place and its ratings are challenged, but nonetheless Newman expressed optimism, noting the way to turn things around is to “do the hard work, get in business with the best talent, support their visions, focus on one time period at a time.”

Though the hip-hop music industry drama “Empire” just recently debuted, the network chiefs were only too pleased to inform the winter gathering of the nation’s TV critics in sunny Pasadena that the freshman show has already been renewed for a second season.

Not all is bleak at FOX as “Gotham” has proved to be one of the rare hits that keeps growing its audience, while the wacky dysfunctional crew in New York’s 99th police precinct in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” now in its second season, delivers one of the true bright spots in the comedy lineup.

“Bones” has been on the air longer than anyone can remember, and the fact that Hart Hanson, the creator of that series, is hoping for another knockout success with the comedic crime procedural “Backstrom” is not out of the realm of possibility, even though it may be a challenge for a series to thrive where the central character is so patently unlovable.

Loosely based on a series of books written by Swedish author Leif GW Persson, “Backstrom” is an Americanized version of a subversive crime procedural in which the titular character is an offensive, irascible and unhealthy detective who just happens to see the worst in everyone as he goes about the business of solving crimes.

Lt. Everett Backstrom – played effortlessly by Rainn Wilson, who managed to torment his colleagues in the long-running series “The Office” as an obsessive paper salesman – has returned from disgrace to lead Portland’s newly-minted Special Crimes Unit, which is tasked with navigating the city’s most sensitive and serious cases.

Oddly enough, Backstrom seems to be completely incapable of handling sensitive matters of any kind.

This is a man with no filter, taking an offensive attitude to a new level with his persistently loutish behavior.

An unrepentant misogynist, Backstrom has no qualms about expressing sexist and racist opinions.

The interesting dynamic is that, though Backstrom doesn’t play well with others, the outlandish detective must work with a diverse team of colleagues, from the idealistic young female detective Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson) to veteran case-closer and part-time pastor Sgt. John Almond (Dennis Haysbert).

Backstrom is not only grumpy and ornery, but he’s been given orders by his doctor to “make a friend” so as to improve his health. Well, he’s also told to eat more vegetables, and neither instruction is likely to be followed.

If Backstrom has any friend at all, it may be his roommate Gregory Valentine (Thomas Dekker), a weird character in his own right, who appears to be the detective’s connection to the seedy underworld of Portland flowing with drugs and prostitution.

Other colleagues in Backstrom’s orbit include the quirky forensics expert Sgt. Peter Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha), good-guy Officer Frank Moto (Page Kennedy), and civilian informant Nadia (Beatrice Rosen), a Russian native oddly well-connected.

The success of “Backstrom” seemingly depends on the ability of Rainn Wilson’s character to be funny enough with his sarcasm and quips so that he’s not completely eclipsed by the detective’s offensive behavior. He’s not so politely described as coming from a nether region.

I doubt anyone would really want to knock back several beers with Everett Backstrom. After all, he’s not likable. The challenge for the series will be its ability to sustain ongoing interest in the flawed detective’s sleuthing. For now, “Backstrom” deserves a chance for several viewings.

At the press tour conference, Rainn Wilson, dutifully trying to sell the series, observed that he found his character more interesting because his life is falling apart and that he would rather “hang out with that person than a slick procedural detective who’s got all the answers.”

Later in the conference, Wilson asked the audience to “take a little ride with us.” Admitting his character is a jerk, Wilson noted that we will learn “some really interesting things about him and his coping mechanisms, about his family.”

Again, the challenge for “Backstrom” is finding an audience willing to hang in for the 13 episodes for the arc of the darkly comic story that is unknowable at this point.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.