Better Call Saul - Season 5

[Hat FM]

was it ever established in breaking bad why Mike wasn't allowed to see his Grandaughter? will it be revealed in this? apologies if it was...

[wooders1978]

He was a big meanie to her last ep

[Waking Life]

I didn't think him snapping at his granddaughter was unrealistic at all. It's not uncommon for people under pressure to keep a lid on things in a 'working' environment, only for it to erupt in their home life when they're out of their professional zone. With it being a particularly emotional subject, I thought it was a good development to see his mask slip a bit - going by the above post, it will either slip a lot more or his family will end up being directly involved.

Enjoying this and the intro section felt like a reminder that it was still in the somewhat cartoonist Breaking Bad world.

[selectivememory]

Obligatory post to mention that it is still quite distracting to me how Jimmy, Mike and Gus all look at least 15 years older than they're supposed to be in this. And also to mention the timeline inconsistencies with the age of Mike's granddaughter, who if anything looks older now than she does about four years later in Breaking Bad. Minor gripes, but still, always slightly bothers me.

Generally enjoyed these openers a lot, though I definitely find my interest drawn more towards the Nacho/Lalo/Gus side of things at the moment (although it looks like there's going to be some overlap with Jimmy's story now judging by the end of episode 2, which I find encouraging).

was it ever established in breaking bad why Mike wasn't allowed to see his Grandaughter? will it be revealed in this? apologies if it was...

Wasn't he still looking after his granddaughter quite a bit during Breaking Bad? Seemed a bit distant from his daughter-in-law though - I don't remember them talking at all during BB.

[NoSleep]

Obligatory post to mention that it is still quite distracting to me how Jimmy, Mike and Gus all look at least 15 years older than they're supposed to be in this.

Hard to hide Jimmy's bags under the eyes, but they seemed to have taken to Gus only being seen in the shadows.

[druss]

I forget about it fairly easily. It's only if I've recently re-watched some Breaking Bad that it stands out.

Glad they didn't do the de-ageing thing as that bothers me a lot more.

[Petey Pate]

Wasn't he still looking after his granddaughter quite a bit during Breaking Bad? Seemed a bit distant from his daughter-in-law though - I don't remember them talking at all during BB.

His step-daughter appears briefly in BB in a non-speaking role in only one episode. I'm not sure if it was the same actress as who appears in BCS.

Loved how Mike punched Kai in the face in S5E01 for being a suck up, while he left the guy who pointedly insulted him ('he was worth 50 of you') alone.

Presumably Krazy 8's arrest is what leads him to become a DEA informant in BB.

[Blue Jam]

Re: the de-ageing- I'm mostly able to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy the show. I'd rather have the original actors looking a bit old than have their parts re-cast.

That said, there are scenes with Kim and Jimmy where I can't help noticing that they definitely don't look like two characeters who are the same age, and during some of the courthouse scenes in the last episode there were close-ups of Saul's face that made me think "Blimey, that is a lot of make-up".

Mike's looked old forever so his ageing doesn't really bother me. It's most noticeable with Gus, so I have to agree with NoSleep that the decision to keep him in the shadows (so far) may even be a stylistic choice.

[Puce Moment]

After The Irishman and whatever star wars film that was, I am delighted that they did not de-age and rely on our suspension of disbelief/imagination.

I absolutely agree with the prevailing thought here that the Mike freak-out scene was over-baked. They could built to that in a much more credible way, but coming out of nowhere (albeit triggered) seemed a stretch.

What do people think about the mirrored low-angle extreme close-up of the broken gnome and uneaten ice-cream? Dunce hats?

[Blue Jam]

According to the BCS subreddit, Word of God says the dropped gnome/dropped ice cream were intended as bookends for the episode.

Some posters have been comparing the gnome to the one-eyed pink teddy bear in BB representing unintended consequences but I think that might be a step too far. There's also some discussion of the dropped ice cream representing the loss of Jimmy's innocence- and there was me thinking it was just to explain why Jimmy is thinner than BB-era Saul ;)

All this Jimmy/Saul stuff is already getting confusing and I'm not sure which name to use on here. I've decided he's "Saul" at work and "Jimmy" everywhere else.

[NoSleep]

Wasn't he still looking after his granddaughter quite a bit during Breaking Bad? Seemed a bit distant from his daughter-in-law though - I don't remember them talking at all during BB.

As I remember he was making contact with her surreptitiously, when she was playing outside (maybe with permission from her mother, can't remember). Most of his doting was kept to himself, making plans to create a fund for her.

[DrGreggles]

Re: the de-ageing- I'm mostly able to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy the show.

I'm of the opinion that, if I'm thinking about the ages of the actors while I'm watching the show, I'm not really enjoying it.

For example; I don't think about the ages of the actors when I'm watching BCS.

[Blue Jam]

I can't help noticing Jimmy's ever-decreasing hairpiece but that is part of the enjoyment of this show.

Patrick Fabian looks great for 55 doesn't he? He looks like he's been doing yoga since he was four and has never eaten a carb in his life.

[selectivememory]

It's not that big of an issue and I can't think of any possible alternatives that would work better, but I still can't help but notice it and be a little distracted by it (and yeah, The Irishman is a good contrast, because as much as I liked that film, they all looked ridiculous as younger men, especially De Niro).

[kngen]

I didn't buy Mike shouting at Kayleigh either, even if he was hungover.

As someone who has been hungover in charge of a child Kayleigh's age, I absolutely did - and felt incredibly guilty, too.

[gib]

I thought the gnome looked a bit like Mike.

[The Bumlord]

Nice to see Mr Vacuum again, wasn't expecting that (RIP)

Jesse is deffo going to show up again isn't he. They seem to be quite loyal to the cast where possible.

I think it could have done with having one less earlier series though. If only because Jonathan Banks looks like he could drop dead at any moment and Mike's granddaughter will end up being in her 30s at this rate.

[druss]

I'm a pretty genial and mild-mannered sort of guy but I will often scream in children's faces.

[lankyguy95]

Interesting that people online seem to have different opinions who on whose aging is the most difficult to ignore. I actually find Mike's to be the worst, whereas Gus and Saul I'm able to ignore for the most part.

Suspending disbelief if Jesse came back would be a little tricky. Aaron Paul obviously looks great for forty but I'd be shocked if they could make him pass for early twenties. I guess the early BB beanie hat/hoodie combination to cover his face a bit, with some loose fitting clothes would make it a little less jarring.

[Blue Jam]

Actually, never mind the ageing, has anyone else noticed how ginger Jimmy/Saul is looking? Has he been back to the salon and finally been allowed to drink the cucumber water?

[The Bumlord]

Patrick Fabian looks great for 55 doesn't he? He looks like he's been doing yoga since he was four and has never eaten a carb in his life.

Hang on. He's 55???

Where's my sertraline ffs

[beanheadmcginty]

I thought the gnome was full of drugs and only quite late realised I was getting confused with something else where some kids steal a gnome that turns out to be full of drugs. Can't remember what I'm thinking of though.

[Hand Solo]

I thought the gnome was full of drugs and only quite late realised I was getting confused with something else where some kids steal a gnome that turns out to be full of drugs. Can't remember what I'm thinking of though.

Project-X

But it did happen in real life. Presumably not bust by the Office Of Gnomeland Security, Bowie fans..

[jobotic]

It has been decreed that I we have to save these up at home and binge them in a few weeks. So until then i shall say goodbye.

[Dex Sawash]

Rewatched all the Lalo bits of S4 last night. Had forgotten about Lalo in the kitchen cooking breakfast when Nacho shows up.

[Pseudopath]

Rewatched all the Lalo bits of S4 last night. Had forgotten about Lalo in the kitchen cooking breakfast when Nacho shows up.

How could you forget that

Spoiler alert

"You're gonna die"

[close]

line?!

[Dex Sawash]

How could you forget that

Spoiler alert

"You're gonna die"

[close]

line?!

Because I don't know how to properly watch and interpret things beyond surface level. Only got "mi huevos es fantastico"[nb] I'll bet they are[/nb] until you directed my attention more carefully to it.

[kngen]

I would like to try Lalo's cooking. I bet it's fucking magic.

[Blue Jam]

I would like to try Lalo's cooking. I bet it's fucking magic.

Watch and learn, then:

https://mobile.twitter.com/BetterCallSaul/status/1219726360681287682

There's a whole series of these handy guides, but I could have done with this one myself back in January:

"You didn't do the crime, why should you do the time?"

Should have brought an onion rather than a book!

[kngen]

Watch and learn, then:

https://mobile.twitter.com/BetterCallSaul/status/1219726360681287682

Ha! I saw Mike's pimento sandwich one. This is great!