Better Call Saul

[SoulSkin]

Great season and show. Was a little disappointed the finale was Chuck-centric, but I guess that's pretty important for Jimmy's transformation to Saul. I gus we'll just have to wait and see who left that note on the Mike's car. Womp wah

[elkabong82]

They really showed you how the divide between Chuck and Jimmy grew so wide this episode. Even though Jimmy takes care of him, Chuck resents him for getting away with things and leaving everyone else to clean up, and his mother's last words were calling for Jimmy, which leaves one to assume Chuck believes Jimmy was always the favorite, hence Chuck didn't tell him about her last words.

 

So the passive feud between the two is going to come to a head some time next season. Very sneaky by Chuck how he got Jimmy to confess.

 

And I think the note on Mike's car leads us to Gus. Great ending to the season. We've seen Kim establish herself as a worthwhile character, we see Mike getting closer to Gus, Jimmy getting closer to Saul. All the while, we're still left to guess what event is going to be the major push/nail in the coffin that causes the official switch to Saul. 

[S.T.real,lights,out]

I agree switch..i think what Chuck did was illegal and wont hold up in court. With that being said maybe thats what pushes Jimmy over the edge. 

 

And i so wish the note that said "DONT" was on a napkin or something from los pollos hermanos. That would have been awesome. 

 

Would have to say this is probably my favorite show on TV right now. Liking this even better than TWD. Its so fresh and different.

 

Plus all the excitement for the resurrection of our favorite breaking bad characters is great.

 

Was thinking last night if Hank may make an appearance at all in this series.  I know his job revolves around hunting the Cartel but not sure when him and Saul ever has an encounter.   

[Dan T.]

So mom always liked Jimmy best.  What a kick in the gut to Chuck, the good son to the end.  That adds another layer to the dynamic between the brothers.

 

BTW, can we take a minute to marvel at what an amazing job Michael McKean has done as Charles McGill, Esq.? I imagine it's tough to play that sort of role... but he just disappears into the non-heroic, brilliant, neurotic Chuck.

 

And it looks like Chuck said **** it, I'm nailing Jimmy at his own game. So the mylar and foil on the walls, "quitting" HHM, apologizing for blaming Jimmy, it was all part of the long con to get Jimmy to admit his felony on tape.

 

Cripes, imagine how dangerous Chuck would have been if - with his brilliant mind, his attention to detail, his ability to plan - he had decided to be the grifter instead of Jimmy.

 

As for Mike, who wrote the note?  At first blush I thought Nacho, but he was a "klick' away, unwittingly blocking Mike's shot at Hector.  Is it the cliffhanger to introduce Gus next season?  If so, that seems way too out of the blue to me.  

[S.T.real,lights,out]

As for Mike, who wrote the note?  At first blush I thought Nacho, but he was a "klick' away, unwittingly blocking Mike's shot at Hector.  Is it the cliffhanger to introduce Gus next season?  If so, that seems way too out of the blue to me.  

 

I dont see how it could be Nacho...i mean Mike went from his car to his post. The vehicles were already at the house so no way Nacho could have left without being seen and put the branch up against the horn.

 

We all know Gus hates Hector and the Cartel for what they did to his partner or maybe at this point in time of the story his original partner is still alive?

 

Maybe Gus has been tracking Hector which has led him to Mike? IDK. So many ways they can go with it.  

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

I dont see how it could be Nacho...i mean Mike went from his car to his post. The vehicles were already at the house so no way Nacho could have left without being seen and put the branch up against the horn.

 

We all know Gus hates Hector and the Cartel for what they did to his partner or maybe at this point in time of the story his original partner is still alive?

 

Maybe Gus has been tracking Hector which has led him to Mike? IDK. So many ways they can go with it.  

 

From what I've read, BCS takes place only 6 years before Breaking Bad (2002) and Breaking Bad started off at Walt's birthday party in 2008.  Gus arrived in the U.S. in 1989 (I think, late 80s for sure) and shortly after, him and Max met with the cartel and that's when Hector killed him.  So Max shouldn't be alive still.

 

I think that Gus had his own people watching Hector and they came across Mike about to kill him and he ordered them to put the note on there with the stick on the horn, or he went out there and did it himself after getting a call that some guy was going to kill Hector.  It would make sense, cause we all know that he likes to torment Hector in Breaking Bad, so he wouldn't want someone else taking away his shot at revenge.

 

Great episode though.  That's how you end a season right there.  I don't think the tape ever gets into a court of law.  Even if it wouldn't hold up in court, wouldn't it be enough to get him disbarred?  And we know he continues to practice as Saul Goodman 6 years from now, in the same location/state.  

 

I'm guessing it either damages him to the point where he has to change his name to Saul, or it's used as blackmail for Kim to give up the account and somehow it goes back to HHM.  Or it cost Kim the account somehow, pushing a wedge between her and Jimmy.  She knew he did it, but she didn't "know" he did it.  A lot different when it's his own words admitting to it.

 

Chuck can't stand the fact that Jimmy was a con artist, stole from his fathers store, cuts corners that if caught would blow a case, commits a felony, etc. and everyone loves him still.  Remember him telling Kim that his father never believed Jimmy stole from him and refused to believe it even though it was right in front of his face.  Kim defends Jimmy to Chuck even though she knows Jimmy probably committed a felony.

[tshile]

Watched the last two last night.

Listening to kornheisers podcast this morning, glad to hear I'm not the only one disappointed with the finale.

The ending was so predictable and boring. I've lost interest in Jimmy's story, because no matter how well done his adventures are he just outs himself in a foolish manner and the recipe for hs arcs has burned itself out in two seasons for me. Kim and Mike's stories are infinitely more interesting at this point.

It's not that it's a bad show. It's just people gush over the finale and I don't get it. It wasn't that good...

[Warhead36]

I liked it but it was more of a set up finale for next season.

 

The problem with this show is that we kinda already know the paths Jimmy and Mike will take. It's still interesting to see exactly what happens to get them to where they are in BB, but it also takes some of the drama away as well. It's not like in BB where we were legitimately shocked/excited/curious about the paths Walter White and to a lesser extent Jesse Pinkman took(and even some of the other characters, like Skyler who developed into a real .

[S.T.real,lights,out]

So im pretty much over Walking Dead but very excited to see where this show is going. Cant wait for the start in two weeks. 

 

Very excited for the return of Gus. 

[Dan T.]

Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up restaurant opens in Los Angeles's arts district:

 

 

There's attorney Jimmy McGill's two-toned Suzki Esteem...

[Warhead36]

Can't wait to see Gus Fring!

[Dan T.]

Hey Breaking Bad fans, last night's Better Call Saul "Sabrosito" episode was the Breaking Baddiest of the episodes so far in tone, with the reintroduction of menacing Don Eladio, the next chapter in the blood feud between Gus and Hector, and Mike up to his usual shenanigans.  Man that was a good episode.  Even the Jimmy side of the story is revving back up, with him and Kim cooking up some kind of scheme to fight back against Chuck.  What's behind their triumphant, if muted "Bingo" when they get Chuck and Howard to say they made a duplicate of the cassette tape? And what's behind Jimmy getting Mike to pose as the handyman to get all the pics inside Chuck's house?

 

Some favorite little tidbits:

- The silent terror of Hector's driver when Don Eladio warns him not to cross him or Hector and then not knowing how to answer when Don Eladio asks him whether the little Greek logo doll looks like him.

- Kim's tenacity in calling every handyman place in the phone book to find the one Chuck used. 

- Mike throwing Gus' money back into the delivery man's car - "Just tell him we're even."

- The two-shot in Chuck's house showing him and Mike with Mike driving him off with the drill. Rrrrrrr.  RRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrr. It sounded loud and annoying even to me.

- Mike shrugging off Jimmy's thanks for actually fixing the door.  "It's nice to fix something for a change," he says wistfully.  Then later we see him reading "Handyman" magazine in the parking booth.

- Hector's palpable menace at Los Pollos Hermanos -- lighting up a stogie, stealing fountain soda, cleaning dog crap off his shoe onto neatnik Gus' desk.

- The subtle glimpse of Nacho's humanity when he wordlessly directs a henchman to let the terror-stricken woman with the young daughter escape.

- The genuine concern assistant manager Lyle shows for Gus when Gus tells the employees to leave him alone with the scary men. "Are you okay Mr. Fring? Do you want me to call someone?"  "Really, it's okay Lyle. Please do as I ask."  (Damn, Gus seems like such a nice guy, if you didn't know what a cold-blooded murderer he is.  What a walking contradiction.  I'll look forward to them fleshing out more of his mysterious background that brought him to this.)

- Gus' heroic cover story to his employees about why those scary men were there, which they bought hook, line, and sinker.

 

By the way, Don Eladio's grand Mexican hacienda with the backyard pool?  It's actually in New Mexico, just north of Albuquerque, and it's for sale at a bargain $1 mil:

 

http://www.thehaciendadeplacitas.com/

 

[Redskin-All-In]

Great analysis as always Dan.

 

Gus's cover story is brilliant. He's so loved by the police, if word got out no question they'd want to help him. But "they fled back to Mexico" takes care of that.

 

Appreciated too the perspective on the relationship with the guy who was killed in BB by Federales--who brought in the neat stacks of money to Don Eladio. Didn't understand the connection very well after BB but it all makes sense now.

[Dan T.]

16 hours ago, Redskin-All-In said:

 

Appreciated too the perspective on the relationship with the guy who was killed in BB by Federales--who brought in the neat stacks of money to Don Eladio. Didn't understand the connection very well after BB but it all makes sense now.

 

Juan Bolsa.  Back in Breaking Bad, he was there when Hector killed Gus' partner by the pool during that flashback scene at Don Eladio's place.  He grabbed Gus and forced him to stare into his dead partner's eyes.

 

Interesting trivia I read.  "Juan Bolsa"  translates literally into English as "John Sack."  Johnny Sacks was a character on the Soprano's who acted as an intermediary between crime families, just as Juan Bolsa acts as an intermediary between the cartel and Gus Fring.

[LeesburgSkinFan]

Mike will go down as one of the greatest TV characters of all time.  It's crazy how long Jonathan Banks has been around and how he got that "role of a lifetime" much later in life than a lot of actors.

[Warhead36]

You see how Gus Fring became so successful in the meth game. He inspires loyalty even among his Pollos employees.

 

I wonder if this trial will be the shot that fires the cannon that creates Saul Goodman.

[RedskinsMayne]

I didn't even catch that jimmy is gonna have to change his name till now reading this topic 

Lol

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

40 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

You see how Gus Fring became so successful in the meth game. He inspires loyalty even among his Pollos employees.

 

I wonder if this trial will be the shot that fires the cannon that creates Saul Goodman.

 

That's what I'm thinking.  Possibly some type of plea bargain or wording in his sentencing that states he will not practice law as Jimmy McGill.  Maybe they force him to change his name so it won't tarnish Hamlin, Hamlin and McGill's name.  Or he changes it on his own due to a loophole in the wording of a plea agreement or something like that.

 

[S.T.real,lights,out]

This show is absolutely killing it this season. I cant get enough of it. Wish the episodes were 2 hours long. If you aren't watching you're missing out big time. 

 

I forgot how awesome of a character Gus is.  

[HOF44]

5 minutes ago, S.T.real,lights,out said:

This show is absolutely killing it this season. I cant get enough of it. Wish the episodes were 2 hours long. If you aren't watching you're missing out big time. 

 

I forgot how awesome of a character Gus is.  

Very true!  I thought the series started of kinda slow and whiney.  But boy is it going gangbusters now.  Love it!!

[S.T.real,lights,out]

23 hours ago, HOF44 said:

Very true!  I thought the series started of kinda slow and whiney.  But boy is it going gangbusters now.  Love it!!

 

Yea, it was a bit of a challenge to make it through Season 1. It was a lot different than i expected....but they had to start somewhere. The evolution of Jimmy has been great. 

[Dan T.]

Chicanery.  Man what a gut wrenching-episode.  There have been so many points in the series so far where you think the brotherly relationship is forever broken. Yet for whatever complicated reasons, Jimmy keeps the relationship with his brother Chuck afloat.  You have to think that ends after last night.  Jimmy breaks Chuck, and everyone Chuck holds dear - his ex-wife who he still loves, his law partner, and the law itself in the form of the panel, bears witness to the breakdown.  It is a sad spectacle to watch, and that's a credit to Michael McKean's brilliant performance as Chuck.

 

The final shot shows a close-up of a broken Chuck on the witness stand. We hear the growing static buzz of electricity as the camera pans back and back until the glaring red EXIT sign is framed right over the slumped, defeated man.  An omen of his future on the show?  BB fans know there's no future relationship... now we will see how that plays out.  I suspect we'll see a sad downward spiral for the man. I see no fight left in him, and his mental illness was laid bare for all to see, including Charles McGill himself.

 

A couple of fun tidbits from this week.

- Earnest vet Dr. Caldera is a damn intriguing character.  I like how - in one breath - he admonishes Jimmy for mistreating the goldfish and arranges for a shady underworld hire in the next. 

 

- I missed the foreshadowing that Huell was going to be the guy: Jimmy asks for someone with "a light touch." Doc asks "will there be any tight spaces?" He's got Huell in mind - but only if there's room for the jumbo pickpocket to operate.

 

- Chuck, alone, rehearsing his testimony, compares Jimmy to Ted Kacinski, for Christ's sake.

 

- The extended courtroom scene was riveting.  Jimmy was almost Colombo-like as he allowed Chuck's arrogant sense of superiority to hang himself. 

 

- Kim had one of the better "gotcha" courtroom moments:

[Kim] Why didn't you hire Chuck's own brother Jimmy?

[Howard] We didn't want to have the appearance of nepotism.

Pause...

[Kim]Your law firm, Mr. Hamlin, is HHM.. so who is the second 'H' in Hamlin, Hamlin and McGill?

Longer pause

[Howard] My father.

Cut to the raised eyebrows of the three panelists.

 

No Mike or Gus this week.  As fun as that story arc is, that was fine in my book.  A show about a lawyer finally gets a riveting courtroom scene.

[Skinz4Life12]

I hate Chuck!!
 

Last night's episode was great. Sounds like the official unveiling of "Saul" is right around the corner

[NoCalMike]

This show is just fantastic. At times you feel it could almost be two shows one about Jimmy's conversion into Sal and the other about Mike's background and eventual partnership with Gus Fring.  The show does a brilliant job of balancing both and including just enough crossover in storylines so that it makes sense why McGill is sought out as the attorney in Breaking Bad.

 

Once we see how big Fring's operation currently is, we will get a better idea where exactly in the overall timeline this stuff is taking place. 

[Redskin-All-In]

2 hours ago, Dan T. said:

Jimmy breaks Chuck, and everyone Chuck holds dear - his ex-wife who he still loves, his law partner, and the law itself in the form of the panel, bears witness to the breakdown.  It is a sad spectacle to watch, and that's a credit to Michael McKean's brilliant performance as Chuck.

 

...

 

I suspect we'll see a sad downward spiral for the man. I see no fight left in him, and his mental illness was laid bare for all to see, including Charles McGill himself.

...

 

The extended courtroom scene was riveting.  Jimmy was almost Colombo-like as he allowed Chuck's arrogant sense of superiority to hang himself. 

 

 

Brilliant analysis as always Dan. The bolded points I didn't catch for myself--really well done.

 

I was expecting fireworks. Instead, a tree root fire. Hot, smouldering, not entirely perceivable until it flares up through the surface.

 

This was finally, after a lifetime of conflict, the Main Event. Brother against Brother. On Charles's home turf. And perhaps the ultimate humiliation and defeat for Charles is that Slippin' Jimmy's coup de grace in the hallowed sanctum of his legal arena came at Charles's expense.

 

And McKean's brilliant performance indeed--showed us a man not overcome by his mania, but instead completely and utterly beaten.

 

ETA: I like how Charles really had to know Jimmy to get his victory. Played him like a fiddle--he knew he'd break into the house. Similarly, Jimmy really had to know Charles to get his victory. He knew he'd break. Right back at you Chuck.