Breaking Bad prequel spinoff "Better Call Saul" is a go. (swipe)

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/11/breaking-bad-spinoff-better-call-saul-confirmed?utm_campaign=ign+main+twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

AMC and Sony Pictures Television confirmed today that they have reached a licensing agreement for a spinoff of Vince Gilligan�s landmark AMC/SPT series Breaking Bad. As conceived, the new series is based on the show�s popular Saul Goodman character with the working title Better Call Saul. Plans call for Saul to be a one-hour prequel that will focus on the evolution of the popular Saul Goodman character before he ever became Walter White�s lawyer.

The possibility of a Saul Goodman spinoff series was revealed last April. With the recent ratings hike that Breaking Bad has been enjoying, it has felt like more and more of a distinct possibility, as the network would want to capitalize on the audience interest in the show, and characters, as quickly as possible.

In May, Gilligan, who was developing the series with Peter Gould, who created the Saul Goodman character, said that they hadn't yet decided if it would be a prequel or sequel to the events of Breaking Bad.

"I like to think of Saul as a cockroach in the best possible way,� Gilligan told Vulture, indicating that the crafty lawyer may indeed survive the series' carnage. �This is a guy who�s going to survive while the rest of us have been nuked into annihilation. He�ll be the worst-dressed cockroach in the world.� Now that we know the Better Call Saul will indeed function as a prequel, Saul's fate by the finale of Breaking Bad is a little more up in the air.

"(Saul) kind of knows everybody...everybody in town, all the major players. And he has a hand in the business every which way he can," Gilligan told Yahoo! TV back in April. "So we just have to figure out exactly what kind of story we're telling. Is it a story about his creation of his own character? Because Saul Goodman, as he explains in his first episode, is not his real name. He is a self-created character, much like Heisenberg. Do we tell the story of his origins? We're still trying to hash that out. But there are a lot of fun possibilities."

Alan Sepinwall of Hitfix reports that deals still need to be made for Gilligan and Gould, and it is currently unclear if Gilligan will be showrunning the new series. Better Call Saul is also likely to go straight to series, with no pilot.

We will keep you updated as details emerge!

I think an "origin" story for Saul will be awesome. And if the show really takes off, maybe it could even span the events of Breaking Bad and show how he comes out of it.

This is the optimist in me talking, btw.

> maybe it could even span the events
>of Breaking Bad and show how he comes out of it.
>



_________________________________
Reunion Radio Podcasts
http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/
Twitter @therealoldpro

prequel means there's a chance we get more Mike Ehrmantraut and/or Gus Fring.

He said he "knows a guy who knows a guy" that guy ending up to be Mike. I guess they could show Mike dealing with Gus but I doubt Giancarlo is going to come back for a cameo.. but you never know
_________________________________
Reunion Radio Podcasts
http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/
Twitter @therealoldpro

http://youtu.be/duKL2dAJN6I

________________________________________________________________________________________________
But Zootown, black people and media, so...

Carson would roll over in his grave if he knew what was about to go down
_________________________________
Reunion Radio Podcasts
http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/
Twitter @therealoldpro

admittedly, i've never watched him, except as a guest on Top Chef.

to have all the references to the show and the high production value, but I didn't laugh once during that. The very last bit was pretty funny though, I'll give Fallon credit there.

My god did they overkill Jesse's catchphrase, I can't believe the audience kept laughing at that (or was it a laugh track?)

You all are. Shit your pants and dump it on your head.

V.

I can't picture a whole show revolving around him being any good

He deep in the comedy writing game and doesn't fuck with huff projects generally

and how he saves the day for the sinful would be great but i imagine it like watching a used car salesman at work, except with far superior nimble reasoning abilities and more interesting ties to ppl seedier than him, allowing us to argue over who tops who in their dirty dealings that is the core of their daily lives or livelihood, in addition to the crafty maneuvering exercised in salvaging the fruit of their past evil deeds or keeping it from falling a part. i was kind of skeptical about how a two-bit part would become the main attraction and still am, but they already have part of the work cut out for them and it is just a prequel/sequel, which means it'll probably have a short run.

or the ppl he hangs around while not at work
with his work @ back drop

lawyer $ in his spare time. him giving away his true identity/social life, the face behind Goodman could be the big reveal.

I know I don't want it to be an over-wrought "origin story" that connects all the dots. I'm not interested in a story of how Saul started off as idealistic and turned into a shyster. I'm just interested in him living as shyster and dealing with people who aren't Walt. There doesn't have to be an over-arching story. Cases of the week would be fine with me.

V.

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/videos/see-bob-odenkirk-freak-out-new-better-call-saul-teaser-20141222

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1xIGfVFb-U

Looks like it's a similar style to Breaking Bad. Maybe more dark comedy-ish.
I can't really tell what it's about though

I have no idea what to expect. I just watched the extended trailer and still have no clue. Is it a drama or a comedy? Or both? I'll tune in for a few episodes but the trailer didn't look all too promising.

I think that's where he ends up (post-breaking bad)

That was definitely post BB. His paranoia at the bald guy who he thought looked shady seemed to be a regular thing(reminiscent of Jesse when he was supposed to meet Walt in the park).

felt like a tribute of sorts to Alexander Payne's Nebraska, when Gilligan directs his style has always reminded me a bit of Payne anyway but that really drove it home for me.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

nice ending.
looking forward to tomorrow's ep.

I'm nervous about it and didn't love how quickly Jimmy turned so....Saul like, but it's fun and you gotta love the BB nods and cameos. It'll get better I'm sure.

>I'm nervous about it and didn't love how quickly Jimmy turned
>so....Saul like, but it's fun and you gotta love the BB nods
>and cameos. It'll get better I'm sure.

I thought it was fine showing Jimmy turn that quick, he basically turned like Walt did. I even thought the kicking of the trash can was reminiscent of Walt punching the paper towel dispenser. But hopefully they won't go from 0-100 and it'll just be a slow build to him fully turning. Right now it's like he's in his first time with the "Crystal Ship" phase.

I'm still confused about whether it's a comedy or drama.
Probably a dramady like the first couple of Breaking Bad seasons

Slippin Jimmy! LOL

...i'm guessing McKean has some kinda extreme Agoraphobia...i'm was trippin off his rationale for "jimmy" to change his name...

...it's a pilot, so sometimes the set up can be boring, but i really enjoyed this episode....i really felt dude's struggle...

...great intro too

that makes it so he basically can't be around electricity.

though I thought the power was off in the house because Chuck/Jimmy couldn't pay their bills he did point me to an actual medical condition that requires one being away from nearly all types of electricity but I can't remember the name anymore.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

I was a little drunk watching last night, and felt I missed it

Sal is suing the Law Branch on behalf elctricity-phob dude? why? was that explained

>Sal is suing the Law Branch on behalf elctricity-phob dude?
>why? was that explained

They're sending stipends to help pay his medical bills, I assume he's out on some kind of disability. When Saul went in to argue about the "small" checks, he wasn't talking about suing, rather he was trying to cash his brother out of the law firm and get his brother's share of the company in one lump sum...which he's arguing was 1/3 (there's 3 partners) and he estimated that (no idea where he got the number from) at $17 mil.

.

Rarely are pilots, much less pilots for spin-offs, this confident and this good. It's not perfect TV but it established that their is story to tell here and more than likely they know how to tell it.

My favorite links to Breaking Bad were seeing all the familiar crew names in the opening credits, the B&W Nebraska flashforward, Mike, and the cinematography. It's good to be back in this world again. While the cliff-hanger was intriguing I was a little disappointed to see them going back Breaking Bad well with such a big bucket right out of the gate. We'll see how that plays tonight but I think the more this stands on its own, certainly initially, the better.

Really strong, assured work though.

-Odenkirk is a monster. Great comedic work per usual but he really sold the pathos of not only a floundering Jimmy McGill but of future world-beaten Saul Goodman as well. This character and this actor more than deserve their own stories.
-Jesus this is gorgeous. It's worth it just to have this aesthetic back on TV

> It's worth it just to have this
>aesthetic back on TV
>
>

already

With pacing, location, plot, that's all been set.

The first overt reference to time for the Breaking Bad universe?

may have been expired but its close.
also jane's birthday was stated as Apr 4, 1982.
and the father said she was a month shy of 27. so that puts it at 2009.
also pollo hermanos had a "best burrito of the year 2009" ad somewhere

its funny cause they've purposely put the date 3 times so far.
the tape. 01
the check. 02
the expiration date of the credit card. 04

>may have been expired but its close.
>also jane's birthday was stated as Apr 4, 1982.
>and the father said she was a month shy of 27. so that puts it
>at 2009.
>also pollo hermanos had a "best burrito of the year 2009" ad
>somewhere
>
>its funny cause they've purposely put the date 3 times so far.
>
>the tape. 01
>the check. 02
>the expiration date of the credit card. 04


Good work, gumshoe. The only way I knew somehow that Breaking Bad wasn't too close to current times is the fact no one on the show used smartphones; they all used the old school flip phones.

ABQ really is a character on this show, the shots of the desert and that sky as Saul was on the ground...

I loved his trying to reason with Tuco. On the note of Tuco he started off a lot calmer than I expected and then, Bam! We get the Tuco we first met in BB. The scene with his Abuletta and the "salsa" stain was great.

I don't see how people can be on the fence with this show, it has all the makings to be just as good as BB.

Saul/Jimmy has always been a hustler and we're just learning how he because to be.

after hearing "Colombian neckties" I would be thrilled with a broken leg.

It'd be one thing if they were in another room and he came in and said "he's going to break one leg on each of you." But they saw everything Tuco wanted to do to them, a broken leg is easy.

..."Chuck. Take off the space blanket."

.

i know it helps to be wearing familiar clothing but you can really feel all the anxiety and pressure in saul's life.

and oh how i have missed the look of breaking bad.

he KNEW Mike wasn't having it and kept coming back, gettin mad anyway....

i agree with the other post...i missed this world and everything about it...

Tucco had me rollin...

I like every individual element of the show and the actors are great, but when it's all put together it's not quite there yet. The Tuco scene in the desert was really tense and then nothing came close to that level of tension after that.

Also the prequel nature of this means that Saul and anyone we know from the BB universe is automatically taken out of the tension because we know they end up to be fine.

because of course we're more curious about what he's up to now. i'm still interested to see what happened to him, the evolution of the character, and how he becomes the saul goodman we know, but that's more a testament to odenkirk's portrayal than anything. i guess it was impossible for this not to suffer from the same handicap every other prequel does, but whatever, i'll still probably enjoy it.

that's a good Mexican boy right there. It's a shame him and Walt Jr never met up. I bet Tuco makes great breakfast. I love how they brought back Tuco's crew. Especially the guy that he beat to death at the junkyard. See how they set it up too? Tuco didnt just lose his cool. That guy has a history of interrupting him and being rude. The deal at the junkyard was the final straw. Love the show.

I love
>how they brought back Tuco's crew. Especially the guy that he
>beat to death at the junkyard. See how they set it up too?
>Tuco didnt just lose his cool. That guy has a history of
>interrupting him and being rude. The deal at the junkyard was
>the final straw. Love the show.

tuco just didn't like that guy.

but Saul isnt one of his henchmen. Everyone knows henchmen are to be seen not heard. You can't be jumping in with a comment all the time. Your job is to stand back and look scary. I hope he keeps interrupting and pissing Tuco off. Then it will make that scene from BB go from some brutal shit to a hilarious fuck that guy moment.

I remember him killing two of those guys during the run of the Breaking Bad universe and I think I remember the show mentioning that Tuco killed his cousin or relative before he was shown on camera, but my memory could be off.

then he has the big guy take the body into the car. Then I think later on when they are hiding the body at the junkyard the cars fall on the big dude.

.

and is the nail salon the one Sauls tries to get Jesse to buy?

Was this all obvious? Am i Awful?

Being a Cinnabon manager in Omaha was what Saul had said he was going to do with the cleaner setting him up after the fact.

As for the nail salon, that might be a good catch, not sure.

Would have been nice to see his closet.

n/m

I think Saul visited there once too

Here's the nail salon from the money laundering scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kYI5FAV9EQ

Apparently the nail salon where he keeps his office in this show is in the same strip mall as where his eventual office is going to end up being.

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a32576/better-call-saul-breaking-bad-references/

Confirmed by Gilligan and rest of crew on their insider podcast. If I recall they said that Saul tried to get Jesse to launder through them not Walt and skylar like the link says.

to mentioning the podcast. Another podcast to kill off an hour at work. Many thanks.

Gilligan and crew deserve a ton of props for taking the time and energy to record and put these out. They do the podcasts on top of the DVD commentaries they do as well.

there is little to dislike about any of this sofar. and i think sumeone already mentioned, the parallel's b/w Saul/Jimmy and Walt/Heisenberg become clearer the more we dig into Slippin Jimmy's backstory. they even ended up completely abandoning their lives, cept Jimmy got to live.
awesome stuff.
and i NEVER thought we'd step foot inside this universe again.

V.

I was glad to see him have a bigger role in this episode.

no real elegant way to break up that party so you may as well go completely in the opposite direction.

The kettlemen parents were all hey kids dont fuck up all this money daddy stold lets play games yay

Saul was like yeah, fuck the dumb shit, time to go

pretty sure that was the year on the video of those kids having sex with the head.

>pretty sure that was the year on the video of those kids
>having sex with the head.

you're correct, but his public defender paycheck from that case said 02. I believe the montage of him doing public defender work comprised a few months, so it may even be 03 by the time Nacho tells him about the extortion plan.

I read that he was only scheduled for two eps. Probably just to get a lead into Nacho.

I was hoping for more deranged misadventures with Tuco. But Nacho seems like he might be even more crazy.
Just a lot more calculated with it.

she was in the fargo show
http://www.lydogbilde.no/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Julie-Ann-Emery-Fargo.jpg
http://giant.gfycat.com/AngryTotalImago.gif

V.

Much better than it seems anyone really expected

When he was lying to the female lawyer from the big law firm outside the house in the third episode, he looked up to the left as he was lying. He still isn't in slimeball Saul Goodman role yet and gave away a tell to use poker terms. Very nice to have that small detail.

what an impressive start so far...


@rob_starrk

I mean, dare I say, it might be my favorite show I'm watching right now.

-----
No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public. (c) HL Mencken or some other motherfucker.

It came out in 2002, about the same time this show takes place.

I forgot what it was though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5URCGyMINg

"You're the type of lawyer guilty people hire."

Loved them rationalizing the money, though. Slavery used to be legal. HUMAN slavery.

the kettlemans rationale was a little weak, but i understood

...everytime he goes back to being "slippin jimmy" i love it....

his "conversation" with Mike was great...

Dawnn Lewis!!! woman just get finer with age....

i felt bad for his brother, but dude KNEW something was up with that paper...

gonna shove the money back in their faces and call the cops.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

amazing writing.

show is the shit sofar.
the developing rship with Mike is the thing im most lookin forward to.

V.

>S'all Good, Man. like, really? so simple yet so awesome lol.

When he said that I slapped my forehead on some "that's so obvious.." shit haha.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

but once someone else took the lead I was like, OK, I'm not alone so it's safe. Haha.

They never explicitly came out with that in Breaking Bad did they?

but I think it was only on the Saul website.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

to recognize that Dawn Lewis from A Different World litigated on the billboard issue between Saul and his old boss. She looks and sounds so different from back then. Been a while since I've seen her.

At least in the prequel stuff.

Seeing Tuco was cool and all but the REALLY fringe characters like Nacho is way better. Just seeing Saul operate has been awesome. The Mike thing is cool and interesting but I really want to see what the deal is with Chuck and all the 'new' characters.

Also if this really will go into before, during, and after Breaking Bad - then I'm REALLY interested

even Mike is not the Mike we know...he's just sitting in the garage doing his job for the most part. That will likely change down the road but I like that he's not a major player in it. I think it's cool to have those cameos interspersed. I get the feeling there will be less of them as the show goes on though.

...the Tuco thing, while kinda funny I guess, was one of those "oh here we go..." moments for me. I am notorious for hating all sequels/prequels so I was concerned when Tuco showed up right away, hoping the show wouldn't immediately fall right into the movie-style sequel/prequel habit of just rehashing stories for a quick buck. I would've lasted maybe two more episodes had it kept going strictly in that direction.

Thankfully, as gumz eluded to in his response to you, it seems like they're interspersing these BB links in a more realistic fashion. Naturally being that it's Saul in the same exact setting, there's gonna be crossover. I'm just glad that, at least so far, they're not solely depending on Breaking Bad to make their story. Glad there's other characters and storylines. Hopefully that's the way it continues to go.

LOL, that sounded like something OE would say in OKSports.

Saul always has a few lines that have me cracking up.

first slow episode for me. im not that curious about his brother for some reason.
i know its a long game, but this ep was a little slow.
next ep looks like they are diving right into the mike stuff.

But sounds like it's psychological. This season has to end with Jimmy having him committed, right?

like he had cancer and had convinced himself electricity gave it to him. i didn't think he needed to be committed though, he seemed pretty with it to me.

i somewhat feel people saying that the show feels fresher without BB throwback references, but I could never get enough Mike.

Much to like about this episode. I like how he didnn't just blow up off the billboard stunt. it's gonna be a minute until Saul Goodman is born.

Homeboy's money at the beginning had me crying

>i somewhat feel people saying that the show feels fresher
>without BB throwback references, but I could never get enough
>Mike.

I'm one of those people and - yea, I'm with you here. Was psyched when I found out Mike would play a major role in this show and I love how they're playing it slow with his character. I am confident it will pay off in spades. He is a great character and I'm excited to see what all the subtle stuff from this week's ep is about.


>Much to like about this episode. I like how he didnn't just
>blow up off the billboard stunt. it's gonna be a minute until
>Saul Goodman is born.

Agree here as well.


>Homeboy's money at the beginning had me crying

>
>Homeboy's money at the beginning had me crying

"you are getting in on the ground floor"

and this is going to explain a little more about why exactly Mike left the force in Philadelphia. seems like a bit of a wanted man from the looks of the backup his old friend had with him. I also have to assume the younger woman was his daughter, Kaylee's mom, and at this point in time he's not allowed to see his granddaughter.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

>i somewhat feel people saying that the show feels fresher
>without BB throwback references, but I could never get enough
>Mike.


Overall, I'm guessing this show is similar to Breaking Bad in that it'll illustrate why the main characters Broke Bad in a sense. The BB references are bound to creep up since the characters are going to lead into Walt and Jessie getting into their lives sooner or later.

until he referenced it with his brother last night. i knew "slipping jimmy" was supposed to be him when he mentioned it to the skateboarders, but i thought that was just to convince them that scamming people works. it seemed too desperate. that's hilarious that he has to tell his brother his slipping jimmy days are over.

I thought he had already mentioned it briefly with his brother a couple of times in prior episodes.

"This isn't slippin' Jimmy...those days are over". Think it was episode 2 or something.

and also there's a flashback to him...scamming someone...keep up plz

....in one he brings it up, and i can't remember if it's the same episode, but he talks to his brother about it too in the first or second convo between the two...

personally, i LOVE "slippin jimmy"

which i explained in that post. plz keep up.

Both are talented actresses who deserve more work. I'm referring to the doctor and the daughter for those who don't know.

Episode 5 was a little slow but Episode 4 convinced me this show is going to be great. First season of BCS might even be better than S1 of BB.

Yeah.
I've been seriously impressed so far.

Don't know what else to say really.

>Don't know what else to say really.

Jonathan Banks was conducting an acting clinic. Nothing else to say beyond that.

...normally i don't do that, but it was SO engaging....

>...normally i don't do that, but it was SO engaging....

There was also a lot to take in. Needed to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

I just watched it and felt like I hit the play button like 15 minutes ago.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

Kudos to Jonathan Banks!
_____________________________________________________
"You can win with certainty with the spirit of "one cut". "Musashi Miyamoto

What an amazing episode.

nm

just an amazing hour of TV

it basically was an episode of BB.
like if for some strange reason youre not all in for BCS and refuse to watch it, you should still just watch this episode.

just foolin'

not serious

didn't think a prequel would work. didn't think saul was a strong enough character to carry a show. didn't think odenkirk would be up to the task. didn't think the BB team would have much left in the tank.

i'll take my L in a large please.

>i'll take my L in a large please.

I'm always lukewarm about prequels/sequels, in movies, TV shows and albums. But yea - so far this has been one of those exceptions where it's clear this isn't just a money grab, and thank god.

back story

it did not disappoint

speech for the emmys.. golden

I hope the reckoning for James McGill with his brother is going to be just as impactful.

That was stunning work.

But I was completely in by the end.

Just fantastic.

And it actually started at the end of the previous episode, when the last like 5-10 minutes or so focused solely on him. I was curious where it was going but was also like - OK enough. But then when I watched again the other nite, before the newest one, I saw why they did that, leading into the following episode which was gonna "introduce" Mike, and I thought it was brilliant and extremely well put together.

I'm really digging this show so far. Think it's great that they haven't really leaned on the BB stuff at all outside of the Tuco storyline. And I think it's really impressive the consistency of the storyline, in other words everything about Saul/Jimmy and Mike's story so far checks out from what I remember of them from BB.

it now it's even more heartbreaking watching him abandon her at that park.

The feels man...


And the story he told Walt about half and full measures, with what you know about how dirty his precinct was...

Jesus christ

was how, for a couple moments there, I was convinced that Matty really *was* dirty, and we were just seeing a defensive old man lashing out at his daughter-in-law.

Oh, how wrong I was.

>was how, for a couple moments there, I was convinced that
>Matty really *was* dirty, and we were just seeing a defensive
>old man lashing out at his daughter-in-law.
>
>Oh, how wrong I was.

yeah, he made his son become dirty for nothing and he still got killed. the regrets that this character is living with are so crazy i'm amazed he can keep a stone face all the time.

.

This episode wasn't as good as the prior one obviously, but it's interesting to see that Jimmy is trying to turn the right path with this legal venture. Also interesting to see how much he trusted Mike to not steal the stolen money. I have to admit I'm getting a bit impatient in terms of waiting to see when both Jimmy and Mike break bad and go the immoral route.

> I'm getting a bit impatient in terms of waiting to see when both Jimmy and Mike break bad and go the immoral route.

That what we're seeing with Jimmy now is still entirely consistent with Saul's character in BB. Even though he moves among the criminal element as Saul, he's still an "honest" lawyer in his dealings (ie, he still represents his clients to the best of his ability).

I'm watching BCS with my wife, who's only gotten through the first 3-4 eps of BB and has no context of Saul Goodman. It's interesting to hear her impressions when she knows he "breaks bad" but not exactly how. She loved the Mike episode but it was this one where she's now fully invested in BCS.

>That what we're seeing with Jimmy now is still entirely
>consistent with Saul's character in BB. Even though he moves
>among the criminal element as Saul, he's still an "honest"
>lawyer in his dealings (ie, he still represents his clients to
>the best of his ability).

...of keeping the entire story consistent with what we already know/knew about Saul from BB. Additionally, they've done an excellent job of giving nods to BB (the Tuco story and things like that) without being totally dependent on BB for their content. Furthermore they've done an excellent job of making the tone of BCS consistent with its lead character, instead of continuing the tone from BB, which would have been inappropriate since their respective leads were/are so different in personality and actions, despite their common theme of having gone from "good" to "bad."

I was concerned before BCS started that it would be a corny, try-hard spinoff that wouldn't last but I've been thoroughly impressed with how the writers and all parties involved in the making of this show have handled it to this point. It's like they took it as a challenge to make it its own entity rather than just a money grab.

Also, I love the opening credits. Short, sweet, and actually kind of hilarious in their shittiness. And I love that they change it up each week. It's little things like that/attention to detail that always grabs me.

If it wasn't obvious I'm really digging the show so far. Haha.

I'm going to miss those deluded idiots. Always with the "there's no money, only guilty people take deals," to a guy who SAW the money with his own eyes.

As long as they kept the money. I kept waiting for her to say that.

But then she went on with the rapers and killers being free I get the feeling she was expecting the money and a not guilty.


----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

were very keen on what they were saying about whiteness and capitalism there

I'm sad.

Just starting to enjoy this.


----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

I was pissed when I saw that, too.

Shows like this deserve 12+ episodes. I always thought the Sopranos' devotion to 13 episode seasons was the right call.

and now they're winding down the season.
----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

I wonder how they will wrap things up

I mean, it has the benefit of being a continuation of something that's already loved (though that's also a curse), but pound for pound right now I really love this show and find myself enjoying it more than BB. I like how much more light it is, and the fact that Odenkirk is just in the fucking groove is doing this show nothing but favors.

not the world's highest bar, but still worth noting.

Jeremy Shamos did a brilliant job stammering and nearly-but-not-talking for 4eps. i think i laughed more at his subtle portrayal than Betsy's river of denial.

V.

They are equal parts cringe-inducing, hilarious and infuriating throughout all their scenes. Great acting and great writing.

...he had to know how in denial those ding bats were....

the whole montage of James realizing what he needed to do, up to him calling the Kettlemans was awesome...

why did they release his brother again? i thought they were really gonna lock him away.... the way he played Chuck was smooth too...

WTF did you expect?

and it's a personal win over saul. of course he'd be mad even if it wasnt kim's fault.

I know I wasnt the only one to recognize that song? But man I think Professor Lasky is going to do something slimy to Saul. Maybe try and take a cut of the profits on this lawsuit. Since Saul is working with his partner. Either way fuck you again Professor Lasky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCwGQXJqu5s

Love these tracks.

because it was just the instrumental. I love that song/beat though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EheSOZHjHb8

Good lord, somebody else that watched The College Years, now I've seen it all

Neither did I.

it was the billboard episode when it finally clicked. I kept thinking I recognize that voice. Then when he was talking about Jimmy's billboard I was like YES! The next morning I let my wife watch and asked if she knew who it was and she got it after about 5 minutes. What can I say but im a huge SBTB fan.

because of the "can't hide from the truth" chorus that played in my head while Gil is piecing together those shredded docs

>Either way fuck you again
>Professor Lasky.

I would've never remembered him by name but just googled it and .......get the fuck outta town.

Didn't even matter what hamlin said.

TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS!!! I wasn't ready for that.
----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

>Didn't even matter what hamlin said.

Hamlin didn't even let Jimmy enjoy his cake. Not having the discussion be audible actually drew me into the scene more so I could figure out what was going on. From mail room clerk, to struggling legitimate lawyer, to profitable scumbag strip mall lawyer, to hands-on manager at a Nebraska mall Cinnabon. Quite the career path.

Loved the way that scene ended, with the door closed and the copier humming.... maybe it's the recency effect, but I think I'm enjoying the first season of BCS more than I did the first season of BB.

>maybe it's the recency effect, but I think
>I'm enjoying the first season of BCS more than I did the first
>season of BB.

first season of Breaking Bad rides a lot on its acting and its premise. I think it got lucky getting cut short, I know when it was originally on the air I tuned out three or four episodes in even though that's when it started getting truly good because I just didn't buy the progression enough. It's very solid on repeat watches but Better Call Saul is a lot more confident and comfortable than the first season of BB was.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

>>Didn't even matter what hamlin said.
>
>Hamlin didn't even let Jimmy enjoy his cake. Not having the
>discussion be audible actually drew me into the scene more so
>I could figure out what was going on. From mail room clerk, to
>struggling legitimate lawyer, to profitable scumbag strip mall
>lawyer, to hands-on manager at a Nebraska mall Cinnabon. Quite
>the career path.
>

"Would you think about hiring me?"

"As what"

Cold. Hamlin delivered the words, but it wasn't going to happen.
----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

he clearly was both proud and uncomfortable. do chuck and hamlin get together just decide hamlin will be the bad guy in this?

Dude got his JD by correspondence, failed the bar twice, finally passes and gets validation from his older brother only to have Hamlin turn him down while eating his congratulatory cake.

Cold blooded lol. Between that scene and the end of "Bingo", Odenkirk is doing such a good job playing the sympathetic Ricky Morton figure.

>>Didn't even matter what hamlin said.
>
>Hamlin didn't even let Jimmy enjoy his cake. Not having the
>discussion be audible actually drew me into the scene more so
>I could figure out what was going on. From mail room clerk, to
>struggling legitimate lawyer, to profitable scumbag strip mall
>lawyer, to hands-on manager at a Nebraska mall Cinnabon. Quite
>the career path.
>

by that team. they really know how to be artistic when need be, suggestive when need be, drive plot when need be, dialogue driven when need be, and focused on just a scene and the actor(s) when need be.

it's great TV from a craft perspective, as well in terms of story

Holy fuck, Chuck!

But Jimmy has been trying to do the right thing so far. Dude was willing to crawl around in a trash bin littered with shitty adult diapers to build his legit case. And before the adult law hustle he tried to run, he was doing that crappy legal aide work in the court house as well. I think it's that conversation that makes Jimmy turn to Saul and not Jimmy being an innate dirt bag IMO, but I suppose we'll see what happens next week to give more insight into why Jimmy breaks bad.

Hamlin couldn't wait to tell Jimmy he couldn't work there after he passed the bar. He literally interrupted his celebration to turn him down.

I couldn't imagine that Jimmy couldn't get a job off of nepotism alone. Him going through that trash definitely showed how dedicated he was. Chuck has some nerve to talk about being dedicated to justice and not being able to give him own brother a chance. Sure, he pulled the billboard stunt, but his work was legitimate.

.

The nerve of Chuck to talk down to Jimmy cause of the school he happened to go to and how he got to where he got to. He may have a past but he worked his ass off to change and make his brother proud. And didn't even ask for help or even tell him about the bar exam and all that. Something tells me Chuck was almost jealous that Jimmy discovered that case and made it what it was.

I can't wait to see how Jimmy/Saul sticks it to his brother. And I am almost hoping Hamlin gets some kind of redeeming moment based on the fact that he appears to have not been the issue for Jimmy this whole time. Maybe he's actually not the certified bag of shit as we were lead to believe he was.

>But Jimmy has been trying to do the right thing so far. Dude
>was willing to crawl around in a trash bin littered with
>shitty adult diapers to build his legit case. And before the
>adult law hustle he tried to run, he was doing that crappy
>legal aide work in the court house as well. I think it's that
>conversation that makes Jimmy turn to Saul and not Jimmy being
>an innate dirt bag IMO, but I suppose we'll see what happens
>next week to give more insight into why Jimmy breaks bad.

As in I kinda hope they reconcile to some degree.

he still treated Saul like crap all the time....ruining the guy's celebration....trying to screw over kim....etc...

Vince and the team are fucking amazing at this shit.

Shout out to Lester and Trevor though

>Shout out to Lester and Trevor though

not sure who Lester is but the nerdy drug dealer was a youtube yo yo sensation.

awesome

Comedy Central show called Broad City during it's first season run. He played a pretty hilarious character if you haven't seen it already.

>not sure who Lester is but the nerdy drug dealer was a
>youtube yo yo sensation.


I can tell you listened to the podcast just like I did to garner that youtube yo yo sensation tidbit.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

Damn. That last scene was great. That hit like a ton of bricks, even though it didn't come out of nowhere. Poor Saul. He's taken care of Chuck through his whole ordeal, and he still doesn't trust him. He's tried to be the good guy and taken L's doing it all season.

And that parking garage shot was a nice touch too.

Loved the "good guy/criminal" Mike scene in the car too.

>And that parking garage shot was a nice touch too.
>
>Loved the "good guy/criminal" Mike scene in the car too.

Mike killed all his scenes. As usual. The gun thing in the garage was classic. I just knew things wouldn't end well for that clown.

As cold as anything Walter White ever said.

>Damn. That last scene was great. That hit like a ton of
>bricks, even though it didn't come out of nowhere. Poor Saul.
> He's taken care of Chuck through his whole ordeal, and he
>still doesn't trust him. He's tried to be the good guy and
>taken L's doing it all season.
>
>And that parking garage shot was a nice touch too.
>
>Loved the "good guy/criminal" Mike scene in the car too.

Even before the conversation really turned, he had this odd aura of being very disenfranchised by the whole experience, as though Chuck had to be involved in that decision somehow. When it flips, it's like this TNT trigger you've been watching descend for forty minutes.



~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

I thought I'd enjoy it, but not this much. Odenkirk and Banks are putting in award level work in a spin-off that no one thought would be this intriguing. That final scene between the brothers had been building, but it was what Jimmy needed to truly become Saul, or at least plant the seeds in order for that to happen.

Yeah, he that ep. was every bit as good as "Five-O." Perfectly written, constructed, and acted.

That's what Saul said in the season 2 Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul", when Walt and Jesse had masks on and had Saul out in the desert at night. Just read about that reference, and had to go back and watch that BB scene.

"Nacho's" real name is Ignacio in Better Call Saul.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

lovin every minute of it.

V.

Already can't wait for the next season to start.

And Chuck was cold as hell... but is he wrong? The writing has been so great that I can't really fault him for feeling that way. To his eyes, Jimmy has been a screw up that, despite his charisma and work ethic, has always tried to exploit shortcuts in his life. This case is just the next in line.

>Already can't wait for the next season to start.
>
>And Chuck was cold as hell... but is he wrong? The writing
>has been so great that I can't really fault him for feeling
>that way. To his eyes, Jimmy has been a screw up that,
>despite his charisma and work ethic, has always tried to
>exploit shortcuts in his life.

but he's wrong in how he approached the subject. Attacking Jimmy like that was just cold blooded (like you said) and inappropriate. Jimmy's been his caretaker for however long, and that alone should buy him some respect, nevermind the fact that he's clearly changed his ways since the Cicero days.

I can't agree with you here...

>This case is just the next in
>line.

He worked his ASS off on this case, staying up all nite, digging thru the dumpster, etc. He took no shortcuts, no matter how many ways Chuck wants to try and twist his work to make it look like he did. In fact, now that I think of it, Chuck's tone in that final scene was more that of a jealous person's than someone who actually believed that Jimmy isn't a "true lawyer." Chuck still looks at him like a less capable little brother because of his past so no matter how much Jimmy changes, Chuck won't accept it fully. And now that Jimmy's hard work and legitimate effort bagged him a MASSIVE case, Chuck can't help but feel jealous, and exploded at him because he's pissed that Jimmy is nipping at his heels when he still views him as a lesser version of himself.

It was a bad look for Chuck, who should be way above that type of reaction.

>but he's wrong in how he approached the subject. Attacking
>Jimmy like that was just cold blooded (like you said) and
>inappropriate. Jimmy's been his caretaker for however long,
>and that alone should buy him some respect, nevermind the fact
>that he's clearly changed his ways since the Cicero days.

Chuck didn't broach the subject in his house though, Jimmy did. Chuck figured he was doing Jimmy a favor by offering a very generous split of the expected case settlement (Jimmy was clearly pleased with the upfront and post-settlement fees). For better or worse, he obviously never wanted Jimmy to find out his true feelings about working with him.

And yeah definitely, the way he stated his feelings was cold blooded and mean spirited. But look at it from Chuck's perspective... he's obviously an incredibly well-regarded partner of a successful law firm, he was getting major praise from what will likely be opposing counsel on the case and he feels the "law is sacred". It's not a stretch either to think he came up at a university like Cornell or Harvard and built HHM from the ground up doing things the "right" way.

There's no question Jimmy busted his ass taking care of Chuck, but in Chuck's eyes that's basically still "Slippin' Jimmy" working in the mailroom. Whenever it comes to actual lawyer work, he sees Jimmy skirting the edges of the law with the billboard stunt, rooting around in the trash can and writing letters of intent in the bathroom. That's the Jimmy he doesn't want in the law firm where he's a partner, and with his name on it. I don't think you can discount that aspect of Chuck.



>I can't agree with you here...
>
>>This case is just the next in
>>line.
>
>He worked his ASS off on this case, staying up all nite,
>digging thru the dumpster, etc. He took no shortcuts, no
>matter how many ways Chuck wants to try and twist his work to
>make it look like he did. In fact, now that I think of it,
>Chuck's tone in that final scene was more that of a jealous
>person's than someone who actually believed that Jimmy isn't a
>"true lawyer." Chuck still looks at him like a less capable
>little brother because of his past so no matter how much Jimmy
>changes, Chuck won't accept it fully. And now that Jimmy's
>hard work and legitimate effort bagged him a MASSIVE case,
>Chuck can't help but feel jealous, and exploded at him because
>he's pissed that Jimmy is nipping at his heels when he still
>views him as a lesser version of himself.

I think you're misinterpreting those scenes. Yes, Jimmy put in work. But he absolutely took shortcuts. Chuck told him to take it easy with gathering evidence but Jimmy barged his way into the bathroom. And rooted around in the trash can. Not to mention the billboard incident.

But it was Jimmy's work that compelled Chuck to work with him in the first place. He respected the hustle by helping him piece together the docs, overcame his fear for the token presence in the face to face and helped prepare him for future steps in the case. There was no jealousy regarding the case, he WANTED Jimmy to succeed. But once he realized the tactics the other side was using he knew it was impossible to get it off the ground if they were the only ones working on it.

Jealousy is the entirely wrong way to interpret that scene. The reason he exploded is because he knew he got caught with the phone and that Jimmy figured out why he didn't get the job. The case had nothing to do with why he exploded at Jimmy.


>
>It was a bad look for Chuck, who should be way above that type
>of reaction.

I disagree. I think the writers firmly established just how much Chuck cares about the integrity of law and of his firm, and bringing Jimmy into *his* world was an affront to both.

Chuck's words cut deep, yes, but entirely consistent with his character.

>Chuck didn't broach the subject in his house though, Jimmy
>did. Chuck figured he was doing Jimmy a favor by offering a
>very generous split of the expected case settlement (Jimmy was
>clearly pleased with the upfront and post-settlement fees).
>For better or worse, he obviously never wanted Jimmy to find
>out his true feelings about working with him.

Good point, I forgot Jimmy initiated that conversation. Still tho, even the fact that Chuck pulled the stunt that he did is fucked up beyond belief, so the point still kinda stands.


>And yeah definitely, the way he stated his feelings was cold
>blooded and mean spirited. But look at it from Chuck's
>perspective... he's obviously an incredibly well-regarded
>partner of a successful law firm, he was getting major praise
>from what will likely be opposing counsel on the case and he
>feels the "law is sacred". It's not a stretch either to think
>he came up at a university like Cornell or Harvard and built
>HHM from the ground up doing things the "right" way.

I can't look at it that way, just not in my blood. Jimmy may have a shady past but just because he didn't go to one of the "prestigious" law schools doesn't make his diploma or passing of the bar any less legitimate. I hate that type of thinking and hate people who think that way, so this doesn't make me feel bad for Chuck in any way shape or form. Fact is, Jimmy put himself through law school while working full time, so he took the best opporunity he could via night classes. This still enabled him to obtain a law degree and study for the bar, which he did, on his own, and passed. If Chuck thinks the "law is sacred" and is so rigid about rules in that way, he should acknowledge that a law degree is a legit law degree, no matter where from. He can get the fuck outta here with his high horse bullshit.


>There's no question Jimmy busted his ass taking care of Chuck,
>but in Chuck's eyes that's basically still "Slippin' Jimmy"
>working in the mailroom. Whenever it comes to actual lawyer
>work, he sees Jimmy skirting the edges of the law with the
>billboard stunt, rooting around in the trash can and writing
>letters of intent in the bathroom. That's the Jimmy he
>doesn't want in the law firm where he's a partner, and with
>his name on it. I don't think you can discount that aspect of
>Chuck.

Now this is a point I can understand. The billboard stunt would certainly make me think twice about wanting to work with him, too, in that it would be potential proof that he hadn't changed all that much. That's a solid point. But the writing letters of intent in the bathroom was a time limitation thing IMO, not a shady lawyer thing. Same with digging through the trash. Again, the "law" that Chuck holds so sacred, allegedly, states that if the trash is not locked it is fair game. You can shake your head at it but Jimmy broke no laws and I don't think he "cut any corners." The case wouldn't exist if he hadn't dug through the trash, and Chuck, for all his pretentious BS, took the time to piece together the trash that Jimmy collected so he couldn't have been all *that* upset about it, though he wanted to use it as ammo when it suited him later.


>I think you're misinterpreting those scenes. Yes, Jimmy put
>in work. But he absolutely took shortcuts. Chuck told him to
>take it easy with gathering evidence but Jimmy barged his way
>into the bathroom. And rooted around in the trash can. Not
>to mention the billboard incident.

Besides the billboard incident, I wouldn't call any of these shortcuts. Had he not legally gone to the bathroom, with permission, and did what he did, there'd be no case. Same with digging through the trash. How else was he supposed to gather that evidence? It may be a little unorthodox but he did nothing illegal and I would not consider it "taking shortcuts." I consider it "doing the right thing" to make a case against some people who are breaking the law. If the law is so sacred, there are no shortcuts (barring any illegal activity in order to obtain it, of course) in holding those people who are breaking the law responsible for their actions.


>But it was Jimmy's work that compelled Chuck to work with him
>in the first place. He respected the hustle by helping him
>piece together the docs, overcame his fear for the token
>presence in the face to face and helped prepare him for future
>steps in the case. There was no jealousy regarding the case,
>he WANTED Jimmy to succeed. But once he realized the tactics
>the other side was using he knew it was impossible to get it
>off the ground if they were the only ones working on it.

Really, what you're saying here, is that Chuck saw the potential money they could make off the case and decided that he'd look the other way on stuff he saw as "shady" to get that money. So to me, he's no better than Jimmy in that regard. Once the dollar signs start flashing he's willing to ignore the "sacred law," too.


>Jealousy is the entirely wrong way to interpret that scene.
>The reason he exploded is because he knew he got caught with
>the phone and that Jimmy figured out why he didn't get the
>job. The case had nothing to do with why he exploded at
>Jimmy.

Maybe jealousy was the wrong word, I just can't side with Chuck fully in this situation.


>>It was a bad look for Chuck, who should be way above that
>type
>>of reaction.
>
>I disagree. I think the writers firmly established just how
>much Chuck cares about the integrity of law and of his firm,
>and bringing Jimmy into *his* world was an affront to both.
>
>Chuck's words cut deep, yes, but entirely consistent with his
>character.

I never said it was inconsistent with his character...I just think maybe people may be thinking too highly of Chuck when in reality he's got his own shortcomings as well.

Also - unless I missed something, *he* himself brought Jimmy into his world by continuously bailing him out. He could've said "last straw" after the last arrest but he took Jimmy at his word at that time, that he'd get it together, and therefore played a hand in bringing him into his world.

>Good point, I forgot Jimmy initiated that conversation. Still
>tho, even the fact that Chuck pulled the stunt that he did is
>fucked up beyond belief, so the point still kinda stands.

I agree. Like I said, I'm not defending Chuck's actions here, I'm just saying I completely understand where he's coming from (and he's not wrong either).


>I can't look at it that way, just not in my blood. Jimmy may
>have a shady past but just because he didn't go to one of the
>"prestigious" law schools doesn't make his diploma or passing
>of the bar any less legitimate.

It doesn't even have to be prestigious. Jimmy went to an online school in the late 90's. There's zero credibility there, even if he did pass the bar.

>I hate that type of thinking
>and hate people who think that way, so this doesn't make me
>feel bad for Chuck in any way shape or form.

I don't feel bad for Chuck either.

>Fact is, Jimmy
>put himself through law school while working full time, so he
>took the best opporunity he could via night classes. This
>still enabled him to obtain a law degree and study for the
>bar, which he did, on his own, and passed. If Chuck thinks the
>"law is sacred" and is so rigid about rules in that way, he
>should acknowledge that a law degree is a legit law degree, no
>matter where from. He can get the fuck outta here with his
>high horse bullshit.

It's not about the degree. That's the *whole* point. It's about JIMMY. He knows Jimmy. We see the Jimmy that Chuck knows in the first couple episodes of the season. The Jimmy that is willing to pay off kids to threaten a lawsuit to pull some clients. The Jimmy that is willing to help a client steal a notepad from a police officer. The Jimmy that is willing to bribe a construction worker to fool an entire city. The Jimmy that tries to impersonate another company's image to boost his own. That's the Jimmy we're introduced to. But that's the Jimmy that Chuck already knows.

>
>Now this is a point I can understand. The billboard stunt
>would certainly make me think twice about wanting to work with
>him, too, in that it would be potential proof that he hadn't
>changed all that much. That's a solid point. But the writing
>letters of intent in the bathroom was a time limitation thing
>IMO, not a shady lawyer thing. Same with digging through the
>trash. Again, the "law" that Chuck holds so sacred, allegedly,
>states that if the trash is not locked it is fair game. You
>can shake your head at it but Jimmy broke no laws and I don't
>think he "cut any corners." The case wouldn't exist if he
>hadn't dug through the trash, and Chuck, for all his
>pretentious BS, took the time to piece together the trash that
>Jimmy collected so he couldn't have been all *that* upset
>about it, though he wanted to use it as ammo when it suited
>him later.

>Besides the billboard incident, I wouldn't call any of these
>shortcuts. Had he not legally gone to the bathroom, with
>permission, and did what he did, there'd be no case. Same with
>digging through the trash. How else was he supposed to gather
>that evidence? It may be a little unorthodox but he did
>nothing illegal and I would not consider it "taking
>shortcuts." I consider it "doing the right thing" to make a
>case against some people who are breaking the law. If the law
>is so sacred, there are no shortcuts (barring any illegal
>activity in order to obtain it, of course) in holding those
>people who are breaking the law responsible for their
>actions.

We can debate the levels of those actions; the only reason I mentioned those are because those are just the things that Chuck knows about. But truth is we know Jimmy is capable of shadier shit than just what Chuck knows.


>Really, what you're saying here, is that Chuck saw the
>potential money they could make off the case and decided that
>he'd look the other way on stuff he saw as "shady" to get that
>money. So to me, he's no better than Jimmy in that regard.
>Once the dollar signs start flashing he's willing to ignore
>the "sacred law," too.

You think Chuck cares about money? He's a major partner in a huge law firm, the money means nothing to him. But if he hires Jimmy, he puts his firm, his name, his reputation at risk if (and honestly it's only a matter of time) Slippin Jimmy ever shows himself.

>I never said it was inconsistent with his character...I just
>think maybe people may be thinking too highly of Chuck when in
>reality he's got his own shortcomings as well.

I said nothing about "thinking highly" of Chuck. I just understand his motivations, but he went about it in a shitty way.

>
>Also - unless I missed something, *he* himself brought Jimmy
>into his world by continuously bailing him out. He could've
>said "last straw" after the last arrest but he took Jimmy at
>his word at that time, that he'd get it together, and
>therefore played a hand in bringing him into his world.

Not really sure what you mean here. Chuck had nothing to do with making Jimmy who he is.

First of all, the statement, "You're not a real lawyer!" is a completely incorrect one, especially basing it on where he went to school and the manner in which he got it. Not everyone has the money/resources to go to an Ivory Tower law school. Some people work day (and night) jobs, have families, and put themselves through school, and end up damn good lawyers regardless of whether or not they go to Cornell or Yale or wherever.

It is not easy to make it through law school and pass the Bar in any circumstance, so the idea that somehow Jimmy "took shortcuts" to get there is ludicrous. He might not like the type of person that Jimmy was before he became a lawyer, but that's something entirely different.

and I completely agree that just because someone doesn't go to an "Ivory Tower" law school doesn't mean that they can't be a lawyer. But let's be honest here... only nowadays are online only courses getting some sort of credibility but even that's uneven and not widely accepted. This is taking place back sometime back in the late 90's/early 2000's. Passing the bar is an accomplishment yes, but "American Samoa" isn't even a "real" school, let alone one with law credentials.

What you're missing though is that Chuck knows Jimmy inside and out. Demanding a job IS a shortcut. Just look at the manner in how Jimmy asked for it... he came in with the expectation that he would receive a job offer, along with the expectation that he could demand the office next to Chuck's. There's no humbling, there's no offer to move up the ranks, to start as a paralegal, pay his dues, whatever. Jimmy *expected* that job because he's looked for shortcuts his entire life.

For the record, I'm not defending Chuck here. But we, as the viewers, are colored by only seeing the story from Jimmy's perspective. We don't know Chuck's lifestory, his experiences as the older brother, his education, his effort in building HHM. We started seeing Chuck when he was already vulnerable, not when he was a titan in the industry. Hell yeah I was rooting for Jimmy to get that job, but we know that didn't happen and we also know that he's not just a criminal lawyer, he's a criminal.... lawyer.

Chuck had him pegged correctly this entire time.


Edit: And don't forget, even when Jimmy was on the "up and up" he was still the same guy that paid off two skaters to take a hit in an attempt to get the Kettlemans as clients. That's exactly the sort of behavior Chuck doesn't want near his firm, and he didn't even know that went down.

>and I completely agree that just because someone doesn't go
>to an "Ivory Tower" law school doesn't mean that they can't be
>a lawyer. But let's be honest here... only nowadays are
>online only courses getting some sort of credibility but even
>that's uneven and not widely accepted. This is taking place
>back sometime back in the late 90's/early 2000's. Passing the
>bar is an accomplishment yes, but "American Samoa" isn't even
>a "real" school, let alone one with law credentials.

So essentially you're it's not "real" because it doesn't have the "law credentials" of an Ivory Tower school? Interesting.

>What you're missing though is that Chuck knows Jimmy inside
>and out. Demanding a job IS a shortcut. Just look at the
>manner in how Jimmy asked for it... he came in with the
>expectation that he would receive a job offer, along with the
>expectation that he could demand the office next to Chuck's.
>There's no humbling, there's no offer to move up the ranks, to
>start as a paralegal, pay his dues, whatever. Jimmy
>*expected* that job because he's looked for shortcuts his
>entire life.

Yeah, that's not "demanding a shortcut", that's standard operating procedure for any lawyer who brings a firm a potential multi-million dollar lawsuit. You don't bring a firm a whale of a case like that and say, "Hey, how about you hire me as a paralegal to help out here?" You get the firm to cut you a major pay-check and give you an office. Any other lawyer gets that. But Chuck doesn't want to give it to Jimmy, who's earned it, because he's "not a real lawyer."

>Yeah, that's not "demanding a shortcut", that's standard
>operating procedure for any lawyer who brings a firm a
>potential multi-million dollar lawsuit. You don't bring a firm
>a whale of a case like that and say, "Hey, how about you hire
>me as a paralegal to help out here?" You get the firm to cut
>you a major pay-check and give you an office. Any other lawyer
>gets that. But Chuck doesn't want to give it to Jimmy, who's
>earned it, because he's "not a real lawyer."

...stemmed from. I sensed a twinge of envy in his rant to Jimmy in that final scene this week. Just, you know, Chuck is on his high horse about where he went to school, doing everything "right," etc...and worked his way up the ladder. Jimmy, meanwhile, is quickly establishing that he's savvy, good with people, likable, and smart..which has allowed him to get into a position where he could be mistaken for someone who worked his way up the ladder, even though he hasn't really had to do so to catch a huge break like the retirement home case. All it took was getting his hands a little dirty and some smarts.

I still think I misused "jealousy" originally but I do think there's a twinge of "how come he gets it so easy" in Chuck's rant, some sense of entitlement because he did it differently.

but do any of those things have anything to do with the sanctity of upholding the law?

I think it's pretty clear that Jimmy and Chuck respect the law in very different ways.

>All it took was getting his hands a little dirty and some
>smarts.

That's exactly the point. "Getting his hands dirty" is exactly why Chuck doesn't want Jimmy in the firm. Jimmy didn't want Chuck to see the local newspaper for a reason. Chuck holds the law absolutely sacred... Jimmy does not.

>So essentially you're it's not "real" because it doesn't have
>the "law credentials" of an Ivory Tower school? Interesting.

Per the show, it's an online school. It's not even community college level. Did you want to address that fact or not?


>>What you're missing though is that Chuck knows Jimmy inside
>>and out.

You still missed this point.

>Yeah, that's not "demanding a shortcut", that's standard
>operating procedure for any lawyer who brings a firm a
>potential multi-million dollar lawsuit. You don't bring a firm
>a whale of a case like that and say, "Hey, how about you hire
>me as a paralegal to help out here?" You get the firm to cut
>you a major pay-check and give you an office. Any other lawyer
>gets that. But Chuck doesn't want to give it to Jimmy, who's
>earned it, because he's "not a real lawyer."

If that's SOP for a lawyer with a multi million dollar lawsuit, that's great. But we're not talking about a regular lawyer with a regular case. You're trying to make this about the case when it's not. It's about Jimmy. And Chuck. And Chuck's position as a partner for an obviously successful large law firm.

For a firm as apparently prestigious as HHM they see high profile cases like this all the time. Look at how quick Hamlin was ready to give up the case to stop one guy from getting a job. Except it's not just some random guy, it's the partner's brother. Who knows him in and out, and had to bail him out of jail before. Who says he's no longer "Slippin Jimmy" yet in the first couple episodes we see what shortcuts he would stoop to to get things done. Which, incidentally, almost got those two kids killed.

It's notable how your argument is predicated almost entirely on the words "you're not a lawyer" and not on the actual behavior Jimmy's exhibited this whole season.

>Per the show, it's an online school. It's not even community
>college level. Did you want to address that fact or not?

No, it's a school where you can use distance learning. Lots of accredited schools do that. Many are above "community college level."

>>>What you're missing though is that Chuck knows Jimmy inside
>>>and out.
>
>You still missed this point.

The point is that throughout the season, Jimmy has been on that up and up, working hard, building cases, and catching things that his brother hasn't. His brother makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy, because up to that point, Jimmy has done just about everything right.


>If that's SOP for a lawyer with a multi million dollar
>lawsuit, that's great. But we're not talking about a regular
>lawyer with a regular case. You're trying to make this about
>the case when it's not. It's about Jimmy. And Chuck. And
>Chuck's position as a partner for an obviously successful
>large law firm.

No, we're talking about the lawyer who's spend the vast majority of the season flying right and building a clientele. Who used his smarts and hustle and lack of fear of getting his hands dirty to land himself a whale of a case. But his brother doesn't want to let him in on the action, because he's always going to be guy who's max potential is a mail room attendant.

>It's notable how your argument is predicated almost entirely
>on the words "you're not a lawyer" and not on the actual
>behavior Jimmy's exhibited this whole season.

The argument is based on that because it's what Chuck EXPLICITLY SAYS. That's how he frames the argument: You're not a real lawyer. You took online classes to get your law degree. All you're ever good to be is a copy boy. That's the crux of his argument against Jimmy. I find it interesting that you don't want to see that.

>No, it's a school where you can use distance learning. Lots of
>accredited schools do that. Many are above "community college
>level."

Semantics. That's fine, I have no issues with that. So imagine Jimmy with a degree from an Ivory Tower school but Chuck still knows him as Slippin Jimmy. Do the circumstances change?

>
>>>>What you're missing though is that Chuck knows Jimmy
>inside
>>>>and out.
>>
>>You still missed this point.
>
>The point is that throughout the season, Jimmy has been on
>that up and up, working hard, building cases, and catching
>things that his brother hasn't. His brother makes it a
>self-fulfilling prophecy, because up to that point, Jimmy has
>done just about everything right.

Just about everything right? He bribed kids to get hit by a car, almost killing those kids. He bribed a construction worker who could have died. He knowingly spilled coffee on a cop so his client could steal a notepad. Now, imagine if Jimmy was an employee of HHM and he pulled something of similar caliber, and got caught. Note that Jimmy also shares the same last name as one of the partners, and an incredibly well regarded partner at that. Does the reputation of HHM take a hit? That's the risk that Chuck sees. He was only privy to Jimmy's antics that sorta skirted the law but didn't actually break it, but we know the truth (and really, so does Chuck).



>
>No, we're talking about the lawyer who's spend the vast
>majority of the season flying right and building a clientele.
>Who used his smarts and hustle and lack of fear of getting his
>hands dirty to land himself a whale of a case. But his brother
>doesn't want to let him in on the action, because he's always
>going to be guy who's max potential is a mail room attendant.

Vast majority of the season flying right = agreed.

But were there situations that Jimmy found himself in ethically questionable situations, to outright breaking the law? Absolutely.

And if you're the partner of a highly reputable, by the book law firm... would you want that sort of person in your firm? Especially if he's your brother that shares your last name?


>The argument is based on that because it's what Chuck
>EXPLICITLY SAYS. That's how he frames the argument: You're not
>a real lawyer. You took online classes to get your law degree.
>All you're ever good to be is a copy boy. That's the crux of
>his argument against Jimmy. I find it interesting that you
>don't want to see that.

Yes, that is what Chuck explicitly says. But that's not the crux of his argument... it's not "you don't have a legit law degree" it's "you're still SLIPPIN JIMMY". It has nothing to do with Jimmy's actual skill, which I feel Chuck actually respects. It's about Jimmy's **ethics**. THAT is the crux of his argument.

Like I said a few posts ago, Chuck knows Jimmy inside and out. The lack of a "prestigious" degree is only an example of why he doesn't want Jimmy in the firm. The MAIN reason why he doesn't Jimmy in the firm is because he's still Slippin Jimmy... which we've seen numerous times this season.

Seriously... skater kids and cop's notebook. Those examples should be more than enough reason to believe Chuck when he says he still sees Slippin Jimmy.

>Semantics. That's fine, I have no issues with that.

That's not semantics, it's a central part of Chuck's argument. Chuck believes Jimmy didn't go to a real law school, therefore, Jimmy can't take the law seriously. His prior life as a Slippin Jimmy is a component of the argument as well, but he prefaces it with "You didn't go to a real law school."


>So imagine Jimmy with a degree from an Ivory Tower school but
>Chuck still knows him as Slippin Jimmy. Do the circumstances
>change?

See above.


>Just about everything right? He bribed kids to get hit by a
>car, almost killing those kids.

First episode of the series.

>He bribed a construction worker who could have died.

Second episode of the series.

>He knowingly spilled coffee on a cop so his client could steal a >notepad.

Not his idea. And not a "Slippin Jimmy" stunt. Done at the request of his client and it not in a way to help out his case.


>And if you're the partner of a highly reputable, by the book
>law firm... would you want that sort of person in your firm?
>Especially if he's your brother that shares your last name?

If that person brings you a multi-million dollar class lawsuit on a silver platter? And brings you back to the land of lawyering? The answer is yes. And there's no implication that Jimmy becomes a permanent employee. In cases like this, the lawyer often works there for the duration of the case, and then goes about his/her business. Now, that may be years down the road in this case, but there's no implication that Jimmy is going to be a permanent part of HHM. Chuck doesn't even think Jimmy is worthy of working on contract for HHM. And he's wrong for that.

>That's not semantics, it's a central part of Chuck's argument.
>Chuck believes Jimmy didn't go to a real law school,
>therefore, Jimmy can't take the law seriously. His prior life
>as a Slippin Jimmy is a component of the argument as well, but
>he prefaces it with "You didn't go to a real law school."

>See above.

Yes, it is semantics. We can debate all day about whether or not a distance learning based American Samoa school has law accreditation or not, but at the end of the day fact is that *Chuck* felt it was inferior. Remember, Jimmy did all the correspondence without Chuck's knowledge then sprung the bar results on Chuck with the ***expectation*** of a job. Does this sound familiar? In Chuck's eyes, that's a shortcut.



>>Just about everything right? He bribed kids to get hit by a
>>car, almost killing those kids.
>
>First episode of the series.

Great. I agree. What's your point?

>>He bribed a construction worker who could have died.
>
>Second episode of the series.

Great. I agree. What's your point?


>>He knowingly spilled coffee on a cop so his client could
>steal a >notepad.
>
>Not his idea. And not a "Slippin Jimmy" stunt. Done at the
>request of his client and it not in a way to help out his
>case.

Does it matter whose idea this is? The point of the scene is to show that Jimmy is willing to skirt the edges of the law even while claiming he won't do that sort of thing. You know, the complete antithesis of everything Chuck and HHM represents... which is basically the crux of Chuck's entire argument in denying Jimmy a job at HHM.

And LOL at trying to define a what "Slippin Jimmy stunt" is and what it isn't. Does it matter? You think if Chuck knew that Jimmy was complicit in STEALING a cop's property in the middle of a murder investigation he'd be ok with it since it's not a "Slippin Jimmy stunt"? Ask yourself... would Chuck authorize that sort of behavior from ANYONE at HHM? Is this really the line of argument you're taking? You're seriously making THAT argument to defend Jimmy's behavior?



>If that person brings you a multi-million dollar class lawsuit
>on a silver platter? And brings you back to the land of
>lawyering? The answer is yes. And there's no implication that
>Jimmy becomes a permanent employee. In cases like this, the
>lawyer often works there for the duration of the case, and
>then goes about his/her business. Now, that may be years down
>the road in this case, but there's no implication that Jimmy
>is going to be a permanent part of HHM. Chuck doesn't even
>think Jimmy is worthy of working on contract for HHM. And he's
>wrong for that.

Semantics. It's mindboggling how you keep dancing around Chuck's main beef with Jimmy (and it's telling that you avoided replying to all my statements regarding that point). You're trying to spin this into some analysis on generic lawyer career arc nonsense when that had ZERO bearing on the plot whatsoever.

End of the day, Chuck had issues with Jimmy's ethics. We saw numerous situations throughout the season that exemplified those questionable ethics. Chuck didn't want questionable ethics anywhere near his prestigious law firm. Anything outside of that is spin, moving the goalposts or avoiding the argument. The end.

(And shit... I just remembered that Jimmy took like a $20k bribe to STFU about the money. Yeah, Chuck is 100% spot on about Jimmy's ethics. And I love the guy. And fuck Chuck. But there's absolutely no question he was right about Jimmy).

to find his niche.
for me it lightens the blow to know how he turns out (pre Cinnabon, anyway).

his talents are wasted holding a corner office in some big stuffy firm. instead he can just say fuck it, and embrace being 'slippin jimmy with a law degree" And we've seen in BB, he walks that line perfectly. For all Saul's antics, he absolutely holds the law sacred, and creatively operates within it. and a lot of that probably came from this conversation.

> For all Saul's antics, he
>absolutely holds the law sacred, and creatively operates
>within it.

This is exactly it. He respects the law, and creatively operates within it. We saw this in Breaking Bad, and we see this now.

The problem is Chuck also knows this. And Chuck does NOT "creatively operate" within the law.

but he did handle it like a bitch over...how many years?

Howard went from one of the most hated villains in tv history to basically a hero in 2 seconds. Chuck has treated Jimmy and Howard unfairly and like a coward.

It's true that he's unfairly shouldered the blame for trying to keep Jimmy in the mail room. But it wasn't that long ago that he banished Kim "to the cornfield" because the Kettlemans were idiots.

he was cool with playing the role of the bad guy in the Chuck/Jimmy thing, because he's already kind of an asshole.

this whole thing has humanized him to a degree though.

She didn't listen to the client. That case is more about publicity to the firm than money and she let them walk.

And being a hard ass boss is a lot better than what we thought he was.

great episode

articulated why I'm not siding with your opinion, see how simple that is

there is no need to type more words about the same shit

you're opinion is not wrong, I just don't agree with it and feel no need to go on ad nauseam why when others already have

I didn't completely agree with him. You suck at this.

why the fuck you care so much then bitch ass bitch boy

>Already can't wait for the next season to start.
>
>And Chuck was cold as hell... but is he wrong? The writing
>has been so great that I can't really fault him for feeling
>that way. To his eyes, Jimmy has been a screw up that,
>despite his charisma and work ethic, has always tried to
>exploit shortcuts in his life. This case is just the next in
>line.
>
>

So I will just wait and see what occurs in the next episode. When it comes to judging a character on the show I'm pretty much careening. One minute I hate them and the next minute they're ok.

When yelling at Jimmy, Chuck's tone reeked of jealousy. And the way Chuck went behind Jimmy's back TWICE is inexcusable. But lets see how this story plays out next episode. Like someone said in this post, Chuck could be doing Jimmy a favor.

lawyers by nature are mad competitive


its all about what law school you went to and prestige. Hell, the nature of the profession is competition.


Also consider how hard Chuck worked to become partner of a big ass firm like that. He would naturally feel a bit salty, given all the work he put in, towards Jimmy slippin his way into the firm. He probably could have been more tactful in his approach to Jimmy, but he was not wrong.

It just seems like it would be difficult to start a new career in such a competitive field and you would need to be creative to become successful.

I'm sure most of the lawyers at HHM were on the fast track to become lawyers. They did the right things early on to put themselves in position to work there.

Jimmy is probably late 30s and didn't go to a prestigious undergrad or law school. He probably chose his schools because they were inexpensive and convenient for him because he worked full-time in the mailroom. The only connections that he had were with HHM and they already turned him away. He had to do everything on his own and if it weren't for his past, he would probably be applauded for doing so. The billboard stunt didn't help matters, but that was after he tried doing things the right way.

Like he said, if anyone else brought them that kinda case, he would have gotten a job there. Kim agreed and Hamlin couldn't really dispute that.

I don't even feel like I'm attacking Jimmy. Like I'm sure everyone else here, I was rooting hard for him to find his place at HHM. We see his struggle to run the straight and narrow and that, despite the times he skirts the law, he's still one of the good guys.

My whole "is he wrong" premise was based on trying to see things from Chuck's point of view. Because he knows Jimmy so well, he knew that he could be (would be?) a potential liability for HHM.

If he wasn't aware of Jimmy's past? Then yes, absolutely it would make sense if he accepted Jimmy into the company.

>It just seems like it would be difficult to start a new
>career in such a competitive field and you would need to be
>creative to become successful.

Creative, sure. Creative is throwing constant bureaucratic softballs at an undermanned prosecution to prevent them from working on the case.

But actually breaking the law to become successful? I don't think that would fly at HHM.


>Jimmy is probably late 30s and didn't go to a prestigious
>undergrad or law school. He probably chose his schools because
>they were inexpensive and convenient for him because he worked
>full-time in the mailroom. The only connections that he had
>were with HHM and they already turned him away. He had to do
>everything on his own and if it weren't for his past, he would
>probably be applauded for doing so. The billboard stunt didn't
>help matters, but that was after he tried doing things the
>right way.

Right, but Jimmy wanted to go straight from the mailroom to a lawyer. I'm not gonna claim I know anything about a lawyer's career track, but that seems like a shortcut. Look back at Chuck's comments on Jimmy's grind as a public defendant. Chuck wanted him to keep grinding that way, but Jimmy saw shortcuts in the Kettleman's and the billboard. Why would Jimmy lie to Chuck about the local newspaper? And why would Chuck fight so hard to find out what's in that paper? Because they both know each other so well... they are brothers after all.

>Like he said, if anyone else brought them that kinda case, he
>would have gotten a job there. Kim agreed and Hamlin couldn't
>really dispute that.

I completely agree too. Problem is it's not "anyone else"... it's Slippin Jimmy.

Edit: And I alluded to this in post #172 also... even though Jimmy/Saul works with/among the criminal element, he's still an outstanding lawyer that represents his clients to the best of his ability.

It's just that Chuck's problem with Jimmy is that it's not the HHM way.

>Right, but Jimmy wanted to go straight from the mailroom to a
>lawyer. I'm not gonna claim I know anything about a lawyer's
>career track, but that seems like a shortcut. Look back at
>Chuck's comments on Jimmy's grind as a public defendant.
>Chuck wanted him to keep grinding that way, but Jimmy saw
>shortcuts in the Kettleman's and the billboard. Why would
>Jimmy lie to Chuck about the local newspaper? And why would
>Chuck fight so hard to find out what's in that paper? Because
>they both know each other so well... they are brothers after
>all.

I haven't gotten to read what everyone has said, but as much as this is Jimmy's case, it's more Chuck's. Chuck did all the work. Chuck knew all of the angles. Chuck turned it into a RICO case. There were telling moments leading up to Chuck's "betrayal" that back his claims that Jimmy is always looking for a shortcut. The will work that he "stored" at Chuck's, knowing he would do it for him. Chuck put all of the shreddings together while Jimmy slept. The time Chuck ran out to the car for the papers was due to something he asked Jimmy to bring and Jimmy straight laid down and was like, "Yeah, I'll get em later."

Jimmy found the case, sure. And he did some footwork. But make no mistake, the case exists because Chuck made it exist.

Back for more later.

rip

I think I can wrap my head around how wet standpipe function, even though I'm a layman.

http://i.imgur.com/K3yaOVu.jpg

.

I knew the Kevin Costner thing sounded familiar, but I assumed it was from earlier this season. Great stuff.

Plus the "I was last night..."

The show that keeps on giving.

Was hoping for billy to show in the prequel.

And then talked about the hellhole of New Mexico.

Both times they're used for pivotal moments in the character. For BB, it was the paper towel dispenser, and for BCS it was the trash can. As soon as that metal was dented, the character changed forever. Rad.

the first time they ran the scam. last night i was like "todd?"
great look for him on both shows.

not that Chuck wasn't fucked up, or that Jimmy didn't deserve a chance, but it got a little more deep into just how much of a professional scam artist Slippin' Jimmy actually was. Look at all the shit he pulled in just one week (lol nigerian prince).

it also makes it even funnier how those dipshit skater twins tried to scam such a pro.

What a great season. I'm pretty sure I want to run through Breaking Bad again. I love this universe.

>not that Chuck wasn't fucked up, or that Jimmy didn't deserve
>a chance, but it got a little more deep into just how much of
>a professional scam artist Slippin' Jimmy actually was. Look
>at all the shit he pulled in just one week (lol nigerian
>prince).
>
>it also makes it even funnier how those dipshit skater twins
>tried to scam such a pro.
>
>What a great season. I'm pretty sure I want to run through
>Breaking Bad again. I love this universe.


Jimmy was being someone who he wasn't. A big portion of this episode was just a reflection period. He didn't understand why he did the things that he did. Plus he wasn't getting true satisfaction from it. He was basically living for Chuck and Chuck just spat in his face. So he thought it over and realized that even when he's making an honest and noble living he's still slippin Jimmy to Chuck. So it wasn't worth it for him.

I think if Chuck gave Jimmy the chance he wouldn't have went back to Slippin Jimmy. I mean why would Jimmy end up being corrupt and go law school, pass the bar and practice elder law. I just don't see a scam in that. He had strong intentions to live straight. He wanted to work side by side with his brother. And Chuck needed Jimmy to be Slippin Jimmy to maintain homeostasis. The world doesn't make sense to Chuck if Jimmy is his equal/partner.

...He agreed to stop "being" Slippin Jimmy after Chuck saved him, he even moved to a place he hated to be a better man and turned his life around ...think about it, this guy was a professional con artist, went legit, took a job in the mailroom while he secretly worked on becoming a lawyer to be more like his upstanding brother...then after his dreams of working with his brother get shot down, he STILL works hard solo and takes court appointed lawyer work to get his chops up..he even helps his brother's firm with two HUGE cases, that he didn't even get proper credit for...all this while taking care of his brother....after ALL that, the same brother who got him to change his ENTIRE life to be better, admits that he'll never see James as a good lawyer or person... it's really messed up....

> I think if Chuck gave Jimmy the chance he wouldn't have went back to Slippin Jimmy.

> And Chuck needed Jimmy to be Slippin Jimmy to maintain homeostasis. The world doesn't make sense to Chuck if Jimmy is his equal/partner.

I rewatched that scene when Jimmy mentions passing the bar exam and he doesn't necessarily want to be an equal, but he wants a legitimate chance. Chuck should have given him one at that point, or at least something more hopeful than "we'll revisit this in six months".

But, as we've seen, "Slippin Jimmy" is in his blood. Even when he's finally given a chance to be his own (legitimate) man he doesn't take it... because scamming is in his nature. Marco said that was the best week of his life, and it's not farfetched to think that it was right up there in Jimmy's life too. If Jimmy was given that legitimate chance, who's to say his past life wouldn't creep up sooner or later?

Chuck is cold blooded, but at the end of the day he was still right about Jimmy.

>> I think if Chuck gave Jimmy the chance he wouldn't have
>went back to Slippin Jimmy.
>
>> And Chuck needed Jimmy to be Slippin Jimmy to maintain
>homeostasis. The world doesn't make sense to Chuck if Jimmy is
>his equal/partner.
>
>I rewatched that scene when Jimmy mentions passing the bar
>exam and he doesn't necessarily want to be an equal, but he
>wants a legitimate chance. Chuck should have given him one at
>that point, or at least something more hopeful than "we'll
>revisit this in six months".
>
>But, as we've seen, "Slippin Jimmy" is in his blood. Even
>when he's finally given a chance to be his own (legitimate)
>man he doesn't take it... because scamming is in his nature.
>Marco said that was the best week of his life, and it's not
>farfetched to think that it was right up there in Jimmy's life
>too. If Jimmy was given that legitimate chance, who's to say
>his past life wouldn't creep up sooner or later?
>
>Chuck is cold blooded, but at the end of the day he was still
>right about Jimmy.

But he chose to do the right thing. There's no bigger test of whether Slippin Jimmy would return than this. I think being with Chuck kept his demons in check.

He's a scam artist, not a psychopath. He loves the thrill of the hunt and the (sometimes marginal) rewards they bring. He doesn't want to cause these people actual harm, nor does he want them to suffer.

As for the money, Jimmy was doing the right thing but that's also right in line with his character. He's not heartless, and he will go above and beyond for those close to him. In this case, he did it for Kim.

But just because he does the right thing for those around him doesn't mean he can't slip back into Slippin Jimmy.

Let's look at the Slipping Jimmy persona as a crack addiction.

Jimmy has to take stuff one day at a time and he needs the proper support system in place to help him. He hit rock bottom after the Chicago sunroof and his brother helped him build himself back up. Regardless of how many years you've been sober, you're always one hit away from fucking everything up. You're never really cured.

He only truly relapses when his brother, which is his support system, basically tells him that's he's still a crackhead, completely negating all the good, hard work and effort he did over the years. Even then, Jimmy knew he was fucking up, which is why he removed himself from Marco and went back to his clients.

You can make an argument about him relapsing when he was fucking with the twins, or the Mike job, but he always tried to keep himself clean.

The problem with Chuck is that he's using Slipping Jimmy to justify his jealousy. Granted, Jimmy is only one hit away, but Chuck's first words were, "You're not a real lawyer."

How is your sponsor going to help you get better only to shit on you once you are better?

I knew intellectually that Jimmy couldn't have taken that job in Santa Fe, because he obviously needs to become Saul. But it still hurt a little bit when he sped out of the parking lot.

>I knew intellectually that Jimmy couldn't have taken that job
>in Santa Fe, because he obviously needs to become Saul. But it
>still hurt a little bit when he sped out of the parking lot.

We know what he becomes, but we don't know how long it took to get there. So I was hoping he would try to go straight on his own.
----------------------------
Same as it ever was!