He didn’t do anything to save Kim. She still has a sworn affidavit to what she did, and I didn’t see him exonerating her, just saying he made some stuff up about her involvement. Her affidavit will still be all the other side needs in a civil suit.
Better Call Saul: Season 6 Discussion Thread
- Thread starter rudedude
- Start date
It was really had it had to end. Saul/Jimmy wasn't going out in a blaze of glory. That just isn't his style. Some nice redemption at the end of the day. He was trying to save himself in the eyes of his true love. I think Kim was his one true regret.
I didn't think Saul was trying to protect Kim, I thought he wanted her to see him confess. He wanted her to see he recognized his own mistakes and took responsibility for them, that he finally understood why Kim confessed and that she was right with her previous advice to him.
Yes, and he could have made it a lot worse for Kim if he had wanted to. Take Bill Oakley’s and Susanne Erickson’s reactions into consideration. He could have said that Operation Howard was all her idea and sunk her. He didn’t really have the ability to totally save Kim from Cheryl Hamlin’s wrath, but he definitely could have made it a lot more likely that Cheryl would try to nuke Kim. Big question: if Kim had not already fessed up, would Saul have thrown her under the bus?
I think his true regret was his relationship with Chuck, hence the Time Machine book placement in that scene where Jimmy walks out after Chuck invites him to stay and talk.
I think with Kim he was just trying to redeem himself to show that the Jimmy she loves still existed, hence "Saul Gone." Kim was the 1 juror he was trying to convince in his courtroom speech. It worked, as evidenced by them sharing a cigarette inside the prison with the callback to how they used to smoke in the parking garage in earlier seasons.
It was an ok finale, not as good as Breaking Bad. Some final season episodes were fantastic, others were "only" above average, and I felt last night's was the latter. Every single episode of Breaking Bad in its final season was incredible, a difficult bar to match. The writing, acting, cinematography as always was top notch though. I love how the show's creators constantly foreshadow and do callbacks across episodes, it pays to pay attention to detail and adds value to rewatching the series. I do think Saul suffered a bit because of long breaks between seasons, losing some of that momentum and details connection between episodes. The camera shot in court with the exit sign in the foreground was a carbon copy of the same shot when Chuck was in court earlier, as one example of a rather obvious callback. I just didn't feel like the story line in the final season was quite as compelling as Breaking Bad, which is why I put it behind in my personal favorites list. Still a great show no doubt, but Breaking Bad was one of the greatest ever.
If no affidavit I doubt it would have mattered to her legally what he would have said because there was still a complete lack of evidence. With the affidavit, even if he had thrown her under the bus, her affidavit seemed pretty all encompassing, and probably included her confession that it was her idea, so I'm not sure how he could have hurt her further.
Now, would he have thrown her under the bus? I doubt it, he still clearly cared for her, which again is why I found his earlier hostility towards her so puzzling. Their break up wasn't based on incompatibility, cheating, etc, just a realization on her part they were dangerous for each other.
BTW, I have Directv, and the description for the episode was a completely inane and hysterically funny description of two preppers finding each other and struggling to survive. I thought that was a great misdirection by the show, probably the writers. Now as I type this it has occurred to me that the description perfectly describes a walking dead episode from Sunday, which had no description in the guide. What a buzzkill.
Agree..completely different story arc. They set-up Saul as likeable shyster. They could have created a story where Kim killed by Salamanca low-life and Gene goes on revenge tour, leading up to his own death. Or, imagine Lydia survives somehow and Saul (identifying injustice) has some finale with her. Problem that it hurts Breaking Bad ending too much. Could have also done something to secure Erhmantraut grandchild future as they got money rightly taken by Fed in BB. I did not leave BCS feeling completely satisfied with ending but in end, they just kind of liked Jimmy too much to create non-redemptive character.
Last edited:
I enjoyed the Chuck cameo, however, it showed Chuck being proud of Jimmy and really liking him, which really wasn't the case. By the time that scene occurred Chuck had already destroyed Jimmy's potential career at HHM, was wary of Jimmy because of his ex-wife, etc. He never showed compassion to Jimmy after this new scene, and there was no indication anything had occurred between this scene and the first episode of BCS.
In the theme of "guess I got what I deserved", it was a worthy ending for Saul. WW deserved to die, SG deserved prison.
Satisfactory ending, but I agree with some others that the last half of this season was underwhelming when held up against BB, or even previous seasons of BCS. Still love the show, but can't say that I'm not a bit disappointed.
Satisfactory ending, but I agree with some others that the last half of this season was underwhelming when held up against BB, or even previous seasons of BCS. Still love the show, but can't say that I'm not a bit disappointed.
Why do folks keep wanting to put the BB stencil on BCS? They were intertwined but BCS was a show about Jimmy/Saul/Gene/back to Jimmy and Jimmy and Kim’s love story. In the end in his trial, Jimmy laid it out that he was the person behind Walter White and his drug business, and he was because he saw huge $$$ in it no matter how many people got hurt.
Plus, in BCS you still got Tuco, Hector, Don Eladio, Don Bolsa, Gus, Mike, Crazy8, the Twins, Walter, Jesse, Marie, and Chuck but you also got Nacho, Nacho’s father, Cliff, Rich, the Kettlemans, and the really big players of Marion, Jeffie, Kim, Chuck & Howard. The characters and storylines between the two shows was awesome. Both shows are two of the greatest TV shows ever IMO.
Plus, in BCS you still got Tuco, Hector, Don Eladio, Don Bolsa, Gus, Mike, Crazy8, the Twins, Walter, Jesse, Marie, and Chuck but you also got Nacho, Nacho’s father, Cliff, Rich, the Kettlemans, and the really big players of Marion, Jeffie, Kim, Chuck & Howard. The characters and storylines between the two shows was awesome. Both shows are two of the greatest TV shows ever IMO.
Last edited:
Probably because the last few episodes of BB were so freaking good that people (including myself) had high hopes for something comparable.
Perhaps not fair, but that is human nature. Good ending, just not epic like many hoped.
I never watched BB so I didn't have that 'distraction.' I actually thought the finale helped redeem my perceived weakness of the Nebraska episodes by making them seem almost insignificant. Instead of a new big scam, it was more a confirmation that Jimmy never actually changes - Jimmy was simply being Jimmy throughout, it was only a matter of time until he got caught. Then the finale got to delve into how he would handle it, which I liked. Even in jail, Jimmy was still Jimmy and finding a way to come out on top.
Hands down my favorite scene in final season was the guy yapping "Yup" while banging away on Kim.
Another recommendation on a solid under the radar series is City on a Hill with Kevin Bacon. He's another complex character that you want to hate and root for at the same time (like Saul). A few episodes into the third season now on Showtime. The first season was fantastic (though I may be biased because I lived in Charlestown for 10 years).
Some takeaways.
1. There was a scene in E11 where Gene was shown stacking the money he had made from the drugged-water scams. The shoebox Gene had when he was arrested was only just big enough to contain those bills. I’m thinking that when he called Ed the Cleaner after having been made by Jeffy, the only real money he had available was in his diamonds.
2. Kim was saved by the prosecuting team telling Jimmy about her narcing herself out. Boy, the contempt the prosecutors had for Jimmy in that moment, wow, off the charts. That was just great writing and execution.
3. Keep in mind that anyone who knew them was probably blaming Jimmy for Kim leaving the law. I mean, surely everyone was aware of the Chicago Sunroof (Jimmy probably told the story himself), and the reasons why Davis and Main let him go. This made it easy for everyone to buy his final story.
4. The great mystery of Breaking Bad is not only why Walt broke with Gretchen and Elliott, but why he never got his PhD. For him to have failed to get his PhD means he flat out quit, just like Kim did. I found it interesting that Walt’s last scene in BCS was his rant about Gretchen and Elliott. It foreshadows his scaring the living daylights out of them after he left New Hampshire.
5. Jimmy’s and Chuck’s last scene together, I don’t see it as an indication that Jimmy had regrets about his relationship with Chuck. It was just too dysfunctional for repair. What he got from that meeting was the idea that he could fix things with Kim. His greatest regret was Kim.
6. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, what a run. Never a dull episode. Characters that burst out from the screen. An incredible accomplishment.
1. There was a scene in E11 where Gene was shown stacking the money he had made from the drugged-water scams. The shoebox Gene had when he was arrested was only just big enough to contain those bills. I’m thinking that when he called Ed the Cleaner after having been made by Jeffy, the only real money he had available was in his diamonds.
2. Kim was saved by the prosecuting team telling Jimmy about her narcing herself out. Boy, the contempt the prosecutors had for Jimmy in that moment, wow, off the charts. That was just great writing and execution.
3. Keep in mind that anyone who knew them was probably blaming Jimmy for Kim leaving the law. I mean, surely everyone was aware of the Chicago Sunroof (Jimmy probably told the story himself), and the reasons why Davis and Main let him go. This made it easy for everyone to buy his final story.
4. The great mystery of Breaking Bad is not only why Walt broke with Gretchen and Elliott, but why he never got his PhD. For him to have failed to get his PhD means he flat out quit, just like Kim did. I found it interesting that Walt’s last scene in BCS was his rant about Gretchen and Elliott. It foreshadows his scaring the living daylights out of them after he left New Hampshire.
5. Jimmy’s and Chuck’s last scene together, I don’t see it as an indication that Jimmy had regrets about his relationship with Chuck. It was just too dysfunctional for repair. What he got from that meeting was the idea that he could fix things with Kim. His greatest regret was Kim.
6. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, what a run. Never a dull episode. Characters that burst out from the screen. An incredible accomplishment.
I worked with a guy who was a jail house lawyer got his sentence reduced , helped other inmates , and was a pain for the warden. He had the respect of almost all the inmates, and helped them tremendously.
So the fist bump scene with the prisoners reminded me of that. He was in prison with guys who needed help, in minimum security most of those guys already bargained to get there, plus they are the Howard types. Jimmy is the king.
So the fist bump scene with the prisoners reminded me of that. He was in prison with guys who needed help, in minimum security most of those guys already bargained to get there, plus they are the Howard types. Jimmy is the king.
Early plans for Chuck, Howard, and Kim:
screenrant.com
Chuck supportive, Howard bad, Kim minor.
Better Call Saul Co-Creator Reveals Original Plan For Chuck & Howard
"Howard Hamlin was going to be the bad guy."
screenrant.com
Chuck supportive, Howard bad, Kim minor.
Same thing in Breaking Bad. Jesse was slated to be killed off after one season. Saul had a three-episode arc planned. Mike was introduced because Odenkirk had a conflict. A lot of planning on the run.
I can’t seem to be able to link it directly but newyorker.com has a terrific interview with Gilligan. It’s still on the front page, by Mike Sacks, if you need to search. Gilligan grew to loathe Walter. https://www.newyorker.com/
I can’t seem to be able to link it directly but newyorker.com has a terrific interview with Gilligan. It’s still on the front page, by Mike Sacks, if you need to search. Gilligan grew to loathe Walter. https://www.newyorker.com/
Last edited:
This one?
www.newyorker.com
Vince Gilligan Wants to Write a Good Guy
After fourteen years of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” the showrunner talks about how TV has changed, the sins of auteur theory, and the appeal of an old-fashioned hero.
Thanks, buddy.This one?
Vince Gilligan Wants to Write a Good Guy
After fourteen years of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” the showrunner talks about how TV has changed, the sins of auteur theory, and the appeal of an old-fashioned hero.
At that price, I’d hope to get a side of the blue stuff delivered when I rang it.
Walt and Gretchen were a serious item and when Gretchen brought Walt to meet her (incredibly rich) family, he bailed on her, left in the middle of the visit.
Gretchen Schwartz: Let me just get this straight - Elliot and I offered to pay for your treatment, no strings attached. An offer which still stands, by the way. And you turn us down, out of pride, or whatever. And then you tell your wife that in fact we are paying for your treatment, and against our knowledge and against our will you involve us in your lie. And you sit there and you tell me that it is none of my business?
Walter White: Yeah, that's pretty much the size of it.
Gretchen Schwartz: What happened to you? Really, what happened? Because this isn't you.
Walter White: [resentfully] And what would you know about me, Gretchen? What would your presumption about me be exactly? That I should go begging for your charity? And you waving your chequebook around like some magic wand is going to make me forget how YOU and ELLIOT cut me loose!
Gretchen Schwartz: What? That can't be how you see it!
Walter White: It's my hard work, my research. And you and Elliot make millions off it!
Gretchen Schwartz: That cannot be how you see it.
Walter White: [sarcastically] That's beautifully done.
Gretchen Schwartz: You left...
Walter White: You are always the picture of innocence.
Gretchen Schwartz: You left me.
Walter White: The picture of innocence, sweetness and light.
Gretchen Schwartz: You left me! On the fourth of July weekend, you left me, you and my father and my brothers. I go up to your room and you're packing your bags, barely talking. Wha - what did I dream all that?
Walter White: That's your excuse? To build your little empire on *my* work?
Gretchen Schwartz: How can you you say that? You walked away, you abandoned us, me and Elliot!
Walter White: Little rich girl just adding to your millions!
Gretchen Schwartz: [completely stunned] I don't even know what to say to you. I-I don't even know where to begin. I feel so sorry for you, Walt.
Walter White: [extremely nasty] ****.YOU.
Get unlimited access today.