Better Call Saul ***Spoilers***

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118993887#Comment_118993887

ah thanks, thats great. Will go back and give that episode a watch. Its been so long since Ive seen S3 that my memory of some events is hazy, doesnt help that I binged it all in a few nights either

NickNickleby

Jimmy was always a low level con man, silly small stuff. But basically he scammed money out of greedy people (the rolex watches, the 'unique' coin scam). On top of that he was always trying to stick it to 'the man'. Then Chuck saves him from himself getting him the job in the mail room - "that's good enough for the little ne'er-do-well". Jimmy seizes the opportunity to climb the ladder, and miracle of miracles, he's a lawyer. Time to put on the business suit, Jimmy, and he's rarin' to go. Until Chuck steps in and spends, literally, the rest of his life trying to put Jimmy back in the mail room. Remember Chuck's very last words to Jimmy, it was either "I never really loved you" or "I never really cared about you". THe only person who hates Chuck more than Jimmy does , is ME. Of course, Jimmy fails to see that Howard too is a victim of Chuck, along with Kim. But I would have thought that Jimmy is too smart to go for revenge, for revenge's sake (bowling balls aside 🤣), so when Jimmy tells Huell about the greater good of the jag keys scam, I think that's more like Jimmy, there's a bigger picture than simply screwing with Howard.

All I want is redemption and ultimately happiness for Jimmy. I've a terrible feeling that Gilligan and Gould are going to really screw me over.

Never in my life have I let myself get so invested in a fictitious character, must be age related.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118994604#Comment_118994604

No bother helped me remind myself. Like revision homework for the leaving! Final year/season 🧐

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118996767#Comment_118996767

Yeah the character depth is Fantastic.

Years ago people were trying to get me to watch ‘Game of Thrones’. Gave up after seven episodes. Story seemed one dimensional/characters were like cardboard cut outs. I did not care a jot about them.

Better Call Saul does the exact opposite to GOT. I even see redeeming factors in criminal characters. And want to know more of their background and what formed them etc.

Thecageyone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118992860#Comment_118992860

They are OTT, but this how they were later in BB also. In reality they'd be dead ten times over, the directors are over emphasising their blatant non-caring, zero emotion, seemingly invincible characteristics. But ... they're fun, you know when they appear s**t's about to go down

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118990954#Comment_118990954

a few hours after I posted I watched the episode where Howard confronts Jimmy in the courthouse about the bowling balls and hookers.

Jimmy’s reaction was frighteningly extreme. He just starts screaming like a maniac.

His behaviour around Howard is so out of place with how he is before these moments and after them.

He saw Howard at rock bottom and showed friendship in the last few episodes of the previous season. It is like the writers just suddenly decided they wanted Jimmy to hate him for no reason.

Snake Plisken

Nice fan tribute to Nacho Varga such a well written character

https://youtu.be/bkAvCM3wzCo

Muahahaha

MIchael Mando is doing an Ask Me Anything on Reddit on Monday, should be a good read when its finished

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I was late watching BCS this week, I was saving it! One of the best episodes yet, definitely up there with the best BB episodes. I found since season 6 started my focus is totally on Nacho as he was the only character left with a moral compass, I'm still not comfortable with what Saul/Kim are up to and now with nacho gone the focus will surely be 90% on them now. A fitting end to the nacho storyline, another nail in the coffin for Mike's character too...I wonder how most would feel about Mike's death now in BB after knowing all the things he has done for Gus...

The White Wolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118990592#Comment_118990592

I have no problem with Howard, he seems genuinely sorry for indulging Chuck in making life hard for Jimmy.

Their treatment of Howard is an interesting one as it only makes me dislike them more. Comparable to how Walt became increasingly reprehensible.

Say Your Number

For all the love for Nacho, you'd forget he robbed that dopey chemist fella in the earlier series, I like how shows like this make you feel empathy for scrotes like him.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001677#Comment_119001677

I was thinking maybe that is why they have Jimmy/Kim attacking Howard so the audience feel conflicted about them. Because Howard seemed to try and make amends with Jimmy a few times. Plus he seemed genuinely worried that Jimmy could drag Kim down.

The only thing they have left to use as an excuse is the Sandpiper stuff.

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119002443#Comment_119002443

The IT guy from the pharmaceutical company?

The whole point of showing how scummy Nacho was capable of being was show his capacity for bad at that point and then later for good at least in a relative sense towards his father.

That guy was comedy gold though; "you don't know what a squat cobbler is? Come on guys". Tied in nicely to the Jimmy Kim dynamic with him fabricating the evidence to exonerate that dork.

Snake Plisken

Pete Peppers does a good breakdown on Nacho in how he developed from not just another drug dealer

https://youtu.be/_2pL3iKY2KY

ArnoldJRimmer

Ok, this is definitely the most childish purchase I’ve ever made, but I spotted this in the shop earlier and had to have it

If nothing else, it’s the start of this years Halloween costume

Thecageyone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001677#Comment_119001677

I find him odd and a bit creepy for some reason, he's almost robotic at times, no real personality. I'm glad he's in there as a character but I certainly have no sympathy for him, he was a proper a-hole in the beginning

trashcan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001538#Comment_119001538

I always save the new episode as my Sunday night treat, so have just watched the episode. Just have to avoid this thread for the week. Great episode. Don’t know why Nacho didn’t shoot the guy in the head, or even Hector. As he was going out anyway, why not take a few with him ?

by the way, can’t get with people knocking the Jimmy and Kim storyline and wanting it all to be cartel stuff. The show is Better Call Saul, after all, not Better Call Mike, or Gus. I like the Jimmy and Kim storylines, just as I enjoyed the Jimmy/Chuck dynamic in earlier seasons.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119004040#Comment_119004040

Assume he didn't kill anyone else as he needed them not to suspect Gus and in turn protect his father.

Spon Farmer

I just watched

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119001677#Comment_119001677

I didn’t know who you meant by “them” as it was only Jimmy attacking Howard but I just finished Season 5 you mean Jimmy and Kim.

I was not expecting Kim to go that way - she came to her senses about Kevin at Mesa Verde and I thought when she found out about Howard that it would be the start of her seeing that see needed to walk away from Jimmy before he drags her too far down. That she would be the one doing the dragging is a surprise.

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118993068#Comment_118993068

No he as trying to unburden himself of the guilty of pushing Chuck out of the firm by confessing. What Kim didn’t like was that in the day of the funeral he dropped the bombshell that Chuck had probably killed himself.

However they showed us Jimmy smiling about it as though this was good news but they never followed up on it.

What doesn’t make sense about the Jimmy/Howard story is that Jimmy accepted way back in session that Howard was pressured by Chuck into rejecting him from HHM. They were at odds over sandpiper but after Chuck’s death it is Jimmy that brings Howard out of the doldrums.

Suddenly Jimmy starts to bully Howard for no reason and displays mental instability in public and then stops? And it is Kim who suddenly pushes it forward?

None of it makes any sense. All the more bizarre by the care they are taking in tying it all together with Breaking Bad.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005084#Comment_119005084

Yeah, and the implication was that Jimmy had to burden his share for cutting Chuck out of his life.

Kim needs the money from Sandpiper to comfortably set up a pro bono practice while the "moral" motivation is if they let the lawyers wait to get the maximum payout (mostly for themselves), most of the actual clients who will benefit will be dead or too old to actually use the money.

Jimmy had accomplished this already but then decided to back off for not particularly convincing reasons other than a windfall wouldn't be good for their character arcs at that time.

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119002647#Comment_119002647

There must have been a dozen ways to bring the 20% from Sandpiper into the story that made sense.

For Jimmy & Kim to target Howard in such a personal way makes zero sense.

it is like the writers needed them as enemies and didn’t put any thought into it.

The drug dealer side of the series is interesting but it is getting way too much screen time in a show that is supposed to be about Better Call Saul. They even give the episode and season cliffhangers to it when the more interesting stuff is going on with Jimmy and Kim. For example, it was obvious Lalo somehow survive the murder squad. Ending season 5 showing him do a cliched cool guy walk away from the bloodbath was not nearly as interesting as what happened between Jimmy and Kim in the hotel room.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005123#Comment_119005123

I agree that the Jimmy and Kim dynamic is more interesting.

I think some people are missing that Kim is ruthless, her character arc is that she's done being a doormat, probably resents herself and Howard for allowing that dynamic.

The part of Jimmy she's most attracted to is the slipping Jimmy part and if he'd straightened out she'd be long gone.

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005112#Comment_119005112

Yes but it is clear that an early settlement for the elderly is an afterthought to justify what she wants to do.

Scheming to get the Sandpiper case warped is a good plot for Jimmy and Kim but the extreme malice towards Howard makes no sense at all.

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005255#Comment_119005255

at the end of Season 5 Kim has definitely become ruthless but up until then she had her limits and knew right from wrong.

I agree that Slippin’ Jimmy is what she is attracted to the most about him. And her slide into darkness is great to watch.

It is just the out of the blue vindictiveness towards Howard that has me confused.

However Kim is a great, complex character and Seahorn does a fantastic job.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119004040#Comment_119004040

He couldn't shoot anyone, only himself, he was doing it to save his father. Shooting Bolsa would have also killed his dad.

Literally nobody is moaning that the shows all about jimmy/Kim now.

It won't even be as there's still some cartell stuff to get to BB.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005339#Comment_119005339

Yeah, it's hard to say if her change is too jarring or not. The vindictiveness towards Howard is something to bind them even closer, a shared enemy and all that. Howard offering a job to Jimmy really pushed Jimmy's buttons, it's been clearly established that he cannot work for someone else, remember his reaction to the printer guy who gave him a job and his issues with Main & Co.

The idea is that these are complex conflicted characters and their actions are not always linear and logical.

Penn

I don't think her change is all that jarring. She's always tried to be true and honest, but she has also constantly felt the pull of Jimmy's schemes and has indulged in the same type of behaviour when it suits her. She loves the rush of out-thinking the likes of Howard, Rich & Kevin, but she can also play a more subtle game where they never even know she played them. The end of Season 5 where she does the fingerguns to Jimmy shows she's always been on the same path as Jimmy, she's just done a better job of controlling her worst impulses and hiding it.

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005419#Comment_119005419

I get that and characters making foolish or inexplicable choices is fun but they are both going to such extremes that it is too much to accept as not logical.

Or them to decide at the end of the season that they need they need the money and to just scheme to get it without the vindictiveness - which I think is jarring in regards to both of them.

Mad_maxx

another aspect lacking in credibility is their relationship , they have zero chemistry , zero ! , ugly guys can get beautiful women but there is usually a non physical spark , none here