I don’t think this was ever intended to last only one season (other than the unlikely event of it bombing).
I like the idea of two brothers lawyering it up for the elderly. It still clashes with where we know he’s going to end up so it’s kind of bittersweet.
This is such fantastic TV. Character-based, deliberate, hopeful and bittersweet, with unique actors in unique relationships. Far better than the wildly uneven Breaking Bad. I guess I’m not surprised the ratings are slipping…
-Tom
Ratings have actually been picking up the last couple of episodes. I think the Mike headlined episode got a lot of buzz.
I’m with Tom on this - it’s not that BCS is necessarily better or more enjoyable than Breaking Bad throughout BB’s run, but Vince and the writers have maintained the momentum and extremely high level of quality that they were producing at towards the end of BB’s run, while that show was more uneven in quality in earlier stints.
It is such a writer-driven show, so having the writers at the top of their game from the outset is really noticeable. The lead actor of both shows is/was great, but BB also had some weaker actors and instances where budgetary limitations made it obvious that it wasn’t an HBO-level show. I don’t think that’s the case any more - Better Call Saul is definitely a top tier show in every respect.
As a legal technology nerd, I geeked out on Chuck’s old school dictation setup. I adore the details in this show.
That was brutal.
That was brutal in a good way or bad? I loved this episode. The scenes with Mike in it were excellent as always. I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I’m ready for a prequel to the Breaking Bad prequel in which we get to see all of Mike’s story as a cop leading up to Better Call Saul.
Great episode, but the beatdown Jimmy gets from Chuck was brutal.
I didn’t see that coming, it was so petty that it felt real. Great acting to boot.
It’s zany how Trevor from GTAV looks like his voice actor.
I know! What are the odds?
-Tom
Jimmy’s relationships with Chuck and Kim are the most exciting things on television. Fantastic chemistry and writing. It’s a joy to watch. I’m sure many have said the same thing, but Better Call Saul is working on another level than Breaking Bad. Endlessly entertaining, but centered around a strong, unconventional and emotional performance. I knew Bob Odenkirk was a brilliant comedic actor, and I thought he was the best thing in Fargo but I didn’t know he had Slippin’ Jimmy in him. Even after thoroughly enjoying Breaking Bad I was not expecting this kind of spin-off. Favorite show on TV (sorry Justified).
It was a roundabout and unexpected way of getting there, but this season has been the perfect origin story for Saul Goodman. Who can be surprised at where Jimmy ends up now?
Vince Gilligan certainly manages to get great dramatic performances out of actors known for comedy - first Cranston, now Odenkirk and McKean.
Yeah, that was pretty F’d up what Chuck did. No wonder Jimmy ends up giving up on going legit after an experience like that.
I must say I’m glad I stuck with this show.
As brutal as it was, I wasn’t entirely surprised by the reveal. Jimmy not being hired by HHM after getting admitted to the bar was a notable sign of Chuck not fully trusting him and his ways, I thought. Given Chuck’s status and standing in the company, you’d think they’d have offered Jimmy the job had Chuck put all his weight behind this.
Another great episode. What I really like about this show is how skillfully it is made. The scene earlier when Chuck berate American Samoa University on any other show would just be a throw away scene, just a bit of color. However, after watching BB, I knew that scene was forshadowing of something big.
Which made Chuck’s reveal still shocking and painful, but not all not unsurprising.
I contrast this with a show like Castle, which I enjoy but lately I’ve become frustrated when in the last 10 minutes some random person is the murderer, and they never bother building a foundation.
Ugh, didn’t like the ending at all. Those last 4 minutes felt poorly written or at least not well executed.
I agree the ending of the episode made me want more of something or just a different final 4 minutes. Overall a fantastic first season.
I liked the last 4 minutes, but initially didn’t like everything else. It felt like a mid-season filler episode rather than a season finale. Thinking about it after it was over, I realized what the episode was really about (Jimmy realizes and accepts that Chuck was right), and it came together for me.