Faryad E. Kashef

In a single word: ABSURD. In Iran, brave freedom fighters lay down their lives on the streets every day. They are not involved in drug trade nor plagued by addiction. Instead, they are highly educated individuals deeply rooted in familial bonds (a stark contrast to the portrayal in this insipid show). These individuals are engaged in a struggle for the fundamental rights that sustain life—a reality that eludes the comprehension of outsiders. This show paints a distorted image of anti-regime fighters and protestors, aligning perfectly with the narrative the Iranian regime seeks to propagate globally. There are many more ridiculous things about this cheesy show that make it even worse, but writing about them is not worth my time. It's just very poorly made, fake, and silly. To me it seems like another (final) attempt from the Iranian regime.

This show appears to be a subpar attempt to imitate "Better Call Saul" in various aspects. If you have already watched Saul Goodman, you can easily discern the similarities. From camera work, dialogues, the infusion of Spanish elements, lawyer tactics, desert scenes, character gestures, and even the replication of car plate numbers or glasses with printed labels, it seems like an attempt to copy (if not outright steal) from Saul Goodman's masterful production. The issue arises when viewers who have experienced Better Call Saul (and possibly Breaking Bad) find it hard to tolerate "The Lincoln Lawyer" or other similarly clichéd shows who are sugarcoated in the American Dream. These spin-offs may come across as overly cheesy and cheap when compared to the impeccably crafted and authentic nature of Better Call Saul. Better Call Saul, with its authenticity and engagement with reality, sets itself apart by not merely entertaining but also offering insight into life without sugarcoating it with the American Dream, in contrast to the fabricated portrayal of "The Lincoln Lawyer." The latter's stories are poorly written, riddled with illogical events and cheap surprises that feel detached from the real world. The depiction of a seemingly flawless, affluent lawyer with an ideal family background, multiple understanding ex-wives still willing to do die for him if he wishes to, luxurious house over the hill, fancy cars, and an arsenal of unbeatable tricks akin to his father's rich history much to be desired. Additionally, the presence of his investigator who possesses seemingly limitless knowledge, influence, relationships, and power surpassing an entire FBI bureau. Someone who finds out everything about anyone his boss points a finger to, in half a day and he is always at the right scene at the right time... "The Lincoln Lawyer" presents a clear example of selling the American Dream, a stark contrast to the realism of Saul Goodman's show, where audiences connect with the characters on a deeper level, as nothing appears fabricated in that series. Each episode of Saul Goodman's journey feels natural, offering an authentic experience. The comparison between these two shows is unavoidable, given "The Lincoln Lawyer's" obvious attempt to replicate Saul's success. This show, in fact, reinforces the value of Better Call Saul and proves incomparable. Regrettably, not every producer can match the brilliance of Vince Gilligan. While hoping to discover a show that at least rivals Breaking Bad or Saul Goodman, I have yet to find one. These shows have set the bar incredibly high, making it exceedingly challenging for others to reach the same level of excellence and to meet the already-extreme expectations of the audiences.

Netflix assigns the label of "Nudity" to this series but the fact is, it is not only about nudity and this is an extreme underestimation. Basically it is about PROMOTING nudity, same-sex relationships, normalisation of family affairs, normalisation of friendship abuse and friends affairs, sleeping with unknown/multiple partners and people who you don't know more than few hours, extreme alcohol usage, fashion abuse and more. At first the show attracts you by showing some cultural differences between America and France like misunderstanding the apartment's floor number, cooking differences, etc. Gradually the show enters the intended phases and starts promoting what the show is built for. Few to mention: -Emily sleeps with her best friend's boyfriend multiple times and calls this "nothing special" and is being forgiven easily. -Emily sleeps with almost every man she meets after few hours including a school boy under the age of 18. This is despite that she so-called loves Gabriel during the whole show. -Mother of the son asks Emily about her sex quality with her school boy and encourages his son to continue. -Sylvie has multiple affairs with multiple men and her husband says he is proud of her(!!!) and supports her a day after he sees another young man in their bedroom. -Sylvie sleeps with a young man which could be considered as her son. -Half of the characters are accidentally gay or are not straight with strange sexual desires. -Extreme alcohol usage is a very normal part of this show and always results in more fun instead of disaster. These are the few that I remember. The question is: is this really Paris? Do Parisians accept this as their culture? Is this what we expect to see when we visit France? I don't think so. And one last question which we should ask ourselves: what is the purpose of these shows?