Better Call Saul - Season 5

[Blue Jam]

Lalo's cockiness is going to be his downfall isn't it? Great character.

[wooders1978]

Somehow Netflix sent me back to season one episode two - spent ages watching it tho believing it was a hark back to Tuco, his nan and the skateboard kids and it would all make sense shortly - must have watched it for a good ten minutes (convinced myself it was different camera angles and all sorts, and the characters were all obviously de-aged (in my wrong and completely made up opinion)

Anyway great episode

[wooders1978]

Both the new one and episode 2, season 1

[Blue Jam]

Saul Goodman is Alburqueque's answer to Captain Two-Liiitaaaar.

[Dex Sawash]

Somehow Netflix sent me back to season one episode two - spent ages watching it tho believing it was a hark back to Tuco, his nan and the skateboard kids and it would all make sense shortly - must have watched it for a good ten minutes (convinced myself it was different camera angles and all sorts, and the characters were all obviously de-aged (in my wrong and completely made up opinion)

Anyway great episode

Netflix fucked up my place in a lot of series recently

[olliebean]

Somehow Netflix sent me back to season one episode two - spent ages watching it tho believing it was a hark back to Tuco, his nan and the skateboard kids and it would all make sense shortly - must have watched it for a good ten minutes (convinced myself it was different camera angles and all sorts, and the characters were all obviously de-aged (in my wrong and completely made up opinion)

Anyway great episode

They did that to me with the final episode of The Good Place - watched the entire cold open of S1E1 thinking they were doing a massive fakeout/callback.

[Pseudopath]

Fucking hell. This show is brilliant. Nice to see Gus' stone-eyed stare again.

[gib]

Loved it from start to finish. The false politeness when Gus is showing Lalo round the chicken chiller was almost British.

Could watch Cinnabon Gene black and white episodes  for the rest of my life.

[Puce Moment]

Fuck me, the b/w Gene stuff is always so tense. He's watching over his shoulder all the time, and you are just waiting for him to get whacked.

Anyway, yes, this has really progressed as a show, and I don't just mean all the BB call-backs. Just the central love story is so compelling to me. Is it sacrilegious to say that I am glad Chuck is out of the picture? I felt like his character had truly run its course, and I am really glad to see Jimmy starting to do his thing.

The mention of Hector as the man who killed Gus' 'boyfriend' was a tantalising insight into what might end up motivating Gus to gut the Salamancas.

[lankyguy95]

Fuck me, the b/w Gene stuff is always so tense. He's watching over his shoulder all the time, and you are just waiting for him to get whacked.

That taxi driver was so creepy. "SAY..... IT.."

Is it sacrilegious to say that I am glad Chuck is out of the picture? I felt like his character had truly run its course, and I am really glad to see Jimmy starting to do his thing.

No I'm with you. He'd have been holding the show back if he'd done another season. Nothing to do with Michael McKean but the whole show has opened up into something else since Chuck's death.

[Dex Sawash]

Only the Ignacio stuff was good in the Monday ep.

[DrGreggles]

Tremendous opening. I was so absorbed in the Gene stuff that I felt a little bit disappointed when the 'proper' episode kicked in.

[Spoon of Ploff]

Yeah, this is very good isn't it.

Did anyone else get Walter White vibes off Black and White Saul when he changed his mind and decided to 'fix it' himself? Practically bald, the glasses and 'tach, and sudden steely resolve felt a bit Heisenbergy.

[Blue Jam]

Did anyone else get Walter White vibes off Black and White Saul when he changed his mind and decided to 'fix it' himself? Practically bald, the glasses and 'tach, and sudden steely resolve felt a bit Heisenbergy.

I had wondered if Gene's resemblance to Heisenberg in BB season 1 was intentional.

One of the teaser trailers also has an over-confident Saul telling a frightened Kim

Spoiler alert

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF!"

[close]

which seems like it could be Saul's own "I AM THE DANGER! I AM THE ONE THAT KNOCKS!" moment.

Jimmy/Saul has worked out as such a great foil to Walt/Heisenberg. When I rewatch episodes of BB now I find having watched BCS makes them a little bit more enjoyable.

[Hat FM]

thought we were all set for a jesse cameo when he was giving out the phones in episode one.

[Blue Jam]

Time for some proper thoughts then:

The Gene bit: They're getting longer each series aren't they? Are we building up to a whole Gene episode in black and white for the start of series 6? Maybe even more? I hope so.

I had wondered if Saul, being as slippery as he is, had managed to escape with his money. The tin of diamonds answered my question- just to add to his misery, he's still got his millions but is unable to spend them without arousing suspicion.

I enjoyed the bit with him calling Ed the Disappearer and then glancing back at the Cinnabon before telling him he'd changed his mind. Presumably he realised he'd just be handing over his stash of diamonds to be moved to another regimented, uniformed job in another Nowhereseville. Moving from one gilded cage to another, and still with the possibility of having to do it all over again, and at four times the price, then eight... I really can't wait to see how he fixes it himself.

That taxi driver was so creepy. "SAY..... IT.."

He was genuinely menacing- less like a fan wanting to hear a catchphrase, more like a bully coming to gloat over how the mighty have fallen. Bob Odenkirk's gravelly voice just sounded so broken in reply. It's a fantastic performance isn't it? From Chuck's "loser brother" Jimmy, to the brashly confident sleazebag Saul, to the hollow shell of a man Gene. It's certainly not what I expected from a BB spinoff about that dodgy lawyer who was thrown in for a bit of comic relief.

Great performance from Don Harvey as Jeff the cab driver too- I hadn't been expecting that from someone seen previously as just a pair of eyes. He looked just right for the part, kind of like a college jock flipping between chummy and menacing. You'd have no idea where you stood with someone like that.

I thought Rhea Seahorn was fantastic in this too, especially the eye acting. The look of anger and fear as she told Jimmy to back off, then the look of dread as she approached her client, looking like she was facing the inevitable, then the look of guilt and shame afterwards as she faced facts that it wasn't inevitable at all, she did it by choice, she'd had the power to stop herself. There was none of Kim's usual giddy exhilheration with this one- this wasn't scamming an expensive bottle of tequila from a rich asshole, this crossed a line. So few words but saying so much- I hope Racy Horn gets loads of work from this and we get to see a lot more of her. Wasn't she mainly a comedy actor before this? Gilligan and Gould seem to have hit upon a winning formula of casting comedy actors in serious roles.

Kim couldn't blame Jimmy for this scam and I'm wondering if it will be the first one she hides from him. Just as "You don't save me. I save me" I think only Kim could be the architect of her own downfall, and she wouldn't let it happen any other way.

I've surprised at how invested I've become in Jimmy and Kim's relationship. They've gone from initially seeming like a bit of an Odd Couple to clearly having a lot in common, and while I'll be sad when they inevitably break up it's become apparent that they're co-enablers and really not good for each other. I imagine Kim will have to leave Jimmy for the sake of her career, if not her safety.

Loved it from start to finish. The false politeness when Gus is showing Lalo round the chicken chiller was almost British.

I guess the line about Gus's "boyfriend" made his ambiguous sexuality a whole lot less ambiguous.

I love Gus. He's such a sinister villain: the coldly ruthless drug kingpin hiding behind impeccable manners and a polite smile that never reaches his eyes. Even Walt was fooled at their first meeting- Heisenberg should have watched and learned.

[gib]

Great post Blue Jam.

episode 2 is up now, so i'll be away from this thread until after i've seen it.

[druss]

On the comedy actors going in to serious roles - it's quite rare that comedy actors fail when trying to do serious roles, there's success stories everywhere.

Serious actors doing comedy is a bit iffy though.

[Mobius]

Really sucks waiting a week for more of this now :(

[Blue Jam]

On the comedy actors going in to serious roles - it's quite rare that comedy actors fail when trying to do serious roles, there's success stories everywhere.

Serious actors doing comedy is a bit iffy though.

You're absolutely right- why is that do you think? Is it because comedy is harder or requires a greater range?

Seinfeld's randy dentist and Malcolm In The Middle's silly dad still feels like a brave choice for a drug kingpin though! Another success story of course!

[druss]

You're absolutely right- why is that do you think? Is it because comedy is harder or requires a greater range?

Tricky one. Might be that acting is something that can be learned whereas some people are funny and some people aren't.

That's probably a gross oversimplification but there might be a little bit of truth to it.

[Blue Jam]

Tricky one. Might be that acting is something that can be learned whereas some people are funny and some people aren't.

Must... resist... posting... something... knocking... Ricky... Gervais...

;)

[druss]

Must... resist... posting... something... knocking... Ricky... Gervais...

;)

Exception that proves the rule?

Just remembered that Derek is a thing. Christ almighty.

[Blue Jam]

I meant Gervais is a better actor than a stand-up... right, I'll stop this now... ;)

I think Peter Cook may be an exception that proves the rule.

[Dex Sawash]

Only the Ignacio stuff was good in the Monday ep.

Edit glitch opportunity to make clear it was ep 2 that was disappointing

[lankyguy95]

I thought Ep 2 was really good as well. Not as much as the previous one but still good. The only thing I didn't buy was

Spoiler alert

Mike's outburst to his granddaughter. I don't think a guy who's able to hold his own under the most intense pressure in the drug world, in front of people like Gus Fring, would lash out in such a way, even though his son is obviously a sensitive subject.

[close]

A number of things from that episode that make it seem like the Breaking Bad world is getting close.

[druss]

Have they said how far they're going with the timeline of Breaking Bad?

Would love to have another season of prequel stuff and then flash forward to a full season of Cinnabon Gene. With other shows I would worry about it being gimmicky and that it would end up being anti-climactic but I have faith that these guys could pull it off.

[Blue Jam]

Loved that one as well:

The house viewing was my favourite bit. It reminded me of the rooftop argument in season 4 and Kim telling Jimmy to stop going on about sharing "that stupid office". Poor Jimmy- Kim still hasn't figured out that to Jimmy the office and the house represent so much than bricks and mortar. I think he craves commitment and stability far more than she does, and he at least wants to know where he stands with her and if they have a future together.

Jimmy admitting that his 50% off deal was a stupid idea then confessing that he did it anyway. Then admitting that his suggested courthouse scam was also a stupid idea and... what was that Kim? Something on your mind? Nope, still no confession, just more guilty looks and great eye acting. Again, Rhea Seehorn is brilliant in this.

Felt myself beaming at Howard's sudden appearance at the courthouse. Enjoyed Saul's confident walk-and-talk and the way he briefly dropped the act when Howard checked out his new look, like a teenager suddenly getting embarrassed and being polite in front of their mate's parents. Seeing him rehearsing lines again as in the very first episode- he still isn't 100% comfortable in his new persona, we're still a little way off Saul.

Liked the walk-and-talk courthouse scene which looked like it was filmed in one take, though I think it may have been cleverly stitched together, like the scene of Badger's drug bust in BB. How is he going to cope with all those new clients? Well he's certainly got the energy, but perhaps Francesca will be getting a call from Saul soon.

Good sock game from Saul. Bit David Gilbert there.

More mint choc chip ice cream! Is that a bit of lampshade hanging to explain why Jimmy is in much better shape than Saul was in BB? I reckon we'll be seeing a bit of padding under the lairy suits soon.

Lalo is terrifying- it's the smile and the unblinking eyes that don't twinkle but glitter. I loved Nacho trying to be all pally with Lalo during the poker game and just getting told off for interrupting him in the middle of a hand.

I wasn't sure about Nacho's cat burglar antics- that performance was a bit more funny than suspenseful to me. I'm also not sure about the issue of Gus wanting Nacho to win Lalo's trust being resolved so quickly, but maybe it hasn't been and Lalo just came away from that thinking Nacho was a bit reckless and stupid. We shall see.

Shirtless Nacho was a welcome sight ;)

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

[Blue Jam]

A bit of speculation based on a certain bit in the full trailer:

Spoiler alert

I doubt this show would go for something as obvious as a wedding or pregnancy plot, but I can imagine Jimmy proposing to Kim and that that's what she was smiling about... but her then responding with a resounding No. Or maybe we'll get the first "I love you" of the series but Kim won't say it back.

[close]

As ever when trying to predict things in this show, I am probably very wrong though.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Great post as always, Blue Jam.

I really don't buy lovely old pop-pop Mike shouting at his granddaughter either. His son is a touchy subject, but Mike is the sort of guy who'd withhold his anger and grief when dealing with his beloved grandsprog, only to take it out later on someone else (or sit brooding in his empty apartment while watching old John Wayne films). It felt awfully out of character.