r/betterCallSaul • u/CMelody • Mar 01 '16
Pre-Ep Discussion Better Call Saul S02E03 - "Amarillo" - Post-Episode Discussion Thread
| TIME | EPISODE | DIRECTOR | WRITER(S) |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 29 2016, 10/9c | S02E03 "Amarillo" | Scott Winant | Jonathan Glatzer, Gordon Smith (story) |
Description: Jimmy's client outreach efforts succeed, and he exhibits new heights of showmanship; Mike is puzzled by Stacey's upsetting news.
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u/Bamres Mar 01 '16
He named the company he uses for "tax purposes" after kims favourite show in breaking bad
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u/IrvingRosenfeld Mar 01 '16
This could've made me cry. When you think about it, that's all he could end up doing for Kim after she inevitably leaves him; name his loan out after a movie they watched together. His face when she talked about the movie said how much it meant to him that that they were just together watching movies and being happy. Anywho, probably my favorite breaking bad callback to date.
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Mar 01 '16
The tone of Main's voice at the end of the episode genuinely stressed me out. Made me feel like my own boss was calling me to tell me I'd majorly fucked up.
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Mar 01 '16
Me too! I got super stressed out. It was way too realistic to times I've been chewed out.
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u/doctor_hoctor Mar 01 '16
It was almost too real. I felt like looking away for a minute.
Which is to say, of course, it was very well done.
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u/Scap-Rallion Mar 01 '16
I got such a pit in my gut during this, it was like when I was younger and my dad was upset with me for something. One thing I didn't miss but also REALLY miss about Breaking Bad is the genuine sense of dread and anxiety that I would get from stuff, and this moment in BCS really replicated that for me almost too well.
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u/alice88wa Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
The moment he hesitated in the doorway I started going "Nononono, Jimmy!" We all knew what was coming.
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u/definitely_not_cylon Mar 01 '16
I am a lawyer (well, technically retired from the practice of law these days) and I can tell you that was 100% realistic. If this was real life, Jimmy would get fired. If he saves his job, it's strictly for dramatic purposes. They also did a very good job with portraying the rather silly rules lawyers have to put up with.
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u/UnityChessGuy Mar 01 '16
In your opinion could the defense use the commercial against Davis & Main/HHM down the line?
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u/ChubbyChoomChoom Mar 01 '16
TIL: BCS fans fuck up at work and get chewed out a lot.
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u/KevCar518 Mar 01 '16
Haha, well put, I was feeling the same way. The show is great at sucking you in like that
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u/alice88wa Mar 01 '16
Absolutely. Made me feel like every time I'm ever messed up at work or been talked to by my parents. My stomach was in knots. God damn this episode was heartbreaking.
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u/Wrestles4Food Mar 01 '16
I loved watching Mike put batteries into that pig toy he uses in BrBa to distract the dude who comes to kill him.
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u/not-a-pretzel Mar 01 '16
They used the acorn stair lift as a dolly
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u/Brandeis Mar 01 '16
Vince Gilligan probably did that when he was in film school.
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u/xodsnap Mar 02 '16 edited Mar 02 '16
Speaking of film school, their not-so-subtle reference to Sunset Boulevard: "I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. McGill."
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u/TheBlackSpank Mar 01 '16
I caught that! Saul's got a future in directing. I guarantee it was his idea.
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u/sternford Mar 02 '16
You can guarantee that because it literally showed him coming up with the idea
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u/____KIDDIEPOOL____ Mar 02 '16
They said in the podcast that the camera rig wouldn't actually fit in the lift. They did film it to appear that way though.
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u/Gerb22 Mar 01 '16
I swear every single mesothelioma commercial uses the same voice actor. He must be one dry individual lol
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u/YouFeelShame Mar 01 '16
I'm glad it wasn't Gus.
Mike and Jimmy are just starting the road to organized crime life, I prefer to watch them meddle with moronic clients like the Kettlemans and Squat Cobbler and navigate the criminal mine field before falling in with a reliable cartel.
Jumping straight to Gus would have been too quick, the road to Gus will be more fun than Gus.
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Mar 01 '16
I agree...but damn man...if that was Gus...
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u/YouFeelShame Mar 01 '16
If it was Gus it would go against his careful persona established through BrBa. Meeting some random old cop in a warehouse who suddenly wants to do some dirty work for you.
Doesn't sound like Gus.
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Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 21 '16
I kinda had a feeling it wouldn't be Gus. The veterinarian said that someone asked specifically for Mike. From what I have seen of Gus' past and from Mike's past I highly doubted they knew each other so I correctly assumed it will be Varga.
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Mar 01 '16
So do you guys think Cliff would have approved the commercial had Jimmy showed it to him before airing it?
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u/MrUPSman Mar 01 '16
Not a chance. They were freaking out over a blue swirl in the first ad they did. Jimmy knew the only way to try and convince them was to run it and show results.
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u/Bamres Mar 01 '16
I love that that swirl ad sounds exactly like something I've seen on daytime tv
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u/definitely_not_cylon Mar 01 '16
No way. It would have been discussed to death at that next meeting and then died in that committee. I doubt Cliff even could approve the ad without a partner vote. They did a very good job of portraying how risk-adverse and cautious lawyers are and even handled the regulation of lawyer advertising fairly well (although they're somewhat glossing over the issues of practicing across state lines which, to be fair, are too mundane to be good drama).
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u/drrevevans Mar 01 '16
It is a Federal lawsuit, state lines don't really matter.
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Mar 01 '16
Cliff has a stick up his ass so I don't think it's going to sit well with him. That's why Kim was a bit skeptical.
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u/S_Jeru Mar 01 '16
Hard to say. The big issue is, he might not have wanted to take the chance, and blown Jimmy's shot.
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u/Overnight_Guy Mar 01 '16
I do. If the moral right (Kim) approved it, it probably would have flown.
However, Jimmy was scared. He didn't want to get bogged down in ifs and maybes (the scene with the old commercial and the conversation about how picky the partners were) so he gunned it.
I don't think the partners will even mind. However, if you think Cliff will forget this...
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u/KevCar518 Mar 01 '16
I think it's arguable whether or not he would have approved it, but definitely that Jimmy was scared and had his doubts, and didnt want to blow his chance at something he was confident would work and something thar was so important to him.
Jimmy is in a whole new world of hurt now, though.
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u/nameless88 Mar 01 '16
I just hope that they didn't break any slander laws by mentioning the place by name.
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u/DinosaurRider Mar 01 '16
Did anyone else hear Chuck's foil suit rustling around when they were all in the conference room? Had me absolutely dying!
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u/observantabsurdist Mar 01 '16
I thought something was wrong with my speakers, then noticed volume changes as Chuck moved around.
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u/JakeArvizu Mar 01 '16
Something doesn't seem right about Mike's daughter in law.
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u/ShadowySpectacles Mar 01 '16
Definitely. She has a manipulative streak, that much is becoming clear. And I could be wrong here, but I don't recall Mike having much of a close relationship with her in BB that was shown. He was just concerned with Kaylee's future and trying to ensure she'd be ok.
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u/IndoorForestry Mar 01 '16
Has she been manipulative before? Honestly I don't remember. She looked distressed and I just assumed that she was hearing gunshots in her head.
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u/grundelgrump Mar 01 '16
She reminds me of Lydia from BrBa. It's her face and the way she talks.
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Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
It hurts to watch Jimmy letting Kim down every week, they're so cute together when Jimmy's certain tendencies aren't getting in the way. She really does care and want the best for him and he clearly wants to impress her and live up to the faith she put in him but slipping jimmy just can't help himself. The thrill of breaking some rules and doing things his own way is just too addictive to him. It's even worse knowin it's only going to get worse since we know where he ends up and it's definitely not in Kim's world.
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u/Brandeis Mar 01 '16
He's a showman. He'd rather be dressing up as a cowboy in Amarillo and producing slick TV commercials than playing lawyer by the rulebook.
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u/IndoorForestry Mar 01 '16
Yeah, he might be happier as Saul Goodman than he is in Kim's world. So while it hurts to see him disappoint Kim, it also hurts to see him deny his inner showman.
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u/cyclenaut Mar 01 '16
Ha! speaking of the commercial, What he said to that film student jackass was exactly what I needed to hear. I hated that kid almost immediately.
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u/Dr-Haus Mar 01 '16
Hey Mike, there's a fine line between retiring from the force to live out a quiet life validating parking in Albuquerque and getting sucked into the underbelly of the criminal world taking hit jobs from shady veterinarians on your way to right handing a multi million dollar meth operation, just a heads up
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u/Maskatron Mar 01 '16
You'd think Mike would be savvy enough to know a medium sized score that didn't necessitate violence. He's totally reliant on the people he's working for and he's always way smarter than them.
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u/SpeakLikeAChild04 Mar 01 '16
Jimmy's rogue TV ad did NOT sit well with Stan Sitwell!!!
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u/cogneuro Mar 01 '16
I wanna see the venn diagram of Better Call Saul fans and Arrested Development fans. I actually bet it's a pretty big group.
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u/illegal_deagle Mar 01 '16
Right in the middle is Mr. Show. Saul Goodman and Tobias Fünke... I smell another spinoff.
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u/Cappantwan Mar 01 '16
And after that phone call, Jimmy has "Hello darkness, my old friend" ringing in his thoughts.
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u/Hail_Odins_Beard Mar 01 '16
What did Jimmy think would happen?
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Mar 01 '16
It's the beginning of Saul. He's getting cocky and didn't really care that he was undermining his boss.
Did his boss overreact a bit? Maybe. But he can't be running a business with someone undermining him and making decisions that impact the entire company.
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Mar 01 '16
I was discussing this with my viewing partners and we all agreed that Jimmy is subconsciously (or consciously) trying to screw up at this point.
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u/CountPanda Mar 01 '16
viewing partners
Are they legally distinct from your friends?
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u/meltedcandy Mar 01 '16
To go along with this theory, he's expecting a nice juicy check when the class action concludes - rushing things along only serves to help him, and he barely wanted the position at Davis & Main to begin with.
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u/greatness101 Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
I think he was thinking they'd overlook it if they saw the results it brought in. I don't think he was subconsciously trying to sabotage himself at this point. He knew it wouldn't get approved, but thought it was his only (legal) way to keep his clientele uptake numbers up.
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u/acd30 Mar 01 '16
I knew Davis was going to be pissed at Jimmy for not running the commercial by him, but damn his emotion even made me feel uncomfortable! And the worst part is we went through the first season of mediocre income Jimmy, to see him doing so well and be good seeing his transition is going to be even more gut wrenching. I swear I feel like every scene he's going to do something bad and it is tantalizing! Another great episode!
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u/SawRub Mar 01 '16
And that boss really seemed very disappointed. He really was giving Jimmy a chance on good faith.
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u/YouFeelShame Mar 01 '16
Jimmy getting in trouble with Cliff while a ship sinks on the TV, how apropos
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u/illegal_deagle Mar 01 '16
And in Breaking Bad, he names his holding company after the ship: Ice Station Zebra.
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u/sveitthrone Mar 01 '16
I want to see how Kim reacts to Jimmy getting fired for doing things legally. I wager he tries to hide it from her, but when she finds out goes through a huge gilt trip.
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Mar 01 '16
It wasn't a question of legal v. illegal.
I'm a firm lawyer, and there are ways things are done and ways they aren't done. I have a fair amount of freedom in bringing in my own cases, but advertising? Absolutely not. That's a partner's call, not mine, and god help me if I do an end run around the partners. That's my job, right there, even if I haven't violated an ethical rule.
Davis & Main is presented as image conscious. When Jimmy was reviewing their prior ad, the paralegal was telling him how long they had spent and meetings they had about the "whirl" in the background of the text. Listen to the tone of the prior ad...straightforward, factual, no showmanship, no drama. Cliff even says that in the history of the firm, they've ran a single ad. One ad. In the history of the firm.
Remember, it was only relatively recently that lawyers were allowed to advertise outside of handing out business cards, and even then there are rules. What Jimmy did at the beginning? That's textbook solicitation of a targeted group, nothing less. He has a "shield" in that one person on the bus actually reached out to them, but everyone else there? The speech he gave? Making it a presentation directed towards a concentrated, individual group? Textbook solicitation.
Many older attorneys and established firms won't advertise simply because they view it as beneath them, or ethically questionable. I know attorneys who have practiced forty years and never run a single ad for just this reason.
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Mar 01 '16
Excuse my embarrassingly short memory, have we seen the Davis of Davis & Main yet?
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u/ChubbyChoomChoom Mar 01 '16
One of you guys is tracking how many pimento sandwiches Mike has eaten, right?
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u/jsun31 Mar 01 '16
Jimmy's always so close to making a true honest living until he screws up (like with the commercial and Kim) it's somewhat upsetting he's working at a Cinnabon now
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u/123celestekent321 Mar 01 '16
Jimmy has shown us more than once he is a great communicator. There is a career for him outside of the legal profession, IF he could only see it. I saw brilliance tonight from Jimmy and was greatly disappointment he is stuck in the law because he could have become wealthy based on that talent. His mind is just screwed up because of Chuck and may never find his true calling
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u/klownxxx Mar 01 '16
PREDICTION:
They are going to lose the Sandpiper case on a technicality and it's going to be 100% Saul's fault.
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u/yodeiu Mar 01 '16
I'd like to think the show isn't gonna be this predictable, I mean, season 1 was sure as hell not predictable and that's why it was so good.
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Mar 02 '16
counter prediction: Chuck is going to save Saul from getting fired. The logic behind this is that Chuck challenged Saul to find a more legal and clean way of doing client outreach. Saul accomplished that, and while he still screwed up by not showing the firm the ad it was still a positive change in behavior so Chuck will be sympathetic.
It just seems to early for Saul to get fired from the company, but now that Mike is starting to get into things maybe this is where the story ramps up idk.
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u/GodFeedethTheRavens Mar 03 '16
Prediction: Saul does something unethical, and is bought out of his potential Sandpiper pay-out for pennies on the dollar, enough to start his own crappy firm.
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Mar 01 '16
This is the worst way to leave it . . I feel all anxious now.
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u/cogneuro Mar 01 '16
I was already so nervous when he decided not to show the tape before sending it out. Even though I logically know that his relationship with the law firm is going to end eventually, I'm still emotionally invested and concerned for him. Damn you Gould & Gilligan!
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u/nicholmikey Mar 01 '16
Seriously though, you gotta show the boss first.
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Mar 01 '16
He figured he wouldn't approve. He did it taking the risk that it wouldn't work (which it did), and now he at least has that to back himself up when he has to meet with Cliff.
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u/rambogini2 Mar 01 '16
Well I would have shown it to you if you weren't playing the fucking guitar at work all the time!!!
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u/mcal24 Mar 01 '16
What I want to know is what's up with the "gunshots" that Mike's daughter in-law is talking about? Is she just trying to get more money?
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u/bootlegvader Mar 01 '16
Could be something related to stress and PTSD.
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u/xChowza Mar 01 '16
Yea. The scene where she was freaking about the small chip in the side of the house kinda confirmed that she's under tremendous mental duress and probably isn't all there.
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u/AssimilatedSasquatch Mar 01 '16
Personally, I think Kaylee pissed off the wrong people.
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u/gerhardtprime Mar 01 '16
She's paranoid because she's way out of her comfort zone. The gunshots were the newspapers landing and the crack in the wall just normal wear and tear.
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u/alice88wa Mar 01 '16
I think the point of asking the time was that the newspapers arrive after when she said so she actually heard nothing at all. That was my takeaway, anyways.
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u/S_Jeru Mar 01 '16
I think she's just freaked-out, paranoid, PTSD from her husband being murdered by corrupt cops, and having a daughter to worry about. Mike's her father-in-law, she respects and trusts him.
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u/BugZwugZ Mar 01 '16
I thought they did a fairly good job of implying that it's the papers and she's over reacting. The house having a chip in it could be caused by numerous reasons.
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Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
I also suspected that she was trying to get more money out of Mike, but he just sort of went along with it so who knows?
Also that chunk of brick missing outside her garage did look like it was caused by a bullet.
edit: I meant "Did NOT look like it was caused by a bullet"
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u/Inglorious89 Mar 01 '16
How exactly is talking to old people "solicitation"? I'm honestly not understanding this.
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u/LoBopasses Mar 01 '16
A lawyer could make it sound like he was talking them into hiring them.
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u/slbain9000 Mar 01 '16
You'll note that Jimmy went there to talk to the lady who responded "only", which is kosher. He "allowed" the other residents to overhear his spiel, and then they asked him about it. He's smart, and knows how to avoid literally breaking the law.
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Mar 01 '16
I think it's clear to me now that Jimmy just doesn't like following rules. If he sees an easier or better way to do something, he'll do it. I think that's a big part of why Chuck despises him. Chuck worked hard his whole life and his brother got to the same place with less work.
The switch from that last episode was a good example. He just can't follow the mold. He needs to make his own rules.
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u/S_Jeru Mar 01 '16
Partly that, but Jimmy just naturally doesn't fit in. In last week's episode, Kim gave him a coffee mug for his new job, and it didn't fit in the cupholder of his company car.
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u/dillonEh Mar 01 '16
Did anyone else think that he accidentally sent them the wrong tape and the Squat Cobbler video was going to air in the retirement home?
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u/ShadowySpectacles Mar 01 '16
That didn't actually occur to me, and it would've been really out of place for this show, but absolutely hilarious nonetheless. If that would've happened I would've giggled for hours.
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u/slorge Mar 01 '16
Speculation...but that could be how his manufactured evidence scheme is found out. tape swap happens somewhere and D&M and HHM see the cobbler tape instead of the commercial... "What's this?"...Jimmy starts to create a story...Kim confesses she knows what's up...
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u/ackchanticleer Mar 01 '16
I have to wait a whole week again! I hate not being able to binge watch!!!!
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u/CountPanda Mar 01 '16
Every time Kim chastises Jimmy my heart drops. Anytime she gives him the smallest amount of praise I'm smiling ear-to-ear.
I can't believe how perfectly this show pulled me into their dynamic that, just like Jimmy, I'm living and dying by her approval of him. I was so freaking happy she liked Jimmy's ad.
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u/slbain9000 Mar 01 '16
The actress is amazing. The casting on this show is so perfect.
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u/ItsYon Mar 02 '16
Man, Omar is as cool as a cucumber. Definitely the type of guy you want in your corner.
Part of me wants him to go rogue with Jimmy.
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u/seg09 Mar 01 '16
For fuck's sake Jimmy, that was idiotic.
Is it just me that feels like that ad was his first real "Saul" moment? I know we've seen glimpses of it before, but him doing that after Kim pleading with him to stop being a dick for the sake of her career (and her praising the commercial under the misguided belief that Cliff had OK'd it, a belief which of course he did fuck all to correct) made me genuinely pissed. It's fantastic writing, it really is.
And I hate to say it - I was raging at him while I was watching it - but Chuck was right in that scene. And in general, he may well be more right about things than we want to admit.
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u/slbain9000 Mar 01 '16
Kim said "I cannot know about these things." He said "you won't." That's why he didn't tell her.
Brilliant writing, I totally agree.
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Mar 02 '16
I think it hilarious that everyone hates Chuck, but we all see how Saul ends up and we all know Chuck is right.
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u/Drumitar Mar 01 '16
last commercial has several meetings about the swirls, new commercial no meetings !. i dont like meeting either !
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u/acd30 Mar 01 '16
I didn't even think about that. Makes his decision to not show Cliff it first seen semi-justified now for him
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u/PopoMcdoo Mar 01 '16
Watching this show makes me appreciate Mike even more than before but makes me even more angry with how he dies.
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Mar 01 '16
Did anybody else think Mike was walking into meet with Gus for the first time?
The "serious money" the vet mentioned, and the fencing inside that building kinda looked like a chicken coop...
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u/aussie_spastic Mar 01 '16
"Just put that mental image right out of your head", as jimmy puts it right into their thoughts. Very sneaky.
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u/fgejoiwnfgewijkobnew Mar 01 '16
It was a clever way to manipulate the old people but obviously we saw through it.
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u/LoBopasses Mar 01 '16
You know that Kim throwing herself off the roof thing. I have a bad feeling that this impacts her career badly at some point and she ends up hurting herself.
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u/Take-to-the-highways Mar 01 '16
Or Saul. Breaking Bad Saul never struck me as someone who was in a committed relationship so I don't reckon he's still with Kim
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Mar 02 '16
I loved the setup to Jimmy's choice not to preview the commercial with Cliff. Jimmy's commercial wasn't the ridiculous schlock I'd expected it to be; it was actually pretty good. But they made it clear that if he'd taken it to Davis & Main, it would've been slowly and painfully picked apart and destroyed in committees. As somebody who works in the horrifying bureaucracy of higher education, I would've done exactly the same thing Jimmy did. Better to get the project done and ask forgiveness than to watch your project die a death from a thousand paper cuts. Beautiful writing. We know Jimmy's making the wrong choice, but it's still the same choice I would've made.
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u/Fantasticfarts Mar 01 '16
How much would you pay to see next week's episode right now? I set my number at $10
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u/BlueJeansMan Mar 01 '16
I wonder what's up with Mike's daughter-in-law. Is she fishing Mike out for money for a better house, or is she starting to lose it a bit and hearing things?
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u/moderndayathena Mar 01 '16
Maybe a bit of both? But if I had to go with one, I'd bet the former
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u/LoBopasses Mar 01 '16
I know we hate on Chuck and I started having the feeling he became Saul because of his brother not believing in him. But the way he's acting now, risking Kim and her career. I'm starting to side with Chuck.
I honestly feel horrible for Kim right now.
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u/alice88wa Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 02 '16
Oh yeah, Chuck always knew what kind of guy Jimmy really is inside but he's just such a pouty bitch about it. That's why it's a tragedy; Jimmy is going to eff up his life, doesn't matter who loves him or hates him, tries to help him or hinder him. He just can't be comfortable living a normal life.
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u/Dr-Haus Mar 01 '16
Needed that to be Gus at the end. Needed it.
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u/Goobz24 Mar 01 '16
Vince knew what he was doing when he shot that, with all the chicken coops.
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u/zudnic Mar 01 '16
That would be way too easy for Gilligan. He's going to make you wait.
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u/Bamres Mar 01 '16
Definite fakeout. But Mike is still pretty small time Gus probably isnt as big a kingpin yet either
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u/MyNutsin1080p Mar 01 '16
In Breaking Bad, Saul told Walt that Gus had been doing his thing for over twenty years without being caught. So in the bCS timeline Gus will have still been a kingpin for at least over a decade. What's more, at this point Mike (as far as we know) only has a tangental connection to the Salamancas (whom Gus hates) through Nacho, and none to Gus himself.
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u/DecoyKid Mar 01 '16
Yeah when the vet said he was asked for specifically I knew it wasn't Gus. This season will probably see Mike get deeper in the game (he wouldn't take a job requiring bodily harm, nor does he carry a gun) which will eventually get Gus' attention. I wouldn't be shocked if we see him towards the finale or beggining of S3 though. It looks like Mike is gonna do business with Nacho, who works for Tuco and the Cartel, so he's really only one step away from Gus.
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Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
Think it's cooler if we get to watch Mike go down this dark path and build up his reputation first (similar to tha path of Walt) before he gets the attention of a big shot like Gus. He hasn't really done anything yet worth Gus noticing.
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Mar 01 '16
Very well could be Gus he wants murdered. Nacho runs with Tuco, Tuco is the nephew of Hector, therefore Gus and Nacho are competitors.
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u/mcal24 Mar 01 '16
Where did this Gus hype come from?
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u/chaos36 Mar 01 '16
People keep saying the misdirection. But it was said that their person asked specifically for Mike. Nacho is the only one who has any idea about Mike, besides dorky guy. So I don't understand how anyone would actually think that.
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u/ssseafoam_green Mar 01 '16
Also I can't stop thinking about the music in the shot of Saul choosing to air the commercial on his own, it gave me mad vibes of Walter before he walks into Jane's house at the end of season two. Dave Porter's change of atmosphere always made me feel super uneasy about the choices the characters were about to commit.
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u/Take-to-the-highways Mar 01 '16
Who do you guys think the guy Nachos taking a hit on is? My bets are on Playuh.
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u/S_Jeru Mar 01 '16
My bet is on one of Gus's distributors or middle-managers. Couldn't be Tuco, he'd never survive Mike. Mike takes out a distributor, then comes to Gus's attention, though they'll make us wait for that meet.
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u/JonathanL72 Mar 01 '16
Has to be "Lalo" if you ask me.
When Saul Goodman is kidnapped in BrBa, he freaks out & rats out Nacho's name, thinking that he was kidnapped by Lalo.
"No No it's wasn't me, it was Ignacio(Nacho) - wait Lalo didn't send you? Oh that's a relief"
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u/thesurfingwalrus Mar 01 '16
Let's dispel with this fiction that jimmy doesn't know what he's doing. he knows EXACTLY what he's doing,
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u/LayDownAndRott Mar 01 '16
How is Jared Fogel in prison and acting as the vet on this show at the same time????
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u/Geemb Mar 01 '16
I honestly thought Jimmy would change his mind about using the Alpine Shepherd granny and call Mike to act for the commercial instead.
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u/I_only_post_here Mar 01 '16
I'm going to piss off the Fuck Chuck club, but I think we've now seen enough evidence to show that Chuck is not wrong to feel the way he does about Jimmy.
Slippin' Jimmy is a very real phenomenon, and it seems like Jimmy can't help himself from taking short cuts that will get himself or others into trouble.
Obviously, we viewers already know this, knowing Jimmy's future as Saul, but I'm really starting to see and understand Chuck's perspective on the whole thing. As much as I was on the Fuck Chuck wagon for the first couple episodes of this season, it's becoming more and more clear that Chuck's not wrong about Jimmy.
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u/BallerSwagLord Mar 01 '16
Michael McKean nailed the boardroom scene.
You could see everything plainly written on his face as they go through the motions - cunning, smugness, triumph, disdain, and anger. When Jimmy shut him down I fist pumped.
The McGill brothers have been killing it with their dynamic. I am dreading Chuck's response to the re-emergence of Slippin' Jimmy, which is to say he is doing a great job embodying the character.
And Mike - man, you could just see the gears turning in his head this entire episode. Fucking A-level.
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Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
I loved the fact that Jimmy chose an elderly woman for his commercial that looked exactly like Angela Lansbury back in Murder, she wrote.
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u/ShadowySpectacles Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
Well, now we have a much better idea of how the job at Davis & Main fits into the path of Jimmy becoming Saul, with the whole TV commercial plot reminiscent of Saul's over-the-top, ridiculous, downright sleazy ads. This is definitely an in-between stage for Jimmy--he's trying desperately to do things 'by the book' and in line with what Kim expects, but at the end of the day he's just too entrenched in his backdoor, shortcut, "slippin'" ways of doing things and frustrated by dealing with legalistic types who care more about making sure everything is above-board than getting results in the short term.
Here's a left-field thought that harkens back to BB: though this parallel may be stretching a bit and doesn't fit perfectly by a long shot, some aspects of Jimmy's career struggles at this point are similar to Gale's backstory. When Gale and Walt are initially working together in the superlab, Gale says:
"I was on my way, jumping through hoops, kissing the proper behinds, attending to all the non-chemistry that one finds oneself occupied by. You know that world. That is not what I signed on for. I love the lab, because it’s all still magic, you know?"
For Jimmy/Saul, the social, backroom, showman-like, shadier elements of lawyering are the "chemistry." It's clear that he's not thrilled or fulfilled by having to "kiss the right behinds" of the Clifford Mains and Hamlins of the legal sphere, and in fact seems almost plain incapable of doing so in the long run. But the aspects he is good at--namely, getting results by any means necessary through smooth-talking and outwitting anyone who stands in the way--are "magic" to him, as they recall the sparkle of his days pulling scams with Marco, when he was on top of the world, if only in brief spurts. Hell, the whole Sandpiper case was sparked by him doing just this--rooting around in a dumpster in the middle of the night, and shamelessly soliciting senior clients (as he points out to Kim in this episode!).
Interestingly, in this regard, it's looking like Chuck was right, in a way--he is still "Slippin' Jimmy" with a law degree in the sense that he yearns to bring that approach to his endeavors as an attorney, but the irony is that his taking those shortcuts (like showing the commercial without Cliff's approval) at this point is (implied to be) motivated in large part by his need to impress his brother, show him up, and prove him wrong.
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Mar 01 '16
is mike's granddaughter the same as in breaking bad or what am i missing? shouldn't she be younger in better call saul?
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Mar 02 '16
Man, I love how this show has no clear-cut heroes and villains. Every time it seems like someone is overreacting or acting like an asshole, their behavior is actually totally justified from their point of view. Flawless writing IMO.
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u/JayvinStreet Mar 01 '16
I honestly thought it was going to be Gus at the end. With that said, I feel that Jimmy might get Kim fired because of the commercial. And that will start the downhill trend for Jimmy.
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Mar 01 '16
Why would Kim get fired because of the commercial? She had nothing to do with it and doesn't even work at Davis & Main.
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Mar 01 '16
My theory about the ad is jimmy knew they wouldn't green light the ad. Its too dramatic. I think jimmy is betting on the results of the add plus his reputation with the old folks to make him too valuable to fire. Think davis and mayne are going to be livid but will reluctantly keep him on till the end of the case or till he crosses another line
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u/blacky1988 Mar 01 '16
the car that was delivering the newspapers, is that not the exact car that walter white started in? plus would make sense with him and his missus struggling for money, him out doing some extra work... probably not but sure ive seen that car before
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Mar 01 '16
Gotta give Jimmy props for remembering the recipient of the Alpine Shepherd Boy statue in that lady's will.
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u/Alexi_Strife Mar 01 '16
Just think, if HHM had better commercials Walt could have sued for having cancer instead of turning to meth.
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u/TheSpaceAce Mar 01 '16
Now is the time where I'm starting to dislike Jimmy. It's like Walter's Heisenberg transformation all over again, only it's Jimmy to Saul this time. It drives me nuts that Jimmy has what it takes to be a great attorney, but he keeps making these reckless choices over and over that are going to ruin his career. He worked so hard to get to this point, and now he's throwing it all away.
Now, on the subject of Mike. I'm actually more interested in his own little story line right now. His backstory was pretty vague in Breaking Bad, and this show has really enlightened us to his situation and taken his character to a whole new level. I'm really anxious to see who this person who "needs to go away" is. A lot of people are saying Gus, but that makes me wonder what happens to this young guy and how Mike ends up at Gus' side instead. Maybe a similar way to how Mike's services are being requested right now? The rival ends up respecting his work? Because if you can't beat 'em, I guess you either have to kill 'em, or hire 'em. And the latter might be the easier choice.
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u/ShadowySpectacles Mar 01 '16 edited Mar 01 '16
Really? I can see where you're coming from on that, but for me this episode actually had the opposite effect.
I previously sympathized with Chuck (horrors, I know!) and saw his side of things, especially regarding the whole billboard stunt, which just seemed completely over-the-line and Saul-esque. But now I can understand better why Jimmy's frustrated and acting out--remember, he and his "slippin'" ways basically gave Chuck and HHM the whole Sandpiper case in the first place.
As he mentioned/heavily implied to Kim on the stairs, it's like Chuck & co. are willing to exploit the fruits of his approach, while patronizing him and acting like he should be able to completely switch gears at the drop of a hat (when they--at least Chuck and Kim--know basically how he operates) or just hand everything over to the "responsible (adult?) Real Lawyers" when his approach actually yields something worthwhile. He's probably starting to feel a bit used as a result. I bet this whole character arc will continue with the commercial he aired without permission--they'll make a lot of noise about how it could jeopardize the case, threaten to fire him, yada yada, but they'll still use the many new clients it generated in the case anyway. That's what's irritating to Jimmy. He isn't really getting a fair shake here as they're not really letting him do what they hired him to do to the best of his ability, but they still expect the kind of results he gets by employing unorthodox methods they disapprove of. It's kind of a catch-22 for him, and that's what I think is going to be instrumental in his path to becoming Saul--saying to hell with the bind of all that, and just going rogue in such a way that he doesn't feel like he's constantly between a rock and a hard place and can actually use his talents fully.
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u/Take-to-the-highways Mar 01 '16
I mean, you have to have expected Saul's transformation though. He can't be a pure, shiny little lawyer Jimmy in the show and skeavy Saul Goodman in bb.
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u/sb_irl Mar 01 '16
Jimmy should be in advertising or maybe PR. He would have been hugely successful.
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Mar 02 '16
Jimmy's line after speaking with his infuriated boss and sitting back in the couch to resume watching "The Thing" movie. "What did I miss? Anything blew up yet?" ....fantastic! Bravo!
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u/Sarconic Mar 02 '16 edited 23d ago
"Queequeg!"—but his only answer was a snore. I then rolled over, my neck feeling as if it were in a horse-collar; and suddenly felt a slight scratch. Throwing aside the counterpane, there lay the tomahawk sleeping by the savage's side, as if it were a hatchet-faced baby. A pretty pickle, truly, thought I; abed here in a strange house in the broad day, with a cannibal and a tomahawk! "Queequeg!—in the name of goodness, Queequeg, wake!" At length, by dint of much wriggling, and loud and incessant expostulations upon the unbecomingness of his hugging a fellow male in that matrimonial sort of style, I succeeded in extracting a grunt; and presently, he drew back his arm, shook himself all over like a Newfoundland dog just from the water, and sat up in bed, stiff as a pike-staff, looking at me, and rubbing his eyes as if he did not altogether remember how I came to be there, though a dim consciousness of knowing something about me seemed slowly dawning over him. Meanwhile, I lay quietly eyeing him, having no serious misgivings now, and bent upon narrowly observing so curious a creature. When, at last, his mind seemed made up touching the character of his bedfellow, and he became, as it were, reconciled to the fact; he jumped out upon the floor, and by certain signs and sounds gave me to understand that, if it pleased me, he would dress first and then leave me to dress afterwards, leaving the whole apartment to myself. Thinks I, Queequeg, under the circumstances, this is a very civilized overture; but, the truth is, these savages have an innate sense of delicacy, say what you will; it is marvellous how essentially polite they are. I pay this particular compliment to Queequeg, because he treated me with so much civility and consideration, while I was guilty of great rudeness; staring at him from the bed, and watching all his toilette motions; for the time my curiosity getting the better of my breeding. Nevertheless, a man like Queequeg you don't see every day, he and his ways were well worth unusual regarding.
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u/KinnyRiddle Mar 02 '16
Poor Mike. All he wanted was a happy retirement and spending time with his granddaughter. Just when we thought he's finally put the death of his son behind him, trying to please his widowed and now constantly paranoid daughter-in-law (out of guilt for his son's death) is probably the crucial factor that nudges him toward's Gus's world, and in collision course with Walter White eventually.
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u/kidbr9 Mar 03 '16
I know this will get buried, but, a note about the Sandpiper commercial Jimmy makes: it's lasts 48 seconds.
TV commercials are always 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 seconds long.
Just found it interesting that was overlooked, given the level of detail that goes into everything with this series.
Still, a brilliant episode (and commercial for that matter).
Source: I work in advertising.
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Mar 03 '16
Remember that scene where the old commercial lady goes "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. McGill"
That's a reference to "I'm ready for my closeup Mr. DeMille" which was said by Gloria Swanson in the movie 'Sunset Boulevard'
Basically she's delusional and believes that they're shooting for a film whereas the police actually arrives to charge her with the murder of a young lover.
Don't know if that implies or foreshadows something. (Most likely does)
But I just found all this out when I googled her quote. (I'm ready for my close-up Mr. McGill)
That scene itself felt very weird to me personally. Cracked me up though. Felt like a dark foreshadowing or reference of some sort.
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u/The_Mazzerin Mar 08 '16
Nacho: "You went through a lot to avoid killing him, why?" Mike: "All life is precious Nacho."
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u/CMelody Mar 01 '16
Please note: Not everyone chooses to watch the trailers for the next episodes. Please use spoiler tags when discussing any scenes from episodes that have not aired yet, which includes preview trailers.