BETTER CALL SAUL

[Jay 37,346]

 

https://variety.com/2022/awards/features/better-call-saul-rhea-seehorn-kim-finale-1235292645/

[Anthony 572]

Can Rhea Seehorn stop looking so absolutely perfect and lovely please.

[Jay 37,346]

Lots of info in the article as well

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Finally caught up on this after a couple of months of spoiler-avoiding. Wowsers, what a cliffhanger. Brilliant first half to the final season. I really don't want this show to end, but I also can't wait to see how the writers wrap this one up. Fantastic.

[Anthony 572]

 

[Anthony 572]

 

 

 

[Jay 37,346]

Well here's a bit of casting I never would have predicted in a million years:

 

Spoiler

 

 

Note, I only put it in a spoiler block for people who want to know absolutely zero about the final 6 episodes; it's a tweet from the official BCS twitter, so nothing they didn't want to announce ahead of time

[Jay 37,346]

6 days to go!
 

 

 

 

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/better-call-saul-final-season-episodes-teaser-1235308420/

[Alex 2,835]

Putting this casting detail in a spoiler tag just in case.

 

Spoiler

It seems that Jeff the taxi driver has been recast, according to various posts I have seen on Reddit.

 

[crumbs 14,306]

That's super disappointing. The previous actor created such a palpable tension from his performance.

 

Some actors just have screen presence without saying a word. In his case, just a few glances of the eyes were enough to send a shiver up the spine.

[Anthony 572]

Yeah, the original actor had one of those "he looks familiar, but I don't know why" looks about him. Which gave off just the right amount of uneasiness. I'd have prefered them not to have brought the character back at all if the actor wasn't available...but story-wise I guess there's no way to avoid it. Annoying.

[Holko 9,519]

Is this the first bit of character recasting in this universe? Not even serious weight changes and aging have stopped them before.

[crumbs 14,306]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

Is this the first bit of character recasting in this universe? Not even serious weight changes and aging have stopped them before.

 

Kaylee has been recast like 4 or 5 times across both shows I think, for obvious reasons.

 

Plus Stacey, though her appearance was very brief in BB season 3.

[Holko 9,519]

5 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Kaylee has been recast like 4 or 5 times across both shows I think, for obvious reasons.

How the hell did I forget her...

[crumbs 14,306]

Just now, Holko said:

How the hell did I forget her...

 

You're being so silly, Pop-Pop.

[Jay 37,346]

BTW, has anybody here watched the "Slippin' Jimmy" cartoon that is exclusive to AMC+?

 

 

[Anthony 572]

No, I have no interest in any of their spin-off content, unless it involves the proper actors. The Kettleman short film was good, as was American Greed.

[Jay 37,346]

American Greed was awesome!

I never saw that Kettleman short, though!  I assume its on youtube?

[Edmilson 7,433]

From what I've seen online, the Slippin Jimmy cartoons seems to be terrible.

[Anthony 572]

2 hours ago, Jay said:

I never saw that Kettleman short, though!  I assume its on youtube?

 

 

[Jay 37,346]

That's it?  Huh.

[Anthony 572]

There's even a squat cobbler short film!

 

 

I only discovered this from Vince talking about it on the podcast, but it's hilarious.

 

 

[Jay 37,346]

Season 6B Teaser!

 

 

It's safe to watch, only features a couple seconds of new footage that isn't spoilery in the slightest

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

 

5 hours ago, Jay said:

Season 6B Teaser!

 

 

It's safe to watch, only features a couple seconds of new footage that isn't spoilery in the slightest

 

Really captures the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to this universe! So excited for this last run of episodes. And if the first half of the season is any indication it will be going out on an absolute high. What a privilege it has been to watch these shows.

[Jay 37,346]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/arts/television/rhea-seehorn-better-call-saul.html

[Jay 37,346]

 

On 25/05/2022 at 5:00 PM, Damien F said:

What do you guys think will be the ultimate fate of Gene / Jimmy:

1. Dead / Killed
2. In prison
3. Alive and free but unhappy and unfulfilled
4. Alive and free and reunited with Kim

 

I've been thinking about this. 

 

I think that for 5 seasons, the only real "hook" of the Gene scenes being him scared of being found/caught made sense, as the scenes were short, and that fear was easy to explain and believe.  I think that now we're going to catch up to and then spend some time in this timeline, I don't think the only thing it will be about will be to see how he "takes care" of the cab driver guy.

I think the emotional payoff of the Gene timeline, which is also the payoff of his entire 11 seasons of playing this character, is more than that.  And the only thing that makes sense if is it connects back to Kim.  Everyone else is dead or not important enough.  So I think the emotional catharsis he will strive for after taking care of the cab driver will be some kind of reunion of Kim in whatever shape that will be.

 

That reunion will depend greatly on where their relationship goes from this point forward.  The immediately aftermath of Howard's death, the circumstances that lead to him living in the mansion, the things he does when Walter White drags him in, and what superficially happens as he goes into hiding.

 

Those are the things I am most looking forward to learning about, and hopefully we start to get some idea about that tonight!

Because I think based on how all that goes will give us a lot of the answer of what kind of ultimate ending we can expect for Gene.  Saul.  Jimmy.

 

 

On 25/05/2022 at 2:17 AM, Anthony said:

We must be able to suss out what he wants with Kim and Jimmy over the next few weeks!

 

 

I've been thinking about this too.  I don't think Lalo is coming back to Jimmy and Kim's condo to go over his desert story yet again.  Kim ended that conversation the first time by telling him he had a rat in the house and to clean up, and know he knows Nacho was a rat, so I think he's satisfied on that front.  I think Nacho even said something before he died about working with whoever it was the whole time and setting up the attack maybe, can't remember, and I don't know if Lalo knows about that or not, but regardless: I think he's coming to see his lawyers for another reason.

 

His mission has been to get proof Gus is not acting in the best interest of the cartel, and is actually plotting against the cartel, which Lalo is pretty sure is the case after observing the laundromat, calling Hector's nursing home, and seeing Mike order men to leave right after.  The cockroach he sees gives him the idea to go talk to Jimmy instead of invading the laundromat, and I think it's because Jimmy is "officially", the cartel's lawyer.  I think he has a plan to use the law against Gus.  Exactly how, I have no idea, but I think that's what it is.  

 

Hopefully we find out tonight!

 

 

BCS's social media game has been on point leading up to tonight's finale:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super fun!

 

 

Also, they released this hilarious new video!  be sure to read all the text at the end  and pause it on the very last frame or so...

 

 

 

Finally, the poster for tonight's ep!

 

 

Point and Shoot

written by Gordon Smith

directed by Vince Gilligan

 

Previous episodes written by Gordon Smith

• 1x06 Five-O
• 1x08 RICO
• 2x04 Gloves Off
• 2x07 Inflatable
• 3x05 Chicanery
• 3x09 Fall
• 4x03 Something Beautiful
• 4x08 Coushatta
• 5x04 Namaste
• 5x08 Bagman
• 6x03 Rock and Hard Place

Previous episodes directed by Vince Gilligan

• 1x01 Uno
• 2x10 Klick
• 3x01 Mabel
• 3x02 Witness
• 4x09 Wiedersehen
• 5x08 Bagman
• 6x02 Carrot and Stick

[Jay 37,346]

Wow, that was incredibly satisfying.

 

Has there ever been a prequel that was more unpredictable?

Great episode title too

[Damien F 1,742]

That was fantastic.

 

Seeing a beach was quite a striking image on which to open the episode. It is not the usual type of scenery you see in BCS or BrBa. 

 

For a moment, I thought Kim was going to kill the decoy which would have been a way to start Kim's guilt over killing a person while also keeping Gus alive. But obviously Mike is too smart to allow that to happen. It would be fascinating to watch this show with someone who hasn't seen BrBa because there are numerous times in this episode when the viewer might expect Gus to die. There are obvious parallels between Kim turning up at Gus's door to reluctantly shoot him, and Jesse doing the same to Gale.

 

Tony Dalton was incredible. I really hope he starts to get quality high profile roles after this. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts being offered roles in some major franchises (in addition to his fairly small role in Hawkeye)

 

I liked Mike's regret at the end over Howard being killed. I don't think the two ever had a scene together, but someone on Reddit pointed out that Mike probably knew Howard from working as the court house parking attendant. Collateral damage of someone who wasn't in the game.

 

I'm very curious now about the structure of the remaining episodes. From what I can see, there is no longer any external threat to Kim and Jimmy, and likewise with Gus and Mike. I would expect Gus and Mike to start taking a lesser role in the show while it deals with the impact of Howard's death on Kim and Jimmy and their relationship. After the previous two fairly eventful episodes, I expect the next one to slow things down to deal with their relationship.

[Jay 37,346]

Better Call Saul 6x08 Point and Shoot

 

This has got to be one of the only episodes in the entire BB / BCS canon that just follows one story the entire time, and doesn't cut back and forth between different ones.  And that of course makes sense here, since the aftermath of Hamlin's death affects all 5 of the remaining living main characters.

 

Of course in retrospect it makes total sense that the only reason Lalo went to Jimmy and Kim's place first before going back to the laundromat was to use them as sacrifice / bait / distraction.  I'm sure he wasn't expecting them to actually kill Gus, just take more men off the laundromat.  That guy is smart.  So smart that it's almost disappointing that he let Gus give a speech instead of just popping him, and didn't notice the power cord by Gus's feet.  But of course in these 2 shows Gus is the smartest character, with the Salamancas and his quest for revenge against them being his only weakness, so everything tracks and is really satisfying, and I really liked that he didn't get away unscathed.  That bullet to the vest would REALLY hurt, and I like that he knows he'll be out of the limelight for at least a solid week.  It was so great to see Lyle get the call to be store manager!  Very... acceptable.

 

One interesting aspect was how committed both Kim and Jimmy were to each other, both willing to sacrifice themselves in order to save the other.  I have seen theories where some people think Kim isn't really into Jimmy, but I think this episode proves she is for sure.  I don't think for  a second she would have been able to pull the trigger if she got there an a librarian with glasses did open the door, and I would love to know precisely what was going through her head when the cops were at the stoplight with her.

 

One of my other favorite parts was two scenes with Mike.  First him telling off Gus for going to the laundromat without calling him.  I love how much balls has to talk to Gus any way he likes.  I think in a way Gus really respects that, and I think Mike needs it in order to work for him.  And the second is the sadness he had at the end having to bury Hamlin's body.  You can tell he knows its not right that Hamlin, who wasn't "in the game" got mixed up in all this, and doesn't deserve this death or burial.  I suspect he will have a very unfriendly attitude towards both Jimmy and Kim if we're in for any more scenes with them.  I was confused at first why he was removing Hamlin's wallet, watch, and shoes, until I remember he staged all of those at his suicide beach scene.  That was a nice cold open.

 

My biggest hope for next week is that we don't jump forward past some of the aftermath here.  I really want to see Jimmy and Kim trying to have that "normal day", I want to see their intial conversations about all this, I want to see Jimmy ask Kim why she didn't tell him she knew Lalo was alive, etc.  I want to see what happens next to them now, in 2004, before we jump to mansion-living Saul in 2008, for at least 1 more episode - hopefully 2.

[crumbs 14,306]

Incredible episode - surely one of the best of the series. Took me a few hours to digest what I just watched.

 

So many haunting scenes, disturbing images. So many characters pushed to breaking point (and beyond). Superb cinematography and direction throughout. The chilly atmosphere shone through, from the sound design (the wind in the trees as Kim approached Gus's house) to Dave Porter's suspenseful score.

 

If this is any indication for the final 5 episodes, we're in for a devastating ride home.

 

1 hour ago, Damien F said:

I liked Mike's regret at the end over Howard being killed. I don't think the two ever had a scene together, but someone on Reddit pointed out that Mike probably knew Howard from working as the court house parking attendant. Collateral damage of someone who wasn't in the game.

 

I didn't join the dots until reading you're comment but you're right. He even tells Jimmy and Kim they're stashing cocaine in his abandoned car. "That's the story you were setting up for this guy, yeah?"

 

So Mike knew exactly what they were planning, this whole time. The whole situation is just so devastatingly sad.

 

That small moment with Mike staring at Howard, with his heavy-hearted "easy..." before Howard's body was thrown in the ditch next to Lalo, makes total sense. And it ties into his comment about victims who "weren't in the game," though I forget which episode Mike lamented this (maybe the one where he's stuck in the desert with Jimmy?)

 

A future shared moment between Mike and Nacho's dad is suddenly all the more poignant.

[Jay 37,346]

19 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I didn't join the dots until reading you're comment but you're right. He even tells Jimmy and Kim they're stashing cocaine in his abandoned car. "That's the story you were setting up for this guy, yeah?"

 

So even Mike knew exactly what they were planning, this whole time.

 

Wait.... what?  Don't you remember only a few episodes ago when Mike sat down with Kim in the diner and told her directly on screen that he knows what they're up to?  She even called back to it this episode "you were supposed to be watching us!" or whatever the exact line was

 

19 minutes ago, crumbs said:

it ties into his comment about victims who "weren't in the game," though I forget exactly where Mike lamented this in a previous season

 

It's the basis of his whole character arc and moral code in this show, starting with him hearing about the good Samaritan who got killed and buried unceremoniously in the desert, so he went out there with a metal detector to find the body so there would be a funeral and closure for his family

But yea recently it was about protected Nacho's dad because he wasn't in the game.  And of course, after the events in the desert and Jimmy telling Kim about it, Mike told Jimmy "she's in the game now"

[crumbs 14,306]

2 minutes ago, Jay said:

Wait.... what?  Don't you remember only a few episodes ago when Mike sat down with Kim in the diner and told her directly on screen that he knows what they're up to?  She even called back to it this episode "you were supposed to be watching us!"

 

Don't specifically remember Mike telling her he knew they were plotting a scam against Howard and framing him for cocaine abuse, no.

 

I took Kim's comment about being watched specifically in relation to Lalo, nothing to do with their plot against Howard.

[Jay 37,346]

3 minutes ago, crumbs said:

 

Don't specifically remember Mike telling her he knew they were plotting a scam against Howard and framing him for cocaine abuse, no.

 

You missed it then!  Mike tells her something like "you're doing things you don't want anybody knowing about", I don't remember the exact line, but the point was that he knew about their entire scam, because his guys had been watching everything they do

 

 

3 minutes ago, crumbs said:

I took Kim's comment about being watched specifically in relation to Lalo, nothing to do with their plot against Howard.

 

Exactly correct.  He promised her that his guys were watching them (because of Lalo), but in this case, they weren't!

[crumbs 14,306]

Something I find endlessly compelling about BB and BCS is that people receiving their comeuppance never feels like a victory. There's always a price to be paid.

 

A lesser show would've built to the death of Lalo as its climax, complete with relief and ecstasy at their demise. Instead, this "victory" for Gus is tinged with darkness and melancholy.

 

It hit home with the parallel of Howard lying next to Lalo in that ditch. You can't help but think - what a waste. Lalo murdered Howard without a care in the world, only to end up dead himself a few hours later. If events had unfolded only slightly differently, Howard would still be alive and Lalo still dead. I suspect this fact will weigh heavily on Kim and Jimmy moving forward, especially as their scam was the only reason Howard found himself at their apartment that night.

 

But the same is true for almost every "victory" across both shows. Walt's train heist provides enough methylamine to complete his drug empire, but an innocent kid dies in the process. Walt succeeds in killing Gus but we soon realise the deception he used to achieve that outcome. Nacho intends to kill Don Hector to protect his father but only incapacitates him, which becomes the catalyst for Lalo and everything that follows (including Nacho's own death). Jimmy destroyed Chuck's reputation to win Mesa Verde back for Kim, only for Chuck to downward spiral to his death. And like the futility of Howard being murdered mere hours before his murderer's death, Kim ends up self-sabotaging Mesa Verde anyway.

 

The old adage certainly applies here: no good deed goes unpunished.

[Jay 37,346]

YES!  Absolutely true, on every level!

 

Even the "happy ending" Jesse gets living in Alaska by the end of El Camino is only arrived at after so many people he cared about died.

 

Which all makes me really wonder what ending the writers have in mind for Gene...

[crumbs 14,306]

Another big one I forgot: Hank finally catches his Heisenberg, but everything turns to shit from that moment forward (and ironically due to Hank's concocted scam with the barrel of cash, if I'm remembering events correctly). 

 

And few pay a heavier price than Jesse, whose "victory" after turning in Walt is short-lived.

 

There's no happy endings here. Somehow I don't see that changing for Gene...

[Jay 37,346]

I forgot to mention Dave Porter's score in this episode, which was really good; The music for Kim driving the car and approaching Gus's house was really good

[crumbs 14,306]

Yes, the music was superb! 

 

Some really great cues throughout, reminded me of the darker moments from late in BB S4. 

[Jay 37,346]

The whole episode had way more of a BB vibe than a BCS vibe.

It might be the only BCS episode without any jokes or comedic moments of any kind...

[crumbs 14,306]

Certainly the most foreboding episode of BCS so far. Felt more like a horror film than anything. The indignity of Howard sharing the same grave as a psychopathic murderer was devastating to me. 

 

I suspect Howard's death will loom ominously over the rest of the series, especially if Kim can't overcome her guilt while Jimmy completes his transformation. We're at an interesting point in the narrative because we know where Jimmy ends up, and it seems like Howard's death (like Chuck's) barely registers. In fact, both tragedies have seemingly liberated Jimmy to complete his transformation into Saul. 

 

Such a fascinating contrast to Walt, where a comparatively devastating event (Hank's death) eviscerated Walt's existence and put him on a path to avenge Hank. 

[Jay 37,346]

RHEA SEEHORN FINALLY GOT NOMINATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/Downloads/74th-nomination-list-v1_0.pdf

 

Season 6A got a total of 7 Emmy nominations!

 

Drama Series

Lead Actor - Bob Odenkirk

Supporting Actress - Rhea Seehorn

Writing - Thomas Schnauz for 6x07 Plan and Execution

Music Supervision - Thomas Golubic for 6x02 Carrot and Stick

Sound Editing - for 6x02 Carrot and Stick

Sound Mixing - for 6x02 Carrot and Stick

 

Michael Mando got snubbed though, and Gordon for his excellent work directing Plan and Execution...

 

Season 6B will be eligible for the 2023 Emmys

[Holko 9,519]

Kickass and depressing as hell.

 

Two of my favourite moments were kind of "out of character" or something you don't see often - Gus 404ing at somebody talking Lalo out of something, and Mike's shock at finding out Lalo's "at" Jimmy's apartment.

[Jay 37,346]

1 hour ago, crumbs said:

I suspect Howard's death will loom ominously over the rest of the series, especially if Kim can't overcome her guilt while Jimmy completes his transformation. We're at an interesting point in the narrative because we know where Jimmy ends up, and it seems like Howard's death (like Chuck's) barely registers. In fact, both tragedies have seemingly liberated Jimmy to complete his transformation into Saul. 

 

Yea, it really seems like he's going to stuff his guilt over Howard deep down inside, just like he did his guilt over Chuck.

 

What I'm fascinated about is whether or not he'll grow and let these things bubble up in the Gene timeline, or keep burying emotions forever

 

Because I think it's clear he does not process these deaths any time soon, and the whole "full Saul" persona seems to really be the result of burying deep all of these kinds of things.

 

55 minutes ago, Holko said:

Gus 404ing at somebody talking Lalo out of something

 

I loved that as soon as he realized Lalo didn't care if it was Jimmy or Kim that went to Gus's house, he knew Lalo had to be at the laundromat

 

55 minutes ago, Holko said:

, and Mike's shock at finding out Lalo's "at" Jimmy's apartment.

 

He should have sent guys to their condo the second he saw it was Kim at the door

[Damien F 1,742]

1 hour ago, crumbs said:

Certainly the most foreboding episode of BCS so far. Felt more like a horror film than anything. The indignity of Howard sharing the same grave as a psychopathic murderer was devastating to me. 

 

 

Not just any psychopathic murder, HIS murderer!

[Jay 37,346]

You have to wonder if in the post-Breaking Bad timeline, the authorities will discover the bodies underneath the lab.  If they do, I guess his family will get the closure that he wasn't a cokehead who committed suicide, he was shot in the head.  Though, I don't know if the authorities will ever figure out who killed him or why...

[crocodile 8,000]

Wow, that was a very eventful episode. Really great stuff. And yes, I can clearly see how this is the beginning of end for Kim and Jimmy.

 

Karol

[Damien F 1,742]

47 minutes ago, Jay said:

You have to wonder if in the post-Breaking Bad timeline, the authorities will discover the bodies underneath the lab.  If they do, I guess his family will get the closure that he wasn't a cokehead who committed suicide, he was shot in the head.  Though, I don't know if the authorities will ever figure out who killed him or why...

 

Yeah, in the final season of BrBa, we see Hank and Gomie with a CSI team in the lab after the fire so it is inevitable that their bodies will be discovered. I think the police will naturally assume Howard was involved in Gus's drug empire in some way though so his reputation will never be repaired. 

 

We might even see a news report about Howard's body being discovered in the later episodes depending on the time frame of the episodes set during BrBa.

[Jay 37,346]

I dunno, is it common procedure for people investigating an underground meth lab to check and see if there's anything UNDERNEATH the concrete floor?

[SpaceCoyote 150]

55 minutes ago, Jay said:

I dunno, is it common procedure for people investigating an underground meth lab to check and see if there's anything UNDERNEATH the concrete floor?

 

Gordon Smith, the episode's writer, was asked about that in an interview with Rolling Stone.

 

Quote

Do you think the DEA digs up the foundation after Walt and Jesse burn down the Super Lab? Or will Howard and Lalo be down there together forever?

I think maybe they would just leave them there forever, unless for some reason they got some information that something is buried there. Why would you dig up the floor? It’s a question of what you do with a condemned Super Lab? I don’t really know what the EPA rules are for conflagrations in mega Super Labs.

 

[Jay 37,346]

New interview with Bob Odenkirk

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2022-emmys-better-call-saul-star-bob-odenkirk-heart-attack-1235179022/