Better Call Saul: Season 6

[closetohumping 17,431]

Near flawless season.  I think they’re playing up Howard’s wife’s emotions a bit.  She seemed to not give a shit about him

[Mac8111 2,105]

And what exactly could she civil suit Kim about?

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

2 minutes ago, Mac8111 said:

And what exactly could she civil suit Kim about?

Wrongful death. It seemed like a stretch then and it still does. 

[notre dame joe 186]

Chuck defines Saul in the former's last episode.  Something like, everyone who encounters you gets destroyed.  It's actually every man who goes along with Saul gets killed.  The women just wind up highly dissatisfied. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by notre dame joe

[troph 24,781]

Spoiler

From a poetic standpoint the finale was okay but it was entirely unbelievable imo.  80+ years instead of 7 just to have a chance to be in the good graces of your ex wife? And you couldn’t be with her even if she wanted you back, because you’re incarcerated for 80 fucking years? 
 

One of the best shows of all time but the finale didn’t hold up at all imo.

Undefeated. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by troph

[RomaVicta 29,892]

I differ with Troph on a few things. Compliments on spoilering your comments which reminds me to do the same. 

Spoiler

I agree that the finale was only a little better than okay, but I disagree about the narrowness of his motivations. He has no chance at all, IMHO, of getting back with Kim. His attempt to talk to her on the phone was a failure of Saul. In the cell where he sees the reference to an attorney who will ream your ass or some such, he starts laughing in near but not complete hysteria. I think that moment marks when he sheds Saul and returns to being Jimmy.

Jimmy, at last, outgrows his little brother complex and embraces that Chuck is actually exemplary. He faces the destructive reality of Slippin' Jimmy and Saul Goodman. The only chance he has of seeing Kim and expressing his switch back to the man she loved before he drew her into his scams and scheming. His speech in court brings contrition to the survivors of the dead. Kim's visit in prison is a surprise to him. They know it's that last time they'll meet.

All this is great stuff to underpin an episode, but the creative team, for maybe the only time ever, fumbles the details. Kim is living in her own metaphorical prison, but they make it too drab. They don't know that world as intimately as the one they created with Breaking Bad. The whole thing is shorthand and without nuance.

The time machine notion wasn't played as well as you would expect. I didn't like the book on the table. The episode also doesn't find a true climax. The creators may have left themselves too many loose ends for one episode.

Great series. It isn't diminshed by the shortcomings of the finale which is still a solid episode. It just doesn't sing like every other one going back to Walter failing to kill himself in the opening episode of Breaking Bad.

 

[troph 24,781]

3 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

I differ with Troph on a few things. Compliments on spoilering your comments which reminds me to do the same. 

  Hide contents

I agree that the finale was only a little better than okay, but I disagree about the narrowness of his motivations. He has no chance at all, IMHO, of getting back with Kim. His attempt to talk to her on the phone was a failure of Saul. In the cell where he sees the reference to an attorney who will ream your ass or some such, he starts laughing in near but not complete hysteria. I think that moment marks when he sheds Saul and returns to being Jimmy.

Jimmy, at last, outgrows his little brother complex and embraces that Chuck is actually exemplary. He faces the destructive reality of Slippin' Jimmy and Saul Goodman. The only chance he has of seeing Kim and expressing his switch back to the man she loved before he drew her into his scams and scheming. His speech in court brings contrition to the survivors of the dead. Kim's visit in prison is a surprise to him. They know it's that last time they'll meet.

All this is great stuff to underpin an episode, but the creative team, for maybe the only time ever, fumbles the details. Kim is living in her own metaphorical prison, but they make it too drab. They don't know that world as intimately as the one they created with Breaking Bad. The whole thing is shorthand and without nuance.

The time machine notion wasn't played as well as you would expect. I didn't like the book on the table. The episode also doesn't find a true climax. The creators may have left themselves too many loose ends for one episode.

Great series. It isn't diminshed by the shortcomings of the finale which is still a solid episode. It just doesn't sing like every other one going back to Walter failing to kill himself in the opening episode of Breaking Bad.

 

Spoiler

All I’m saying is it’s entirely unrealistic to trade 7 years in prison for 80+ years just so you can show your ex you have changed. There’s no way anyone does it that way. I suspect he would do it another way or at least try another way.  
 

As for Kim and Jimmy/Saul transformation I agree with you. I quibble only on the one piece of trading 80 years for 7 just to show contrition. I don’t buy it. 

 

[shadow_operative 15,932]

On 5/28/2023 at 9:19 AM, troph said:

  Hide contents

From a poetic standpoint the finale was okay but it was entirely unbelievable imo.  80+ years instead of 7 just to have a chance to be in the good graces of your ex wife? And you couldn’t be with her even if she wanted you back, because you’re incarcerated for 80 fucking years? 
 

One of the best shows of all time but the finale didn’t hold up at all imo.

Undefeated. 

i was actually coming here to post something very similar.

[4th&Five 41,506]

 

[Beantown Express 2.0 6,559]

5 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

 

Ding, ding, ding

RIP

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

RIP Hector.

One of the greatest villains in television history. The Breaking Bad flashbacks are chilling. 

[ohchaucer 1,443]

On 8/4/2023 at 1:47 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

RIP Hector.

One of the greatest villains in television history. The Breaking Bad flashbacks are chilling. 

I lived down the hall from him in New York (I think it was a place he kept for when he was working in NYC). It was around the time I had a newborn and a three year old and let’s just say, he’s not a fan of kids. Very mercurial neighbor. But a great actor. 
 

Regarding the BCS finale:

Spoiler

If Saul was truly contrite and returning to be “good” Jimmy I thought two things were odd.  First, historically, Kim and Jimmy always shared a smoke when they were being conspiratorial and “bad” together.  Second, he does the double guns thing at the end as she’s leaving for the last time - again, seems more Saul than Jimmy in that moment.  Also the fact that he wore his most outrageously “Saul” outfit in the final courtroom appearance.  

 

[shadow_operative 15,932]

 

[billfromlaketravis 11,444]

Lalo’s legacy lives on.

[Francisco 2.0 32,385]

Bump.

 

https://www.koat.com/article/breaking-bad-director-film-albuquerque-new-mexico/60779885

 

Quote

The New Mexico Film Office announced that Vince Gilligan, the director of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul,' is back filming in the state.

Gilligan is leading a project series that is currently untitled and is filming around Albuquerque. The announcement was made by NMFO Director Amber Dodson on Monday, May 13.

 

Quote

The series will star Rhea Seehorn, who played Kim Wexler in 'Better Caul Saul.' Gilligan will be the executive producer of the film project. 

Gilligan said he could have picked to film this story anywhere but chose the Land of Enchantment.

"I keep returning to the Land of Enchantment for the beautifully cinematic landscape and to continue working with the best crew ever," Gilligan said. "They've been making me look good for seventeen years now, and I figure, 'why fix it if it ain't broke?'"

The project is set to employ more than 1,400 New Mexicans, according to NMFO. There will be more than 500 crew members, more than 100 principal actors and 800 or more background talent.

 

 

[PilotsError 2,286]

[Elvis 3,369]

Lalo Salamanca is the coolest villian ever.

 

 

[Jerry Callo 8,694]

7 hours ago, Elvis said:

Lalo Salamanca is the coolest villian ever.

 

 

The whole Salamanca family was pretty badass.

[Hagbard Celine 10,848]

i think we can dispense with the spoilers at this point

anyone reading page 39 of this thread has seen every episode of the canon

it's pretty clear that the jimmy/omaha, kim/florida and albuquerque finales all happen in the 20-teens, definitely after the finale of BB which takes place in September 2010 in the Gilliverse

however, for me, the correct sequence of viewing is saul, then bb, ending with camino

anyone who has never seen any of it should consume in that order

as far as the ending, the miss is not playing up jimmy as the king of the yard; the bus scene only alludes to his final disposition

jimmy was never happy in the outside world in free society

but in prison, he's with his people - if gilligan+team play those cards emphatically - then the confession speech knowing the outcome makes sense and for me and is precisely correct in the context of 86 v. 7 years

camino is fantastic and the best work in the cannon in my opinion - jesse elevates to a protagonist level towards the end of bb, just as saul makes mike a protagonist on the level with walter and jesse, and because saul should be watched before bb, this elevates jesse even further in the canon as his fate resolves last when watched in the correct order

this leaves the only loose ends i care about: what happened to pete, badger, skyler & walt jr.

maybe some day gilligan+ will give that to us

in conclusion, one more thought on camino: for me the robert forster character is a bridge from the tarantinoverse (dogs, pulp, jackie)

although forster was only in jackie, his character in camino is such a natural progression from his character in jackie that considering them the same person for me ties together the 2 universes

there were a bunch of deleted scenes from camino which should be included in a longer director's cut

and that wraps it up

 

[Jerry Callo 8,694]

I like your commentary.   I don't agree with the order of watching, though.   BB, Camino, Saul would be my suggestion.   Saul first puts too much emphasis on his story in my opinion.  I like meeting him in BB with no arc and then learning about his story later. 

[66BUFF 2,562]

17 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

I like your commentary.   I don't agree with the order of watching, though.   BB, Camino, Saul would be my suggestion.   Saul first puts too much emphasis on his story in my opinion.  I like meeting him in BB with no arc and then learning about his story later. 

[PilotsError 2,286]

BCS is a sequel to BB.  I don't care the majority of the timelines was pre-BB.  It's a sequel and should be viewed as such.

[RPM 26,315]

It's like saying you should watch the Star Wars timeline in order.

[notre dame joe 186]

If they want me to watch anything in timeline-order then they should make one of Saul's petition for post-conviction relief. 

[Hagbard Celine 10,848]

why would he want to get out?

jimmy is the antonio salieri of the legal profession - he receives absolution in an asylum when he no longer has to compete with the ghost of his brother in the real world - and there can do his best work for all of his fellow inmates....

jimmy makes the guns sign to kim, then turns and walks through the yard as all of the hardest most dangerous inmates crowd around him, smiles beaming, all reaching out to touch him, while he speaks the words from the end of Mozart:

"Mediocrities everywhere... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you all"

and instead of Mozart's (Hulce's) high-pitched laughter, we see the ghost of walter fade in and speak the words..... "you're goddamn right".....  then fade to black

[notre dame joe 186]

On 11/17/2024 at 7:08 PM, Hagbard Celine said:

why would he want to get out?

jimmy is the antonio salieri of the legal profession - he receives absolution in an asylum when he no longer has to compete with the ghost of his brother in the real world - and there can do his best work for all of his fellow inmates....

jimmy makes the guns sign to kim, then turns and walks through the yard as all of the hardest most dangerous inmates crowd around him, smiles beaming, all reaching out to touch him, while he speaks the words from the end of Mozart:

"Mediocrities everywhere... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you... I absolve you all"

and instead of Mozart's (Hulce's) high-pitched laughter, we see the ghost of walter fade in and speak the words..... "you're goddamn right".....  then fade to black

I would also tune in for a mini-series on Jimmy as jail house lawyer.  Probably not for Kim Wexler's career as a whatever in Florida; I prefer to think Seehorn's New Twilight Zone episode takes place in the same universe.