Better Call Saul

Season 3 just dropped on Netflix and I'm re-watching the season. There is no firm premiere date for Season 4 yet, but it will hopefully be before June.

good show!

It's good, but i haven't been able to get invested in it. I've tried watching s1 a few times now, and i enjoy it, but it feels like something's missing, and i inevitably wind up drifting off or wandering away, at least mentally.

I keep meaning to give it yet another chance. One of these days.

Mo, BCS seemed to sort of shift, and improve, as it found its footing. The first few episodes felt too much like Odenkirk’s Mr. Show stuff for my taste, but then it got more BB-ish. Once the Kettlemans become less important and Jimmy’s relationship with Mike and also Nacho get more interesting (as does Nacho himself) the show improves a lot. The Mike material in particular gets really good in the later seasons.

the Mike character makes it for me, such an interesting character. Saul I like, but when they crank up the comedy, I'm the same it starts losing me. I like it better when Saul is in strife or unhappy.

Walter White kept saying that he did what he did for his family until he finally reveals to Skyler that he did it for himself, it made him feel alive and he was good at it.
Jimmy/Saul on the other hand has already broken bad at a relative young age but is doing his best to move toward legitimacy, working his butt off getting a law degree and it's mainly because of wanting acceptance from his brother and later his close friend,  Kim Wexler.  It's fascinating to watch his internal struggle of his wanting to run cons,  take shortcuts and make easy money that comes so naturally, and it's primarily his feelings for Kim who keeps him in check as he tries to do the right thing, but he still skirts and sometimes crosses the line when he feels it's necessary. Unlike Walt, he checks himself for family and friends, but if those relationships break down for any reason, his true nature is likely to emerge unchecked.  It's a really fantastic character study even though we know which of those forces ultimately wins and where he ends up.  

The story takes place several years before we hit the Breaking Bad timeline, however Saul's current situation is also shown and I believe we'll have more episodes that will focus on his present circumstance and the eventual outcome beyond the Breaking Bad events.  

Mike's journey is also fascinating.  His backstory and motivations are thoroughly explored and it really picks up about midway through the first season.   There are also younger versions of characters from the Breaking Bad universe and following their journeys are fascinating as well.

Everything from the cinematography, music, editing, and acting is on par with Breaking Bad.

Well said, Mr. Bill.

I'm hoping that the most recent of the Cinnabon segments (when "Gene" can't help himself from giving legal advice to the kid he'd just helped the mall cops catch) means that he'll have an interesting struggle for some kind of redemption. But right now, I want to see how Jimmy reacts to that fire!

Pi-O-My wrote:

 Well said, Mr. Bill.

I'm hoping that the most recent of the Cinnabon segments (when "Gene" can't help himself from giving legal advice to the kid he'd just helped the mall cops catch) means that he'll have an interesting struggle  for some  kind of redemption. But right now, I want to see how Jimmy reacts to that fire!

I hope Jimmy doesn't feel too guilty, he tried to reconcile with Chuck just before the fire and Chuck just threw it in is face. I wasn't sure what the fire was really about, was Chuck trying to knock the lantern off and commit suicide or was he having some sort of disassociated repetitive convulsions due to his mental state?

Mr. Bill, this is just my opinion (reinforced somewhat by some commentary by Michael McKean) but I think Chuck wanted to kill himself in a passive way. Not do it in a definitive act but in a way that would create a fatal accident. When he told Jimmy that he (Jimmy) didn't matter very much to him (Chuck) I don't think he was being honest but I don't think his kicking at the lantern was in response to how horrible he'd been to his brother. I do think that his basically cutting ties with his only living relative was instrumental in causing the anxiety that I think is responsible for his "allergy" and I think he couldn't take living like that any more. Also, keep in mind that he'd been taking pills - the doctor had him on three different meds, so I don't have any idea what he was taking.

Just want to add how brilliant it was to have the episode begin with Chuck reading from a "Mable" book to Jimmy by lantern light. The flashback ends with the camera moving in on that lantern.

Pi-O-My, Nice catch on the lantern, I didn't make the connection. I couldn't believe McKean wasn't nominated for an Emmy although I think he's up for a Saturn Award.

woohoo 5 days to season 4 premiere!!!! what will happen with Howard? what is blooming with Chuck and Kim??

AGH DANG IT - was looking up Rhea Seehorn's character's name as I'd spaced it, and dammit I ran across a spoiler. AAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH dam dam dam

Here's the Season 4 trailer. Looks great.

Zaphod wrote:

woohoo 5 days to season 4 premiere!!!! what will happen with Howard? what is blooming with Chuck and Kim??

AGH DANG IT - was looking up Rhea Seehorn's character's name as I'd spaced it, and dammit I ran across a spoiler. AAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH dam dam dam

Chuck and Kim on a fling. .yep.

Better Call Saul Season 4 premiers tonight, 9PM on AMC!

MrBill60 wrote:

Zaphod wrote:

woohoo 5 days to season 4 premiere!!!! what will happen with Howard? what is blooming with Chuck and Kim??

AGH DANG IT - was looking up Rhea Seehorn's character's name as I'd spaced it, and dammit I ran across a spoiler. AAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH dam dam dam

Chuck and Kim on a fling. .yep.

Gross!

Very good ep. I'm glad that

Spoiler:

Saul's back story as the retail clerk is intriguing. Let's have more of that please.

Yeah, the most suspenseful part of the episode was Gene's, but otherwise a great setup for what's to come.

Mike was hilarious in this episode.  What was he thinking?

Good ole Mike:

I can sum up this episode in one song..  The Weight



Take a load off Jimmy and he put the load right on Howard.

I watched that scene again, the one where Mike lists off the violations he found to the supervisor. They were all relatively minor. The part I'm most curious about is the name he dropped at the end of the scene. I didn't recognize it.

Big John, Mike said to check with Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. She’s the one who’s officially his boss at Madrigal – Mike went to her office last season, and she was seen at some point last season with Gus inspecting a laundromat (future home of the world-famous basement meth lab.) She was the fake-sugar-preferring   lady on Breaking Bad, the one that the Jesse Plemons character was so enamored with. We just watched (on dvd) the actress last week in a two-decade old BBC production of Neverwhere and she looked exactly the same but was totally adorable as a very different character! Seeing Mike's work ethic, including stealing an employee id, was great. I'm assuming that Mike didn't feel it was honorable to be a no-show, since I don't think the $10,000 bank reporting rule was in effect then, and the amount just over 10 grand wasn't in cash anyway.

The Gene section was pretty interesting. I’ve always wondered if Walter White’s outing of his New Hampshire location messed up the new identities of any other of the vacuum cleaner shop’s clients. Do we know how far after WW’s death the Omaha storyline is? My guess about the cab driver with the Albuquerque air freshener (maybe even picked up at the Whites’ carwash!) is that he was from there and, since Saul’s billboards were all over town, recognized the fugitive under the mustache.

Meanwhile, back in the major story…Jimmy’s total 180 when Howard confessed to guilt over Chuck’s death was so sudden and so cold – surprising to Kim, too, and I think this may be the beginning of the end for their romance. (Those little bits of flame floating over the two of them in bed were omens of bad things to come for them, I think.) Jimmy must have felt such mixed emotions about Chuck’s death, especially after what Chuck told him, about Jimmy not mattering, when Chuck’s opinion meant so much to Jimmy, and after Jimmy set in motion the insurance problem that proved the last straw for Howard.  Mr. Bill, The Weight exactly.

I agree Pi-O-My, the embers floating over their bed is definitely a bad omen for their relationship, all centering around Chuck's death and how Jimmy/Saul handles it.  I think a part of him has shut down and will be inaccessible to Kim which will eventually kill the relationship.

It's an interesting thought that the Gene events might occur during the time that Walt is in NH before his final shootout. "America's Most Wanted" and his cadre would still be on people's minds which would explain the cab driver's interest. I wonder if Hank's boss will be the one to finally bring him in.  (Actually I wonder if he's still around since he's the one who hired the brother-in-law of "America's Most Wanted"?).

I'm not sure what Gus has in mind for Mike this early on, but I think he wants to keep him as a behind the scenes guy, so I don't think Gus will be too happy about Mike coming out and revealing himself to the staff.  I wonder if Gus or Lydia gave him a job description with duties?

If folks are interested in behind the scenes content, The Insider's Podcast features the Showrunners, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould as well  production and cast members.  It airs weekly and covers each episode.  S4E1 has already dropped.   It's available on  iTunes and elsewhere.

Pi-O-My wrote:

Big John, Mike said to check with Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. She’s the one who’s officially his boss at Madrigal – Mike went to her office last season, and she was seen at some point last season with Gus inspecting a laundromat (future home of the world-famous basement meth lab.) She was the fake-sugar-preferring   lady on Breaking Bad, the one that the Jesse Plemons character was so enamored with.

Gotcha, thanks. She got poisoned at the end of Breaking Bad. I know who she is now. I never truly understood who she was on Breaking Bad. Some sort of investor representative was always my thought.

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The Gene section was pretty interesting. I’ve always wondered if Walter White’s outing of his New Hampshire location messed up the new identities of any other of the vacuum cleaner shop’s clients. Do we know how far after WW’s death the Omaha storyline is? My guess about the cab driver with the Albuquerque air freshener (maybe even picked up at the Whites’ carwash!) is that he was from there and, since Saul’s billboards were all over town, recognized the fugitive under the mustache.

Thank you again for this paragraph. I hadn't noticed any of that other than the air freshener. I didn't even know the scene was a flash forward. The vacuum cleaner shop owner was Robert Forster, right? Such a great actor. Hope he shows up again.

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Meanwhile, back in the major story…Jimmy’s total 180 when Howard confessed to guilt over Chuck’s death was so sudden and so cold – surprising to Kim, too, and I think this may be the beginning of the end for their romance. (Those little bits of flame floating over the two of them in bed were omens of bad things to come for them, I think.) Jimmy must have felt such mixed emotions about Chuck’s death, especially after what Chuck told him, about Jimmy not mattering, when Chuck’s opinion meant so much to Jimmy, and after Jimmy set in motion the insurance problem that proved the last straw for Howard.

This was very confusing to me. I understand why Howard's feeling of guilt would somewhat gratify Jimmy. However, that doesn't change the fact that Jimmy was the root cause of Chuck's undoing. Does Jimmy feel that much less blame knowing that Howard was also a catalyst, even though the insurance issue was the reason for the whole thing? If so, would it really make Jimmy so obviously happy in the moment? Or, did Jimmy not realize this was a suicide until Howard spoke up, which helped take away the burden he felt for not keeping a closer eye on Chuck?

I mean, it gave Jimmy such sudden pep in his step and during the most strange moment for it. It's bizarre to me that Jimmy acted in such a way without some sort of awareness about it. Was he sending a message to Howard? Or does he really lack that much couth and/or self awareness? It was pretty darn far out. He must have known what he was doing and how it would be received.

If I had to guess, I'd say it was a very misguided victory dance over Howard and that Jimmy knew exactly what he was doing.

Big John, your “victory dance” explanation makes sense to me. Jimmy’s most Saul-ish characteristic, I think, is his reluctance to take responsibility for his slippin’ and he’s happy to shift blame elsewhere. As Mr. Bill said, Howard taking the guilt on himself gave Jimmy the perfect opportunity to get out from under it. I think the heaviness of that guilt was what made him react so strongly once someone else volunteered to bear that cross, like a cork held under water being released. (That offer of coffee –- how many times have we seen coffee being made in this series? It’s what starts off the episode, IIRC--  was like he was ready to pop champagne.) I don’t think Jimmy is self-aware enough most of the time to realize how he comes across, except when he’s running a scam, and that’s often pretending to be someone else, or when he's trying to manipulate someone, like Irene or his boss at the law firm (all that guitar playing etc.)

And, totally agree, more Robert Forster!

I think Jimmy knew what he was doing. I think it was his way of saying F you to Howard. I think Jimmy inwardly still feels the same amount of guilt. I think, in that moment, Jimmy, being a small minded shallow man, decided to leverage Howard.

Think about how he'll explain it to his g/f. The discussion will inevitably get to the point where Jimmy says F Howard. Who cares how Howard feels. So yeah, Jimmy saw an opportunity to hurt Howard and he took it.

Jimmy comes off as being unaware of self. While sometimes he makes bad calls, I think he knows what he is doing most of the time. I think he knows how he looks to people. He's had a lifetime of feedback and sideways glances. He isn't stupid. Often, just when people are disarmed but what they think is a crackpot, he moves in for the kill.

I don't think he wants to be perceived the way he is but I think he is aware of it and he uses it to his advantage, just like he did with his victory dance.

S4 E2  

Jimmy was such an a-hole in this episode.  I guess I don't understand his attitude at the interview. Is it simply a matter of he does not suffer fools or suckers? But I think it's more complicated than that.  I'm always impressed at how easily he can sell and manipulate people on the fly.

Was there a hint that Jimmy was involved in counterfeiting in IL?

Nacho:

i need a refresher course. How did Mike get Fring's resprect?

That ass kicking Kim handed to Howard was an interesting twist on the situation. Didn't see that coming, especially considering Kim's initial reaction to Jimmy's victory dance.

Seems to me that whether or not Nacho's partner took 5 or 6 or a million kilos, his fate had already been sealed. It looked to organized for that to have been a 30 second decision. This means Fring wanted Nacho. He has a plan for him.

My reaction to the job interview scene was that Jimmy doesn't want a job or he just isn't ready for one. I don't think he knew as much going into the interview. Part of my reasoning is that the interviewers did the right thing. I too would've hired Jimmy on the spot after a display like that. They aren't fools or suckers. Once the job so quickly became a reality, Jimmy got cold feet and needed a fast way out. Franky, I'd have to watch it again to identify the exact moment Jimmy had the change of heart, but it was in there.

Kim’s avenging angel attack on Howard – wow! That sure supports Big John’s feeling that I underestimated Jimmy’s hatred of Howard. (Though I think Kim has reasons of her own – her time spent in the purgatory of the doc review room, for starters, and his condescension when she was with the Moscow Mule drinker.) Interesting that she didn’t tell Jimmy about the meeting. I guess he didn’t know she was going as “his representative.” And stash Chuck’s letter away, fine, but that check probably does need to be dealt with.

Big John, I don’t think I have the timelines straight but Gus was impressed after Mike reacted to the killing of the “good Samaritan” who Hector killed for helping the truck driver. Gus saw that Mike knew he then had a problem and liked the way Mike took charge of it. Also (previously?) when Gus stopped Mike from killing Hector out at the desert hideout, he was impressed by Mike’s reaction to that note on his car that drove us all nuts waiting for the next season.

I think Jimmy was fighting with himself about whether or not he wanted a legit job, which is why we saw him debate about going back in to the office before doing his impressive selling job. Unlike Big John, I’d have wanted to do some background checking before hiring an ex-lawyer looking to sell copiers. His “snakes” explanation was a bit glib and evasive for comfort.

Gus killing Nacho's partner like that was so cold-blooded, and definitely felt planned out. (When does Gus not plan out? He's not exactly Mr. Spontaneous.) His using such a terrible way to assert himself over Nacho reminded me of Victor getting his (surprise! throat slash!) as a way to intimidate Walter White.

I’m wondering why Jimmy thinks the “job” he has in mind for Mike, which seems to involve gaining (stealing? likely conning?) a collectible from Neff Copiers, is one Mike will go for. (Lydia would have a fit about his further exposing himself to possible police attention. And Gus’ reaction to her phone call – “Get him an employee badge” – was pretty smart.)

Either Jimmy was involved or knew the folks involved with forging bills in the Midwest. Or he maybe he was wondering if he’d missed an opportunity when he had access to a color copier. ;)

Pi-O-My wrote:

Big John, I don’t think I have the timelines straight but Gus was impressed after Mike reacted to the killing of the “good Samaritan” who Hector killed for helping the truck driver. Gus saw that Mike knew he then had a problem and liked the way Mike took charge of it. Also (previously?) when Gus stopped Mike from killing Hector out at the desert hideout, he was impressed by Mike’s reaction to that note on his car that drove us all nuts waiting for the next season.

Thank you!

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I think Jimmy was fighting with himself about whether or not he wanted a legit job, which is why we saw him debate about going back in to the office before doing his impressive selling job. Unlike Big John, I’d have wanted to do some background checking before hiring an ex-lawyer looking to sell copiers. His “snakes” explanation was a bit glib and evasive for comfort.

I see. In sales, unlike most office/corporate jobs, your top reps are often the most fucked up people with some very checkered pasts. Some companies won't hire them. Other companies will. I've witnessed this, and participated in it, often. As a career sales manager myself (I hate whipping out my resume to use as evidence of something but I really do have a lot of experience with this), many companies actually prefer those types because not only are they all stars but they are very loyal when someone decides to give them a chance.

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I’m wondering why Jimmy thinks the “job” he has in mind for Mike, which seems to involve gaining (stealing? likely conning?) a collectible from Neff Copiers, is one Mike will go for. (Lydia would have a fit about his further exposing himself to possible police attention. And Gus’ reaction to her phone call – “Get him an employee badge” – was pretty smart.)

If Jimmy saw an opportunity at Neff beyond the scope of getting a job, then surely that's the reason he pulled that stunt and walked away from the offer. He wouldn't want continued contact with the company in order to avoid suspicion. So he ended it right there.

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Either Jimmy was involved or knew the folks involved with forging bills in the Midwest. Or he maybe he was wondering if he’d missed an opportunity when he had access to a color copier. ;)

Man. I just don't remember WTH is going on. Can't recall how Gus got Mike onto the Madrigal payroll. Don't remember the money laundering stuff. I guess I haven't been paying as close attention as I did with Breaking Bad. Sometimes I feel like I just don't belong in these discussions.

Jimmy"s Hummel obsession make me little sense to me. First I can't see Mike going for it over a measly 4k, and hope he sets Jimmy straight on that matter. Is Jimmy's obsession mixed in with guilt over what he did to the Hummel lady? I Just don't get it .

I wonder if the Neff managers reminded Jimmy of his father who he regarded as a sucker?

S4 E3

I predicted that Mike wouldn't go for Jimmy's Hummel scheme, good for Mike.  I liked that he showed a bit of concern over Jimmy's obsession.  I guess I still don't know where that's coming from.  

What an initiation into Gus' crew for Nacho.  I'm surprised that the twins didn't just waste him, they seem to be the type who'd cut off loose ends and avoid the hassle of getting outside medical treatment, even from the corrupt Vet. I was surprised that one of them even gave blood.

I'm not sure what was going through Kim's mind at the meeting at Mesa Verda.  Was she just overwhelmed looking at the models and the expansion taking place due to her work?

I think Jimmy's coldness at Chuck's letter and Kim's response put another nail in the coffin of their relationship.

It looks like we are merging into the BB timeline, another BB character is featured, Walt's future short-termed lab partner.

Mr. Bill, I don’t think the twins had any choice about Nacho, and it looked to me like they’d be glad to knock him off. But Gus needs him alive (gulp, for now) to spy on Hector and his crew.

I think you’re on to Jimmy’s motives about the Neff Hummel more in your consideration of Jimmy’s memories of his father as a patsy than in an obsession over figurines. (That would be more Hank’s klepto wife Marie’s thing ;) ) He sees the copier guys as the kind of (in his estimation) dopey people he enjoys conning, even though this is a con they won’t even know he pulled on them. Yes, Mike was absolutely right to stay out of it, and I love how Mike always seems to combine moral reasons (like don’t hurt civilians, including the copier guys) with practical ones (like potentially unraveling his Madrigal deal if he were caught.) And it makes an interesting connection to Gus, who gets to terrorize Nacho into the submission Gus needs, and combining it with another ding against Hector’s crew with their cartel bosses.

Do you folks think Chuck or Kim wrote that letter? I can’t help wondering if her emotional reaction was because she’s the author of that so-not-Chuck complimentary look to Jimmy’s future. In addition to sparing him pain, I think she hoped that some words of kindness from his big brother would inspire Jimmy, and his blasé reaction made her realize she’d gained nothing by putting another major dishonesty between them. Of course, she doesn’t know that he’s also being dishonest, having not told her what happened when the Neffs offered him a job. I can’t see why she’s so freaked out by the bank’s massive plans, though. Am I missing a parallel between Mesa Verde and the switched Hummel? Does Kim know anything about the bank’s financials having any – perhaps – just a guess - unsavory issues or does it just feel like too much too fast for her?

And I have to include a shout-out to the scene with the thief in the Neff offices. It was incredibly well shot. I hope that lock picker remembered to grab his glove(s?) when he left, though the Neffs could just figure one of the job seekers passing through left it. And – vacuum cleaner reference!

Wow, I missed the vacuum cleaner reference, lol. Time for a re-watch.  I hope we see Robert Forster again, what a great actor.

Is Gus running the Salamancas now since Hector is out of the picture?  The only players left as far as I can see are the Twins and Tuco, whenever he gets out of prison.  I'm sure there are more of them out there.  Did the Cartel boss put Gus in charge?    I was wondering why Gus can command the Twins in BB, like when he texted the Twins to leave WW alone.  

Regarding the Hummel,  it seems like there's a lot of risk for a 4K return, but otoh, Jimmy's been nickel and dimeing people throughout his Slippin' Jimmy career. When he failed to get Mike, he rushed out to get another guy.  There seems to be something else going on, but maybe it's as simple as easy money, but I can't recall the last time Jimmy resorted to breaking and entering since he hired Mike to steal the Kettleman's money, which was for a better cause.

eta:
Regarding underhandedness,

I'm sure that Jimmy's hiring of Huhl (sp?) to slip the battery into Chuck's pocket red-flagged Jimmy and aided the Bar hearing panel in their decision for sanctions.

Love Robert Forster, super underrated actor in my opinion.

So seconding Pi's question, was the letter from Chuck or Kim? I don't think Kim would read Chuck's private letter, so I see no reason she would create a forgery. The question just becomes WHEN did Chuck write the letter?

S4 E4
Jimmy is great at advertising but he never learns, does he? Taking it upon himself to paint an advertising slogan on the windows, "IS THE MAN LISTENING? PRIVACY SOLD HERE.  A repeat of Davis and Main?      I'm sure it will bring in a lot of business and clients for Saul's future practice with drug dealers and criminals.  He also got the advice of "one job - one phone"  that he keeps in mind as we later see Saul with a desk drawer full of phones. If he's lucky,  the owners will only care about the sales numbers and Jimmy can probably sell them on the idea in his unique theatrical way.

I guess Kim is looking for inspiration and meaning by observing cases in the courtroom.  It was fun seeing Judge Neelix.    If she was looking for inspiration or motivation, the judge had little to give and I'm surprised that she stayed in that courtroom after her visit with the judge.  I'm still not sure what's going on with her, but I think it's leading to a critical decision point.

Mike seemed pissed off through this episode, maybe because of the support group -  the guy who was lying to gain sympathy and also remembering his son put him in a bad mood.  I don't think the "Everyone is too wrapped up in their own sad little stories to notice" thing went over too well with Anita.    He was a total stickler at the warehouse and his anger ultimately culminates in the meeting with Gus.  It would have been a lot more suspenseful if we didn't see BB and know Mike's future.  I think he got Gus' respect in standing up to him and his crew.

Oh yeah, I did enjoy the shootout and the creative and bloody way that Gus took out one of his competitors.  

To be honest, I think the story is moving a little slowly for my taste.  Although interesting, it's really biding its time.     Maybe it's because Jimmy and Kim weren't at the forefront and no real forward momentum toward Saul. I am ready for full blown Saul and Kim's eventual decision (I hope it's not too painful.)

A hard episode for Dads, with the opening flashback to Mike having his son immortalize himself in the concrete and Nacho’s dad losing his resolve when he saw his boy bleeding. And Mike listening to his son’s widow talk about how she’s beginning to forget Matty and the group leader encouraging her. It looked like Mike's relationship with Anita might be good for him but Stacey’s “talk” tore him apart and that stoic face of his actually showed it.

Meanwhile, Jimmy is still repressing his response to Chuck’s death (loved him sticking the info about someone to help him reflect onto his mirror) but I think Kim is having a hard time, too. She has to feel some guilt over her part in Chuck being confronted with his illness, she still hasn’t physically recovered (despite what she says) from a near-death accident, and the small regional bank she signed on with is showing cartel-like symptoms of over-reach, which doesn’t look like a future she wants.

I thought it was a bit much of a replay to have an episode again end with an offer to Mike, though this time it’s one he can’t really refuse. But how did Gus know that Mike knew about Nacho and the pills? Mike was hired as muscle by the doofus chemist when he made his deal with Nacho but I don’t think Gus had any eyes on that. It was Mike who recommended that Nacho dispose of the bottle with the fakes after Hector took them, and that was the action that tipped off Gus about Nacho’s involvement, but how could Gus have known that Mike knew about the dummy pills? It is possible, I guess, that Gus is just so good at tight-lipped interrogation that he knew Mike would spill enough information for Gus to fill in the gaps. Or maybe Nacho let something slip to Gus about Mike’s knowledge of his plan--?

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But how did Gus know that Mike knew about Nacho and the pills? Mike was hired as muscle by the doofus chemist when he made his deal with Nacho but I don’t think Gus had any eyes on that. It was Mike who recommended that Nacho dispose of the bottle with the fakes after Hector took them, and that was the action that tipped off Gus about Nacho’s involvement, but how could Gus have known that Mike knew about the dummy pills? It is possible, I guess, that Gus is just so good at tight-lipped interrogation that he knew Mike would spill enough information for Gus to fill in the gaps. Or maybe Nacho let something slip to Gus about Mike’s knowledge of his plan--?

I was going to go back and watch the meeting between Nacho and Mike (if I can find it?) but I think Mike tried to dissuade Nacho or at least told him to cover his tracks.  I agree, the only way that Gus would have known about Mike is if Nacho told him and that's probably the case, under duress after his partner was suffocated.  I can hear Gus saying to Nacho,  "Now, Tell me everything".  I wonder if it also implicated the Vet. Maybe had a visit from one of Gus' henchmen and why he was so shaken up treating Nacho.  I think he said, "Never call me again."

eta:
I guess I'm confused, the Squat Cobbler guy supplied the pills, but where did Nacho get the placebo? Maybe the Vet wasn't involved.

Right, how could I forget he was the “squat cobbler” guy! IIRC, he (not the vet) was the source of the pharmaceutical Advil which Nacho substituted for Hector’s own similar-looking nitroglycerin. They made the deal about midway into Season 3, when Mike wanted to know (from Nacho) where in the desert the “good Samaritan” Hector had killed was buried.

I think your suggestion makes sense, that Gus figured out Mike knew what Nacho was up to from something Nacho said, though I wish we’d seen some conversation indicating that.

I think the vet wasn’t scared by an unseen visit, I think he was terrified when he realized the spooky Cousin was with “the Cartel” and Nacho was connected with people he didn’t want to have anything more to do with. Of course, neither does poor Nacho!

That's how my typical job interviews go.

Howard is a mess.     

The Ricksters wrote:

Howard is a mess.     

Howard's not wearing "Hamlindigo Blue" which is another sign that he is troubled

I enjoyed the vetting process for the construction engineer for the secret lab.  The first guy wasn't thorough and bragged about his previous job .. red flag and got a ticket home.  The second guy was  old school and asked the right questions.  He was right down Mike's alley.

I loved how Kim totally owned the prosecutor who Jimmy always haggled with.  Her side work is eating into her time with Mesa Verda, and they're not too happy.  I don't think the MV's expansion was part of the original deal, but it seems too big for one person to handle it alone.   When she tells MV that it'll never happen again, what does she really mean by that?  

Jimmy feels he's lost his street mojo after being mugged by a few punks after his successful run at selling phones on the street. Nice montage which reminded me of the ones in BB where Jesse is slingin' meth.  It was fun watching his nervous but successful sales pitch to the Biker gang members. I thought he was going to be stomped when he mentioned he was a lawyer, but they were honorable and paid for the phones.  Nicely done.

.

Pinatas: pretty good episode, really starting to feel Jimmy's pain at the situation he's in. It doesn't look like he'll be making his dream of him and Kim working together come true. He's still stuck doing the crummy phones. Kim seems to kicking butt on all 8 cylinders. Gus is being delightfully sinister, the way we like.

S4 E7

A really wonderful opening sequence montage showing a split screen with Jimmy and Kim.  Initially everything is in sync, showing them in shared scenes and then it gradually becomes out of sync with separate scenes as they're growing apart, and there is always that center frame line that separates them.  It was very well done and set to some fun music,   "Something Stupid", which is also the title of the episode. (I need to go back and check the episode titles to see if they correspond to specific songs, the titles usually follow a theme during a season.)




Of course the title also refers to some stupid moves made in this episode by Jimmy, Huel and Kai (the German demolition expert).

Yes, that split-screen split up of Jimmy and Kim was terrific. The nasty prosecutor calling out Jimmy as a scumbag etc etc was a slap in the face for Kim. But in the last scene with all the crafts supplies (argh, a Gilligan-style cliff-hanger, nothing drives me crazier!) (and note it’s just mark-making stuff, no protest placards – yet) makes me wonder if the prosecutor has inadvertently brought out the dormant “Giselle” in Kim, and she and Jimmy will do something barely legit together.

Just to add that Kim’s new office has some similarity to Saul’s fake pillars and Constitution walls. It’s like she’s slipped Atticus Finch’s place inside a big, impersonal skyscraper.

Gus cutting off Hector’s rehabilitation as soon as he sees that the original is still there was so well done. Little does Gus know that those fingers will prove capable of more crimes than knocking over water glasses.

The German crew has to do one more demolition and they need Kai around for that. So I wonder if circumstances will force Mike to dump him before it’s done, and there will be a problem with that last demolition that will set their schedule way back. Will Mike (and Gus) opt for parkas on the slopes of Aspen for the Germans’ R&R, or will Taos be unidentifiable enough?

OMG I'm seeing a 'pop' accident in Kai's future, maybe that very last demolition..?

Loved the split screen. Poor Huell!!! Still, you don't just walk up and swat somebody like that, Jimmy didn't appear to be in imminent danger. What if the cop had just been a customer? CMON Huell, you're smarter than that.

All those branches! Do we know how much time has gone by since Kim started working on that?

I'd like to know how much time passed after the opening montage.  I think Kim mentioned when her cast was coming off in one of the previous episodes, but I don't remember.   Jimmy also stated how many months left until he gets reinstated as a lawyer, I believe he mentioned that he's a month away in this episode.   Also, they've made a lot of progress in the lab, and the German engineer mentioned it was going to take 8 months and they are half way through.   So have 4 months passed?  I'm a little surprised that Kim still had 4 months to go until her cast was removed, but since her accident, the early part of the season has crawled at a snails space.

Eta: revisiting the lab scene, it's 8 months that passed in the opening montage.

S4 E8

Kim and Jimmy scamming the DA's office - I think that's going to come back and bite Kim in the ass. I don't think that the Asst DA is going to let it go and she's going to find something. Maybe one of Jimmy's kids screwed up? And now Kim is in it for more. Doesn't look good for her as she's now addicted to the adrenaline rush.  I'm not looking forward to Kim crashing and burning professionally.

Hehe, the Link actually works.

MrBill60 wrote:

Hehe, the Link actually works.

OMG LOLOLOLOL You have to call the number!

Big John wrote:

MrBill60 wrote:

Hehe, the Link actually works.

OMG LOLOLOLOL You have to call the number!

LMAO, good ole Bob O!.   If you click the donate button it goes to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, at least that's legit, I hope.