I'm going to be honest with you. I wrote for another blog and I can't find all of my thoughts on Better Call Season 1. I'm going to post what I have and be really, really apologetic of what I am putting here.
Here goes:
Sorry ...
Episode "Alpine Shepherd Boy"
This is my first thoughts recap for Better Call Saul. Now that Sleepy Hollow is over, I need a new television series to recap my thoughts on.
I really like this show; however, it is no Breaking Bad.
This episode is a few in. I won't bore you with what has already happened. This episode, Jimmy's brother Chuck is in the hospital because he stole a newspaper to find out what Jimmy is up to. I thought this was good. We know how much Chuck does not want to go outside, so not only is he having delusions, but he is also obsessive-compulsive. Chuck is not just a little crazy, he has a full-blown mental illness, most probably late-onset schizophrenia. That's got to be a tough place for Jimmy to be in. He clearly looks up to his older brother and, despite Jimmy being a little shady, clearly is capable of sacrifice and deep love. I think the slow play there is really important. No need to rush it, which is super interesting. Some complaints of the show has been that it is too slow moving; however, my complaint about Sleepy Hollow was that they never allowed for any real character development.
I'll take Better Call Saul any day.
I also assume that it's going to get much better. A network doesn't green light another season before this one has already finished if they don't think it is very, very promising.
Back to the hospital, Jimmy makes the hard choice and has his brother released, even though we all know that's not in his best interest. The easy thing to do would have had him committed. I think this will also help Jimmy's story arc of why he is a bad guy that still has the potential to be good.
Clearly, the best part of the show was Mike. The cops arriving at his house? Can't wait to see what happens next ...
Episode "Five-O"
I really loved this episode. What I liked about it so much is the character Mike. What makes his character so good is how he is so smart, so quiet, and always, always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. He innately knows people. He knows how to get things done.
Mike watches people. He doesn't have to have all the bravado, like Jimmy. Jimmy has a nervous tic of energy, his uncertainty. Not Mike. Mike knows what he is capable of.
I love the long con Mike pulls with the dirty cops. Looking like he has been a longstanding drunk in order to get away with killing the 2 men that killed his son. So smart. He was patient. He waited. Mike doesn't need nor want to prove to everyone how smart he is. He wants to avenge his son. He does just that.
This episode is the one I have been waiting for. One moved Mike to break bad, or more bad, than he was as a dirty cop. What brought him into the Albuquerque drug world? Now we know.
This episode is so much better than Jimmy's up and comings; however, I have faith in Vince Gilligan. The long haul/con, as proved by Mike in this episode, is always worth the wait.
Episode "Bingo"
This week we returned to Jimmy's struggle between advancing his own career and doing the right thing.
However, by episodes end, I was not convinced that he did the "right" thing.
Jimmy wants to get ahead in life, but I'm beginning to feel like it is a little blown out of proportion that he is so slimy. I really just don't think that he is. He loves Kim, who clearly loves him, but not enough to stoop to his station in life. That's not cool. It also drives his desire to try and keep pace with the big-wigs, which he clearly can't. I mean, I don't blame Kim for not taking Jimmy up on his offer. Jimmy is not reliable; Kim clearly wants to get ahead in life as well, and will not invest in Jimmy.
So when Mrs. Kettleman fires Kim, Kim is obviously on the way out of her fast-track situation at the law firm. Jimmy, still loves Kim though, and turns down the Kettleman's offer for him to be their lawyer. This presents a problem. The Kettleman's decide to blackmail Jimmy. If he doesn't win the case, they will turn him in for taking a bribe.
This leads to the relationship between Mike and Jimmy starting back up.
I just think that Jimmy not only returned the money in order to save his own ass, but to save Kim's as well. Jimmy, is doing the right thing for her, despite the fact Kim is just not going to choose Jimmy. He does good things to try and win her heart, whether he knows it or not. I think what will finally break Jimmy bad is the realization that Kim is never going to pick him when he is not successful, whether he is good, or bad. I think he tries his hand at bad, to see if the success can win Kim.
As for the Kettleman's I do not think he returns the money to get them the best deal. Maybe, like 10% of Jimmy's humanity does it for that reason. They are awful people. Obviously more so the wife than the husband, but still.
I think Jimmy saying he is trying to do the right thing wasn't the "right" thing at all. He sat in his office and realized that there was no way for him to win the case. The best outcome was: for him not to get in trouble, Kim to get her clients back, and the Kettleman's, much to Mrs. Kettleman's dismay, to take the deal.
I am in agreement with most fans out there, we need way more Mike and Jimmy on the screen together. They are awesome together, and gets us one step closer into their world.
I think Jimmy crying in his would-be office is very telling. He has had enough. He can't win the girl, he can't obtain the big clients, he can't even get the office to get the big clients. Something is changing in him. If something happens to his brother, his last reason to continue to try and walk the straight-and-narrow path, Jimmy will break bad. There will be no reason, in Jimmy's mind, to even bother anymore.
Episode "Pimento"
What I liked about this episode was the rise and the fall of Jimmy in one quick stroke. He is so successful with his fraud suit, that Chuck states they can't possibly perform all of the work themselves. Despite Jimmy's initial protest to working for the firm and handing over the business, he agrees. He is willing to work with his nemesis if that means working on a class action lawsuit, and, probably more important to Jimmy, getting a chance to work with his brother.
How short lived that elation was.
Jimmy assists his brother to getting to the law firm, and they meet with Hamlin. Everything seems to be going great until Jimmy wants an office in the building. Hamlin firmly tells Jimmy no, and Jimmy tells him to go to hell.
It is later revealed that it was Chuck all along that didn't want Jimmy there. What a betrayal, after everything Jimmy has done for Chuck. How Jimmy has idolized Chuck. All Jimmy wanted was Chuck's approval. Not only does Chuck not approve, but adamantly disapproves and dare I say, loathes his brother.
This crushes Jimmy. Why wouldn't it? For the most part, Chuck's concerns are completely without merit. Yes, Jimmy got a cheap law degree. Yet it was Chuck who kept Jimmy down. Jimmy is actually a great lawyer. He found something in the elder law claim that even Chuck didn't see - the interstate fraud. Jimmy knew how to apply the law. On a family note, it is Jimmy who gladly stands by his brother in his time of need. Chuck begrudgingly got Jimmy out of jail years before. If you add it all up, it is Jimmy who is the far superior brother than Chuck. Jimmy has done more with less that his brother ever could. Who knows how good of a lawyer Jimmy would have been if he could have just gotten one foot in the door.
As for Mike, wow. What an episode. I loved how he was so badass and how with the few words of dialogue given to him, he conveys so much. It takes a great actor to be able to convey the badass nature of Mike without having the dialogue. Mike doesn't need dialogue. He is self-assured awesomeness. Love him.
Episode Marco:
This was the season finale of Better Call Saul.
I really liked the fact that the episode completed the arc. It was one long story over the season to tell how how Jimmy turned bad. What were his motives, his reasons. Now we know. He tried to be good for his brother, he wanted to be good for his brother. His brother failed him.
At no point were his merits enough. That shined through to me. He's not enough for Kim. He's not enough to take a chance on at the law firm. His brother won't take a chance on him. Even the new law firm won't take a chance on him -- he needs to interview. Really? He's got to be thinking to himself what the fuck do I have to do to get any respect around here. He even asks Kim what she had to do to get this done for him. It couldn't possibly be due to his own merits. He then asks himself the hard question if he is really gonna jump through hoops to impress these people. Why?
Yes, he called what was going to happen to his friend Marco. Marco was gonna still be sitting on that bar stool in 10 years. Yup, that's exactly what happened.
Yet, when Jimmy says this to his friend he is desperate to please Chuck. Chuck is offering him something to make his life better.
But guess what, Jimmy's life wasn't better. And, in a way, was Marco's? He was in an awful job and living in some God-awful basement apartment. What did doing it the right way get any of them?
I think that's what Jimmy came to the conclusion at the end. He didn't want to jump through anymore hoops to prove himself for a life that really didn't want him, and a life that really wasn't that great anyways. What would it get him? Boredom like Kim? Insane like Chuck?
I liked the episode very much. I, for one, am looking forward to next year.
There it is, my terrible recaps from season one. At least I feel like there is a basis now for my season 2 updates to follow as they come.
Be well.
Here goes:
Sorry ...
Episode "Alpine Shepherd Boy"
This is my first thoughts recap for Better Call Saul. Now that Sleepy Hollow is over, I need a new television series to recap my thoughts on.
I really like this show; however, it is no Breaking Bad.
This episode is a few in. I won't bore you with what has already happened. This episode, Jimmy's brother Chuck is in the hospital because he stole a newspaper to find out what Jimmy is up to. I thought this was good. We know how much Chuck does not want to go outside, so not only is he having delusions, but he is also obsessive-compulsive. Chuck is not just a little crazy, he has a full-blown mental illness, most probably late-onset schizophrenia. That's got to be a tough place for Jimmy to be in. He clearly looks up to his older brother and, despite Jimmy being a little shady, clearly is capable of sacrifice and deep love. I think the slow play there is really important. No need to rush it, which is super interesting. Some complaints of the show has been that it is too slow moving; however, my complaint about Sleepy Hollow was that they never allowed for any real character development.
I'll take Better Call Saul any day.
I also assume that it's going to get much better. A network doesn't green light another season before this one has already finished if they don't think it is very, very promising.
Back to the hospital, Jimmy makes the hard choice and has his brother released, even though we all know that's not in his best interest. The easy thing to do would have had him committed. I think this will also help Jimmy's story arc of why he is a bad guy that still has the potential to be good.
Clearly, the best part of the show was Mike. The cops arriving at his house? Can't wait to see what happens next ...
Episode "Five-O"
I really loved this episode. What I liked about it so much is the character Mike. What makes his character so good is how he is so smart, so quiet, and always, always seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. He innately knows people. He knows how to get things done.
Mike watches people. He doesn't have to have all the bravado, like Jimmy. Jimmy has a nervous tic of energy, his uncertainty. Not Mike. Mike knows what he is capable of.
I love the long con Mike pulls with the dirty cops. Looking like he has been a longstanding drunk in order to get away with killing the 2 men that killed his son. So smart. He was patient. He waited. Mike doesn't need nor want to prove to everyone how smart he is. He wants to avenge his son. He does just that.
This episode is the one I have been waiting for. One moved Mike to break bad, or more bad, than he was as a dirty cop. What brought him into the Albuquerque drug world? Now we know.
This episode is so much better than Jimmy's up and comings; however, I have faith in Vince Gilligan. The long haul/con, as proved by Mike in this episode, is always worth the wait.
Episode "Bingo"
This week we returned to Jimmy's struggle between advancing his own career and doing the right thing.
However, by episodes end, I was not convinced that he did the "right" thing.
Jimmy wants to get ahead in life, but I'm beginning to feel like it is a little blown out of proportion that he is so slimy. I really just don't think that he is. He loves Kim, who clearly loves him, but not enough to stoop to his station in life. That's not cool. It also drives his desire to try and keep pace with the big-wigs, which he clearly can't. I mean, I don't blame Kim for not taking Jimmy up on his offer. Jimmy is not reliable; Kim clearly wants to get ahead in life as well, and will not invest in Jimmy.
So when Mrs. Kettleman fires Kim, Kim is obviously on the way out of her fast-track situation at the law firm. Jimmy, still loves Kim though, and turns down the Kettleman's offer for him to be their lawyer. This presents a problem. The Kettleman's decide to blackmail Jimmy. If he doesn't win the case, they will turn him in for taking a bribe.
This leads to the relationship between Mike and Jimmy starting back up.
I just think that Jimmy not only returned the money in order to save his own ass, but to save Kim's as well. Jimmy, is doing the right thing for her, despite the fact Kim is just not going to choose Jimmy. He does good things to try and win her heart, whether he knows it or not. I think what will finally break Jimmy bad is the realization that Kim is never going to pick him when he is not successful, whether he is good, or bad. I think he tries his hand at bad, to see if the success can win Kim.
As for the Kettleman's I do not think he returns the money to get them the best deal. Maybe, like 10% of Jimmy's humanity does it for that reason. They are awful people. Obviously more so the wife than the husband, but still.
I think Jimmy saying he is trying to do the right thing wasn't the "right" thing at all. He sat in his office and realized that there was no way for him to win the case. The best outcome was: for him not to get in trouble, Kim to get her clients back, and the Kettleman's, much to Mrs. Kettleman's dismay, to take the deal.
I am in agreement with most fans out there, we need way more Mike and Jimmy on the screen together. They are awesome together, and gets us one step closer into their world.
I think Jimmy crying in his would-be office is very telling. He has had enough. He can't win the girl, he can't obtain the big clients, he can't even get the office to get the big clients. Something is changing in him. If something happens to his brother, his last reason to continue to try and walk the straight-and-narrow path, Jimmy will break bad. There will be no reason, in Jimmy's mind, to even bother anymore.
Episode "Pimento"
What I liked about this episode was the rise and the fall of Jimmy in one quick stroke. He is so successful with his fraud suit, that Chuck states they can't possibly perform all of the work themselves. Despite Jimmy's initial protest to working for the firm and handing over the business, he agrees. He is willing to work with his nemesis if that means working on a class action lawsuit, and, probably more important to Jimmy, getting a chance to work with his brother.
How short lived that elation was.
Jimmy assists his brother to getting to the law firm, and they meet with Hamlin. Everything seems to be going great until Jimmy wants an office in the building. Hamlin firmly tells Jimmy no, and Jimmy tells him to go to hell.
It is later revealed that it was Chuck all along that didn't want Jimmy there. What a betrayal, after everything Jimmy has done for Chuck. How Jimmy has idolized Chuck. All Jimmy wanted was Chuck's approval. Not only does Chuck not approve, but adamantly disapproves and dare I say, loathes his brother.
This crushes Jimmy. Why wouldn't it? For the most part, Chuck's concerns are completely without merit. Yes, Jimmy got a cheap law degree. Yet it was Chuck who kept Jimmy down. Jimmy is actually a great lawyer. He found something in the elder law claim that even Chuck didn't see - the interstate fraud. Jimmy knew how to apply the law. On a family note, it is Jimmy who gladly stands by his brother in his time of need. Chuck begrudgingly got Jimmy out of jail years before. If you add it all up, it is Jimmy who is the far superior brother than Chuck. Jimmy has done more with less that his brother ever could. Who knows how good of a lawyer Jimmy would have been if he could have just gotten one foot in the door.
As for Mike, wow. What an episode. I loved how he was so badass and how with the few words of dialogue given to him, he conveys so much. It takes a great actor to be able to convey the badass nature of Mike without having the dialogue. Mike doesn't need dialogue. He is self-assured awesomeness. Love him.
Episode Marco:
This was the season finale of Better Call Saul.
I really liked the fact that the episode completed the arc. It was one long story over the season to tell how how Jimmy turned bad. What were his motives, his reasons. Now we know. He tried to be good for his brother, he wanted to be good for his brother. His brother failed him.
At no point were his merits enough. That shined through to me. He's not enough for Kim. He's not enough to take a chance on at the law firm. His brother won't take a chance on him. Even the new law firm won't take a chance on him -- he needs to interview. Really? He's got to be thinking to himself what the fuck do I have to do to get any respect around here. He even asks Kim what she had to do to get this done for him. It couldn't possibly be due to his own merits. He then asks himself the hard question if he is really gonna jump through hoops to impress these people. Why?
Yes, he called what was going to happen to his friend Marco. Marco was gonna still be sitting on that bar stool in 10 years. Yup, that's exactly what happened.
Yet, when Jimmy says this to his friend he is desperate to please Chuck. Chuck is offering him something to make his life better.
But guess what, Jimmy's life wasn't better. And, in a way, was Marco's? He was in an awful job and living in some God-awful basement apartment. What did doing it the right way get any of them?
I think that's what Jimmy came to the conclusion at the end. He didn't want to jump through anymore hoops to prove himself for a life that really didn't want him, and a life that really wasn't that great anyways. What would it get him? Boredom like Kim? Insane like Chuck?
I liked the episode very much. I, for one, am looking forward to next year.
There it is, my terrible recaps from season one. At least I feel like there is a basis now for my season 2 updates to follow as they come.
Be well.