I, for one, look forward to watching that story unfold." Michael Star of The "New York Post" gave the episode a 3 out of 4 rating, saying:  Some critics addressed skepticism prior to viewing the episode. Alessandra Stanley of "The New York Times" said "It's common to dread a spinoff; some succeed, but plenty disappoint. There is absolutely no need to worry about this prequel to the "Breaking Bad" canon. "Better Call Saul" traces in loving, if corrosive, detail how Jimmy McGill, a debt-ridden, ambulance-chasing loser, changed his name to Saul Goodman and became a drug-lord consigliere. "Better Call Saul" is better than good: It’s delightful — in a brutal, darkly comic way, of course." Chris Jancelewicz of "HuffPost" gave the episode a highly favorable review despite his initial skepticism, saying: "It is so good, right from the get-go, that I almost feel ashamed for ever doubting creator/writer Vince Gilligan, his writers, and lead actor Bob Odenkirk (Saul). "Better Call Saul" is a return to the tried-and-true New Mexico environment, the sweeping shots of wide-sky desert mixed with strip-mall extravagance, the lushness juxtaposed with the dark comedy, which, as it was with "Breaking Bad", both jarring and hilarious at the same time. You'll find yourself laughing in spite of yourself." Robert Bianco of "USA Today" said "Face it: When AMC announced it had ordered a prequel to "Breaking Bad", odds are many of us saw it as a callow move by a network bereft of new ideas to milk an old one for all it was worth. Well, we were right — but what we failed to factor in were the gifts star Bob Odenkirk and creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould would bring to "Better Call Saul" [...] and their ability to transform what looked to be a sow's ear into something pretty much approaching a silk purse." He ultimately gave the episode a 3.5 rating out of 4. One of few negative reviews came from Tony Wong of The "Toronto Star", saying "It is beautifully and lovingly shot. It is funny and it is dark. But it's a lot to ask Bob Odenkirk to carry the show without help." In her review of the series premiere, Mary McNamara of The "Los Angeles Times" summarized that "the beauty of Saul was his unflappable nature; no matter how dire or dreadful the circumstances, he was able to identify the next logical step and take it.