Better Call Saul

[pdubb09]

surprised there isn't a running BCS thread. I really enjoy reading the ones on Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. Would be cool if there was a Saul thread, but I guess there aren't too many on here that like it. I get it that it's nothing close to Breaking Bad good, and probably if you knew nothing of BB I suppose you have stopped watching this show by now, but none the less, I'm still interested in the BB characters back stories and figured it would have more of a cult following on this board.

Anyway, if you are a fan here are a few talking points / questions to get us started.

1) is chuck dead?

2) how many years do you suppose Jimmy was James McGill the attorney before he changed his name.

3) how many years do you suppose he was Saul before he met Jesse and Walter?

4) has Gilligan said how many seasons this is supposed to be?

5) is Kim hot? I still can't make up my mind.

6) will Mike ever finally just start killing people?

 

[Cribbs]

There was a BCS thread for the first couple episodes of these season but it died off. I find myself not very interested in Saul's story and captivated by Mike's story.

 

[pdubb09]

Yeah no question Mike's is more intense.

 

[Urban Cryer]

A good indicator to know how much time this was before the BB piece starts is by the age of Mike's grand daughter, I think it's about 3 years prior, maybe 2?

 

[HulaNole]

Fan. Was on the road all week for work and it was the first show I watched when I got home and had a chance.

 

[skramer100]

Love the show. The writing is just awesome. Think Chuck is wither dead or severely injured, like vegetable injured. I think Kim is hot, like her in Franklin and Bash. She plays the stuck up lawyer perfect.
I find parts of Saul's story very interesting, but I really like Mike's story as well. Going to be interesting to see how the 2 of them come together and how Gus gets involved.
OP there is always a large thread on tMB after every show if you are interested.

 

[DanC78]

I watch it and love it.

I just noticed a few episodes ago that the dude in the wheel chair who rings the bell in Breaking Bad is the villain in BCS. He's the same character as well. I'm curious to see when he makes the transition to vegetable.

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

Fantastic show. This second season has been better than the first. I really like Jimmy's character and care about his story line. Mike's story is great too.

I'm intrigued to see how Hector ends up how he was in BB and to see what happens between Kim and Jimmy, and how Jimmy turns into Saul.

I really loved how the series began with Saul in Iowa (or Nebraska?) under a new identity, in hiding after the BB aftermath and pretty depressed. I wonder if we'll ever catch up to that point by seeing is perspective through the BB series?

 

[LLOYD72]

I got hooked on Breaking Bad and watched the first season of BCS. I really enjoyed the character - a little slow moving - but entertaining.

 

[EveryoneBleedsGarnet]

The most recent episode saves the season for me. It was starting to drag but now I am intrigued again.

 

[SoddyNole]

I watch it and love it.

I just noticed a few episodes ago that the dude in the wheel chair who rings the bell in Breaking Bad is the villain in BCS. He's the same character as well. I'm curious to see when he makes the transition to vegetable.

I would guess threatening and sending out his goons to Mike's Granddaughter while at the pool is the reason. It is interesting watching these stories play out considering we know all these characters from BB end up either dead or in very bad shape.

 

[dmm5157]

Love the show and, like others, really enjoy Mike's storyline over Jimmy's. I always liked Mike in BB as well.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Great show...it's similar to BB in that there's so much in the subtleties...it's a show for patient people who enjoy a good narrative with a touch of intensity and the occasional action. For instance the whole scene with Jimmy staring at the giant blow up man outside that business was his inspiration for getting himself fired from Davis and Main...great moment.

However, those moments will likely be divisive just like the BB's infamous "Fly" episode.

Yes. Kim is hot. Chuck may be, in fact, dead and that could be a factor in his turn to Saul Goodman.

Love the show!!

 

[EveryoneBleedsGarnet]

The preview for the next episode shows jimmy at the hospital so I somewhat doubt he's dead at this point.

 

[Nole Lou]

I love the show. I like both story lines a ton, but I definitely miss it when we don't check in with Mike for a while. I don't think I necessarily like Mike's story better, but cutting to the intensity of Mike's story allows the indulgence to go deep with Jimmy's story. I like that...no pressure to make Jimmy's story more "intense" than the narrative requires...just jump over to Mike when you need to charge up the episode a bit. Of course knowing that they are on a trajectory to meet.

I think it's a great, great show, pure genius.

 

[MVT ATLANTA]

There are also a few Easter Eggs present as well. For one, the shot inside the Mexican restaurant where the drug cartel hangs out. Every time they are in their you hear the bell getting rung as an order is up.
This is the same type of bell the dude uses in BB when he's in the wheel chair and can't talk.

I believe the tequila highlighted on an earlier episode is also prominent in a BB episode.

Anybody pick up on any others?

 

[alaskanseminole]

There are also a few Easter Eggs present as well. For one, the shot inside the Mexican restaurant where the drug cartel hangs out. Every time they are in their you hear the bell getting rung as an order is up.
This is the same type of bell the dude uses in BB when he's in the wheel chair and can't talk.

I believe the tequila highlighted on an earlier episode is also prominent in a BB episode.

Anybody pick up on any others?

The brother's boot tips...they show those a lot.

 

[dmm5157]

There are also a few Easter Eggs present as well. For one, the shot inside the Mexican restaurant where the drug cartel hangs out. Every time they are in their you hear the bell getting rung as an order is up.
This is the same type of bell the dude uses in BB when he's in the wheel chair and can't talk.

I believe the tequila highlighted on an earlier episode is also prominent in a BB episode.

Anybody pick up on any others?

There are lots.

We've seen a lot of minor background characters from BB show up in BCS. They made it into the earlier post from near the premier.

Couple that I've noticed.

• The drug dealer that Walter White strangles in the basement of Jesse's house was shown when Tuco and his cousin are making a drug deal inside the mexican restaurant.
• The arms dealer that is showing Mike weapons sold Walter White is guns in the finale.
• The smug loud-talking stock trader that Kim and Jimmy con gets his car blown up by Walter White in BB.

Here's a whole bunch of other ones. One that I missed was the timeline that is shown in that link below. Guess we're in around 2004-2005 in BCS, whereas Breaking Bad starts in 2008.

http://uproxx.com/tv/better-call-saul-easter-eggs-switch/6/


and even more

http://www.dorkly.com/post/73671/clever-breaking-bad-easter-eggs-in-better-call-saul/page:2

 

[Nole Lou]

There are lots.

We've seen a lot of minor background characters from BB show up in BCS. They made it into the earlier post from near the premier.

Couple that I've noticed.

• The drug dealer that Walter White strangles in the basement of Jesse's house was shown when Tuco and his cousin are making a drug deal inside the mexican restaurant.
• The arms dealer that is showing Mike weapons sold Walter White is guns in the finale.
• The smug loud-talking stock trader that Kim and Jimmy con gets his car blown up by Walter White in BB.

Here's a whole bunch of other ones. One that I missed was the timeline that is shown in that link below. Guess we're in around 2004-2005 in BCS, whereas Breaking Bad starts in 2008.

http://uproxx.com/tv/better-call-saul-easter-eggs-switch/6/


and even more

http://www.dorkly.com/post/73671/clever-breaking-bad-easter-eggs-in-better-call-saul/page:2

Wow, just read through that...I never would have caught many of those. That's pretty amazing.

 

[DanC78]

Good episode but pretty weak season finally IMO.

And he should have pulled the trigger.

 

[dmm5157]

Good episode but pretty weak season finally IMO.

And he should have pulled the trigger.

I assume you meant "weak season finale".

I thought it was pretty interesting for a finale. There's the cliff hanger for Mike: Who wrote the note and set up the horn for his car? Guessing it's a new character.

As for Jimmy/Chuck, that's going to be an interesting development.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I assume you meant "weak season finale".

I thought it was pretty interesting for a finale. There's the cliff hanger for Mike: Who wrote the note and set up the horn for his car? Guessing it's a new character.

As for Jimmy/Chuck, that's going to be an interesting development.

I agree.

Chuck really pulled a Jimmy...that will be interesting. Does that get Jimmy McGill banned from the bar, thus the emergence of Saul Goodman? Who on earth is watching Mike? Gus? Both VERY interesting cliffhangers.

 

[SoddyNole]

I think the hard thing to accept in my mind with this show is trying not to rush the arc and let it play out. It will be interesting to see how quickly these characters become who they are in BB. At that point do they continue with other stories or simply end it?

 

[MVT ATLANTA]

I agree.

Chuck really pulled a Jimmy...that will be interesting. Does that get Jimmy McGill banned from the bar, thus the emergence of Saul Goodman? Who on earth is watching Mike? Gus? Both VERY interesting cliffhangers.

I think when forced to make a decision, Chuck will not do anything with the tape. If he does, he'll become what he abhors Jimmy for. I believe the tape is inadmissible but will be used a leverage for Chuck to try and straighten out Jimmy.
I think Gus has been monitoring Mike's movements and while it may not have actually been Gus to leave the note, he had someone do it.

 

[dmm5157]

I think the hard thing to accept in my mind with this show is trying not to rush the arc and let it play out. It will be interesting to see how quickly these characters become who they are in BB. At that point do they continue with other stories or simply end it?

I read that the show was hoping to run for 3-4 seasons. Each season doesn't necessarily take place across a year, but it almost feels that way as the season concludes. Considerable time is passing with each episode, so it's possible that we see Saul Goodman start to develop next season. Running out of time for him to build that "empire" he had going at the end of Breaking Bad. Then again, nothing says he didn't have a strong business going until midway through BB. It just felt like he'd been doing his crooked business for a while by the time he was introduced in BB.

 

[speechteach]

One has to wonder whether they will run parallel to Breaking Bad at some point. We also still need him to be introduced to Badger when he is Saul, which I think will then jump us forward to the present day. My theory is that the ending of Better Call Saul will play out with him reaching out to Kim, and her making the decision about whether or not she should turn him in. Either that or suicide, or both.

 

[Cribbs]

On Talking Saul, Hardwick stated that there is a fan theory that if you take the first letter of each episode(something like that) it spells Fring's Back. Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan confirmed the hidden message but said it doesn't mean he left the note.

 

[HulaNole]

"I miss the mailroom".

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

I thought it was a great finale and a fantastic season. I don't mind the slow burn since it's great story telling.

 

[nolejam99]

I think everyone involved with this show is still trying to figure it all out, which makes the quality even more impressive. I mean the show started out as a joke and even when the first season was green lighted I don't think anyone expected it would last. But once the reviews came in they had to make a decision. Pretty obvious they decided to pump the breaks this year and slow down the transition from Jimmy to Saul. I hope that it runs for 2-3 more seasons and that the final season is post BB.

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

I think everyone involved with this show is still trying to figure it all out, which makes the quality even more impressive. I mean the show started out as a joke and even when the first season was green lighted I don't think anyone expected it would last. But once the reviews came in they had to make a decision. Pretty obvious they decided to pump the breaks this year and slow down the transition from Jimmy to Saul. I hope that it runs for 2-3 more seasons and that the final season is post BB.

This has been my thinking too. I completely feel that there will be a crossover into the BB season and I'm really holding out hope for a cameo from Walt or Jesse, or both.

 

[OsceolaNole]

I love BCS and have watched it loyally since season 1. Am I missing out on much because I've never watched BB?

 

[alaskanseminole]

I love BCS and have watched it loyally since season 1. Am I missing out on much because I've never watched BB?

YES!

Surprised you picked up the show not knowing it's origins. BB makes BCS much better (IMO).

 

[dmm5157]

YES!

Surprised you picked up the show not knowing it's origins. BB makes BCS much better (IMO).

I agree with this.

You don't need to watch BB if you like BCS, but it gives a better understanding and appreciation for the characters. Like Mike, Tuco, Hector, and many of the other characters that appeared in BB.

 

[pink shizzle]

I love BCS and have watched it loyally since season 1. Am I missing out on much because I've never watched BB?

Do yourself a solid and watch BB. You'll enjoy it even more when you see characters from BCS in it.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I agree with this.

You don't need to watch BB if you like BCS, but it gives a better understanding and appreciation for the characters. Like Mike, Tuco, Hector, and many of the other characters that appeared in BB.

As well as the subtleties like the bell in the Tio's diner, etc. etc. etc. I love looking for Easter eggs during the episode.

 

[OsceolaNole]

YES!

Surprised you picked up the show not knowing it's origins. BB makes BCS much better (IMO).

I knew they were related, just didn't want to go back and watch all those seasons of BB. Figured, I heard BB was great so I'll give this a shot!

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

I think it gives you a nice understanding of Jimmy too, seeing him as Saul in BB. Clear your schedule for a few to four days and prepare yourself for one hell of a, fantastically executed, ride.

 

[EveryoneBleedsGarnet]

Breaking Bad is the second best show of all time.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Breaking Bad is the second best show of all time.

1st?