US: Better Call Saul

Each to their own but I don't think it's a patch on BB. The directing is exceptional but the story is slow and imo thin. I can barely remember what has happened in the last 3 or 4 seasons where I remember every bit of BB.
 
They're different. I've enjoyed them both very much (the style of writing is quite addictive), but for different reasons, BCS focuses on the characters and their stories more, and includes a mixture of light hearted and dark humour, with plenty of absurd moments. You could say Breaking Bad was about a character who loses his sense of self after receiving some life altering news. Any sense of morality seems to have been eroded away over the years, all that's left is bitterness and Walt's feelings of pride and entitlement.

Walter actually does start to question his actions after the terrible events of series 2, but later doubles down. In contrast to BCS, it's a grim story, where nobody wins. BCS appears to be less clear cut.

g67575 said:
So, Howard's death shocked me almost as much as the fate of Jesse's girlfriend (Andrea).

I think he'd become a character I could empathise with, really since finding out that it was Chuck who ruined Jimmy's chances of becoming a lawyer at HMM (not Howard, who would have hired him), which really set the scene for the whole show.

He also treated Kim badly, as he blamed Kim for HMM losing the Kettleman case, after she tells them the honest truth about their chances in court. He punishes Kim again (sending her to 'The Doghouse'), when he finds out that she knows about the tape Jimmy made for Davis & Main. This is perhaps the most flawed part of Howard's character, the need to place blame, and not to forgive, despite Kim being a very promising lawyer. To some extent, he gives the impression that he has learned from his mistakes, by series 6.

Some people think Kim is a psychopath, I don't see how could be true, since she obviously has a strong reaction to Howard's death (they both do). To me, Kim is also a sympathetic character, who goes out of her way on many occasions to defend petty criminals, and those she feels deserve a second chance. She is also a very loyal friend to Jimmy, defending him when Chuck attempts to have him disbarred.

My impression, was that she felt very raw about Chuck's death, she did not spare a thought at all for Howard's sense of guilt, and state of mind when she collects the small amount of money left to Jimmy, from Chuck. Similarly, Jimmy is too shocked and upset to come to terms with his role in Chuck's death, and finds it easier to place all the blame on Howard (even if deep down, he knows it makes no sense). Jimmy is unfortunately permanently feeling sorry for himself, there seems to be little awareness of the direction he is heading in, he lives only for cheap thrills.

Kim has perhaps the most complex personality of all characters in the series, and it will be very interesting to see how she reacts to Howard's death, especially given that the reason Howard visits their apartment is because of their scheme to destroy his credibility and prematurely end the Sandpiper case, so that Jimmy can receive his substantial payout.

I enjoyed hearing Howard explaining his suspicions, trying to make sense of how he could possibly deserve what their scheme involved doing to him. The bit I still don't understand, is what had he done to **** off his wife so much? Was he too cold and distant? Too obsessed with his job?

It's sad that his offer of peace goes completely unnoticed by his wife. Brilliant writing.

What next? Will Kim start to lose her mind, knowing that their nasty scheme inadvertently lead to Howard's death?
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Anyone got any thoughts on the above? What do you think will happen to Kim? I sense that she is not going to be a 'winner', when all is said and done.
 
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The fact we never see her ever in BB and the fact that Jimmy knows a guy who can erase you and relocate you, makes me wonder if she's is gone, never to be seen again or ultimately dead.
I am assuming she's alive as a dead storyline imo would put Jimmy off becoming Saul full time.
 
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Presumably, Lalo will interrogate them both, then eventually leave. Lalo will want more info about 'The Chicken Man'. Maybe he will coerce Jimmy into spying on Fring for him?

Then, Kim might decide to run away, in fear for her life. Or, Lalo might take her with him as collateral.
 
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ChroniC said:
That seems a bit of a boring way to play it out. Hopefully it's good.
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What is your impression of Howard and Kim?

What's interesting about Kim is how the fans have reacted to her change in behaviour, frequently now crossing over legal and moral boundaries. Many have described Kim as being a bit like Eve, tempting Adam to commit sins, which was not my impression. Jimmy seems quite capable of breaking the law of his own accord, he needs little convincing, he's frequently fighting a losing battle with his conscience. He's been broken by the death of his brother, and now Howard, who I think even from Jimmy's warped, unforgiving point of view, will seem like he paid too high a price. Even more guilt to repress and bury?

But, we know she has had an 'interesting time', covering up and being complicit in theft of jewelry as a teenager, for her mother. Her expression and demeanour (in my view) suggests deep unhappiness and discomfort. Also, disappointment with her mother, who we know was 'bad news'. It seems to suggest that this is how she learned that she could get away with breaking rules, apparently without consequence, additionally her mother rewards this behaviour.
 
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I don't dislike them but I just found the whole HHM story, limp. All the stuff with the guy in the desert and the old people has just been uninteresting filler.
 
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Why watch the show then? That's kind of a big part of it, it's about the characters.

Do you mean Mr Acker? I found that quite interesting, we learn a bit more about Kim's past (she seems to sympathise with Acker quite a lot, to the point where she arranges for Jimmy to help him keep his property), and it sets up a chain of events that lead her to eventually quit her role at Schweikart and Cokely.
 
Honestly, nostalgia.
It's the only reason I kept up with it. I needed that bit of Mike, Gus, Fring and Saul, it's sadly taken 5/6 seasons to final get there.
 
iamtheoneneo said:
for me season 5 was the moment it eclipsed it. BCS treats its side characters much better than BB, I feel more connected to them and their stories. The world of BCS feels much more 'real'.
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I started BB again not long before this new season of BCS dropped. I think of BB as a 'cinematic' mini series, where BCS to me, feels like a soap like Eastenders. DO NOT FLAME ME, what I mean BCS has lots of characters, story lines. Some end after a few episodes/half a season whereas others last for a full season or more. BB has the White family and brother in-law, a druggie and his 2 friends, a dealer then onto a couple more arcs with other characters. Some come and go after only a few episodes.

I know what I am trying to say lol.
Both are excellent TV, probably joint second (BCS edges by 1 point) after BoB, which is my fav series ever.
BoB 9.9/10 Would be a 10/10 if it wasn't for one thing
BCS 9.8/10
BB 9.7/10
 
The quality of the writing and scale of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is so much greater than any soap I've seen (I've only ever seen bits of soaps though, I never much about the plot or characters). It's an odd comparison.

They are technically both crime dramas, with some dark comedy, but they defy comparison to other TV shows that I've seen. Better Call Saul is interesting because it's also a legal drama, but it's really a parody of the genre, and we see it from the defendant's perspectives also.
 
Damn this season was good. Really enjoyed binging on S5 and S6 after over a year of forgetting about it.

I think I need to pay BB a revisit. Its been so long.
 
g67575 said:
The quality of the writing and scale of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is so much greater than any soap I've seen (I've only ever seen bits of soaps though, I never much about the plot or characters). It's an odd comparison.

They are technically both crime dramas, with some dark comedy, but they defy comparison to other TV shows that I've seen. Better Call Saul is interesting because it's also a legal drama, but it's really a parody of the genre, and we see it from the defendant's perspectives also.
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My post didn't come across as intended. What I was trying to say was, BB felt more 'movie' like and BCS more like a 'soap opera'. Not in quality of writing or anything like that but just in how felt they were coming across to me. Appears more characters coming and going in BCS than BB, which makes me think and feel its more like a soap. My crappy comparison isn't the best, sorry lol. Both far exceed what you can watch on UK TV far as I know (I don't watch broadcast TV)
 
Kind of see what you mean. Breaking Bad was a bit faster paced, more action oriented, e.g. more cinematic. BCS is a bit slower packed, taking the time to go into the details of each character, and how their stories develop. There's been quite a bit of effort put into making sure all the pieces fit together neatly, in the events building up to Breaking Bad. With some questions still unanswered, such as, what happens to Kim?
 
something daft already!! said:
I was checking out the imdb and accidentally stumbled on the below. Don't click if you don't want to know.

I just saw on Bryan Cranston's IMDB that he's in episode 10
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Pretty sure something like that was a given.
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with Walter coming into BCS with a few episodes left, I will guess that it is the time Saul and Walter meet or around that time. The remaining episodes will be Saul/Gene with some BrBa sprinkled in. We need more Gene, Nothing so far this season has there been?
 
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