Next weekend!

I’m beyond excited for this season. Can’t wait to see where things go with the lab next. I’m into Nacho’s character and what happens to him. Mike is my favorite character from this BB/BCS universe, period. Looking forward to Saul going full “criminal” lawyer.

And I still hold out hope that we’ll get more Gus backstory. But any Gus Fring on the screen is always great.

And Lola was a promising character (mentioned on BB!) addition to the show late in season 4. Interested to see more of him this season, and also getting the full understanding of the “Lola sent you?” line - which I’m sure they’ll give us.

by week...

I wouldn't be surprised if Lalo is taken out, but somehow Saul isn't told, so Lalo becomes an unnecessary ghost haunting Saul all that BrBad time.
Seems like some clever shit Gould/Gilligan might try to add a layer to Saul's story.

Saul just wasn't a good enough character to me to base a whole series off of. I'd love the Gus/Mike payoff but....Saul sucked

~~~~~~~~~
"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

split between Jimmy and Mike, or perhaps 60/40 between Jimmy and Mike. But you do have to deal with the earlier seasons delving more into Jimmy. If you don't care for the Jimmy character that deeply, then perhaps Better Call Saul isn't for you, and there's nothing wrong with that. And I don't mean that in a pejorative or insulting manner.

I liked Mike in BB, but LOVE him in BCS.
Definitely worth sticking with, especially if you're a BB fan.

This Gus-Mike tension has me intrigued. Never would’ve known.

And that flash forward! I want a sequel now.

We basically had to wait two years just to get this. I wish they'd just do an all Omaha episode this season.

Little things bug me, like the JCPenney parking lot looking all wrong, the layout of the "Oakview" mall being more narrow, showing the diner's marquee which isn't a location in Nebraska etc. But it's always "felt" like Omaha, and it's just nice to see someone besides Alexander Payne's idea of our city on screen, even if it's all smoke and mirrors.


So I'm also on the edge of my seat for an all-Omaha episode but not just because of Gene, I want to see how they fully transform ABQ into OMA, or if they just go all interior shots to cut out the harder stuff.


~~~~~~~~~
"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 actually think Saul Goodman is an interesting character, so I'm happy that we're finally really getting into Saul being Saul and getting his name out there. And as goofy as the fake "press ambush" of the DA was, it's definitely something Saul would do.

And, as the episode demonstrated, Kim really can't get on a high horse. She may try to tell Jimmy that Saul is beneath him, but when Jimmy proposed that the two open another office together, she fleed immediately to the big firm. And this episode, she did exactly what Saul suggested.

Of course Gus had a super-involved plan to deal with Lalo. And of course that's not going to be the end of it between the two of them. The only thing I didn't like was Mike telling Gus to fuck off. Look, we know how it's going to end up, but stretching things out is getting to be a tired Gilligan move.

And as alluded to above response, the Omaha stuff was great. Very bittersweet seeing Robert Forster. I just really don't want to wait another year or so to find out if Gene goes and kills that taxi driver.

>I actually think Saul Goodman is an interesting character, so
>I'm happy that we're finally really getting into Saul being
>Saul and getting his name out there. And as goofy as the fake
>"press ambush" of the DA was, it's definitely something Saul
>would do.

It was extra goofy. I'm not a huge fan of the schemes involving those kids because its when the show feels a little too cute but it's not exactly left field for him.

>And, as the episode demonstrated, Kim really can't get on a
>high horse. She may try to tell Jimmy that Saul is beneath
>him, but when Jimmy proposed that the two open another office
>together, she fleed immediately to the big firm. And this
>episode, she did exactly what Saul suggested.

My predictions about this show are always wrong but she's gonna wind up disbarred. He brings out a side of her she's trying to suppress.


>Of course Gus had a super-involved plan to deal with Lalo. And
>of course that's not going to be the end of it between the two
>of them.

For as much of a goofball as Lalo is, hes pretty smart in his own way, and has a great bullshit detector. He knows Gus is playing him. Also i think this is the first time they flat out referenced Max as Gus's boyfriend. Gilligan has only gone as far as saying he wont deny that was the relationship but never confirmed. Hector kind of vaguely joked about it, and this could be chalked up to Lalo talking shit but he was pretty matter of fact in saying it.

The only thing I didn't like was Mike telling Gus to
>fuck off. Look, we know how it's going to end up, but
>stretching things out is getting to be a tired Gilligan move.

I'm rusty on last season. Gus was mad at him because he let the head German off the reservation causing Lalo to snoop around and putting the operation on hold. Why is Mike mad at Gus tho?

>And as alluded to above response, the Omaha stuff was great.
>Very bittersweet seeing Robert Forster. I just really don't
>want to wait another year or so to find out if Gene goes and
>kills that taxi driver.

Gene episode or movie. I'm still pulling for it. I dont think he kills the cabbie, just because hes more creative than that. Would be a crazy step for him tho

I mean, he killed the cops in Philly, but they were going to kill him.

He’d always avoided killing to solve problems(with Tuco, for example).

He had no choice here, because of Gus.

Some guys say nothing so you think Mike's just got another day in the office, then one guy offends him for besmirching Werner's name which reminds him how much he liked Werner, then the next guy knocks him down for being a lesser man than Werner which hits so hard he can't react since they were essentially equally motivated Mike simply had the power over Werner while also being powerless to handle him any differently.


He realizes he made a firm decision to join the other side, but it was Gus that made him realize just how far into darkness he'd slipped. He's not just schooling people on how to cover themselves up from legal scrutiny and get themselves out of two-bit scraps unscathed, he's a straight up contract killer now and fully a part of Gus' operation whether he takes the money now or not. All he can do is accept work when it comes to him and otherwise take the only moral stand he has left, staying off the payroll when he's not doing the job.


~~~~~~~~~
"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

Like said above Ziegler is the first "innocent" guy Mike has had to kill. Ziegler tried to do the right thing, unknowing got in too deep, had to be put down as a result. (though it was his own fault for running off). So Mike hates Gus for what he made him do. When the grand daughter brings up her Dad, another innocent guy who unknowingly got too deep and it cost him his life, the pain of his son and Ziegler hit Mike all at once and he couldnt handle it. He realized Gus had made him into the very thing he hated.

> When the grand daughter brings up her Dad,
>another innocent guy who unknowingly got too deep and it cost
>him his life, the pain of his son and Ziegler hit Mike all at
>once and he couldnt handle it. He realized Gus had made him
>into the very thing he hated.

because I’m really rooting for him now.

Kim, Jimmy, and Nacho are all stuck in something they don’t want to be in.

Enjoyed Hank and seeing the “Domingo was his informant” thing filled in.

Seems like they’re kinda just buying time with Mike, but everything else is moving along.

From the producers that avoided Black people in BB, to finally have 2 scenes with color and Mike's shitting on both AND the group were assholes.
People see different things.

And thought the same exact thing about both the scenes w/Mike. I was thinking to myself, this seems intentional.


>From the producers that avoided Black people in BB, to
>finally have 2 scenes with color and Mike's shitting on both
>AND the group were assholes.
>People see different things.

I always enjoy seeing Mike beat people up but this felt like a deleted scene.

Mike came off as the bad guy there. Bartender was just trying to avoid a problem over something small and knew Mike was tripping for some reason.

It's almost like they couldn't let their strong white character be a totally powerless pawn in brown people's games, so they let him run through some Black people...but that's my lens.

Jimmy got Tuco off, but where is Tuco at now?
Is he running another crew?
Or is the actor not available so they're biding their time before they show him?

He didn't "get off" as much as he got his less jail time after Mike told the cops that the gun was his and not Tuco's. Then in Season 3 they said he was in solitary after stabbing a prison guard.

Stands to reason that he may be off-screen for the rest of the show's run.

i wonder if they'll show anything

Or at least they were locked up together. Been so long since I've seen those season 1 episodes.

>i wonder if they'll show anything

I'm still unclear as to how long before Breaking Bad that Better Call Saul takes place. I want to say that according to Gillgan, Jesse and Pete and Badger would still be high school kids right now at this point in the show, but I could be wrong.

Also, time moves VERY slowly from season to season.

The old guy that won’t move out of his house has been there for 30 years, since 1974.

They’ve gotta be very close to BB, time wise.

Loved that imagery in showing where Kim is.

Nacho's pops knew he was trying to get him out of town

the old man called out Kim on her made up childhood story

Hank saw through Saul/Crazy8's performance until Saul improvised

What's Jimmy's motivation to go out of his way to fuck with Howard? Just pure resentment for everything?

Was Gus fucking with that kid so he could feel a sense of control over something while the drop was going down

The Kim stuff is interesting. It seems she's going out of her way to help the old man so she can prove she's decent. She wants the money and success of being a corporate lawyer without being the bad guy. Balancing it with pro bono work clearly isn't gonna be enough for her so now she's trying to rig the game with Saul's help.

Thoughts on who took Mike? Has to be Gus right? I've discussed this before but Gus ain't shit without Mike. Walt was only able to kill Gus because Mike was sidelined

He could've had it if he wanted it, but A) he knows he's likely a dead man if he walks away from the cartel and B) he gets off on being the best of the bad guys.


Plus, dude, if someone I had history with like Jimmy has history with Howard came to me offering a job and his condolences for the way he left me out to dry, all while blaming it on my relationship with my BURNED ALIVE IN HIS OWN HOME, BY HIS OWN HAND brother?


I might hit the local thrift shop for some disposables too.


~~~~~~~~~
"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

>He could've had it if he wanted it, but A) he knows he's
>likely a dead man if he walks away from the cartel and B) he
>gets off on being the best of the bad guys.

At least I didn't personally get that impression from the episode.

I think it was more what you said after, that he's forever resentful of HHM and Hamlin in particular and no amount of apologies will ever really make up for what happened in the years prior. No matter how misplaced we may view Jimmy's resentment to be.

>What's Jimmy's motivation to go out of his way to fuck with
>Howard? Just pure resentment for everything?

That I assumed was both resentment for the past and also disliking that Howard has moved on and has peace. They showed that car license plate multiple times. The look on Jimmy’s face when Howard hugged him was one of pure disdain IMO.

>Was Gus fucking with that kid so he could feel a sense of
>control over something while the drop was going down

That didn’t make a ton of sense to me. I assumed Gus would want everybody gone while he waited for that call. When he kept the kid around, I was waiting for the reason because it was driving me nuts not being able to figure it out. I still have no idea. We haven’t seen Gus rattled like that too many times.

>The Kim stuff is interesting. It seems she's going out of her
>way to help the old man so she can prove she's decent. She
>wants the money and success of being a corporate lawyer
>without being the bad guy. Balancing it with pro bono work
>clearly isn't gonna be enough for her so now she's trying to
>rig the game with Saul's help.

Yup. Gotta think she’s going to go down for this too.

>Thoughts on who took Mike? Has to be Gus right? I've discussed
>this before but Gus ain't shit without Mike. Walt was only
>able to kill Gus because Mike was sidelined

Agreed, that it’s likely Gus. Is it possible it’s the Salamancas? And Gus somehow intervenes, making Mike loyal to him? Just thinking out loud.

>That I assumed was both resentment for the past and also
>disliking that Howard has moved on and has peace. They showed
>that car license plate multiple times. The look on Jimmy’s
>face when Howard hugged him was one of pure disdain IMO.

For sure. And this is a nice subtle callback to Jimmy saying "that's your cross to bear" to Hamlin after Chuck died. Emotionally, Jimmy tried to remove the burden of Chuck's death from his own shoulders and transfer it to Howard's, but when he realized his deflection attempt hadn't worked (Hamlin was at peace, the license plate, etc.) it drove him mad.


>That didn’t make a ton of sense to me. I assumed Gus would
>want everybody gone while he waited for that call. When he
>kept the kid around, I was waiting for the reason because it
>was driving me nuts not being able to figure it out. I still
>have no idea. We haven’t seen Gus rattled like that too
>many times.

I think that was exactly the point. He transfers the stress he *should* feel re: his insanely criminal empire into an unreasonable level of OCD for his legal work. However briefly, he'd lost control of the drug thing, and to make up for that he sought an irrational level of control over the chicken joint ... the only thing he *could* fully control in that moment.

I was initially thinking the same thing re: him keeping the kid there vs. sending him home. Like why would he want anyone anywhere near him while this was going on ? But giving it some more thought it made some sense. He's maniacal.


>>The Kim stuff is interesting. It seems she's going out of
>her
>>way to help the old man so she can prove she's decent. She
>>wants the money and success of being a corporate lawyer
>>without being the bad guy. Balancing it with pro bono work
>>clearly isn't gonna be enough for her so now she's trying to
>>rig the game with Saul's help.
>
>Yup. Gotta think she’s going to go down for this too.
>
>>Thoughts on who took Mike? Has to be Gus right? I've
>discussed
>>this before but Gus ain't shit without Mike. Walt was only
>>able to kill Gus because Mike was sidelined
>
>Agreed, that it’s likely Gus. Is it possible it’s the
>Salamancas? And Gus somehow intervenes, making Mike loyal to
>him? Just thinking out loud.

>I think that was exactly the point. He transfers the stress he
>*should* feel re: his insanely criminal empire into an
>unreasonable level of OCD for his legal work. However briefly,
>he'd lost control of the drug thing, and to make up for that
>he sought an irrational level of control over the chicken
>joint ... the only thing he *could* fully control in that
>moment.
>
>I was initially thinking the same thing re: him keeping the
>kid there vs. sending him home. Like why would he want anyone
>anywhere near him while this was going on ? But giving it some
>more thought it made some sense. He's maniacal.
>

Thought it was interesting how Gus presented himself as “different” than the Salamancas to Mike. Like he’s a more “moral” drug dealer. He was initially presented that way in Breaking Bad too - but we eventually saw him slit Victor’s throat just as a move and threaten to kill Walt’s infant daughter so we know better.

Gus “presented” him with his two choices, but....not really seeing why Mike couldn’t just chill out and in time get a better handle on things and patch it up with his family. Getting over being forced to kill somebody by....signing up to go kill more people?

Gus brought up “revenge” and while Mike was furious when that truck driver was killed, it’s not like he’s been presented as having that eat at him this whole time has it? Something else has to happen to get him to go with Gus, IMO.

Loved that “Mr. X” or whatever return. He was the guy Mike beat up in the parking garage early on in this series. Love the minor characters in this shady BB/BCS universe.

Thought we were going to get another elaborate Mike building something scene and then she cuts it off by giving him a charger.....that was good! Lol.

>Gus “presented” him with his two choices, but....not
>really seeing why Mike couldn’t just chill out and in time
>get a better handle on things and patch it up with his family.
> Getting over being forced to kill somebody by....signing up
>to go kill more people?
>
>Gus brought up “revenge” and while Mike was furious when
>that truck driver was killed, it’s not like he’s been
>presented as having that eat at him this whole time has it?
>Something else has to happen to get him to go with Gus, IMO.

= Gus somehow knows that Mike killed those two cops as retribution for his son's death.

But even with that said, I hope that's not all it takes for Mike to fully jump on board. Because I agree that it isn't all that convincing that he'd jump on board with Gus (especially after what happened with Werner) just because Gus tapped into Mike's conscience just a little bit.


>Loved that “Mr. X” or whatever return. He was the guy
>Mike beat up in the parking garage early on in this series.
>Love the minor characters in this shady BB/BCS universe.

Agreed. I knew I recognized him and looked him up. I'd assumed Jimmy had worked with him sometime earlier in the series but of course it was Mike. Very subtle brilliance all over the place.


>Thought we were going to get another elaborate Mike building
>something scene and then she cuts it off by giving him a
>charger.....that was good! Lol.

Hahah yes that was amazing. No way we could've seen that coming.

Love how Mike almost always is incredibly short with him and wholly uninterested in his BS. It’s consistent with how Mike came into his office and punked him in BB when he was looking for Jesse.

>Love how Mike almost always is incredibly short with him and
>wholly uninterested in his BS. It’s consistent with how
>Mike came into his office and punked him in BB when he was
>looking for Jesse.

>= Gus somehow knows that Mike killed those two cops as
>retribution for his son's death.

I think part of Mike's internal problem is he knows how good he is at killing people, and it's fucking with him. Gus going this far to bring him in despite all the muscle he already has only confirms it more.

I've said this a bunch of times, but Mike is the key to Gus's empire. Walt would have never got to Gus if mike wasn't sidelined. He would've sniffed out the trap. Even now Gus knows he can't best the Salamancas without him.

>>= Gus somehow knows that Mike killed those two cops as
>>retribution for his son's death.
>
>I think part of Mike's internal problem is he knows how good
>he is at killing people, and it's fucking with him. Gus going
>this far to bring him in despite all the muscle he already has
>only confirms it more.
>
>I've said this a bunch of times, but Mike is the key to Gus's
>empire. Walt would have never got to Gus if mike wasn't
>sidelined. He would've sniffed out the trap. Even now Gus
>knows he can't best the Salamancas without him.

Couldn’t determine if he was trying to convince Kim to scheme with him on the sly or if he was being genuine with his advice.

... so much as he maybe subconsciously loves when they're both playing a little dirty/it's a turn-on for him and clearly her. So I'm thinking he kind of naturally leads her to the water a bit because it's clear their relationship is sort of dependent on that type collaborative dirty work and excitement. When it's just him playing dirty she clearly sort of pulls back from him a bit.

BUT - you bring up an interesting theory for the rest of the season, in that maybe *she* will end up viewing it as him having played her, which may be part of their inevitable (IMO) demise.

so he drops subtle bait.

>BUT - you bring up an interesting theory for the rest of the
>season, in that maybe *she* will end up viewing it as him
>having played her, which may be part of their inevitable (IMO)
>demise.

i could def see this happening

Saul is an excuse for Slippin Jimmy to go full Jimmy. You never go full Jimmy.

and not particularly well done either, IMO. One of the few criticisms I’ve had.

They’re back together though - and it was good to see Mike back in action, setting up Lalo. Also, good to see Nacho and Mike interact.

Jimmy pulling that shit on Kim and claiming he “protected her”....kinda drew me back to Walt talking that shit on the phone to protect Skylar near the end of Breaking Bad, though far different circumstances and execution. It just made me think of that.

Rhea Seehorn is a top notch actress IMO, and I also thought it was crazy how her mother nailed Kim’s mannerisms in that flashback scene.

>and not particularly well done either, IMO. One of the few
>criticisms I’ve had.

Same. Show has been incredibly well done. So I guess I can let it slide that they got a little loose w/this storyline. Wasn't *bad* per se just didn't live up to the standards of the rest of the show.


>They’re back together though - and it was good to see Mike
>back in action, setting up Lalo. Also, good to see Nacho and
>Mike interact.
>
>Jimmy pulling that shit on Kim and claiming he “protected
>her”....kinda drew me back to Walt talking that shit on the
>phone to protect Skylar near the end of Breaking Bad, though
>far different circumstances and execution. It just made me
>think of that.
>
>Rhea Seehorn is a top notch actress IMO, and I also thought it
>was crazy how her mother nailed Kim’s mannerisms in that
>flashback scene.

Seehorn deserves all the Emmys. Incredibly hasn't even been nominated. What a joke.

This fucking show. Kim's stern voice is her mother's. I could cry.


~~~~~~~~~
"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

... during the wedding scene. They both captured so much of their characters' psychology in that scene.

Kim: tired, angry, knowing, intrigued, forgiving and hopeful to a fault.

Jimmy: apologetic, schemy, defensive, self-conscious, calculating and oblivious at the same time.

a lot of it feels meandering and uneven to me. maybe some of it is me given it's hard to focus in these times. there are moments i'm really into it an others where i don't feel very invested.

maybe i was expecting too heavily for this season to be pretty much breaking bad now that they're more converged. Maybe it's not enough Mike doing Mike shit

everything is well done as always, and there are individual scenes i think are fantastic. the only thing that feels necessarily wasteful his the Howard stuff, but as a whole i feel like its lacking.

hope it all pulls together.

Like I spoke with someone (maybe you ?) above, I'm not buying Gus convincing Mike to join the dark side just based on that one word: revenge. Thought that was almost a lazy storyline.

I'm also sorta not buying Kim marrying Jimmy after what he did, especially not based on some flimsy "just tell me the truth about your work" shit that she knows he won't hold to.

Both hooks seem lazy to me.

Those are major gripes but I still am enjoying the season. The writing is still pretty impeccable and there's still a lot to like about what they're doing with the camerawork in various scenes and things like that. I'm just not totally sold on those two plot points considering how important they are.


>a lot of it feels meandering and uneven to me. maybe some of
>it is me given it's hard to focus in these times. there are
>moments i'm really into it an others where i don't feel very
>invested.
>
>maybe i was expecting too heavily for this season to be pretty
>much breaking bad now that they're more converged. Maybe it's
>not enough Mike doing Mike shit
>
>everything is well done as always, and there are individual
>scenes i think are fantastic. the only thing that feels
>necessarily wasteful his the Howard stuff, but as a whole i
>feel like its lacking.
>
>hope it all pulls together.

I'm fine with it, but I'm fine with others not being fine with it.


It still looks better and has characters I love more than any other show going right now.


Personally, I think Jimmy v. Howard at the end of this episode is one of the highlights of the show, if not the franchise. There's a payoff to it in that this was maybe the last time we saw any glimpse of Jimmy McGill, which we only know because he was so often a plot device in Breaking Bad rather than a person. And the episode was titled "JMM". It felt like a funeral.


~~~~~~~~~
"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'm fine with it, but I'm fine with others not being fine
>with it.
>
>
>It still looks better and has characters I love more than any
>other show going right now.

Same here no question.


>Personally, I think Jimmy v. Howard at the end of this episode
>is one of the highlights of the show, if not the franchise.
>There's a payoff to it in that this was maybe the last time we
>saw any glimpse of Jimmy McGill, which we only know because he
>was so often a plot device in Breaking Bad rather than a
>person. And the episode was titled "JMM". It felt like a
>funeral.

YES - that was hugely important and definitely the best part of the season thus far. Sepinwall had a great perspective (per usual) on that scene and why it was so meaningful and well done.

This season has very much been centered on their dynamic, even the particulars of the plot has more and more has to do with the Cartel stuff.

They definitely wasted four episodes of Mike, and I'd still like to see more Nacho, but I think they're setting things up for the last three episodes to be interesting on that front.

I think that the problem is with this season is we really do know how most of this turns out. Like, even more than most seasons. Lalo doesn't drive Gus out of business. Mike becomes and stays the top guy in the Fring organization. The only "mysteries" is why Kim isn't around and what happens to Nacho and his father. And I feel like after what happened with Mike last season, the arc can't that he lets both of them die.

>This season has very much been centered on their dynamic,
>even the particulars of the plot has more and more has to do
>with the Cartel stuff.
>
>They definitely wasted four episodes of Mike, and I'd still
>like to see more Nacho, but I think they're setting things up
>for the last three episodes to be interesting on that front.
>
>I think that the problem is with this season is we really do
>know how most of this turns out. Like, even more than most
>seasons. Lalo doesn't drive Gus out of business. Mike becomes
>and stays the top guy in the Fring organization. The only
>"mysteries" is why Kim isn't around and what happens to Nacho
>and his father. And I feel like after what happened with Mike
>last season, the arc can't that he lets both of them die.

Cuz obviously a ton of us have such vested interest at this point in how that all ends.

Re: Nacho I'm starting to think he makes it out of BCS alive. But to be honest I'm only saying that cuz of the Breaking Bad desert scene when Saul thinks he's about to be shot and mentions Lalo and Nacho or whatever.

A line which obviously doesn't, at all, mean that he's alive. But I like to think so. Lol.

and you saw both faces - so great! And then he went fully Saul on Howard. That was an epic Saul rant. We’re there now. Saul and Mike are both all the way in.

I was glad that they at least addressed Mike going with Gus in this one - he said something about “playing the cards he was dealt” in response to being told he seemed like he was doing better. He realized he was in too deep to not go with Gus and came to peace with it. Cool. Wasn’t crazy about him just suddenly being with Gus again after the “revenge” ending, but this helps.

This show isn’t perfect, but it’s really good....and I genuinely like and root for Kim, Jimmy, Mike, and Nacho - so they’ve managed to make all 4 of them very likable and relatable even as they’re all various levels of shady.

So I can't nitpick

I admit as someone in the food industry the scene of them committing arson on purpose kicked me in the nuts

~~~~~~~~~
"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

When it happened in Breaking Bad, it struck me as odd. Like, why did he feel the need to go into hiding? If I recall, it had'n t even broken that two DEA agents were dead. And if it was, Saul was ostensibly still just Walt's lawyer. It never made sense to me that he felt the need to go on the lam. The only reason the scene seemed to exist was to give him and Walter one last interaction and show how sick Walt was.

Which is my way of wondering if they aren't trying to retcon why Saul ends up as Gene from Cinnabon. Like, if he really did end up stealing from the cartel (hence, the diamond stash in the first episode of this season) and there was something going on in the "off-screen" during that final Breaking Bad season that led him to order a Hoover MaxExtract PressurePro model 60.

Cause I don't recall having any questions as to why he'd have wanted to get out of town but it was also 7(!!) years ago so I am definitely forgetting some important details of the final season.

I figured a combo of everything. Huel had talked, Jesse's confession tape, the Nazis were still active and they already knocked off Mike's whole crew, Skylar could still talk.

I figure he just knew there was no ending where he isn't locked up or dead.

I took the diamonds as a way to carry millions around without barrels or duffel bags, But mhrood could be right, there may be more to it

Saul was a lawyer for the Cartel so he was affiliated with Gus, and as you can see in better call saul he was affiliated with the other side of the cartel (Salemunca). Plus being affiliated with WW and Jessie.

He dealt in money laundering for both of them, especially WW And Jessie, as well as doing other dirty legal stuff, like having Huell hold Ted hostage to sign a check. So he would have been knee deep in money laundering charges, and being an accessory to the operation of a narcotic drug business for both the Cartel and WW. That's why when the shit hit the fan he got his mean secretary to shred all the documents in the office, and told her what to say to the cops. He was fucked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJvNAlsgs4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJvNAlsgs4

Plus Huell probably gave up info as well.

And by being affiliated with Gus and Mike, who he knew before Walt, Lydia would probably had him killed just by him knowing so much, just like she was in on the prisoners getting killed, and wanting to kill WW (when he returned with that bogus plan to lydia, because he knew how much of snake lydia was) once she hooked up with Todd.


Jimmy was screwed, legally and illegally. No friends and no protection.

>Saul was a lawyer for the Cartel so he was affiliated with
>Gus, and as you can see in better call saul he was affiliated
>with the other side of the cartel (Salemunca). Plus being
>affiliated with WW and Jessie.
>
>He dealt in money laundering for both of them, especially WW
>And Jessie, as well as doing other dirty legal stuff, like
>having Huell hold Ted hostage to sign a check. So he would
>have been knee deep in money laundering charges, and being an
>accessory to the operation of a narcotic drug business for
>both the Cartel and WW. That's why when the shit hit the fan
>he got his mean secretary to shred all the documents in the
>office, and told her what to say to the cops. He was fucked.
>
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJvNAlsgs4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJvNAlsgs4
>
>Plus Huell probably gave up info as well.
>
>And by being affiliated with Gus and Mike, who he knew before
>Walt, Lydia would probably had him killed just by him knowing
>so much, just like she was in on the prisoners getting killed,
>and wanting to kill WW (when he returned with that bogus plan
>to lydia, because he knew how much of snake lydia was) once
>she hooked up with Todd.
>
>
>Jimmy was screwed, legally and illegally. No friends and no
>protection.
>
>

This is why you don't tell loved ones certain confidential things. The average person does not have the ability to critically think, and are too saturated in certain beliefs. Panic will ensue with most, which will lead to desperate actions. Kim's move was over the top, and even she should have known better since she is a lawyer. She exposed herself, and Saul exposed her to Mike. So now you got individuals on both sides of the cartel who know who Kim is. ...Saul didn't have to make the money run, but greed got a hold of him. He would have made good money by just representing Lalo in court. What man would allow his woman or wife to know about or be associated with the dangers of his business?

Mike: "You told your girlfriend? She's involved now"

This is why Chuck was never going to let Jimmy be a part of the firm. Chuck knew what most people don't know, including Kim, that Jimmy will always be an opportunist at all cost, and he will risk his life as well as the lives of others, no matter if the opportunity is small or big. To Jimmy, the law is simply a tool no different than a pair of vice grips, to Chuck, the Law was a holy grail that should always be protected..... This is like Breaking Bad, where as the series goes on you start to hate the main character more and more. With Jimmy, its about the greed of scoring. With Walt, it was about the greed of being recognized and seen above all. He messed up everything at the dinner table when he told Hank that the other chemist was simply a pawn, and that there had to be another brilliant mind behind it. He couldn't just let it go, same thing with Saul ....can't just let certain opportunities go.

Both men are paralyzed by greed.

>
>This is why you don't tell loved ones certain confidential
>things. The average person does not have the ability to
>critically think, and are too saturated in certain beliefs.
>Panic will ensue with most, which will lead to desperate
>actions. Kim's move was over the top, and even she should have
>known better since she is a lawyer. She exposed herself, and
>Saul exposed her to Mike. So now you got individuals on both
>sides of the cartel who know who Kim is. ...Saul didn't have
>to make the money run, but greed got a hold of him. He would
>have made good money by just representing Lalo in court. What
>man would allow his woman or wife to know about or be
>associated with the dangers of his business?
>
>Mike: "You told your girlfriend? She's involved now"
>
>This is why Chuck was never going to let Jimmy be a part of
>the firm. Chuck knew what most people don't know, including
>Kim, that Jimmy will always be an opportunist at all cost, and
>he will risk his life as well as the lives of others, no
>matter if the opportunity is small or big. To Jimmy, the law
>is simply a tool no different than a pair of vice grips, to
>Chuck, the Law was a holy grail that should always be
>protected..... This is like Breaking Bad, where as the series
>goes on you start to hate the main character more and more.
>With Jimmy, its about the greed of scoring. With Walt, it was
>about the greed of being recognized and seen above all. He
>messed up everything at the dinner table when he told Hank
>that the other chemist was simply a pawn, and that there had
>to be another brilliant mind behind it. He couldn't just let
>it go, same thing with Saul ....can't just let certain
>opportunities go.
>
>Both men are paralyzed by greed.

Skyler had no idea where he was and he was able to come up with a cover story.

It's been too long since I've watched that BB episode to know if there's a deeper statement in the parallel. Like you said, Jimmy endangered Kim by being honest with her about stuff she shouldn't be involved in. Was Walt protecting Skyler by hiding the truth from her? In a sense, obviously. That was Walt's logic (or purported logic) throughout the entire series (and logic that Jimmy echoed a couple episodes back about his Mesa Verde maneuver). But I don't remember enough details of that particular BB episode to know if they were trying to draw a connection.

Did Saul ever forcefully tell Walt that he couldn't let Skyler get involved in his business? I think there was some of that but I don't remember how much. The interpretation I'm leaning toward would obviously be a retcon, but it would be an interesting one.

This is all pretty standard 'film noir' stuff, but it's fun to see how skillfully they're working it all out.

>Was Walt protecting Skyler by hiding
>the truth from her? In a sense, obviously. That was Walt's
>logic (or purported logic) throughout the entire series (and
>logic that Jimmy echoed a couple episodes back about his Mesa
>Verde maneuver). But I don't remember enough details of that
>particular BB episode to know if they were trying to draw a
>connection.
>
>Did Saul ever forcefully tell Walt that he couldn't let Skyler
>get involved in his business? I think there was some of that
>but I don't remember how much. The interpretation I'm leaning
>toward would obviously be a retcon, but it would be an
>interesting one.

LOVED the scene with him and Kim.

But before that, the scene with Jimmy?
Jimmy asked for $100K.
Lalo paused as if to really contemplate the fee
...then said, "PERFECT!"

The delivery was great.

I also loved when Jimmy was like "what's so funny" and he goes "ahh you wouldn't get it." The delivery was perfect.

>LOVED the scene with him and Kim.
>
>But before that, the scene with Jimmy?
>Jimmy asked for $100K.
>Lalo paused as if to really contemplate the fee
>...then said, "PERFECT!"
>
>The delivery was great.

Yes that delivery, too lol. Guy is brilliant.

he's this crazy combo of a happy-go-lucky goofball, who's also incredibly sharp and menacing

I love the wire to death....But I just put the whole breaking bad universe ahead of it.

Characters are just too outstanding.

Thing about the Salamancas ....They give no FOCKS....all of them..from hector to Tuco..

No fucks will be given in any form or fashion .....and you will never have your way.

where you just want to throw an episode from the series on.

Much like “4 Days Out” from Breaking Bad and “Pine Barrens” from the Sopranos. I can go back and watch those episodes over and over. This one will be like that. Great stuff.

This ep was fucking stellar

https://twitter.com/homewardove/status/1247513839027064832/photo/1

~~~~~~~~~
"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

Why did Mike take the gas cap from Jimmy/Saul's car before they pushed it off the road? I very very vaguely remember something involving gas caps from Breaking Bad, but I'm far too lazy to want to dig through my blu-rays to see what the point was then.

Which is how he was able to find him out there.

Maybe second season. Gus tracked down Mike and followed him using a transmitter in the gas cap. There was that episode where Mike was trying to find it at the junkyard and he pretty much dismantled the whole car before he realized it was inside the gas cap. Pretty sure Mike has used the same transmitters a few times since then.

So when he made a point of removing the gas cap from Jimmy's car that was their way of telling us that Gus and Mike had been following his every move for god knows how long, and they've been pulling more strings with the Lalo stuff than we even knew.

I suppose the show's been on longer than I thought for me to make that kind of mistake. Or perhaps I confused when Walter and Gus has their encounter with Hank tracking Gus' non-baller vehicle on Breaking Bad.

Pretty cool of the show to put that little detail into the episode since so much action occurred already.

>Pretty cool of the show to put that little detail into the
>episode since so much action occurred already.

I mean two of the main periphery characters on BCS were born out of a seemingly throwaway line from BB ! It's brilliant and so impressive.

Man that was good ass scene.

I never thought they'd be able to top last week's episode, but they did, with something completely different.

I won't disagree with the people who thought they flailed around a bit early in the season. But right at this moment the show is better than it's ever been.

and they drop 2 top 5 episodes in a row.

... as this show does in a long time. I've had a pit in my stomach during so many scenes over this show's run. Last nite was a major one.

these last two episodes saved it.

>I never thought they'd be able to top last week's episode, but
>they did, with something completely different.
>
>I won't disagree with the people who thought they flailed
>around a bit early in the season. But right at this moment the
>show is better than it's ever been.

Now I understand why they "rushed" (for lack of a better term) the storyline of Mike fully getting onboard w/Gus, and a couple other things. They had more important and incredible stories and scenes to get to.

God damn this has been good.

...."This isn't Mesa Verde! She's not going to be able to shame a fucking cartel member into leaving Jimmy alone!" I was convinced Mike was going to have to smoke Lalo right there.

Probably could have ended the season right there. Though I guess they have to tie up loose ends with the last episode.

I was so focused on Mike, Kim was almost an afterthought, which is probably what the show intended. Then she came through, talked her shit and made EXCELLENT points while doing it. With a bottle of righteous indignation on top of it, lol.

Lalo’s the kinda guy who is more amused than annoyed with people. I think that temperament is the only reason Kim lived to see another day. If Tuco would’ve been there, it would’ve been a whole other story.

This really makes me wonder how Jimmy and Kim end. I don’t think she gets killed.

And for all that talk about serving the underserved and not being tied down by corporate lawyers, Kim is now all the way in with the cartel. Switched masters.

There’s gonna be so many comparisons between Kim and Wendy from Ozark.

There was enough of "shit hits the fan moments" even before Lalo showed up. I kept on worrying that there were going to cut the scene off and cliff-hang it until the finale. Shoot, I thought they were going to show the credits after Lalo and Nacho found the car in the desert.

One thing I will say/predict, next episode is Nacho's last. There isn't really much left to do with the character. As good as Kim's speech was, I'm guessing that it's going to get Ignacio killed.

>There was enough of "shit hits the fan moments" even before
>Lalo showed up. I kept on worrying that there were going to
>cut the scene off and cliff-hang it until the finale. Shoot, I
>thought they were going to show the credits after Lalo and
>Nacho found the car in the desert.

I thought it was coming many times before this, but I was *sure* it was coming when Kim stepped into Mike's crosshairs. I figured they'd leave us hanging to ponder whether Mike mistimed his shot and hit Kim or something. My heart was pounding.


>One thing I will say/predict, next episode is Nacho's last.
>There isn't really much left to do with the character. As good
>as Kim's speech was, I'm guessing that it's going to get
>Ignacio killed.

Wait what did her speech have to do with Ignacio ? Do you mean the "get your house in order" talk ?

>>One thing I will say/predict, next episode is Nacho's last.
>>There isn't really much left to do with the character. As
>good
>>as Kim's speech was, I'm guessing that it's going to get
>>Ignacio killed.
>
>Wait what did her speech have to do with Ignacio ? Do you mean
>the "get your house in order" talk ?

Yep. Like, he's going to think of the circumstances that he got arrested, and somehow make the connection to Nacho, even though he's happy with him for burning down the Chicken Man's spot. I mean, all he has to do is lay low for the night, and then get the Twins to pick him back up in the desert. Why is he having Nacho drive him deep into Mexico?

Another possibility is Lalo realizes that it was Bolsa who set him up (and I'm not even sure that he did), and then goes to war with Bolsa. Again, I'm not even sure if Bolsa was in BB. I know Lalo is only mentioned once.

But I will say it feels like they've gone as far as they can go with Ignaicio. Barring him being Lalo's head lieutenant in a conflict with Bolsa (which I don't see), I don't know where else they can go with him.

>Yep. Like, he's going to think of the circumstances that he
>got arrested, and somehow make the connection to Nacho, even
>though he's happy with him for burning down the Chicken Man's
>spot. I mean, all he has to do is lay low for the night, and
>then get the Twins to pick him back up in the desert. Why is
>he having Nacho drive him deep into Mexico?
>
>Another possibility is Lalo realizes that it was Bolsa who set
>him up (and I'm not even sure that he did), and then goes to
>war with Bolsa. Again, I'm not even sure if Bolsa was in BB. I
>know Lalo is only mentioned once.
>
>But I will say it feels like they've gone as far as they can
>go with Ignaicio. Barring him being Lalo's head lieutenant in
>a conflict with Bolsa (which I don't see), I don't know where
>else they can go with him.

He set up a meeting with Gus and the murder twins about Walt.

And Gus framed him and set him up to be killed by the Federales, to cover up his involvement in setting up the Hank-Murder twins shootout.

fuck.

Eladio (Steven Baeuer) is the big boss

underneath him you have the Salamacas and Juan Bolsa. Bolsa seems to be above the Salamancas though.

seems Bolsa tried to have Saul ambushed so that he could get the Salamancas out the paint because he feels more comfortable dealing with Gus?

lemme know if i have this wrong.

Specifically after Gus called Bolsa. It took me a second to remember who he was.


>Eladio (Steven Baeuer) is the big boss
>
>underneath him you have the Salamacas and Juan Bolsa. Bolsa
>seems to be above the Salamancas though.
>
>seems Bolsa tried to have Saul ambushed so that he could get
>the Salamancas out the paint because he feels more comfortable
>dealing with Gus?
>
>lemme know if i have this wrong.

I'm honestly not sure. That would make sense, but then again what he said to Gus last nite about "your problems are over" after Gus told him Lalo was out of jail wouldn't make sense if he was trying to get the Salamancas out of the picture. Or maybe it would. I dunno. lol

Like, if I'm remembering last week's episode, after the twins leave with the cash, the guy in charge of the place calls "someone" and says something to the effect of "You told me to call if I saw an opportunity? Well..." At the time, I assumed that he was just leaking something to some guys looking for an opportunity. It didn't seem to suggest he was calling Bolsa's peeps.

Was Bolsa in BB? I thought for a second he was the guy with the twins in Season 3, but I guess not.

>Like, if I'm remembering last week's episode, after the twins
>leave with the cash, the guy in charge of the place calls
>"someone" and says something to the effect of "You told me to
>call if I saw an opportunity? Well..." At the time, I assumed
>that he was just leaking something to some guys looking for an
>opportunity. It didn't seem to suggest he was calling Bolsa's
>peeps.

Yea I didn't remember this call. Gotta go back and watch.


>Was Bolsa in BB? I thought for a second he was the guy with
>the twins in Season 3, but I guess not.

https://breakingbad.fandom.com/wiki/Juan_Bolsa

Which means him trying to set up Saul/take the cash would make even less sense. So, at least for now, I'm not convinced it was him at all.

Said he hired Colombians to do it and that he was trying to to protect his interests by protecting Gus's interests, but that he doesn't know Gus' part in assuring Lalo can't come back due to the bail.

>Which means him trying to set up Saul/take the cash would
>make even less sense. So, at least for now, I'm not convinced
>it was him at all.

-

A good attorney cannot be replaced or fucked with. This is why it’s rare to see them get killed or even go to jail in real life. Lalo knows Saul is lying. Kim knows Saul is lying. Saul knows he is lying. But it’s not what you know. It’s what you can prove. And great lawyers have that mastered.

Kim hit Lalo hard with that, then she verbally illustrated just how weak his cartel is by employing an unknown lawyer to handle 7 million dollars.
Saul and Kim both know how to stare down the end of a gun when it comes to arguing points.

I don’t think Kim will get killed. I could be wrong, but it just does not follow the lawyer dynamic. They always find a way to get out of shit. She will either order a vacuum special or just live in the background staying married to Saul.

Lalo wasn't gonna kill them but he figured he could intimidate to make him crack, and I'm assuming Saul spills without Kim stepping up, or if he was alone.

Mike DEFINITELY didn't want to kill Lalo because that's a disaster, but I assumed Mike would have gone there if Lalo tried to kill them.

BUT.. if Saul starts to spill the scheme does Mike kill SAUL?

That's a great question. Knowing how Gus' operation works, that's an astounding YES!


This dude killed his own man with a box cutter all because he showcased the ability to make METH, further showcasing there was no need for Walter White.

he made it clear to Mike that this could never get out.
gotta wonder if Mike had it in him to go through with it tho



>That's a great question. Knowing how Gus' operation works,
>that's an astounding YES!
>
>
>This dude killed his own man with a box cutter all because he
>showcased the ability to make METH, further showcasing there
>was no need for Walter White.

Mike would have done it for sure. That's why he was there. But it would have created a shit storm.

Cartel would have snapped, and the Salamunca twins would have smelled the bullshit.

One thing about those Salamuncas they can smell bullshit a mile away ...no way would I work for them.

all of them are Psychos.

All of them knew the bullshit that Gus was on. That he was up to something, trying to take over, etc.

too good

he didn't stop challenging his decisions?


If a dog keeps biting the hand that feeds him, sooner or later that dog will have to be put down.

>he didn't stop challenging his decisions?
>
>
>If a dog keeps biting the hand that feeds him, sooner or later
>that dog will have to be put down.

I didn't interpret that as a threat to Mike at all. And I don't think it was meant that way.

But why would he say that about nacho?

Nacho wasn’t being feed or worked for him. He was being forced and threatened, where he had no choice. His father’s life was on the line.

When Mike asked him, Gus said no, he could still be of some use to us. Mike put seriousness in his tone and asked him again, and questioned the purpose of it. Gus paused, stared at him and then said that.

Maybe it did relate to nacho, but somewhat directed to Mike as well.

Don't forget, Gus knows that Nacho previously asked Mike to kill Tuco, and then subsequently poisoned Hector. So in Gus' eyes Nacho has a thing about trying to murder his bosses.

Gus would not threaten Mike. At least not at this point. It was all about Nacho.


>But why would he say that about nacho?
>
>Nacho wasn’t being feed or worked for him. He was being
>forced and threatened, where he had no choice. His father’s
>life was on the line.
>
>When Mike asked him, Gus said no, he could still be of some
>use to us. Mike put seriousness in his tone and asked him
>again, and questioned the purpose of it. Gus paused, stared at
>him and then said that.
>
>Maybe it did relate to nacho, but somewhat directed to Mike as
>well.

a dog who bites both his masters (or however he put it)

Nacho falls in line or is euthanized.

but as far as Gus is concerned he doesn't ride off into the sunset.

he knows too much and can't be trusted.

Gus just went to great lengths to bring Mike back because he needs him. he's not just gonna threaten to put him down.

Have a point.

Chuck!"

That was a great line, because it's true. It's crazy that Kim really wants to hurt Howard, and not only bring him down a notch, but destroy his career. Even Jimmy does not want to do that. He just wants to fock with Howard, because he knows that even though Howard is anal, he does not deserve to lose his career.

It's kind of hypocritical how Kim does not want Jimmy bending the law to
get clients to make a decision or a choice, but she has no problem doing some serious illegal shit to destroy a man's career.


Well, Nacho is fucked on both sides now. That is the stupidest shit I ever seen in my life. He could have just killed Lalo himself, and then let the hitmen in to shoot the body up. He could have poisoned Lalo, or he could have just shot him in the head. Just plain dumb.


The only bad thing is that we know the fate of most of the characters.....all of them are pretty much Dead. The only question is, will Kim live?

>It's kind of hypocritical how Kim does not want Jimmy bending
>the law to
>get clients to make a decision or a choice, but she has no
>problem doing some serious illegal shit to destroy a man's
>career.

They're trying to highlight how she has fought it for a long time but that she really gets a high off her schemes w/Jimmy. So now she's willing to bend the law just like she always chastised him for doing, in the past.

neither did Jimmy. Just saw it as some occasional side shit she found thrilling.

can we assume this is the real reason she quit? she can tell herself it's more altruistic rewarding work, but she really wants to be closer to the kind of shit Jimmy's doing.

i always assumed Kim never made it to BB because of things Jimmy/Saul was into, but it's seeming more like Kim is going to bring down Kim.

... to your last point, I'm still not 100% convinced that she *wasn't* around during the BB years. I think people are too quick to assume that (unless it's *me* who's missing some clue(s) from BB that might prove that she wasn't around).

But as I recall, we saw like ... 0% of Saul's personal life, nothing beyond his work with Walt, Jessie and the cartel. So for all we know she could have been hovering just beyond the screen.

Again, maybe that's just hopeful on my part haha.

But either way, even if she wasn't *around* during BB in Albuquerque, I think there's something to the connection between Kim's upbringing in Nebraska, and the fact that "Gene" is in Nebraska now.

In other words I don't think she's dead. I *HOPE* she's not dead. Haha.

Can't wait for next season. In 2023.


>neither did Jimmy. Just saw it as some occasional side shit
>she found thrilling.
>
>can we assume this is the real reason she quit? she can tell
>herself it's more altruistic rewarding work, but she really
>wants to be closer to the kind of shit Jimmy's doing.
>
>i always assumed Kim never made it to BB because of things
>Jimmy/Saul was into, but it's seeming more like Kim is going
>to bring down Kim.

i think if there was any clue she was in the BB universe, someone would have spotted it though.

the nebraska thing is definitely relevant.

but I do vaguely remember Saul from Breaking Bad mentioning having a wife. I *think* it was referenced right before a very brief flashback scene that didn't show Kim per-say, but showed him drinking in a bar setting.

My memory is too far gone to want to watch old episodes to pinpoint what in the world I'm vaguely recollecting though, so I suppose that doesn't help matters too deeply.

But I read earlier this season that the writers had to make a point of having Jimmy explain the dissolution of his "first two marriages" in the Kim/Jimmy wedding scene because of a line in BB where Saul said something about his "2nd wife"

I didn't (and still don't) remember that BB scene described above but that may be what you're vaguely remembering. Or it may not. Haha. Just pointing out the one thing from BB I *do* know about regarding Jimmy/Saul's marital status.


>but I do vaguely remember Saul from Breaking Bad mentioning
>having a wife. I *think* it was referenced right before a very
>brief flashback scene that didn't show Kim per-say, but showed
>him drinking in a bar setting.
>
>My memory is too far gone to want to watch old episodes to
>pinpoint what in the world I'm vaguely recollecting though, so
>I suppose that doesn't help matters too deeply.

Yeah, that’s the confusing part. I still think the battle with that old white man who didn’t want to leave his property really flipped her against mesa verda. Had the company just opened the call center at another site, I think she still stays at the firm. But that showed her at the end of the day that no one really gives a fock about the little guy, which is why she wants all this public defender work, looking to get people off. And of course the influence of jimmy.

Maybe this is just a one hitter to get that big lawyer fund pay for jimmy off the senior citizen case, and to fuck Howard while doing it. I think jimmy gets 1/3rd of the 20 percent take that the lawyers get.

Saul has always been whiney and just a sleazy lawyer guy, but they have really made him look weak these past 2 episodes, while Kim becomes stronger. Dude was about to shit himself while Lalo kept questioning him, and going to Mike’s house in a panic. And pleading with Kim not to go to work, while Kim is all gangster with it saying we should just live our Fucking lives.

the battle for the property wasn't going her way so she brought in Saul. That one black kid she was doing pro bono work for didn't want to make a deal so she used Saul (or did he initiate that.. i can't remember).

She clearly gets off on this stuff on a level that Jimmy doesn't. Probably because Jimmy consciously leans into it, and she pretends to be above it. But it makes her more dangerous. Jimmy wants to fuck with Howard. She wants to destroy him.

>the battle for the property wasn't going her way so she
>brought in Saul. That one black kid she was doing pro bono
>work for didn't want to make a deal so she used Saul (or did
>he initiate that.. i can't remember).
>
>She clearly gets off on this stuff on a level that Jimmy
>doesn't. Probably because Jimmy consciously leans into it, and
>she pretends to be above it. But it makes her more dangerous.
>Jimmy wants to fuck with Howard. She wants to destroy him.
>
>


For better or for worse, Kim is a lot more self-righteous then Jimmy/Saul. At the moment, there is a degree of self-loathing that Jimmy/Saul has that Kim doesn't, at least from what I can see. I think Chuck humbling Jimmy over the years might have something to do with that. I think Kim doing the pro-bono work to 'balance' the shady stuff she wants to dip into might have something to do with her she morally justifies wanting to Break Bad as well, which is pretty silly in my eyes, but whatever.

>the battle for the property wasn't going her way so she
>brought in Saul. That one black kid she was doing pro bono
>work for didn't want to make a deal so she used Saul (or did
>he initiate that.. i can't remember).

But then ended up using the tactic anyway.


>She clearly gets off on this stuff on a level that Jimmy
>doesn't. Probably because Jimmy consciously leans into it, and
>she pretends to be above it. But it makes her more dangerous.
>Jimmy wants to fuck with Howard. She wants to destroy him.

See I think Jimmy *did* get off on it at that level but once he recognized that he created a monster in Kim, he started to get disturbed by it.

Like when she was pulling scams on what's his name from Mesa Verde, remember that he was encouraging her to do his voice and all that ? He was super into it.

But now it's gotten to a point he never thought she'd get to.

to me that shit was scary. Like how she was doing it. There is something really fucking scary about that scene.

.

Agreed.

They obviously couldn't shoot it the same way without Forster around, but this is the general direction they're setting up (for now), it's believable, and it's the LAST thing I ever expected.

Even just a few episodes ago I was still expecting Kim would move back to Nebraska out of fear and exasperation at what Jimmy has become.

>RE: I'm starting to wonder if she'll be the first one to buy a vacuum.
>They obviously couldn't shoot it the same way without Forster
>around, but this is the general direction they're setting up
>(for now), it's believable, and it's the LAST thing I ever
>expected.
>
>Even just a few episodes ago I was still expecting Kim would
>move back to Nebraska out of fear and exasperation at what
>Jimmy has become.

https://i.redd.it/8dpj7j7k76u41.gif

mainly because I'm thinking please don't kill this guy off yet!

amazing 3 episode stretch. i got really depressed when the credits rolled thinking how long we're gonna have to wait for a final season.

Lots of people have been force-speculating this narrative that Jimmy slowly becoming completely amoral is what's going to drive her away, but Gilligan and company have continuously bucked that perception at every turn. He's not "corrupting" her, she's always had this in her. Jimmy's scheme might encourage it, but she takes the initiative in many of these instances. And makes the effort to go the extra few miles when Jimmy isn't on that wavelength.

I'm going to be willing to say that Kim is going to be the one to turn Jimmy into Saul through her own machinations.

Everybody has spent 3+ years writing about "woe is Kim", "oh, but if only Jimmy wasn't taking Kim down this path!" Howard was basically the internet's collective whimpering over whether Wexler da Gawd was going to get out clean or go down with Jimmy's ship. She looked all that straight in the face these past two episodes and said, "Baby, I'm me - so who you?" © Weezy


~~~~~~~~~
"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

placing #metoo within the context of her character or this season, but I do think part of empowering the Kim Wexler character has something to do with the severe backlash the Skylar character received during the heydays of Breaking Bad. I remember it got so bad the actress had to write an op-ed for the NY Times to tell folks to simmer down at throwing insults at her in real life.

I just think they've done a really smart job the past three episodes of pointing at this character and saying, look, you all think that Jimmy is the problem here, but Kim is making every one of these choices you don't like, and she's not doing these things because she thinks Jimmy will like her more for it. She's making these choices because she wants to make them, and she has agency, and she had more than enough chances to get out but she chose to go deeper not because Jimmy needs a love interest or he manipulated her into it but because she has her own concept of what sticking it to the man is, and I'd argue she thinks maybe she can do it better and more cleanly than Jimmy has.

I agree it's probably a little inappropriate, I meant it more as in Kim is not some unwitting pity wife going along with her husband's harebrained scheme; the fact that he's even her husband is HER harebrained scheme! And I also think linking her character development back to Skylar is an interesting idea though that has its own problems. I remember a lot of the Skylar backlash being related to her "wet blanket" agenda and because Kim is more of an enabler, I suppose if any of those BB fans that hated Skylar are still watching Saul (for some reason that seems hard to believe) I don't think they're thinking any differently about how they reacted to the perfectly reasonable, normal housewife vs. the equally conniving, performatively moral legal partner.

~~~~~~~~~
"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

that move with the bathtub tunnel. he starts to close it, pauses then leaves it open, knowing he can come back for the ambush.

now he just lost his people and knows Nacho set him up. If it's up to Gus, Nacho ain't anything but a loose end so his only hope is Mike (and Saul who we already know plays a role in whatever happens)

His reaction between the lines "Tuco. Really?" and "You okay in there?"...I mean, give him an Emmy for that.

Lalo is on some Uncle June/Roger Sterling status in my book. He's a Soprano-ish character with the laughs/entertainment he provides in a drama.

Lalo was such a refreshing surprise this season. IMO he's officially a top tier BB protagonist. He had a standout arc this season, and they played him in a way that creates some serious internal conflict for a large slice of fans, because his quirky nature, the fact that they killed his innocent relatives, and the sheer badassery he's displayed in one season is enough to make people kind of want to see him win.

Which is a mind fuck, because most fans have developed affection for Nacho, who will be caught between both Gus and Lalo trying to ice him.

Meanwhile, Mike wants to save him, which has already created some friction with Gus, Lalo looms as a boogeyman for Saul and Kim, and we have Kim trying to end Howard's career while giving Jimmy pause as he sees her comfort level for such a serious scheme.

And they're still working to payoff the Sandpiper angle in all of that, which is crazy.

They've setup so many great threads for the final season. Can't wait.