Better Call Saul - the final stretch

Mr. Reindeer

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Apr 13, 2022
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Huh. Well, that’s not what I was expecting from Michelle MacLaren’s return to the franchise!

For those who are timeline-minded, here’s a quote/analysis from the Hollywood Reporter’s interview with the episode’s writer:

In 201, the mall janitor was listening to the Rich Eisen Show from Oct. 21, 2010, and in 610, Jim O’Heir’s character referenced a college football game from the night before, which was Oct. 16, 2010’s Texas vs. Nebraska matchup. This detail reaffirms that we’ve been following Gene roughly five weeks after Walter White’s M60 massacre on Sept. 7, 2010. Will we eventually learn why you’ve kept Gene within arm’s reach of Breaking Bad’s conclusion?

I guess we’ll have to wait and see …
 

Mr. Reindeer

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Apr 13, 2022
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Jeff mother from episode 10 reminded me of Catherine Coulson
That’s Carol Burnett! She starred in a very famous sketch comedy show in the 1970s, although these days I guess she’s best remembered by younger folk (if at all) for playing the villain in the film Annie. She’s also in the great slapstick comedy Noises Off with Michael Caine.
 

Jasper

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I really enjoyed the time jump and change of atmosphere. This was another episode that felt a bit like a standalone film. At the beginning I was hoping that it would be Gene all the way through, and I was not disappointed. Carol Burnett was a nice surprise.

I’ve never had a Cinnabon nor seen one in person. I didn’t realize that they're something more akin to a personal cake. They’re huge! I no longer consume anything of that sort, but when watching the security guard dig into it, I have to admit that part of me really wanted a taste.

Food Drink Buns GIF by Shaking Food GIFs



Now I wonder what’s going to happen with the timeline. There has to be some jumping around or flashbacks or something, especially since it’s been officially confirmed Walter and Jesse will appear in some manner.
 

Mr. Reindeer

White Lodge
Apr 13, 2022
737
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I really enjoyed the time jump and change of atmosphere. This was another episode that felt a bit like a standalone film. At the beginning I was hoping that it would be Gene all the way through, and I was not disappointed. Carol Burnett was a nice surprise.

I’ve never had a Cinnabon nor seen one in person. I didn’t realize that they're something more akin to a personal cake. They’re huge! I no longer consume anything of that sort, but when watching the security guard dig into it, I have to admit that part of me really wanted a taste.

Food Drink Buns GIF by Shaking Food GIFs



Now I wonder what’s going to happen with the timeline. There has to be some jumping around or flashbacks or something, especially since it’s been officially confirmed Walter and Jesse will appear in some manner.
It’s interesting that the series feels over, for all intents and purposes. All the major storylines are satisfactorily wrapped up, and they could really do literally anything in these final three episodes. It’s a very unique and rather liberating way for a TV show to end. There’s really nothing left that I specifically want from this series; I’m just happy to go along for whatever ride is left.
 

Jasper

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It’s interesting that the series feels over, for all intents and purposes. All the major storylines are satisfactorily wrapped up, and they could really do literally anything in these final three episodes. It’s a very unique and rather liberating way for a TV show to end. There’s really nothing left that I specifically want from this series; I’m just happy to go along for whatever ride is left.

I agree.The show has already been immensely satisfying, and they can now go anywhere they like. I don’t think they’d be able to disappoint me at this point, unlike a lot of shows that rely on the final episode or two to make them worthwhile as a whole.

I don’t tend to read much of anything about shows (aside from Twin Peaks), but I was looking around yesterday, and while there are no plans in place, and both Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan have their focuses set on projects outside of the BB/BCS world, they are also open to coming back to it in some way after pursuing other things. It’s a bit like the situation with Showtime and Twin Peaks, where the execs are requesting more.


Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios:
"I can tell you that if I could do anything to encourage Vince and Peter to continue on in this universe, I would do it," he said during an interview with Variety.

He continued: "I think you’d have to ask them, but the door is always open and I long for the day my phone rings and Vince, Peter or our friends at Sony call to say, ‘Hey, I think we have another show set in this universe’.”.

I had an idea in my head about a spinoff featuring Lyle, the most dutiful and goodhearted Los Pollos Hermanos employee. It turns out that this has been something of a running joke onset, and fans have also requested it on social media. I further discovered that Harrison Thomas, the actor who plays Lyle, is the son of Dave Thomas of Bob and Doug McKenzie fame, and the resemblance is immediately evident.

strange brew bob and doug mackenzie GIF by Warner Archive


Lyle_Gus.png
 

Mr. Reindeer

White Lodge
Apr 13, 2022
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Yes, and Dave Thomas has been super proud of his son on social media! It’s all really charming.

One interesting tidbit is that the latest episode didn’t list any regulars in the credits besides Odenkirk. Prior to this episode, both BCS and BB have always adhered to the typical TV practice of crediting regulars even when they don’t appear (e.g., Michael Mando continued to be listed all season until this most recent episode despite Nacho’s death occurring way back in episode 3 of the season and him not appearing since). I wonder if this means that the series regulars besides Odenkirk were only contracted for the first nine episodes of the season? Or if they agreed to some special dispensation not to be credited on the last few. It’s odd because if they had just continued to credit everyone, there would still be a sense of mystery about who might show up, but now if Banks or Seehorn shows up in the credits, we’ll presumably KNOW they’re in the episode once their credit flashes.
 

Jasper

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Now this is really something to think about.

There are so many possibilities, for instance, an entire episode of Breaking Bad, but from Jimmy’s perspective, or, far less likely, "Gene" having weird nightmares about Albuquerque. Peter Gould said that, “These two worlds cross over in a way that you haven’t seen before, that’s for sure.” Bryan Cranston commented that, "There's a scene that Aaron is in without me. And there's a scene where I'm in without him. And then there's a scene where we're both in, so there's three scenes to come. It's pretty cool. But to be honest with you — because we shot everything in a bubble and completely out of sequence — I don't even know what episodes we're in (laughs). You're gonna find out."


Star Trek Wow GIF
 

Mr. Reindeer

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Apr 13, 2022
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It’s a testament to the greatness of this show as its own thing that the mere mention of Kim Wexler had me more excited than appearances by Walt and Jesse.

Love that they’re continuing to shoot the Breaking Bad-era scenes on film so that they look like the original show.
 

krishnanspace

Glastonbury Grove
Apr 13, 2022
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Loved the episode!! Clever way of hiding walters scalp with the caps lol. I think fan theories regarding Marion calling the cops on Gene are about to be true
 

Jasper

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Getting made led Jimmy to get back into the criminal life, ostensibly for a one-off, but there was the distinct possibility that he’d be unable to resist going back for more. His phone calls about the money losses and Kim really set him off, and made his return to crime a sure thing.

It’s sad to watch him fall right back into the same bad patterns, but Jimmy’s bad behavior has always been pathological, and he simply lacks the self control to follow through with lying low and keeping his nose clean.

His flash of conscience followed by his crazed drive to complete the hustle against his crew’s most recent mark is the definition of a cosmic test, and it looks like he’s failing it spectacularly. All of this is making it highly improbable that there will be anything but a very bad end for Jimmy McGill.
 

Mr. Reindeer

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I love how the flash forwards in the preceding seasons set up this idea that Jeff seemed to be a danger to Gene/Saul/Jimmy, but in reality, the biggest danger to Jimmy McGill is of course Jimmy McGill.
 

Mr. Reindeer

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By the way, I noticed that they’re continuing to play around with the intro in these final few episodes. Last week, it cut to a blank blue screen to indicate the tape had worn out. This week it was mostly the blue screen again, but with a couple of quick snatches of black and white footage. The first shot was hard for me to make out but I think it is a glass of Gene’s trademark end of day drink (a rusty nail) in the cupholder of his living room chair. There’s also a quick shot of the intersection where Gene stops and decides to drive back to the pay phone to call Kim.
 
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Jasper

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I love how the flash forwards in the preceding seasons set up this idea that Jeff seemed to be a danger to Gene/Saul/Jimmy, but in reality, the biggest danger to Jimmy McGill is of course Jimmy McGill.

Yes, and it’s Jimmy leading Jeff down the road to perdition. We’re used to seeing Jeff’s shifty eyes in the rear-view mirror of his cab, but now his eyes look deeply desperate and afraid, as Jimmy urges him onward from the backseat. (The actor who plays Jeff in season 6, Pat Healy, in general has wonderful facial expressions.)

I’ve tried to think of ways that this could not be a disaster for Jimmy, sort of like the psych-out where the duct tape was left behind on the door, only to be retrieved a moment later. He could experience a change of heart and leave the house (unlikely), or he could find the mark having a medical episode and call an ambulance or something, saving his life (also unlikely). As much of a scumbag as Jimmy has been, having seen his life in an intimate way, it’s hard not to want him to escape doom.

In the scene with Mike, Jimmy (as Saul) says of Walter, “A guy with that mustache probably doesn’t make a lot of good life choices.” The following scene is Jimmy as Gene with his mustache, in his home in Nebraska, about to get a call about the abandoned break-in and go completely off the rails.

Another thing in the scene with Mike is Mike describing a criminal who goes down for a crime and does the time without implicating a single member of his crew. I wonder if that could be subtle foreshadowing for what Jimmy will (or won’t) do.

By the way, I noticed that they’re continuing to play around with the intro in these final few episodes. Last week, it cut to a blank blue screen to indicate the tape had worn out. This week it was mostly the blue screen again, but with a couple of quick snatches of black and white footage. The first shot was hard for me to make out but I think it is a glass of Gene’s trademark end of day drink (a rusty nail) in the cupholder of his living room chair. There’s also a quick shot of the intersection where Gene stops and decides to drive back to the pay phone to call Kim.

That was a beautiful shot before the phone call, and it’s also rich with meaning, since this is the crossroads where Jimmy flips out and resolves to return to a life of crime.

When he smashed the phone booth, it reminded me of Walter White smashing the towel dispenser.
 

Mr. Reindeer

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Apr 13, 2022
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I noticed that about the mustache as well, and found it hilarious.

The “crossroads” moment reminded me of that great season 5 episode “Bad Choice Road,” which ends with Kim making a fateful U-turn.
 

Jerry Horne

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Gene playing Viktor without his Giselle is one of the saddest scenes in this series thus far. He doesn't need the money and there is a compulsion to his scams devoid of any shady joy.
 

Jasper

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Gene playing Viktor without his Giselle is one of the saddest scenes in this series thus far. He doesn't need the money and there is a compulsion to his scams devoid of any shady joy.

It’s really sad, and we the viewers are strapped in for wherever Jimmy McGill takes us, knowing full well that it can’t be anywhere good. At least the karaoke was hilarious.

Loved the episode!! Clever way of hiding walters scalp with the caps lol. I think fan theories regarding Marion calling the cops on Gene are about to be true

They certainly make it seem that way. Jimmy dropped all of his finesse and virtually dragged Jeff out of the kitchen, which Marion obviously found odd. Then she saw his rashly planned meeting in the garage. I almost thought that when they opened up the garage door, she’d be there. Who knows, with her new laptop she might stumble upon some kind of news item with Jimmy’s face. Jimmy’s former secretary, Francesca, did say that it was still hot in Albuquerque, and that the authorities are concentrating on Jimmy and Jesse Pinkman.
 
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