BETTER CALL SAUL

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Poor Chuck, i doubt very much if he can continue to practice law now. Howard will be unable and probably unwilling to ignore this. 

 

All through the series people have been enabling Chuck's condition and been treating it as a valid physical ailment rather then a mental one. 

 

Jimmy's little trick pretty much ruined Chuck.

[Wojo 2,453]

For some reason, I can stream this episode on my phone but not my TV using Comcast on demand. It'll be available Wed but still. That sucks. 

[Glóin the Dark 1,220]

Count your lucky stars that it happened this week, with a mediocre episode that everyone's lukewarm about.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Never rises above the level of an LA Law episode.

[Thor 7,494]

40 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

Never rises above the level of an LA Law episode.

 

Hey, no dissing of LA LAW. That show was a regular feature of my "TV childhood".

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Better Call Saul is superior though.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Damn fine episode, son!

 

McKean deserves every accolade he can get. The man's fantastic, ever since episode one.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Damn curious what will happen next. Now might be a good time to show what exactly is the cause of Chuck's condition. Maybe we will find out what happened between Rebecca and him too.

[Jay 37,348]

Better Call Saul 3x05 Chicanery

 

Brilliant cold open this week!  I love that when episodes of the show start now, you don't know what time they are taking place during until enough context clues drop.  It was nice to see Jimmy and Chuck in the days when they didn't hate each other, and Jimmy helping Chuck to lie at that!  I figured it was to do with dating somehow, and when Rebecca came in I wasn't surprised (though I admittedly had to try to remember what the story was with her since its been so long since the last season!)  The whole dinner sequence was so well done, they really pulled everything off.... until that cell phone rings!  The whole time she's on the phone its brilliantly shot, with the blue glow of the phone appearing in stark contrast to the dimness of everything else, and the tense music from Porter enhancing the experience for us of what Chuck is going through.  Chuck came so close to getting away with it until he batted it out of her hands, and I'm kind of surprised he didn't just come clean then instead of piling on another lie.  You actually feel bad for Chuck as the scene ends.

 

I really liked the small group of scene before the hearing: Jimmy talking to Mike's vet contact, with us again not knowing his plan.  Kim talking to the Mesa Verde clients, with it at first being unclear what it is she has to tell them (it seemed like something was eating her up and the confession was going to be something bigger).  Hamlin and Chuck together was also really nice, you know Hamlin is giving soooooooooo much leeway to Chuck because of everything he's done, but that he really detests that this whole thing is even happening and would rather it juts go away.

And then the rest of the episode is the hearing, and man did it fly by!  It builds and builds to that amazing tirade by Chuck... Can McKean finally get an Emmy nom this year??  He was SO GOOD in not just that scene but the entire episode and show really.  After it was over, when it panned up to humming exit sign, I couldn't believe the episode was over, I thought it was just a commercial break and we'd be getting a denouement after the break!

 

Jimmy's plan was pretty good one here, and certainly the only one I could possibly thing of to get him out of this:  Prove that Chuck's condition is mental, and claim everything he said to Chuck on the tape was a lie used to calm him down.  We don't know for sure if it ultimately worked in regards to showing the judge's verdict, but we can assume it does, of course.  Do you think they still put Huell on the stand?

 

 

Random thoughts

• I loved the detail that Chuck's lie about why the lights are off is that the electric company swapped street numbers.  Could be where Jimmy later gets the idea to do the same to the Mesa Verde paperwork!
• I loved that the contact the vet knows for the reverse-pick-pocket was Huell!  I wonder if he'll now start popping up once or twice a season for odd jobs Jimmy and/or Mike needs
• I loved that episode was completely centered on Jimmy and the hearing ,and didn't include anything from the Gus/Mike storyline.  It was the perfect time to not include them.
• Did Jimmy getting Rebecca to show up actually cause the tirade from Chuck to happen when it wouldn't have otherwise, or does she have more of a role to play in next week's episode somehow, maybe?

 

And the final, and most important thought, is this:  Where does Kim stand on all this.

 

She has been developed as a character who doesn't mind being a little tricky for fun, like her small cons she ran with Jimmy a few seasons ago against random douches... but one who wants her entire career to be completely and fully on the up and up.  BUT, she also knows that Jimmy changed those numbers to get her the Mase Verde client.

 

The look on her face as she heard the tape was fascinating work by Rhea Seehorn. A  mixture of shock at hearing a true confession of what he did, and, I guess love for Jimmy at the same time.  And that's the thing, I think as the story goes on, she gets drawn closer to Jimmy romantically, but further away from him professionally.  Now she knows he not only faked that paperwork, but also resorts to theatrical court tactics like the cell phone battery planting.

 

As much as this episode was certainly centered on the Jimmy/Chuck dynamic, I'm actually more interested to see how the aftermath affects the Jimmy/Kim dynamic, than I am the Jimmy/Chuck dynamic.  Can't wait!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Did you notice Esposito's name was in the credits even though he wasnt in the episode. Like in Breaking Bad he'll be a regular from now on.

[Jay 37,348]

Yea, he was added to the main cast since the first episode he appeared in.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Interesting that even after 2,5 seasons we don't know exactly what will happen next. We know that Jimmy will eventually move from elder law to something a lot more shady. But it's still really not clear to me how this will happen and when.

 

And yes it's gonna be very interesting to see where things go with Kim. Last season she was horrified that Jimmy crossed a line professionally. And now she's actively assisting him, or at the very least enabling him.

 

Also curious to see what Howard will do next. He's been fed up with the whole situation for a while now. He just wanted to write of Mesa Verde and move on. 

[Jay 37,348]

I think in Kim's mind, she isn't introducing new shady things, just doing what's necessary to finish off the initial shady thing that she has come to terms with.

 

What I mean is: She knows Jimmy forged the paperwork that got her the Mesa Verde over HHM having them.  She quietly suggested in bed that he needs to cover his tracks.  She was willing to defend him in court using a strategy that says the taped confession was a lie, and he didn't actually forge any paperwork.  These all goes back to the original transgression and cleaning up the mess it left, not necessarily being on board for new transgressions.

 

Now that the hearing is over, I expect her to want to be a completely-on-the-level lawyer more than ever.  Which is why I expect some situation to come up ultimately will make her have to choose between being bad for her own gain, or being good but leaving Jimmy.  And maybe before then, another smaller situation will come up where she has to choose between good and evil, probably at the end of this season....

 

 

 

So far only Mike has anything to do with the drug empire world Breaking Bad was based around.  Jimmy's entire storyline has been about fighting his own demons, and doing what it takes to get his own practice going without Chuck stopping him.  He'll get pulled into the drug world eventually, but I hope not for a while!  I presume the way it will happen will be that Mike gets himself in serious trouble somehow and Jimmy needs to lawyer his way out of it, something like that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I agree. The way it looks now Jimmy will get to keep his license and he can go back to elder law. So professionally he's won. But the relationship between him and Chuck seems completely destroyed. I'm really curious what will happen next! 

 

Will Chuck have the energy left to try and get back at Jimmy (again)? I certainly doubt Howard will assist him in that anymore. What's the deal with Rebecca? How will Jimmy and Kim move on in personal and professional terms? And when and how will Jimmy finally break bad?

 

So much good stuff, and that's not even including the Mike/Gus storylines!

[Jay 37,348]

Yea, I wonder if this is the start of the end for Chuck.  Doing something next that either completely ends his career entirely, or something that puts him in the hospital for good.  It's sad to think about.

 

I think it could be a bunch of episodes until we see Jimmy and Chuck share a scene together.

 

I am indeed most curious to see Kim and Jimmy discuss everything that happened, and what's next for them.

[crumbs 14,306]

Another small detail in the episode: 

Quote

When the court room is being prepared for Chuck to enter. The clock is taken off the wall showing the time at 12:16.

 

A reference to the Mesa Verde address which Jimmy forged.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Cool!

[Richard Penna 3,685]

Did Jimmy definitely keep his licence by Breaking Bad? He had his strip mall office, which either indicates the level of clientele, or that he's doing it under the radar of the NM Bar.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He had TV ads and billboards, so he definitely wasn't under the radar. He wouldn't be allowed to represent anyone without a license 

 

Also attorney/client confidentiality would not apply if he wasn't a licensed attorney. So it's 100% confirmed that he's still a lawyer in BB.

[Jay 37,348]

In Breaking Bad, he is a legitimate, board-certified lawyer who calls himself Saul Goodman on his storefront, commercials, ads, etc, but on the wall in his office hangs his board certification that says "Jimmy McGill" on it.  Walter notices the different name, and Saul tells Walter he changed it to sound more jewish.

[Alex 2,835]

"My real name is McGill. The Jew thing I just do for the homeboys."

[Alex 2,835]

Well that was another solid episode.

 

It seems the weight that Huell lost was given to Tyrus.

[Matt S. 493]

Lots of BB cameos and places in this one; Tyrus, as Alex mentioned, not to mention Krazy 8, Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, the industrial laundry, and the Los Pollos Hermanos distribution center.... and of course, Saul Goodman himself!

[Wojo 2,453]

I especially liked the pair of Shiner Bocks at the end. Gonna have to pick up a six pack. 

[Jay 37,348]

Better Call Saul 3x06 Off Brand

 

Interesting cold open showing a glimpse of the rituals of money counting in Hector's crew, which leads into a bit where Nacho lets a guy who is light off easy, but Hector subtley reminds Nacho the importance of showing who's the boss.  The beating Nacho gives the guy is hard to watch (or actually, listen) to because he's been built up a bit as a "likable gangster", you could tell he was uncomfortable in Los Pollos Hermanos the other week.  Afterward, when he is sewing in his dad's company, he seems so calm, such an interesting character quirk, what it is that levels him out.... of course, it turned out to also be a setup for a future plot point...

 

Kim's closing argument to kick off the episode proper was pretty good!  I really liked the scene after of Jimmy and Kim celebrating.  I just wonder how actually happy Kim is, what portions of her are happy for her boyfriend vs sad about getting away with a tactic she knew was false.  Man, when Rebecca showed up I felt bad.  I didn't mind that Jimmy was unwilling to go check in on Chuck, that's totally fine.  But the abruptness at which he tried to dismiss her, the drinking champagne in her face, and the statement that Chuck is no longer his brother made me sad.  I don't like that side of Jimmy, but I know its the side he can't escape...

 

The scene with Mike and Sally bonding was a bit weird, right?  Something is off with that woman, I don't know what.  When Hamlin shows up with the scotch I was confused since we already saw Jimmy and Kim celebrating, then I understood about the 12 months probation thing.  I think Hamlin thinks everything is just going to go back to normal now, but I am pretty sure its actually going to get worse...  When Chuck is alone and rolls the batteries out of the recording, that was a really cool shot!  The scenes of Chuck's condition now have a sadder tone than before now that its out in the open its entirely mental....

 

I loved the montage of Jimmy calling all his clients to tell them he's taking a year off.  Not the most exciting montage at all, but I still liked it.  It was almost deliberately not interesting, because its a sad moment for Jimmy not a triumph.

 

Another neat smuggling montage showing the drugs coming in on Gus's truck.  The whole sequence with the standoff about the amount of drugs for Gus to give to Hector was a bit odd... I mean, we know the Gus / Hector feud doesn't get paid off until Breaking Bad, so why build it up now?  Well, I'm sure Gilligan and Gould have something good up their sleeves.

 

Not sure how I feel about Gus in the industrial laundromat place... almost felt too fanservice-y, I think.  It was neat when it was introduced as a brand new location in BB, it might lose some of its mystique now, I dunno.

 

Chuck walking downtown was a really cool sequence.  Don't know if the show has ever shown Albuquerque at night before, it's a pretty hopping place!   I also find it a bit odd that Chuck is willing to have a tape recording in a foil drawer in his house, but not like, a backup cellphone buried in the yard or something.

 

Jimmy's commercial was hilarious.  Interesting that he decided to use Saul Goodman for another business before his new lawyering career.  I do wonder how long the show will cover the year Jimmy spends not lawyering, or if we're approaching a time jump...

[Thor 7,494]

Visually, the scene with Chuck walking down the street at night was by far the most interesting. A sort of warped version of the street scene in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, only with neon lights saturated with hazy insistence.

[Jay 37,348]

Yup, it was a great sequence! I loved the visuals as well as the buzzing noise on the soundtrack. Really cool stuff. 

[A24 4,331]

Netflix aired 6 eppies and so yesterday I decided to start watching S3. I wasn't blown away but it was okay, I guess.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Wait till you reach episode 5.

[A24 4,331]

Eppi 2:

 

 

 

OMG, hell exists and it's a fast food restaurant!

[Alex 2,835]

I love watching all the intricacies of Gus' drug empire knowing that one day it will be wrecked a high school chemistry teacher 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

On 2017-5-17 at 9:21 PM, Jay said:

Not sure how I feel about Gus in the industrial laundromat place... almost felt too fanservice-y, I think.  It was neat when it was introduced as a brand new location in BB, it might lose some of its mystique now, I dunno.

 

Nothing about Lydia in your comments? 

I don't think it's a fan service. this is a prequel. We are gonna see Gus build his empire. The laundromat is part of that. 

 

On 2017-5-17 at 9:21 PM, Jay said:

scene with Mike and Sally bonding was a bit weird, right?  Something is off with that woman, I don't know what.

 

Yes. She's the only regular character who has had no character development whatsoever.Even Nacho is getting some.

I think we can see how Hector will get his stroke. Nacho is in the business, but he's not as tough as Hector, Tuco etc. He doesnt want his dad involved. I wonder it he will try to hire Mike again, or will he use the pill on his own?

 

On 2017-5-17 at 9:21 PM, Jay said:

Kim's closing argument to kick off the episode proper was pretty good!  I really liked the scene after of Jimmy and Kim celebrating.  I just wonder how actually happy Kim is, what portions of her are happy for her boyfriend vs sad about getting away with a tactic she knew was false.

 

Yes, we didnt get to see what she thinks of the whole affair. I liked the scene where she's as reasonable as ever and wants to break the lease and move to a smaller place. Jimmy doesnt want that. As usual he gets his way. Even though it's perfectly sensible since he's not gonna practice law for a year. He's essentially commited himself to shouldering the financian burden of half the practice because he doesnt wanna give up this thing he started with Kim. And Kim once again enables him.

 

On 2017-5-17 at 9:21 PM, Jay said:

When Chuck is alone and rolls the batteries out of the recording, that was a really cool shot!  The scenes of Chuck's condition now have a sadder tone than before now that its out in the open its entirely mental....

 

A good scene, followed by another good one of Chuck finding a payphone and apparently getting help. I don't think it's weird that Chuck doesnt have a cellphone hidden. the tape recorder was probably obtained by him for one very specific reason. I actually hope Chuck does get better. That could happen, right?

 

So apparently Tuco stabbed a guy in jail, meaning he will be locked up for the rest of life life. But we know that won't happen. So I wonder how that will play out.

 

Jimmy isnt gonna be practising law for a full year. I wonder if he will get involved with Gus before he gets his license reinstated or after. 

 

Also wondering what they will do with Mike and when. He's no longer after Hector, he's not involved yet with Gus. 

 

Kim seemed baffled by Saul Goodman, which probably speaks in her favour. He doesnt seem all that different from the Jimmy we've seen though. 

 

Couple of nice shots in the episode. and I enjoyed the camerawork for Chucks nigh time walk. 

 

Overall a low key episode, dealing with the aftermath of the last one and setting up the second part of the season.

[Jay 37,348]

Eh, Lydia was kinda fanservice-y too, to me.  I'm willing to give Gould and Gilligan the benefit of the doubt for sure, I'm more cautiously optimistic than anything else... I just like the amount of prequel-ness the show has had so far, and I'm afraid its heading towards being more like Breaking Bad and less like its own thing now.  I could be completely wrong, of course!

 

Yea, I admire Jimmy's work ethic that seemingly the day after he finds out he can't practice law for a year, he's trying to find a new source of income to keep the office space.  I thought for sure he would end up doing something illegal or shady or whatever, but so far its legit.  Probably will last only about one episode that way

[Alex 2,835]

I honestly think the closest the show has got to fan service was Tuco's appearance in the first episode

[Jay 37,348]

Why?  I thought Tuco's integration was completely organic

[Alex 2,835]

I had no problem with it, but out of all the houses they could have ended up at...

[A24 4,331]

Episode 4: Hehehehe, I always love that tense atmosphere around the swimming pool in Mexico.

 

 

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

Why?  I thought Tuco's integration was completely organic

 

So Tuco showing up is organic, but Lydia showing up isnt? Hmmm...

[Matt S. 493]

On ‎5‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 4:09 AM, Stefancos said:

 

Jimmy isnt gonna be practising law for a full year. I wonder if he will get involved with Gus before he gets his license reinstated or after. 

 

 

I don't think Jimmy ever does get involved with Gus (or even know who he is).  As I recall in Breaking Bad, when he's helping Walt and Jesse look for a new distributor and he sets them up with Gus, it's more of a "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy....."  And then Walt and Jesse go to Los Pollos Hermanos and Gus ignores them, and Jimmy/Saul says they must have spooked him, not knowing who "him" was (as I mentioned earlier, which is exactly what Jimmy did when HE went to Los Pollos for Mike).

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's possible. 

[Matt S. 493]

4 hours ago, Stefancos said:

 

So Tuco showing up is organic, but Lydia showing up isnt? Hmmm...

 

I agree, Lydia's appearance makes perfect sense.  With Hector breathing over Gus's shoulder, forcing him to carry his product on the Los Pollos trucks from Mexico, Gus needs to start manufacturing the meth in the U.S., so they need a new lab.  It does seem a bit early in the story, however; the lab doesn't actually go online until Gus hires Walt, five or six years from now in the story.  I imagine excavating under the laundry and constructing the lab would take a considerable amount of time, especially since they would have to be VERY discreet about it.

 

I predict we'll see Gale Boetticher before too long....he was Gus's meth cook before Walter, right?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes.

[Jay 37,348]

Yea I dunno why the laundromat and Lydia affected me more negatively than Tuco did... who knows how my brain works.

 

Regardless, I'm not really complaining about their inclusion, I'm completely open to seeing how the season finishes up before saying they've done anything at all that wasn't necessary, for sure.

 

I can't believe there's already only 4 episodes left.  We're not only more than halfway through the season now, we could be more than halfway through the entire series, if they're planning on 5 10-episode seasons.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Over half the show done, and still unclear what will happen, how and when!

 

And for a prequel?

[Jay 37,348]

My favorite aspect of both these shows (BB and BCS) is how unpredictable they are.  I never know what's going to happen, and its great, makes for more exciting viewing.

[Alex 2,835]

I love how in BCS, you know what eventually happens, but it keeps you guessing HOW it happens.

[Jay 37,348]

Well that plus the show introduced new characters that you DON'T know what will happen.  Yea, we know how Gus, Mike, and Saul's story ends.  But anything could happen to Chuck and Kim.  And for that matter, Hamlin, Ernesto, Nacho, etc.

[Alex 2,835]

And they've actually made those characters engaging enough to actually care what happens to them

[Jay 37,348]

Absolutely!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I'll miss Chuck and Kim next time I'll watch Breaking Bad.