Better Call Saul ***Spoilers***

gormdubhgorm

Just watched it there. I am not sure how I feel about the finale it was a bit mixed for me.

My favorite scene is the bit at the end, where Kim was delighted that Jimmy finally opened up.
Then realised he was acting it out literally.
It was a kick in the guts for her, she had shed tears.

But even that scene was not very plausible.
Jimmy roaring at the top of his voice about 'those assholes', and reenacting the stoppage during the letter bit.
But this was in the same building where anyone could have heard him.
The whole idea was to show that he was sincere....
From around the corner a few moments later a woman appears just as he finished his monologue!


For some reason the whole episode had the feel of a 1980's A-Team episode it was all very choreographed.
Lalo reminded me of 'Face', Mike = Hannibal, Jimmy = 'howling mad murdock'.

Oh and Chuck can hold a tune.
Was Jimmy acting tone deaf or can Bob really not sing?

tony1kenobi

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Oh and Chuck can hold a tune.

Chuck can hold a tune?

That’s David St. Hubbins. He can more than hold a tune. He invented tune. Then reinvented it probably. Then recorded it in dobly.

gormdubhgorm

tony1kenobi wrote: »

Chuck can hold a tune?

That’s David St. Hubbins. He can more than hold a tune. He invented tune. Then reinvented it probably. Then recorded it in dobly.

Never knew the David St Hubbins angle to my shame!

SimonTemplar

I don't see how they could bring Walter back into the story unless it is nothing more than a cameo.

BB already established he never knew Jimmy, Gus or Mike before. It is possible Kim might have a storyline with him but it would be tough given that he is still a normal teacher at this point.

artvanderlay

tony1kenobi wrote: »

Chuck can hold a tune?

That’s David St. Hubbins. He can more than hold a tune. He invented tune. Then reinvented it probably. Then recorded it in dobly.

You should hear his Barbershop Raga :pac:

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I’m just sitting down to watch this now. Looking at the level of activity in here today it must be a polarizing episode.

This season is my favorite so far so hopefully the finale will be as awesome as I hoped.

Report back later.

Hunky Monster

Hunky Monster wrote: »

You’re missing the point. It’s NOT about HOW they built this underground lab. It’s how characters get developed. We don’t know Mike is a stone cold killer at this point. I genuinely care about the German crew. It’s about setting up how the Salamanca’s get their business taken over by gus. It’s a trip.

If you’re looking at it that way we’ll then what’s the point of any of this. We all know where it ends. It’s about the trip not the destination.

This particular section of the trip isn't very interesting

Absolutely loved the shot of Mike shooting yer man

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Well.

That was brilliant.

Loved the game of cat and mouse between Mike and Lalo. Loved the scenes at the money transfer shop. Reminded me of a Cohen brothers style of movie. We all knew Werner wasn’t making it out of this one alive, the scene where Mike has to kill him was done fantastically well, probably my fav scene out of the whole season. Gilligan knows how to break your heart.

That for me was the peak of this episode. After that, I couldn’t really focus on the hearing at the end. Not getting a cliffhanger ending is not the way to end such a great season.

The whole way through this episode shows Jimmy up to be the slime ball that he is, from fake crying at his brothers grave to the impromptu speech at the hearing. Disgusting behavior. BUT we’ve now seen the whole transformation of Jimmy into Saul and it has been done magically over four seasons. NOBODY, absolutely nobody does the transformation theme like Gilligan, it was perfect with WW and perfect with Saul Goodman. This could have been the last season, the lab story as much as I loved it could have been replaced with something closer to the B.B. story we got in season one of B.B. I mean there was nothing stopping them in episode one just saying “we have a lab”. But they didn’t, and we will get another season, which is fine by me because this show is the best thing out there right now.

Kim, very conflicted on Kim, one minute she’s encouraging his antics and is in on it, the next she’s pissed off with him for them.

Kim is the only flaw in this show as far as I’m concerned. Whatever way they write her out next season I’ll be glad, having said that I really liked her up til a few episodes ago. Her constant flip flopping is just annoying now.

Overall it’s my favorite season, this not my favorite episode of the season but still really really enjoyed it.

Can’t wait for the next one.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This particular section of the trip isn't very interesting

You bring so much to this thread, thanks for your amazing insight.

Hannibal_Smith

TomOnBoard wrote: »

I cant see the scope for any more spin-offs. I really liked BCS S01-S03. This season has focused a lot on the little things and that was OK, but I found it dragging a lot. That finale was bland enough for a finale: little or no suspense or excitement. The next season will have to focus more on the post-BB world of Gene to bring it all to a conclusion.

I agree, if they jump forward that will do me. My point is though once BCS is finished, it's all done. There's no more BB stories.

Bigus

Pero_Bueno wrote: »

Pity the Western Union guy was killed ... he's not in the game ...

I think the point is that even though Lalo is a likeable character., He's also a cold blooded killer for even trivial reasons.
lalo and the cartel are more likely to kill you if you're a nobody, rather than someone that needs to be respected, in others words ,they live by stupid gangster morés which defies logic and can easily get you killed through no fault of your own if you end up in the wrong place at the wrong time or drive for the wrong food company.

As Walt found out in BB , easy money can have dire consequences, and the audience needs to be reminded the collateral damage (carnage) this sometimes,humorous, drugs business is constantly causing to ordinary lives.

Hunky Monster

Hunky Monster wrote: »

You bring so much to this thread, thanks for your amazing insight.

You're very precious about any criticism towards this.

I found this season to be meandering and redundant. Last season, this was the best thing out there. Three seasons culminated into Chuck losing his temper and eventual meltdown in the court room. Right now, The Deuce is head and shoulders above this.

Even up until the last second, Jimmy transformation felt like a flip flop. Suddenly changing his name at the last minute. Wtf. There's no way that board wouldn't ask questions about that. Even his raving in the corridor would arouse suspicion. Kim is surprised its a ruse for the billionth time even though it was the plan all along.

Herr German is dead. We all saw that coming a mile off. It looked beautiful. Mike's super sleuthing is always entertaining. But ultimately I didn't care. That's the biggest issue with this entire season. I stopped caring because the setup was poorly written and poorly executed. Vince Gilligan is usually a genius with tying up every loose end but there were a few too many plot holes to allow myself to suspend my disbelief.

Gus has been reduced to a nanny over a bunch of lads in prefabs. I remember when he held the center court anytime he was on screen. You'd hang on his every word. I don't recognise him anymore.

Some of my friends gave up on this in season one or two but I implored them to continue as I think it was episode 5 of season 3 is an utter masterpiece. This season has completely lost its way. I was genuinely bored by at least half the episodes.

The whole lab plot line reminded me how they tacked on the nazis towards the end of BB. They needed some kind of plot device but they hadn't done the ground work in advance so it felt wrong. Although I don't like comparing this to BB as they've been different animals from day one.

Vince Gilligan has a ton of credit in the bank but he's definitely lost me a bit with this recent hot mess.

Tipsy McSwagger

Gutted the best show on Netflix won’t be around for another year. I have never had any issues with the show at all.

HandsomeBob

Have to say Giancarlo Esposito continues to be in his element as Gus. He can say everything with a look or silence alone.

I like Kim and I think her flip flopping in regards Jimmy is illustrative of just how much of a manipulative fcuker he has become. That ending shocked me so much I ended up laughing when I should have been disgusted.

Hector Savage

Why is Kim so shocked ? didn't she know all along it was an act ?

Also I wonder how they will finish the lab now - without Werner can the others finish it ?
Mike said German lawyers will get the answers about Werner - there'll be an accident - but without a body that won't be enough ...

Hannibal_Smith

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Gus has been reduced to a nanny over a bunch of lads in prefabs. I remember when he held the center court anytime he was on screen. You'd hang on his every word. I don't recognise him anymore.

.

I dunno...when Mike was heading towards the Jeep and you knew Gus was going to be waiting for him, my blood ran cold. Even though I knew nothing could happen to Mike, for those few steps I did worry :pac:

I much preferred this series. I get how Chuck was instrumental in Jimmy's life as a lawyer, but I hated him. I'm delighted he's gone.

I loved the twist on The Winner takes It All. It was so clever. And when Jimmy was giving the Young girl the talk, you could just see him morph into Saul. It didn't matter what he did or how he tried when he got his licence back, he was never going to be accepted. What was it the prosecutor called him, a dead beat former lawyer? So screw them all!

I don't get Kim's distaste though. They used to hustle people all the time. How come she has a conscience now?

That's the other thing (rambling now I know), but that you tube clip further up that claims Jimmy can't read people. Jimmy and Kim ran scams all the time. Surely you have to be able to read people to do that? Or is it a certain type of person he understands and knows how to swindle?

I want to see where Kim goes, or is it a given that she dislikes Jimmy's new approach so much and their relationship was already so broken that they just went their separate ways?

km79

Brilliant season
Brilliant show

Hector Savage

Who will pour the concrete now ?

FrancieBrady

I'm on the 'brilliant' side of the argument.

Loved every minute of that series.

I think the shock on Kim's face is the beginning of the end of that relationship. It was so well done (albeit with a bit of dramatic licence) I genuinely felt sympathy for a very real woman.
So many actors and actresses delivering the very best of their careers. And writers and directors thankfully showing that television can be about detail and subtlety and not necessarily crash bang wallop.

It's going to be a long 12 months.

Hector Savage

I have to say, even though overall I still prefer BrBa - There is nothing I would skip in BCS.
Example, in BrBa there are some scenes I can't watch - Skyler handjob, singing happy birthday to Ted ... in fact any scene with Ted in it.

Nothing in BCS annoys me, even if an episode is slow, everything is very watchable.

And this season has been the best, really merging with the BrBa universe.
Can't wait for the next season - I suspect it will be the last, but we should get more than 10 episodes!

uncommon_name

Hector Savage wrote: »

Why is Kim so shocked ? didn't she know all along it was an act ?

Also I wonder how they will finish the lab now - without Werner can the others finish it ?
Mike said German lawyers will get the answers about Werner - there'll be an accident - but without a body that won't be enough ...

Well during the scene we see her wiping away a tear. Makes me think she started to think what he said was how he felt.

uncommon_name

I thought that episode was bloody brilliant!!!!!!
But the scene where Werner was shot by Mike annoyed me. I wanted Mike to help him to disappear. Feel sorry for his wife, last conversation she had with her husband was a row after not seeing him for however many months.

Also, can everyone that doesn't like the show stop telling us you don't like it, we don't care.

Tabnabs

What an outstanding finale. So many final pieces of the puzzle slotted neatly into place. Mike's descent to become Gus' lieutenant and how that ultimately works out for him.

Gale and the lab, we know how that pans out also.

And the end to Jimi's nuanced character arc with the full and final transition into Saul Goodman. We know where he goes from here too.

Tabnabs

lolz

gormdubhgorm

uncommon_name wrote: »

I thought that episode was bloody brilliant!!!!!!
But the scene where Werner was shot by Mike annoyed me. I wanted Mike to help him to disappear. Feel sorry for his wife, last conversation she had with her husband was a row after not seeing him for however many months.

Also, can everyone that doesn't like the show stop telling us you don't like it, we don't care.

That seems like a good thing you emphasised with the character so that meant the producers did a good job.
As for people saying they do not like the show, they are entitled to thier opinion.
As long as they clarify why with examples I have no problem with it.

I think it would be a bit boring if everyone on this thread only posted how they think the show is fantastic.
Also it shows no real analysis and they could put anything on and it would be great in some peoples eyes!
It is comments without clarifications (negative/positive) that annoy me.
I like to made think about the viewpoints.

Tabnabs

Poor Mike, these conversations never end well...

gormdubhgorm

I had forgotten the Gale bit. I like that scene.
It was clever because it was a homage to the scene the scene in Breaking Bad, where Jesse enters the lab for the first time.
He loudly says 'Yeah. Science!'
Gale did his version of it in this finale even throwing in a few ecstatic 'Yeah's' which was unusual for him.

Hector Savage

uncommon_name wrote: »

Well during the scene we see her wiping away a tear. Makes me think she started to think what he said was how he felt.

heh I actually thought the wiping away the tear was her act, but you're probably right

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

You're very precious about any criticism towards this.

I found this season to be meandering and redundant. Last season, this was the best thing out there. Three seasons culminated into Chuck losing his temper and eventual meltdown in the court room. Right now, The Deuce is head and shoulders above this.

Even up until the last second, Jimmy transformation felt like a flip flop. Suddenly changing his name at the last minute. Wtf. There's no way that board wouldn't ask questions about that. Even his raving in the corridor would arouse suspicion. Kim is surprised its a ruse for the billionth time even though it was the plan all along.

Herr German is dead. We all saw that coming a mile off. It looked beautiful. Mike's super sleuthing is always entertaining. But ultimately I didn't care. That's the biggest issue with this entire season. I stopped caring because the setup was poorly written and poorly executed. Vince Gilligan is usually a genius with tying up every loose end but there were a few too many plot holes to allow myself to suspend my disbelief.

Gus has been reduced to a nanny over a bunch of lads in prefabs. I remember when he held the center court anytime he was on screen. You'd hang on his every word. I don't recognise him anymore.

Some of my friends gave up on this in season one or two but I implored them to continue as I think it was episode 5 of season 3 is an utter masterpiece. This season has completely lost its way. I was genuinely bored by at least half the episodes.

The whole lab plot line reminded me how they tacked on the nazis towards the end of BB. They needed some kind of plot device but they hadn't done the ground work in advance so it felt wrong. Although I don't like comparing this to BB as they've been different animals from day one.

Vince Gilligan has a ton of credit in the bank but he's definitely lost me a bit with this recent hot mess.

Very well put, I think that is what it comes down to that the viewer has to care.
I thought it was not as good as the previous season.
To be honest I think barring the last two episodes this season struggled in comparison to previous seasons.
Chucks meltdown at hearing still is the highlight for me of the whole show.
I can't help thinking that they should have condensed it more into a few seasons and it would have been a much better show overall.

Gilligan has overstretched himself I think much like a lot of the episodes.

The Werner scene disappointed me I was waiting for a twist, that kept the suspense going. But it was just a bang your'e dead.
The fact Jimmy was roaring his head off in the corridor made little sense.
All that trouble to create an act, a library and he was screaming within earsshot of the panel?
When he got home/left the building would have been more credible.