Better Call Saul

[Walker11]

I felt lukewarm about this show, let's say a 6.5 or 7 outta 10, but this past episode was a home run. It felt prime Breaking Bad-ish. I'm all in.

 

[Cheddie]

That was a powerful scene for sure, Charles McGill comes across as such a good person but turns out he's Judas. I never even watched Breaking Bad and still find this show amazing, don't want the season to end.

Interesting interview w/ Thomas Schnauz, a producer and the writer/director of the episode in The Hollywood Reporter:

[When Chuck says] ... "the law is sacred" and "you're a chimp with a machine gun" ... we as viewers, having seen Breaking Bad, know Chuck might be right. Even though what he's done to Jimmy is really, really horrible, we know who Saul Goodman will be. People in the future die and get hurt because of him. ... We don't know — would Jimmy turn into Saul Goodman if not for Chuck's horrible actions? Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Or was Slippin' Jimmy always going to be become Saul Goodman?
​

 

[Dove]

Knowing Jimmy is a few years away from millions does his character in BB preceed that pay day?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Knowing Jimmy is a few years away from millions does his character in BB preceed that pay day?

My guess is something happens where HHM ends up cheating Jimmy out of the bulk of what he is due, leading to Saul Goodman and his questionable use of his license to practice law.

 

[mets1090]

My guess is something happens where HHM ends up cheating Jimmy out of the bulk of what he is due, leading to Saul Goodman and his questionable use of his license to practice law.

Chuck appears to be ready to go back to work for HHM (ironing shirts at the end of the episode). It's likely they'll try to find a loophole wherein they steal the case from him.

Interesting interview w/ Thomas Schnauz, a producer and the writer/director of the episode in The Hollywood Reporter:

[When Chuck says] ... "the law is sacred" and "you're a chimp with a machine gun" ... we as viewers, having seen Breaking Bad, know Chuck might be right. Even though what he's done to Jimmy is really, really horrible, we know who Saul Goodman will be. People in the future die and get hurt because of him. ... We don't know — would Jimmy turn into Saul Goodman if not for Chuck's horrible actions? Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Or was Slippin' Jimmy always going to be become Saul Goodman?
​

I've given thought to both sides of this argument and I've come to the conclusion that while we don't know if Jimmy was always going to become a scumbag lawyer, Chuck's actions as a brother are despicable. He knows his brother has a shady past and rather than trying to help him climb out of that ditch, he goes out of his way to hold him down there.

Chuck could have hired him and let him work under him as his right hand man where he has no real authority to make sketchy decisions. This would keep Jimmy out of trouble and also give Chuck a capable associate who is desperate to please him.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Chuck appears to be ready to go back to work for HHM (ironing shirts at the end of the episode). It's likely they'll try to find a loophole wherein they steal the case from him.

When Kim used HHM's account (and Chuck's charge code) to research prior rulings Jimmy may have given HHM all they needed as evidence that it was their case. Kim warned Jimmy about Chuck's partnership agreement with HHM and as this is not a pro-bono case, Jimmy may end up getting screwed.

 

[temery]

Binge watched the first nine episodes yesterday. Great show.

My guess is Chuck goes back to work and Jimmy gets his friend to rewire the HHM building, turning it into a giant Van de Graaff generator.

 

[SubbaBub]

Chuck has a low opinion of Jimmy as both a lawyer and a person. That's all you need to connect the dots to the strip mall office. What's really left as far as backstory is the "Darth Vader moment" when he accepts his destiny to be the king of all shady lawyers before the shenanigans begin. Also, need more Mike.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Remember Chuck nearly completely lost his marbles. And it is likely that Chuck's disease is related to Jimmy's slipperiness.
1. What happened that put Chuck over the edge (he was working when Jimmy passed the bar)?
2. If Jimmy is becoming Saul & more slippery that could mean Chuck becomes completely insane.
Given his brother completely screwed him, it's shows some moral code left that Jimmy's tearing down Chuck did not include calling Chuck out on an illness that is purely psychological. I don't think he's ready to be Saul yet.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

My guess is something happens where HHM ends up cheating Jimmy out of the bulk of what he is due, leading to Saul Goodman and his questionable use of his license to practice law.

I think that was more a case of foreshadowing that Jimmy was about to find out that Chuck was a gutless backstabber. Telling Jimmy to have Kim use his code for the research should have tipped Jimmy off that Chuck had decided to bring the case back to HHM, with or without him. Chuck was so self-righteous, he would never have allowed that to happen unless he had already made his decision.

 

[CTMike]

Thoughts on the season finale? I thought it was fine... We have almost become conditioned to expect "holy " finales, so in a sense, this didn't match that... But you do see the turning point of Jimmy in to Saul.

 

[junglehusky]

Thoughts on the season finale? I thought it was fine... We have almost become conditioned to expect "holy " finales, so in a sense, this didn't match that... But you do see the turning point of Jimmy in to Saul.

Well, I'm definitely looking forward to season 2, so on that count it worked.

 

[temery]

Thoughts on the season finale? I thought it was fine... We have almost become conditioned to expect "holy " finales, so in a sense, this didn't match that... But you do see the turning point of Jimmy in to Saul.

I watching it now. The bingo segment was difficult to get through. Seriously - it was more than seven minutes.

 

[CTMike]

I watching it now. The bingo segment was difficult to get through. Seriously - it was more than seven minutes.

At least we know what a Chicago Sunroof is?

 

[temery]

Thoughts on the season finale? I thought it was fine... We have almost become conditioned to expect "holy " finales, so in a sense, this didn't match that... But you do see the turning point of Jimmy in to Saul.

I really like the show, but the finale sucked.

 

[mets1090]

Yeah I didn't think the finale was anything special. I wouldn't say it sucked though. I thought the bingo scene was longer than it needed to be but it served it's purpose. The rest of the episode was more important than it was surprising. We already know he has to slide into being a slimy lawyer so they pretty much had to set that up.

The "I know what was holding me back and it's not going to hold me back anymore" line was a great way to end the season. Mike's part in that conversation will obviously go a long way towards establishing a long term relationship with Saul.

 

[ZooCougar]

I really like the show, but the finale sucked.

Yeah, I kept waiting for the big transformational moment and when it came it was pretty underwhelming.

 

[UConn990411]

It certainly seems like it'll end up being an important episode, but it lacked the excitement we've come to expect from finales.

I have a feeling next season will heat up big time.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The best shows do not need huge plot twists every episode to work. Many of the best Mad Men or Sopranos episodes were about nothing. One of the best Game of Thrones episodes ever was when Jaime, Bronn and Oberyn Martell visit Tyrion in the dungeon. Nothing happens in the episode, and it was great TV. I liked the way Better Call Saul ended the season.

I wish Halt and Catch Fire would slow down the jaw dropping events a bit and just tell the story. It was interesting for a few episodes, but it is getting a bit much. That was Boss' problem (the Kelsey Grammar show on Starz). The first few episodes were incredible, but by the end of the first season, the excess of insanity was starting to blur the show's overall plot. House of Cards is crossing this line too. It can't be shocking if it happens every week.

 

[ZooCougar]

The best shows do not need huge plot twists every episode to work. Many of the best Mad Men or Sopranos episodes were about nothing. One of the best Game of Thrones episodes ever was when Jaime, Bronn and Oberyn Martell visit Tyrion in the dungeon. Nothing happens in the episode, and it was great TV. I liked the way Better Call Saul ended the season.

I wish Halt and Catch Fire would slow down the jaw dropping events a bit and just tell the story. It was interesting for a few episodes, but it is getting a bit much. That was Boss' problem (the Kelsey Grammar show on Starz). The first few episodes were incredible, but by the end of the first season, the excess of insanity was starting to blur the show's overall plot. House of Cards is crossing this line too. It can't be shocking if it happens every week.

I don't need the twist. But nothing really happened to make me want to see next season's first episode the minute after the last one ended. . When Game of Thrones and Mad Men end their seasons it usually ends on a note like that. This was just kind of mediocre.

 

[mets1090]

I don't need the twist. But nothing really happened to make me want to see next season's first episode the minute after the last one ended. . When Game of Thrones and Mad Men end their seasons it usually ends on a note like that. This was just kind of mediocre.

I think that's due in part to the fact that we already knew he was going to be this Slippin' Jimmy lawyer hybrid. It leaves no room for us to expect him to stay on a morally agreeable career path. The end result of that is that when he announces that his desire to impress Chuck is no longer going to hold him back, we cannot possibly be surprised.

I think the only way to have a big moment in the finale would be if it was driven by some other aspect of the show. Given that the entire season was just setting up why he's going to become Saul Goodman, there was really nothing else for it to be. If anything, the second to last episode may have been a better finale (the reveal of Chuck blocking him from HHM could have been the big moment).

In any event, I agree with 990411. I think the Nacho story line is going to really pick up next season and it's going to be great TV.

 

[ZooCougar]

. If anything, the second to last episode may have been a better finale (the reveal of Chuck blocking him from HHM could have been the big moment).

In any event, I agree with 990411. I think the Nacho story line is going to really pick up next season and it's going to be great TV.

Before I even got to your line about the second to last episode being a better finale I was thinking the same thing. The last episode might even have been a good first episode for next season minus the lengthy bingo scene.

 

[UConn990411]

I think that's due in part to the fact that we already knew he was going to be this Slippin' Jimmy lawyer hybrid. It leaves no room for us to expect him to stay on a morally agreeable career path. The end result of that is that when he announces that his desire to impress Chuck is no longer going to hold him back, we cannot possibly be surprised.

I think the only way to have a big moment in the finale would be if it was driven by some other aspect of the show. Given that the entire season was just setting up why he's going to become Saul Goodman, there was really nothing else for it to be. If anything, the second to last episode may have been a better finale (the reveal of Chuck blocking him from HHM could have been the big moment).

In any event, I agree with 990411. I think the Nacho story line is going to really pick up next season and it's going to be great TV.

More Mike and more Nacho next season is a must.

We already know Nacho works under Tuco, and that he's doing some secret deals on the side. That's bound to blow up at some point.

 

[temery]

More Mike and more Nacho next season is a must.

We already know Nacho works under Tuco, and that he's doing some secret deals on the side. That's bound to blow up at some point.

Mike's character could easily be equal to or great than jimmy's.

 

[temery]

Help me out - Saul was in breaking bad? I couldn't get into that show - what was Saul's character like? A lawyer like Chuck, or more like he was in the beginning of better call Saul?