BETTER CALL SAUL

[Anthony 572]

I still wanted to see more of the aftermath of the main BCS storyline.

 

It's as if they've gone, "Nah, we're gonna skip all that. Here, have an extended ending to a different show that finished 9 years ago instead."

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I can totally see where the gripes about the structure of the season or the gap between BCS and BB are coming in here, but for me I think the idea behind it is that nothing particularly significant happens after Kim leaves, at least not dramatically. We've seen all we need to see for what transpires next. The time jump at the end of "Fun and Games" shows us everything we need to know: after Kim left, Jimmy completely commits to the Saul persona; filling his day from start to finish with non-stop noise, phone calls, distractions, work, sex workers etc. all so he doesn't stop and think for even a second about Howard, Kim or Chuck. We don't see the aftermath of "Fun and Games" because Jimmy won't let there be an aftermath: he's pushed it all down underneath Saul.

 

The reason we're spending so much time with Gene is because for the first time since Kim has left he hasn't got Saul to hide behind, just the slow, achingly lonely existence of the Cinnabun manager alone with his own memories. This is the aftermath of "Fun and Games", it's just come years later than it should have.

[Jay 37,283]

Waterworks

Written by Vince Gilligan

Directed by Vince Gilligan

 

Previous episodes written by Vince Gilligan

• BB 1x01 Pilot
• BB 1x02 Cat's In The Bag...
• BB 1x03 ...And the Bag's in the River
• BB 1x04 Cancer Man
• BB 2x06 Peekaboo
• BB 2x13 ABQ
• BB 3x01 No Más
• BB 3x13 Full Measure
• BB 4x01 Box Cutter
• BB 4x13 Face Off
• BB 5x01 Live Free or Die
• BB 5x02 Madrigal
• BB 5x16 Felina
• El Camino
• BCS 1x01 Uno
• BCS 2x10 Klick
• BCS 3x01 Mabel

Previous episodes directed by Vince Gilligan

• BB 1x01 Pilot
• BB 3x13 Full Measure
• BB 4x12 End Times
• BB 4x13 Face Off
• BB 5x16 Felina
• El Camino
• BCS 1x01 Uno
• BCS 2x10 Klick
• BCS 3x01 Mabel
• BCS 3x02 Witness
• BCS 4x09 Wiedersehen
• BCS 5x08 Bagman
• BCS 6x02 Carrot and Stick
• BCS 6x08 Point and Shoot

[Jay 37,283]

Well holy shit. I don't think I've ever predicted an episode of television more accurately in my life. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Jay said:

Well, I think what's going to happen is that something bad will happen inside the house while Saul is breaking in

 

9 hours ago, Jay said:

And that will raise the stakes and make us worry how Gene was gonna get out of it. 

 

9 hours ago, Jay said:

I think Carol Burnette is going to use that fancy new laptop and google "Gene" and figure out who he is

 

9 hours ago, Jay said:

 she'll call the cops

 

 

6 hours ago, Jay said:

she meets up with him when she's back in ABQ to sign divorce papers

 

 

6 hours ago, Jay said:

at some point in the episode we see her side of that phone call

 

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

We can disagree on whether the post-BB time jump is a misfire, but can we all agree that the digital black and white looks atrocious? At least add in some film grain if you're trying to emulate a noir look. 

[Alex 2,833]

9 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

We can disagree on whether the post-BB time jump is a misfire, but can we all agree that the digital black and white looks atrocious? At least add in some film grain if you're trying to emulate a noir look. 

I don’t think AMC has done it justice. It looks much better on Netflix.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

22 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

We can disagree on whether the post-BB time jump is a misfire, but can we all agree that the digital black and white looks atrocious? At least add in some film grain if you're trying to emulate a noir look. 

What?!

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

3 minutes ago, SpaceCoyote said:

What?!

We can disagree on whether the post-BB time jump is a misfire, but can we all agree that the digital black and white looks atrocious? At least add in some film grain if you're trying to emulate a noir look. 

[Jay 37,283]

Talking Saul is on if you click live TV in the AMC+ app

 

Bob Odenkirk had a nice analogy saying Gene doing these scams is like Nic Cage in Leaving Las Vegas drinking himself to death

 

And there was some nice behind the scenes footage shown of them filming the Cranston and Paul scenes

[SpaceCoyote 150]

49 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

We can disagree on whether the post-BB time jump is a misfire, but can we all agree that the digital black and white looks atrocious? At least add in some film grain if you're trying to emulate a noir look. 

It’s not meant to emulate a noir look; it’s meant to be a stark contrast to the color of Jimmy/Saul’s lives (hence the Saul commercials appearing in color both here and in the series premiere). Despite the intent being that it’s duller visually than all of BCS and BB, it’s still beautifully framed and lit. I disagree on this more than the season’s quality lol.

 

43 minutes ago, Jay said:

Bob Odenkirk had a nice analogy saying Gene doing these scams is like Nic Cage in Leaving Las Vegas drinking himself to death

Not going to lie, I’m feeling validated having Bob echo the same ”drinking himself to death” description I made after last week’s episode.

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

This episode he was up to his classic Saul Goodman shenanigans; much of his Jimmy McGill life was duller than his scams as Gene. I'd say 3 episodes of black and white is not just overly literal, it's also misapplied if that really was the intention. And it looks like an ugly instagram filter. 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

11 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

This episode he was up to his classic Saul Goodman shenanigans; much of his Jimmy McGill life was duller than his scams as Gene. I'd say 3 episodes of black and white is not just overly literal, it's also misapplied if that really was the intention. And it looks like an ugly instagram filter. 

Not sure I would call almost bludgeoning a cancer patient he’s in the process of robbing, and preparing to either strangle or incapacitate an innocent senior citizen “classic Saul shenanigans,” and that was all we saw Gene do this episode (aside from speaking to Jeff in the police station).

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

By that logic a lot of Mike's scenes should have been in black and white, like when he

Spoiler

killed Werner

.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

44 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

By that logic a lot of Mike's scenes should have been in black and white, like when he killed Werner.

If this is the degree of frustration you have with the show, I’m genuinely surprised you got enough enjoyment out of it to make it this far.
 

To be clear, using black and white as a stark visualization of Gene’s miserable life was discussed by Peter and Vince back when this premiered seven years ago. And Mike never had color in his life to lose, so there was no need to show a contrast. Jimmy/Saul had his schemes, but more importantly, he had Kim. If color is going to return, it’s when she enters his life in the Gene timeline.

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

Seven years ago it was used in short teasers as a cold open, not in full episodes. And they clearly changed their minds, because Gene is not living a boring dull life anymore. 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

3 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

Seven years ago it was used in short teasers as a cold open, not in full episodes. And they clearly changed their minds, because Gene is not living a boring dull life anymore. 

Why would the color have returned (metaphorically)? Gene’s life isn’t boring and dull anymore, but he isn’t enjoying what he’s doing. He’s literally at his lowest point.

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

His lowest point that we've seen was being dragged to the desert and thrown in a grave. Or watching Howards head explode in front of him. Both in color. 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

Come on. You’re arguing just to argue (or critiquing just to critique) at this point. Does anyone else have genuine qualms with the black and white?

[Holko 9,499]

Oh wow that mayo discussion was so painfully on the nose. I liked their talk on the phone and loved all the Kim back in ABQ stuff!

[crumbs 14,300]

That certainly didn't feel like a penultimate episode, yet here we are. Beautifully directed by Gilligan but most of my frustrations reared their head again. 

 

The most engaging scenes were Kim's new life in Florida and returning to ABQ to meet with Howard's widow, trying to absolve her guilty conscience. The show came alive the moment we linked back to a narrative we've followed for six seasons... funny that. A sad reminder at how much time these final episodes wasted on characters with no relevance to the overarching BCS storyline.

 

Even Jesse's scene with Kim had me rolling my eyes, wishing they'd get back to something more interesting. That entire scene added nothing Seahorn didn't already convey through her performance minutes prior. Egregious fan service and incredibly on the nose, it pains me to say. 

 

Gosh it's tearing me up being this frustrated at how they've closed the series. It feels like they're doing everything in their power to subvert expectations, regardless of whether it's a satisfying narrative choice.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

Jeff misreading the police’s intentions, peeling out and immediately crashing is this show’s version of Ted Beneke overreacting to Huell and Kuby in his house and tripping on his rug with enough force to put himself in a coma. A big, much needed moment of humor in this episode’s Gene plot.

 

I assume that’s the last we’ll see of Jeff and Marion (Carol Burnett seems guaranteed to win a guest performance Emmy for her work in this episode), so I doubt we’ll find out what happens to Jeff once the police connect him to Saul thanks to his mom. It probably doesn’t go well?

[crumbs 14,300]

12 minutes ago, SpaceCoyote said:

I assume that’s the last we’ll see of Jeff and Marion (Carol Burnett seems guaranteed to win a guest performance Emmy for her work in this episode), so I doubt we’ll find out what happens to Jeff once the police connect him to Saul thanks to his mom. It probably doesn’t go well?

 

If the last 3 episodes are any indication, most of the finale will focus on Jeff, Marion and more flashbacks to Walt and Jesse.

[crumbs 14,300]

I've been ruminating on this episode the last few hours and have to admit it's really haunted me.

 

I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was on the verge of tears watching those tense final minutes between Gene and Marion. You knew it was the point of no return for both characters.

 

As Gene approached Marion with the cable, I had flashbacks to distant memories of the "sweet, innocent Jimmy" who put all that effort into Elder Law, especially with Irene (before turning an entire retirement village against her for financial gain).

 

To see him come perilously close to harming Marion kinda broke my heart. Like Walt in Ozymandias, I feel this was the exact moment where it finally hit home: the sympathetic character we once knew is long gone.

[Alex 2,833]

It was probably as close to Better Call Saul’s Ozymandias as we’re going to get. Just a grim hour of television all round.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

I really love this analysis of Jimmy's psychology from an AV Club commenter. Putting it behind a spoiler tag because it's lengthy.

 

Spoiler

DancerInTheSnark:

Something I just realized after finishing this episode: Jimmy is always at his most vengeful when people attempt to hold themselves accountable. Note how his true rage at Howard started when Howard confessed that he felt responsible for Chuck’s death. When Kim comes in to sign the divorce settlement, his performance of stone-cold indifference—“Well, have a nice life, Kim!”—is because she’s actually trying (somewhat) to take responsibility for what they’ve done. Jimmy’s actually not too bothered when people try to hold him accountable, with the exception of Chuck. He’ll still do everything in his power to weasel out of the consequences, but he generally doesn’t take it too personally. But when people try to answer for their own bad actions, that’s when Jimmy feels truly, personally attacked. That is the only kind of choice that makes him feel genuinely morally implicated because he knows it’s the one thing he’ll never voluntarily do himself. It’s even worse if Jimmy can tell himself the other person’s choice is actually just an act of self-serving hypocrisy—as when Buddy refuses to rob a man battling cancer after having robbed so many others, or when Kim resigns as a member of the bar association and turns down the Sandpiper money, but doesn’t actually turn herself in. (It’s the mark of how complex the BCS/BB ethical matrix is that the writers actually allow those kinds of actions to be both self-serving and genuinely driven by conscience at the same time.)

 

I think the reason for this is because of a feeling that started creeping up on me while watching “Nippy”: it doesn’t matter how sweet and kindhearted Jimmy can be at an interpersonal level, his addiction to pulling off these kinds of schemes reveals the con artist’s basically malevolent orientation toward the universe. What I mean is that, in order to do this over and over again, you have to believe, deep down in your soul, that a person’s willingness to trust you isn’t just a reason, but a justification for lying to them, stealing from them, and taking things that aren’t yours to take. If somebody trusts you, it means they deserve to be hurt by you. Remember the flashback scene where a young Jimmy watches his father get conned and then starts stealing from the register that very day? That looked an awful lot like the birth of a lifelong contempt for the world, and the thing about contempt is that it has nothing to do with affection or attachment. Contempt is about an absence of respect, not an absence of liking—you can like people just fine and still have no respect for them, or conversely, absolutely despise someone and still have a basic respect for them. (Recall what Jimmy says to Cliff Main after he manages to scam his way into getting fired and still keeping his severance: “For what it’s worth, Cliff, I think you’re a decent guy.” Cliff: “Yeah, well, for what’s it’s worth, Jimmy, I think you’re an asshole.”) What makes Jimmy’s contempt for the world different from Chuck’s is that Chuck’s vengeance and pettiness is activated when people don’t defer to him (he’s a lot like Walt that way), whereas Jimmy’s is activated by its opposite, when people act in good faith and assume he is as well.

 

So it makes sense that Jimmy is so infuriated by other people’s attempts to take responsibility for themselves, especially if he considers them to be just as compromised as he is. To admit that you’ve done wrong, or that there are lines you won’t cross is to agree that there are ethical and moral standards that go beyond interpersonal kindness, and that adherence to those standards might require some kind of sacrifice. When you’re willing to cross a line and the other person isn’t, who looks like the asshole?

 

I was also impressed by what seemed to be the BCS team's attempt to make Saul calling Francesca "Honey Tits" in his first Breaking Bad appearance track with the person we see in Better Call Saul. I was fully willing to chalk that up as an incongruity, and then he called her that in front of Kim while he was cranking up the Saul dial to 200% and putting on a show for everyone. Not sure it completely tracks even now, but I can see Saul maintaining some resentment for Francesca seeing him at this vulnerable point and keeping that nickname (which was initially said more to rattle Kim than Francesca) as a way to degrade her and maintain some self-deluded sense of power over her.

[PrayodiBA 517]

I have been a silent reader of this thread, as BCS is one of my favourite shows, and it's interesting to see the discussion here.

And now it almost reaches the end, allow me to share my thoughts on these recent developments.

 

In my opinion, the showrunners are Game-of-Throne-ing this season, the difference is, they still give their love and thought to the series, as opposed to how Benioff and Weiss wanted to quickly jettison themselves from their brainchild. 

 

But still the same problem, as if the writer realized that they have outpaced BB in term of the length (of the seasons) and acknowledged that they in fact still needed more seasons to finish (nicely), but were faced with the fact that (1) they grew exhausted, (2) no love (ehem, EMMYS) given to the series/really mild reception from public.

It's like Gilligan & Gould having their casual lunch in the cafe, all fun and games until one of them talked about work "So, how about BCS?", the last topic that they wanted to discuss 😁

Plus, I guess they are mandated by the studio to finish the season ASAP (beacuse of the said reason no 2).

 

With those abovementioned "contraints", I think what they do to this final season is acceptable, and perhaps need to be appreciated still. I mean there is nothing else you can do, or add, really

(I mean with a story as tragic as Saul, any approach to the ending could easily be deemed a disappointment by viewers)

 

The fact that the very existence of BCS itself is "non-essential" and has no sense of urgency, 

(in fact, at least for me, we are truly lucky to have the series end with Gene timeline, as opposed to how some have theorized in the beginning, that the series could end right when Saul meets WW),

It's truly a blessing to be told a really engaging story across 6 seasons.

 

And it's really sad to see this go next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Damien F 1,742]

I know Kim was just as instrumental in Howard's character assassination as Jimmy (arguably even more so) but seeing her life's potential wasted writing brochure text for sprinkler products when we know she is capable of so much more was heart-breaking.

 

I love how they cut away from the office staff's lunch time chat literally in the middle of a word. It really emphasises how mundane and uninteresting her Florida life is now.

 

Gene and Saul are thoroughly unlikable in this episode. 

[Anthony 572]

Waterworks was an improvement on last week by the fact we had Kim back - all her scenes were wonderfully dull. Rhea Seehorn is glorious.

 

In contrast, the Gene scenes still crawl along and are just no fun to watch at all. I mean, Kim's scenes were no picnic, but at least I was invested in those. The Gene stuff makes me want to pull my eyes out.

 

I don't recognise Gene any more. It all seems tonally inconsistent with everything we've ever seen of this character. People say "he's slipped back to his Saul persona", but I don't even recall Saul behaving in this way.

 

I didn't think this show was building up to make him unlikeable, which makes it all the more confusing why what is happening is happening.

 

9 hours ago, crumbs said:

The most engaging scenes were Kim's new life in Florida and returning to ABQ to meet with Howard's widow, trying to absolve her guilty conscience. The show came alive the moment we linked back to a narrative we've followed for six seasons... funny that. A sad reminder at how much time these final episodes wasted on characters with no relevance to the overarching BCS storyline.

 

Even Jesse's scene with Kim had me rolling my eyes, wishing they'd get back to something more interesting. That entire scene added nothing Seahorn didn't already convey through her performance minutes prior. Egregious fan service and incredibly on the nose, it pains me to say. 

 

This. Exactly.

 

When Kim stepped out of the office and the camera started slowly panning, I thought "oh God, don't have Jesse appear". It was even more fan service-y than the scenes last week.

 

Why have the writers seemingly just given up? What the hell happened in the writers room? While they've had the occasional glimmer of the show's former intelligence, these last 3 episodes have sucked big time. What a let down.

[Glóin the Dark 1,218]

I liked it.

[Anthony 572]

Even Vince Gilligan has been quoted saying this:

 

Quote

I’m glad we don’t have too much left because I don’t want to see too much more of him being a monster. It was tough in Episode 12 watching him be so unpleasant and unlikable. My god. This is not what I want to see as a fan of the show. I think it’s important stuff and we feel it’s necessary plot wise, but man, what an unpleasant thing.

 

If even you know it's not what fans want to see, then why on earth are you writing this? It's such a curveball.

 

Ozymandias, Granite State and Felina were unpleasant to watch, by man they were satisfying as hell. Everything felt natural. BCS just feels like it's going out with a pathetic, unnecessary whimper.

[Glóin the Dark 1,218]

1 minute ago, Anthony said:

If even you know it's not what fans want to see, then why on earth are you writing this?

 

But in your previous post you were complaining about fan-service!

[Damien F 1,742]

Some more frustratingly poor questions from Kelly in this week's Insider podcast 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

13 minutes ago, Anthony said:

If even you know it's not what fans want to see, then why on earth are you writing this?

“I think it’s important stuff and we feel it’s necessary plot wise.”

[Anthony 572]

10 minutes ago, Glóin the Dark said:

 

But in your previous post you were complaining about fan-service!

 

I am complaining about it. It's cheap and lazy, and the show hasn't been like this until now.

 

Seeing Walt and Jesse isn't important.

 

Having proper resolution to a story they've been telling for the last 7 years is. Not this Gene sideshow with these new characters we've no attachment to, and a "protagonist" who's compeltely unrecognisable. And no, that's not "the point". It's jarring writing. Something can be unpleasant to watch but satisfying. This is only the former.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

7 minutes ago, Damien F said:

Some more frustratingly poor questions from Kelly in this week's Insider podcast 

Glad to see the podcast is staying true to itself, at least.

[Anthony 572]

I haven't heard the podcast yet, but if Kelley is as confused as I am, for once I don't blame her.

[Glóin the Dark 1,218]

9 minutes ago, Anthony said:

I am complaining about it.

 

I understand that (though I don't fully agree with the assessment in this case), but your subsequent complaint about Gilligan deliberately not trying to please fans seemed to express a contradictory sentiment...

[Anthony 572]

I'll come back once the frustration of this episode has worn off. I'm too wound up right now.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

That was a fantastic episode. The Florida scenes had me laughing out loud at how mundane they were, especially the aforementioned moment where the scene cut mid-sentence. It was also so upsetting watching Kim’s side of the phone conversation, so much tension with just her facial expressions. Same with her meeting with Cheryl, some beautiful wordless acting from both actors.

 

The Gene scenes were tense as hell. I was cringing and squirming in my seat, knowing something was coming, but that’s good suspense, not bad television. I gasped when he had the telephone cord in his hands, brandishing it like a garrotte. Vince is right, incredibly upsetting. Thanks to @SpaceCoyote for sharing that AV Club comment about the nature of Jimmy/Saul/Gene’s outbursts - I think it completely nails where the character is with his guilt. The brief moment of shame that passes his face just before Marion hits the emergency button tells us everything. 

What an incredible gift these people are.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

I’m curious if anyone who is so discombobulated from Gene’s actions in these last few episodes would feel any different after a fresh rewatch of Breaking Bad (even BCS, for that matter). 

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

2 hours ago, Damien F said:

I know Kim was just as instrumental in Howard's character assassination as Jimmy (arguably even more so) but seeing her life's potential wasted writing brochure text for sprinkler products when we know she is capable of so much more was heart-breaking.

 

I love how they cut away from the office staff's lunch time chat literally in the middle of a word. It really emphasises how mundane and uninteresting her Florida life is now.

 

Gene and Saul are thoroughly unlikable in this episode. 

Can't say I really understand how her life is bad. She has a nice house, a boyfriend, a job with a private office, she's doing better than 90% of people, even if it's not a fancy corporate lawyer life. Plus she's like 50, I think she'd want to settle down a bit at this point.

[Anthony 572]

8 minutes ago, SpaceCoyote said:

I’m curious if anyone who is so discombobulated from Gene’s actions in these last few episodes would feel any different after a fresh rewatch of Breaking Bad (even BCS, for that matter). 

 

I recall Saul being sleazy comic relief. Someone who put on a big show but who was ultimately scared and harmless.

 

Now what feels like out of nowhere, he's gone full Heisenberg.

 

The last time I watched Breaking Bad was in February.

 

Things I did like:

 

Has anyone else noticed how a quick frame from the episode has been shown at the end of the titles over the last two weeks? Last week it was the crossroads, this week it was the shot of Kim arriving in ABQ.

 

I thought the falling pillar was hilarious - how you think it’s going to come crashing down, but it just stops with this pathetic “thump”.

 

More tacky cat-themed birthday cards! Mike signed one in 4.01 too.

 

Gene’s plan to hit the guy over the head with the ashes of his dog was also darkly comic. When the guy passed out, I thought for a second Gene was going to go back up the stairs again to put them back.

 

I saw some reviews saying Jeff was smart enough to crash the car to create a diversion for Gene to escape. But my interpretation was he freaked out over what turned out to be literally nothing.

[Damien F 1,742]

12 minutes ago, JohnTheBaptist said:

Can't say I really understand how her life is bad. She has a nice house, a boyfriend, a job with a private office, she's doing better than 90% of people, even if it's not a fancy corporate lawyer life. Plus she's like 50, I think she'd want to settle down a bit at this point.

 

As you say, her life itself isn't too bad. What is bad is the wasted potential. She is a person who is capable of single handedly dealing with the legalities of a major bank expansion or helping vulnerable people in court but instead she has a job that just uses a fraction of her talent and intelligence.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

 

I recall Saul being sleazy comic relief. Someone who put on a big show but who was ultimately scared and harmless.

 

Now what feels like out of nowhere, he's gone full Heisenberg.

 

I would draw the line at comparing him to Heisenberg. For starters he's never taken a life, although he appeared to come close (twice!) in this episode. In fact I think the fact he didn't is very important to note. Even if the cancer patient guy hadn't woken up we don't really know whether or not Gene would have still gone through with hitting him in the head. It's chilling that he came that close, but it's important to make that distinction. And while threatening Marion in her own house was downright shitbag behaviour (and grounds alone for why he really does need to be arrested and jailed), he didn't physically hurt her.

 

My view is that this is the absolute worst, lowest point of this character. The reason we never saw Saul or Jimmy do anything as bad as this before is deliberate; this is the ultimate consequence of Jimmy's refusal to deal with his emotional trauma and subsequent "using" (to use the addiction metaphor that the show implies) of the Saul persona. It's no coincidence that it's Marion of all people who is present at this low moment; it's a direct link to his time with the Sandpiper residents in season 2. When he alienated Irene from her friends it was horrendous to watch, almost unforgivable, saved by his last ditch effort to throw himself under the bus and reconcile things. This all shows us how far this man has fallen, and while it's not pleasant to watch he's still nowhere near the monster that Heisenberg was.

 

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

I thought the falling pillar was hilarious - how you think it’s going to come crashing down, but it just stops with this pathetic “thump”.

 

Agreed, a very funny moment, and one of many. Last week I felt there was very little humour so I was happy to see it this week. It's also a poignant metaphor for the fall of Saul Goodman and the muted, drab life of Gene. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

 

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

I saw some reviews saying Jeff was smart enough to crash the car to create a diversion for Gene to escape. But my interpretation was he freaked out over what turned out to be literally nothing.

 

Yeah I'm with you on that, to me that was clearly Jeff freaking out. Another very funny moment.

 

1 hour ago, Damien F said:

 

As you say, her life itself isn't too bad. What is bad is the wasted potential. She is a person who is capable of single handedly dealing with the legalities of a major bank expansion or helping vulnerable people in court but instead she has a job that just uses a fraction of her talent and intelligence.

 

I was so compelled by Kim's staunch refusal to show any kind of decision-making throughout that whole sequence. Over and over again she defers to whoever she's talking to: "I dunno, what do you think?" etc. It's Kim both living a humble life of penance, but also holding back the incredible drive and headstrong nature inside her. She doesn't even trust herself to have an opinion on Miracle Whip for fear of slipping back into her old ways. 

 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

It’s not a bad life, but it’s the wrong one for her. There were multiple scenes over the years of her typing and retyping on her laptop, second guessing a word or punctuation mark in a legal document to help give her clients the best possible defense. Here, we saw her doing that with ad copy and clip art placement in a brochure that someone will probably toss in the garbage. That longing look at the female attorney helping her client look presentable in the ABQ courthouse said so much.

[Alex 2,833]

1 hour ago, Damien F said:

Some more frustratingly poor questions from Kelly in this week's Insider podcast 

Every time she says “I was gonna ask…” my heart sinks, because I know what’s coming.

[SpaceCoyote 150]

1 hour ago, Anthony said:

Now what feels like out of nowhere, he's gone full Heisenberg.

From Jimmy to Saul to Gene, and the eleven (chronological) seasons between these two shows, we’ve only ever seen this character become less in touch with his humanity. He starts BCS by negotiating for the twins to get their legs broken instead of bullets in the head, and by the time he shows up in BB, a frequent suggestion is that anyone causing a problem get a trip to Belize. It’s only natural that these final few episodes would show him at his absolute worst, especially following his perceived betrayal by the person to whom he felt the closest.

[JohnTheBaptist 57]

10 minutes ago, SpaceCoyote said:

It’s not a bad life, but it’s the wrong one for her. There were multiple scenes over the years of her typing and retyping on her laptop, second guessing a word or punctuation mark in a legal document to help give her clients the best possible defense. Here, we saw her doing that with ad copy and clip art placement in a brochure that someone will probably toss in the garbage. That longing look at the female attorney helping her client look presentable in the ABQ courthouse said so much.

Not how I interpret it. The question really is whether it was the presence of Jimmy or her profession that made her unhappy. A few episodes ago she decided it was both.  The fact that she hasn't reverted to Slippin' Wexler shows that she's happier to be doing clip art on brochures. 

[SpaceCoyote 150]

I don’t know, I thought it was pretty clear from her breakup with Jimmy that she still loved the law, and she was leaving it behind because she had broken her oath to uphold it. She felt she no longer deserved it.

 

I guess that’s not at complete odds with what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s that her profession was making her unhappy. She loved it so much that she realized it was better off without her, just like Jimmy (and vice versa).

[Anthony 572]

7 hours ago, SpaceCoyote said:

by the time he shows up in BB, a frequent suggestion is that anyone causing a problem get a trip to Belize

 

Very good point. Even in his first episode when Badger is arrested he's suggesting they off him if I remember correctly. I guess since he has Mike to deal with "the sharp end" of things, he feels like it's an easy solution to put on the table while still keeping his hands relatively clean.

 

I still wish we could have seen more moments where we saw Jimmy crossing these lines for the first time. That 6.09 time jump still hurts.

 

7 hours ago, SpaceCoyote said:

There were multiple scenes over the years of her typing and retyping on her laptop, second guessing a word or punctuation mark in a legal document to help give her clients the best possible defense. Here, we saw her doing that with ad copy and clip art placement in a brochure that someone will probably toss in the garbage.

 

I loved that this came back!