What started out as a spin-off project that even creator Vince Gilligan wasn't totally sure about ended up arguably outshining its acclaimed predecessor with its more nuanced depiction of a man succumbing to moral compromise.

This year saw us bid farewell to a few all-time-great series (including Atlanta, below), but perhaps no finale was a bigger deal than that of this Breaking Bad spin-off exploring how the once flawed but well-intentioned Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) became Saul Goodman, aka Walter White's deeply crooked lawyer. (HM)Īvailable on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK Altogether, it makes for the very opposite of comfort TV, both tightly wound and exhilaratingly kinetic – as well as mouthwatering, for carnivores at least, with its depiction of Chicago's famous beef sandwich, among other things. But as he tries to revive its fortunes, he comes into conflict with the joint's long-standing staff, as does his new hire, keen young sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri).

In a star-making performance, Jeremy Allen White plays the fine-dining chef returning from New York to his native Chicago to take over his family's sandwich shop following the suicide of his brother.

So it's surprising that there hasn't been a top-flight restaurant-centred show – ok, Bob's Burgers aside – until this June, when Hulu production The Bear premiered in the US and quickly became the breakout hit of the summer. Given the literal and metaphorical heat inside a restaurant kitchen, it would seem to be a perfect crucible for drama.

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