The Underrated Bryan Cranston TV Series That Got A Second Life On Netflix

Bryan Cranston is taking over Netflix's charts. One of the finest actors of our time, Cranston is best known by television junkies for his role in AMC's "Breaking Bad." The actor only needed one audition to land the role of Walter White, which ultimately led him to four leading actor Emmys. Once the acclaimed drama wrapped, he took on a number of intriguing gigs, including the headlining role in Showtime's "Your Honor." The series, which ran from 2020 to 2023, is now getting a second life; as of July 1, it's the fifth most-watched show on Netflix USA.

The Cranston-led series' viewership on the streamer is remarkably consistent, having been a part of Netflix's top 10 list for around a month and establishing the show as a key part of Netflix's current catalog. Upon release, "Your Honor" was met with mixed reviews. The legal drama has a 50% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, while The Guardian critic Lucy Mangan acknowledged that the series was stuck in the shadow of "Breaking Bad," which was a cultural phenomenon. Despite the tall boots the drama had to fill, Mangan ultimately found "Your Honor" to be decent, praise-worthy fare, describing it as "perfectly reasonable" in a three-star review.

Despite middling reviews, the show was a ratings juggernaut for Showtime, emerging as one of the pay network's biggest debuts. Tons of fans tuned in, and the audience score on IMDb stands at a solid 7.6/10, signaling mostly positive feedback. At only two seasons and 20 episodes long, it's not surprising that Netflix viewers are finding the project to be a breezy, digestible series.

Based on the Israeli series "Kvodo," the American version of "Your Honor" focuses on Michael Desiato (Cranston), a well-regarded judge whose life is turned upside down after his son Adam (Hunter Doohan) kills a teenager in an accidental hit-and-run. Desiato puts his morals aside when he realizes that his son is now dealing with an underground criminal organization. The series, which was developed by British playwright Peter Mofffat and executive produced by Cranston, initially debuted as a limited series. After stellar viewership numbers, the American show received a follow-up season where it continues to explore Desiato's turmoil.

As you might expect, the series is another showcase for Cranston's immense talents as a performer. Despite its narrative pitfalls, critics singled out the star for his rousing, tortured role as an ethically challenged judge. "Cranston is always watchable and brought some of Walter White's scorched earth intensity as Desiato's world started to crumble," shared Telegraph critic Ed Power, suggesting the show is worth watching, if for Cranston's performance alone.

Will Season 3 of "Your Honor" ever happen? While Cranston has suggested that the series was over after the second season, he also expressed interest in producing (but not starring in) a third if Showtime was interested. Seeing as the project has received a second life on Netflix, it's possible that the "Godzilla" actor and the show's creatives could be compelled to cook up one more session.

Binge watched the Showtime release on Netflix and have questions? Read Looper's explainer on the ending of "Your Honor" Season 2.