I recently finished watching the television series Better Call Saul. It was an excellent show that, in my estimation, exceeded its predecessor, the acclaimed Breaking Bad. Neither show is on the level of The Sopranos, but Better Call Saul had more interesting character moments than Breaking Bad and more compelling acting (especially from Rhea Seehorn, who was outstanding).

Concentrating on these elements of the show, I could not help but think about Finnegans Wake as I watched the “Brother Battle” — which is so central to Joyce’s novel — play out in Jimmy McGill’s (Saul’s) conflict with his brother, Chuck. And the role of Kim reminded me of the function of Anna Livia Plurabelle in the Wake, she who “gave him keen and made him able” (a pun that unites a reference to the battling brothers Cain and Abel with the keening of a widow and the encouragement of an enabler).

This post will discuss Better Call Saul in the context of the archetypes of Finnegan Wake. As such, it will contain spoilers for the show, and I recommend you view the entire series before reading the remainder of this post.