Consigliere
US: Better Call Saul
- Thread starter Robert1986
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Soldato
- Joined
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He's an average actor, only really famous for his role in BB and like you say he somehow pulled it off back then but the cameos in Better Call Saul just felt off
He's in Eye In The Sky and Exodus God's and Kings playing very different roles and plays them well enough
As for the end of the series too much to say that's already been said, I'm gutted it's finished and will judge everything I watch with this as a baseline for what was pretty much a perfect series
Yeah, the cameos were disappointing overall tbh.
The first ones were terrible because they both seemed so old which totally ruins the immersion. Brian Cranston doesn't matter too much, but they could have least put a snap chat filter or done a de-aging deep fake on Aaron Paul seeing as he looked so different.
The only half decent one was the last episode where WW and Saul are chatting as doesn't feel as superficial.
The first ones were terrible because they both seemed so old which totally ruins the immersion. Brian Cranston doesn't matter too much, but they could have least put a snap chat filter or done a de-aging deep fake on Aaron Paul seeing as he looked so different.
The only half decent one was the last episode where WW and Saul are chatting as doesn't feel as superficial.
Commissario
It doesn’t bother you that literally every character in Better Call Saul who also appeared in Breaking Bad looks older than they did in BB?
btw (and this is for everyone), no need for spoiler tags in this thread any more. They’re only required for the first 24 hours after the episode is shown.
Not really, it's not as jarring when you see them over multiple episodes, or they were already relative 'old'.
When there's a ton of hype around Walt and Jesse though, and you've got the young accomplice Jesse looking like a 40 year old man now still trying to act like a young un' in handful of scenes, it just feels a bit out of place without any time for them to settle into it.
It didn't ruin it by any means, but it was so brief and slightly off, it still felt a bit out of place.
Soldato
Why is everyone talking of a spin off of a spin off? I don't get where this comes from?
It's never going to happen. Bb had cultural success, everyone knew of the show if not most had watched it. It was the show to talk about at work after each new episode. Bcs is not that. It's a good spin off, if not the best spin off I've ever seen (not that I can remember much), but in no way would it be able to have its own spin off. Take away any references to Bb and this show is not that interesting, not enough for 6 series.
I actually thought the lalo story was over drawn in the last season. I would rather that had ended sooner and more time spent on gene.
I also felt they should have added more blue meth story cameos. Perhaps just like random conversations you hear between Mike and fring saying about this blue stuff, who's the creator, Where's it coming from etc.
Overall decent show. I only started watching it 4 weeks ago and had it on while working, so don't have the years of build up, but can say I enjoyed it.
Smart, didn't change anything that I can think of as can be the case with prequels, expended on numerous stories. But let's leave it there for this universe.
It's never going to happen. Bb had cultural success, everyone knew of the show if not most had watched it. It was the show to talk about at work after each new episode. Bcs is not that. It's a good spin off, if not the best spin off I've ever seen (not that I can remember much), but in no way would it be able to have its own spin off. Take away any references to Bb and this show is not that interesting, not enough for 6 series.
I actually thought the lalo story was over drawn in the last season. I would rather that had ended sooner and more time spent on gene.
I also felt they should have added more blue meth story cameos. Perhaps just like random conversations you hear between Mike and fring saying about this blue stuff, who's the creator, Where's it coming from etc.
Overall decent show. I only started watching it 4 weeks ago and had it on while working, so don't have the years of build up, but can say I enjoyed it.
Smart, didn't change anything that I can think of as can be the case with prequels, expended on numerous stories. But let's leave it there for this universe.
Soldato
Got to watch the final S6 episode this evening, but the last few really have deconstructed (IMHO) Jimmy/Saul from a likeable rogue into a despicable petty criminal and downright nasty piece of work. Perhaps that was deliberate intent on behalf of the show's authors, but I am kind of hoping he gets his come-uppance and dragged off to the New Mexico State lethal injection/gas chamber.
Finished 
Holy poop that was some intense TV!
Hule - swatting undercover cop. That was a silly story and went on far too long.
Ernesto - got himself fired helping Jimmy and Kim and don't hear anything else about him.
Howard - didn't deserve that ending, poor guy.
Nacho - great character.
Chuck - great job in making me hate a character so much.
Gustavo/Mike - great back stories, Mike is a great character.
Kim - "I apologise, that'll never happen again" - rinse and repeat
Hot, but didn't deserve that ****** life and crap sex . I really thought she wasn't going to make it - several opportunities for them to kill her off, glad they didn't.
Jimmy/Saul - I can see why he turned out this way. I pity him, I love him, I hate him. Just when you think he's turning himself around he does something even more scummy.
I liked the black and white shots to differentiate between time jumps, but the last few episodes were in current time - basically several episodes in only B&W. This was disappointing and they could have come up with something else so we could stay in colour. Especially the final act, they should have faded into colour - we know the court scene is current time. Just found the B&W overuse a distraction towards the end.
What a ride!
Holy poop that was some intense TV!
Hule - swatting undercover cop. That was a silly story and went on far too long.
Ernesto - got himself fired helping Jimmy and Kim and don't hear anything else about him.
Howard - didn't deserve that ending, poor guy.
Nacho - great character.
Chuck - great job in making me hate a character so much.
Gustavo/Mike - great back stories, Mike is a great character.
Kim - "I apologise, that'll never happen again" - rinse and repeat
Hot, but didn't deserve that ****** life and crap sex . I really thought she wasn't going to make it - several opportunities for them to kill her off, glad they didn't.Jimmy/Saul - I can see why he turned out this way. I pity him, I love him, I hate him. Just when you think he's turning himself around he does something even more scummy.
I liked the black and white shots to differentiate between time jumps, but the last few episodes were in current time - basically several episodes in only B&W. This was disappointing and they could have come up with something else so we could stay in colour. Especially the final act, they should have faded into colour - we know the court scene is current time. Just found the B&W overuse a distraction towards the end.
What a ride!
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Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2007
- Posts
- 4,225
I don't remember Ernesto getting fired, when was that?
When he told Kim about the tape recording Chuck made.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2007
- Posts
- 4,225
Ahhh yes thanks
Commissario
I don't think the black and white was just to show the different time frame, my take is that it's to show that his, and Kim's lives are no longer enjoyable, they're now living dull and uncomfortable lives facing the consequences of their actions.
Hence why the only time we see colour during them is iirc from the reflection of the advert in Saul's glasses, it's the reminder of the good times when he was having fun, enjoying himself and not trying to keep a low profile to avoid either being killed or jailed (a literal reflection of past glories).
Commissario
I don't think it's been confirmed by anyone, but it was my immediate reaction when I realised that it wasn't just to indicate the Before Breaking Bad and After Breaking Bad era.
The highlight of the show was watching the contrast between Chuck and Jimmy, from the beginning you know their story is going to be an interesting one.
In retrospect, the show lost some of it's appeal once Chuck was out of the picture. I think the writing of the show lost some of it's sense of direction, from this point on (even if these were some hard hitting episodes).
Part of the point was that, having lost his brother, he no longer has anyone to look up to, receive (mostly) good advice from, feel resentment towards, compete with, or to feel any connection with his past (e.g. his family). He spent years trying to follow in his older brother's footsteps as a lawyer, hoping to perhaps gain some recognition from Chuck, but it came to nothing. He's left with mostly just feelings of resentment, and suppresses other thoughts (so he cannot forgive and grieve in a way that most would).
He is not an introspective type of person, who is willing to make sense of (maybe not capable), or process thoughts and feelings relating to his brother, nor fully acknowledge any sense of guilt or responsibility in his death. Chuck's main flaw is not recognising that he needs to support his brother (he is jealous of Jimmy's ability to get on with people), in fact he betrays him quite badly, upon discovering that he wants to become a lawyer.
In retrospect, the show lost some of it's appeal once Chuck was out of the picture. I think the writing of the show lost some of it's sense of direction, from this point on (even if these were some hard hitting episodes).
Part of the point was that, having lost his brother, he no longer has anyone to look up to, receive (mostly) good advice from, feel resentment towards, compete with, or to feel any connection with his past (e.g. his family). He spent years trying to follow in his older brother's footsteps as a lawyer, hoping to perhaps gain some recognition from Chuck, but it came to nothing. He's left with mostly just feelings of resentment, and suppresses other thoughts (so he cannot forgive and grieve in a way that most would).
He is not an introspective type of person, who is willing to make sense of (maybe not capable), or process thoughts and feelings relating to his brother, nor fully acknowledge any sense of guilt or responsibility in his death. Chuck's main flaw is not recognising that he needs to support his brother (he is jealous of Jimmy's ability to get on with people), in fact he betrays him quite badly, upon discovering that he wants to become a lawyer.
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Associate
- Joined
- 22 Jul 2004
- Posts
- 1,340
Rewatched some Breaking Bad episodes, and I realised that near the end of it Saul actually the one to suggest the killing of Hank (send him to "Belize") and Jesse (put him down like "Old Yeller") whilst Walt absolutely refuses to consider it at the time until his hand is forced by Jesse. But Walt still didn't want Hank dead at the end, even though he'd been a thorn in his side all that time. Walt made everyone think he wanted Hank dead over a phonecall with Skyler (and the feds listening in) to draw their attention away from his wife so she would be less likely to be implicated. If Saul had given any more details at his trial, then it might have compromised Skyler's deal.
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Just got to the end of season 5 and wondered why it didn't seem to conclude. Then it followed on to season 6 - which I didn't know existed. 
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Finally finished it, very enjoyable indeed. I think I would rate BB very slightly above but this was still excellent, although different to what I expected - and maybe slower to get going, too.
The interesting similarity between the main characters, Walter and Jimmy, is that initially, their appeal as a likeable but up-to-no-good rogue eventually descends into something much darker and sinister.
It surprised me how long Kim stuck around Jimmy and although I guess the show couldn't have ended too much different than it did, I was still saddened by Jimmy's demise.
I don't think I quite knew what to expect as a finale, but perhaps not quite that. Finally, I would also like to add that although Howard had his faults, who doesn't, I did feel sorry for him.
The way Jimmy treated him was terrible and, of course, his death was tragic and sad, though at least he didn't suffer.
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Finally finished it, very enjoyable indeed. I think I would rate BB very slightly above but this was still excellent, although different to what I expected - and maybe slower to get going, too.
The interesting similarity between the main characters, Walter and Jimmy, is that initially, their appeal as a likeable but up-to-no-good rogue eventually descends into something much darker and sinister.
It surprised me how long Kim stuck around Jimmy and although I guess the show couldn't have ended too much different than it did, I was still saddened by Jimmy's demise.
I don't think I quite knew what to expect as a finale, but perhaps not quite that. Finally, I would also like to add that although Howard had his faults, who doesn't, I did feel sorry for him.
The way Jimmy treated him was terrible and, of course, his death was tragic and sad, though at least he didn't suffer.
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Just finished watching this, and that's the main negative for me too. They basically took 3 seasons to do what could have been done in two IMO.
Now, I know some would argue it's because the relationship with Chuck is really pivotal in terms of making Jimmy who is he, so it needs all that background and history. I like complex background and fleshing out characters as much as the next guy. But it was a bit repetitive at times and it got to the stage where I'd be really relieved when the scene transitioned to Mike or Nacho, because it was more interesting viewing to me than exploring Chuck's illness or some elaborate long-winded scheming on Jimmy's part. I'm not saying they needed to cut out big sections of plot but I do feel it could have been moved along quicker. They can establish the relationship between Jimmy and Chuck and how that impacts on Jimmy in 15 episodes, surely.
Chuck's death was strange for me because I didn't feel anything in relation to the character itself, I was just happy that would draw things to a conclusion. Most of the time when major characters die I feel something... sadness, relief, maybe even being glad if they are particularly abnoxious. But with Chuck whilst I didn't particularly like him (the way he poached sandpiper etc), I did respect him and his detective work, and yet I was still like OK good these shenanigans are over now.
I do acknowledge the point above that without Chuck it kind of simplifies Jimmy a bit without having his brother to bounce off however.
See I already had a pretty low opinion of him from Breaking Bad. In BCS my opinion on him oscillated quite a bit (I think the writers are particularly good at this as the same happened in BB for Walt, Hank etc). In the end I don't really have a fixed opinion on him and I'm ok with that. But certainly I'd put him on the scumbag end of the spectrum considering the character assassination (leading to real assassination) on Howard.
One thing I was expecting at the end was when he's on the run in winter, there was ice, and I was convinced they'd have him slip over resulting in his capture. Kind of going full circle on slippin' jimmy. Instead the dumpster thing was a bit of a damp squib, I guess that was a metaphor or something, after all this time he's undone by some old lady with a laptop and it ends with him scrabbling around in a bin. Overall I felt marginally underwhelmed by the ending but that's not to say I think it was bad.
Overall I thought it was a good show, right now I'd say not as good as Breaking Bad, but who knows if I did a rewatch.
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Howard is one of the most impactful characters I think. From his treatment of Kim in the early series, to his undeniable reaction to Chuck's death, finally to the way he is indiscriminately killed by a psychopath in Jimmy's home, a victim of circumstance. His character starts almost as a generic boss guy (determined to try live up to his father's reputation), but he ends up as one of the show's central characters. The writers were definitely trying to subvert people's expectations.
Jimmy's lack of sympathy for Howard I personally thought was one of his greatest failings. Additionally, refusing any 'olive branches' from Howard. His reaction towards Howard after Chuck's death is basically 'deal with it' + 'it's your problem'. Psychologically, Jimmy appears to have suffered some kind of breakdown by this point, it's a turning point for the whole show IMO.
Jimmy's lack of sympathy for Howard I personally thought was one of his greatest failings. Additionally, refusing any 'olive branches' from Howard. His reaction towards Howard after Chuck's death is basically 'deal with it' + 'it's your problem'. Psychologically, Jimmy appears to have suffered some kind of breakdown by this point, it's a turning point for the whole show IMO.
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