Better Call Saul (May Contain Breaking Bad Spoilers)

[junior94]

I'm so glad the prediction I had about the end of this episode didn't turn out as extreme as I thought.

I mean, for one the whole point of her getting her car stuck and then almost ramming it into the drill was showing Kim was biting off waaaay more than she can chew and it would bring her very close to danger. As soon as they cut to that side shot of her driving on the way to the meeting, I had the most dreadful feeling. I honestly thought she was going to get killed in an accident, that's the massive curveball Gilligan was throwing at us for the end of season 3. I'm glad to see she at least survived the accident (I'm assuming the deal is her brain was so whacked out on coffee and the all-nighter that she fell asleep at the wheel)

but love that Jimmy literally fixed a bingo game to help his long con play out

[artiej1120]

Jimmy in the sweat suit with the orthopedic sneakers had me HOWLING laughing

[WidespreadMule3]

Jimmy showed how truly terrible of a person he is in that episode. Kim is sinking fast. I wonder what they're getting to with her working herself to death.

[TheLastStop123]

Man the Irene storyline was just so heartbreaking to watch. What a fantastic episode though. This season is just on absolute fire.

[Gene Parmesan]

Felt the montage of Jimmy hanging out with the ladies shooting pool and talking shit about Irene wasn't very believable. Also like they wouldn't confront her about what Jimmy said?
And Jimmy should be smart enough to know that Howard was not going to help him and asking for it would only make him drag his feet more. The whole episode felt kinda off.

On a positive note, no Sklar brothers.

[ExistenceNow]

Originally Posted by WidespreadMule3

Jimmy showed how truly terrible of a person he is in that episode. Kim is sinking fast. I wonder what they're getting to with her working herself to death.

Originally Posted by TheLastStop123

Man the Irene storyline was just so heartbreaking to watch. What a fantastic episode though. This season is just on absolute fire.

Jimmy has always been pretty morally ambivalent, but, and maybe I'm just forgetting some obvious stuff, this is the first time I recall seeing him be straight up cruel.

It really made me hate him.

[ExistenceNow]

Originally Posted by WidespreadMule3

Jimmy showed how truly terrible of a person he is in that episode. Kim is sinking fast. I wonder what they're getting to with her working herself to death.

I'm guessing either they're working to her actual death, or that was her come to Jesus moment where she realizes it's all not worth it. That, in turn, will wake her up to how shitty Jimmy really is and its building toward the fall out between them where he finally does something she just can't forgive.

[UNC41]

I finished Season 2 on Netflix on Monday. Season 3 isn't on the year obviously and the on demand episodes start a the 6th episode this season. Damn it. I've really been digging the show and now have to wait until the current season finishes and they get it on Netflix.

[TheLastStop123]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

Jimmy has always been pretty morally ambivalent, but, and maybe I'm just forgetting some obvious stuff, this is the first time I recall seeing him be straight up cruel.

It really made me hate him.

Completely agree. I literally said out loud "oh fuck you Jimmy"

[Benny003]

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

Jimmy has always been pretty morally ambivalent, but, and maybe I'm just forgetting some obvious stuff, this is the first time I recall seeing him be straight up cruel.

It really made me hate him.

I agree. He has officially turned a corner that he hadn't gone around before.

Originally Posted by ExistenceNow

I'm guessing either they're working to her actual death, or that was her come to Jesus moment where she realizes it's all not worth it. That, in turn, will wake her up to how shitty Jimmy really is and its building toward the fall out between them where he finally does something she just can't forgive.

It's this I think. The only reason she took on the oil job was because she wanted to help cover Jimmy's half of their lease. She was doing it for completely unselfish reasons. When she finds out the selfish things Jimmy is doing at the same time I have to believe it will be unforgivable to her.

[YouNeverKnow25]

I do not believe that she took on the oil job b/c of monetary issues, or that it was selfless in the slightest. i think she took that job b/c A) kevin from mesa verde clearly pressured her to, and B) she likes having the money. she loved shoving that check in howard's face (which, by the way, kind of puts the lie to any concerns about jimmy's half of a pretty-meager rent).

can't wait for the finale tonight; scheduling has worked out for it to be the first episode of live tv I have watched in probably close to a decade

[MOWJO8185]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

I do not believe that she took on the oil job b/c of monetary issues, or that it was selfless in the slightest. i think she took that job b/c A) kevin from mesa verde clearly pressured her to, and B) she likes having the money. she loved shoving that check in howard's face (which, by the way, kind of puts the lie to any concerns about jimmy's half of a pretty-meager rent).

can't wait for the finale tonight; scheduling has worked out for it to be the first episode of live tv I have watched in probably close to a decade

I don't really read it like that at all but I agree that I don't think it's monetary (or at least not primarily). I think it's all guilt over the whole Mesa Verde thing and how she got the account in the first place through Jimmy's shenanigan, I think she wants a client that isn't tainted by that and is becoming obsessive in proving to herself and others that she's a good and above-board lawyer. She first says yes to consulting with Gatwood oil as soon as Howard basically demeans her in front of Mesa Verde. Then she decides to take them on full time when she sees Jimmy laying with a hurt back strumming a guitar. I think she realizes then that he's definitely slipping for the worse and it basically creates an instinct in her to bolt to the opposite side of the spectrum (adding more legitimate business).

[Benny003]

Originally Posted by MOWJO8185

I don't really read it like that at all but I agree that I don't think it's monetary (or at least not primarily). I think it's all guilt over the whole Mesa Verde thing and how she got the account in the first place through Jimmy's shenanigan, I think she wants a client that isn't tainted by that and is becoming obsessive in proving to herself and others that she's a good and above-board lawyer. She first says yes to consulting with Gatwood oil as soon as Howard basically demeans her in front of Mesa Verde. Then she decides to take them on full time when she sees Jimmy laying with a hurt back strumming a guitar. I think she realizes then that he's definitely slipping for the worse and it basically creates an instinct in her to bolt to the opposite side of the spectrum (adding more legitimate business).

I think this is a good take. It's probably not just one thing about why she took on Gatwood. The scene that stuck to me was the one when Jimmy was on the floor and I thought she wanted to bring in more money to cover for Jimmy's half of the rent. The scene you mentioned about proving Howard wrong also makes sense though.

[scrock25]

Fucking Chuck, Jesus Christ

[YouNeverKnow25]

Originally Posted by scrock25

Fucking Chuck, Jesus Christ

This took a turn

[K3nTaKa0s]

Let it burn. lol.

[meatball41]

Originally Posted by scrock25

Fucking Chuck, Jesus Christ

Thank the fucking Lord!!

[scrock25]

Nacho is French-Canadian

[meatball41]

Annoyed by the lack of Mike the last few episodes

[Joruus]

It's a testament to the writing of this show that through the entirety of the season I've wanted Chuck ruined, but even at the end I could not help but feel terrible for him.

This show is amazing.

[TheLastStop123]

Originally Posted by Joruus

It's a testament to the writing of this show that through the entirety of the season I've wanted Chuck ruined, but even at the end I could not help but feel terrible for him.

This show is amazing.

my thoughts exactly. what another gripping hour of television, and a hell of a finish to a fantastic season. fuck that final scene got me.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by Joruus

It's a testament to the writing of this show that through the entirety of the season I've wanted Chuck ruined, but even at the end I could not help but feel terrible for him.

This show is amazing.

Yea, I felt the same. For me, Chuck is one of the most hatable characters I have ever seen. Still felt like shit at the end.

[junior94]

well I'd thought for awhile that Chuck was ultimately willingly going to kill himself (not via just a careless accident), just didn't know how. Although I kinda wish Gilligan didn't title the episode "Lantern", I mean I feel like I've seen multiple people over the last week pretty much go right where this went. It's funny though while he's talking on the phone, it did take me a few seconds, but then I'm like "hang on, DUH, the PHONE requires electricity, right??"

I was wondering if Gus wasn't going to quietly ask Nacho "you switched them back, correct?" I figure once they settled onto joining up, Mike could've very well straight up told Gus Nacho had that plan. Just the thing that confuses me a little on that whole plotline, a few episodes ago wasn't it Hector himself who said he wanted to piggy back onto Gus' chicken delivery trucks for the smuggling of his own product? So I was thrown when he got so upset that that's what the boss wanted to do.

and admittedly I misunderstood the last bit with Jimmy, at first. As soon as he stoop up at Kim's, it was obvious he'd decided to simply tell the old ladies the truth, but I didn't think that was just going to be a part in actually giving up the settlement money. I thought that was already a done deal, he was just going to admit to them he totally manipulated them. So him actually giving up the million, that goes to my last point, which, especially if this does turn out to be the series finale (a saw a small excerpt from a recent Peter Gould interview and he stressed that season 4 is not a go yet), the way this ended for Jimmy, if anything he seems to be reverting BACK to the original Jimmy, and not any closer to becoming Saul. I mean, right? That was like maybe the most selfless thing he's done in the entire series yet, and here I thought we were like inches away from truly seeing Saul Goodman being born. So in that way it seems an odd ending.

[YouNeverKnow25]

Jimmy didn't give up anything. He just delayed when he will get it.

[YouNeverKnow25]

I have to wonder about the scene where kim is given the choice between ibuprofen and "the good stuff." it seems very odd for "the choice is always the good stuff" to just be a throwaway line. also there was a bottle of no-doz in the car either before or during the car crash. I wonder if that's a bread crumb for the future.

[Benny003]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

I have to wonder about the scene where kim is given the choice between ibuprofen and "the good stuff." it seems very odd for "the choice is always the good stuff" to just be a throwaway line. also there was a bottle of no-doz in the car either before or during the car crash. I wonder if that's a bread crumb for the future.

You don't think she'll get addicted to the pain medication (the "good stuff"), do you? It was kind of interesting to me that she decided to blow off work and relax. On the surface that looks like a good thing that she wants to take care of herself, but that's not who she is. She's a workaholic. That's how she keeps her life focused on trying to accomplish things. I just don't see her stepping back from work being a good thing for her.

[Benny003]

How did things go so quickly from Chuck seeming to be very much "fine" after retiring to basically trying to commit suicide by way of his electricity disease? I mean he went from being fine talking to Jimmy to waking up in the middle of the night to full blown paranoia in the matter of a few minutes during the show. That jump just didn't quite fit right to me.

[GSUdawg521]

Originally Posted by Benny003

How did things go so quickly from Chuck seeming to be very much "fine" after retiring to basically trying to commit suicide by way of his electricity disease? I mean he went from being fine talking to Jimmy to waking up in the middle of the night to full blown paranoia in the matter of a few minutes during the show. That jump just didn't quite fit right to me.

He was never fine. He was still putting on an act for Jimmy, and Howard in the previous episode. Had all his electricity on and was cooking, but as soon as Howard left, he dropped the stick blender and winced in pain.

Same thing when Jimmy left, he tried to continue on being "fine", but woke up in the middle of the night and shut off all his breakers. I took it as he thought he'd continue on with the act, but once he woke up and started in his journal, he decided, who am I acting like this for anymore?

[YouNeverKnow25]

Originally Posted by Benny003

You don't think she'll get addicted to the pain medication (the "good stuff"), do you? It was kind of interesting to me that she decided to blow off work and relax. On the surface that looks like a good thing that she wants to take care of herself, but that's not who she is. She's a workaholic. That's how she keeps her life focused on trying to accomplish things. I just don't see her stepping back from work being a good thing for her.

I don't think that....but I also don't think that the writers would put a line like that in there for seemingly no reason. it's such a strange thing to even have the characters do; the choice that's made right there is absolutely going to have consequences in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Benny003

How did things go so quickly from Chuck seeming to be very much "fine" after retiring to basically trying to commit suicide by way of his electricity disease? I mean he went from being fine talking to Jimmy to waking up in the middle of the night to full blown paranoia in the matter of a few minutes during the show. That jump just didn't quite fit right to me.

I thought the writers did a good job of imparting that chuck was never fine; he developed ways to mask his psychosomatic condition as a means to whatever end he was hoping to achieve.

I also do not think he was fine whatsoever in talking to jimmy. "you never really meant anything to me" was so clearly an utter lie meant to hurt Jimmy that I didn't think it could possibly be construed any other way (although the avclub seems to think it was genuine, which I just cannot possibly agree with).

I have always thought that chuck's "condition" as it were was a direct result and had a perfect correlation to his relationship with jimmy. viewed that way, his outcome last night after all that has happened was of a piece with the rest of his character.

I've gone on too long but I would say that if anything seemed "quick" or a "jump" it was chuck being 'fine,' which we now know he never actually was.

think of how many episodes/scenes/cuts of this show have been devoted to showing how much of an utter nut job chuck really is (on the surface they play it pretty even-handedly by making the viewer question just how real his condition is, or at least how real chuck THINKS it is). now remember how utterly defeated chuck was at the end of chicanery. now think of how the only person he ever truly respected outside of work saw him revealed as completely off his rocker in the most public way imaginable (and not only that, he actually thought that there was a chance of the two of them rekindling their romance). now think of how much it must hurt chuck to think that his only partner, his only friend, the only person he views as anywhere close to his equal on a professional level has put himself close to personal financial ruin just to get rid of him. oh, and his relationship with his only living family member has devolved to the point where he feels compelled to devise and implement a plan to hurt that family member as much as he can.

now, what were you saying about him being "fine?"

[meatball41]

Originally Posted by Benny003

How did things go so quickly from Chuck seeming to be very much "fine" after retiring to basically trying to commit suicide by way of his electricity disease? I mean he went from being fine talking to Jimmy to waking up in the middle of the night to full blown paranoia in the matter of a few minutes during the show. That jump just didn't quite fit right to me.

Well you gotta remember that Chuck has just been completely shamed and crushed a few hours earlier by his partner of 20 plus yrs and had basically what his life legacy ripped out from his hands. So that's the beginning of it for Chuck. Then Jimmy comes over to talk, to try and let bygones be bygones and maybe start the healing process, has no idea what's happened to Chuck, but Chuck's hurting and dealing with alot of pain so he wants Jimmy to feel pain too so he says the most hurtful things possible to Jimmy. And he does so one by one, just picking Jimmy apart with one blow lower than the other until he lands the ultimate punch in the gut and says that "You never mattered all that much to me", which of course is incredibly hurtful, but also a transparent lie.

So that's where the slippery slope for Chuck began, he thought he was in control with the HHM lawsuit but Howard pulled the okie doke on him and he ended up with no control at all. Then the whole part where he's starting be consumed by the idea that there's electricity in his house that he can't control and that clearly overwhelmed him and he fell right back into that dark space in his head. But it is kind of tragic because he clearly showed it was something he was improving from and could eventually overcome.