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Better Call Saul S2 |OT| The Truth Is Just A Point Of View - Mondays 10/9c

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Grinchy

Banned
I still don't think Chuck is all that evil. I don't even think he was trying to screw Jimmy by getting that client back. Getting that client back is just his job. I think the more the reveal of Jimmy's past, the worse Jimmy is going to look.

I agree. Chuck may have his problems with Jimmy, but he had every right to hold onto the client. Kim brought the client to the company. Chuck wanted Kim to stay, but Howard forced her out. Chuck wanting to keep the client isn't the same as Chuck wanting to screw over Kim (and by association, Jimmy).

Even if Kim were just a random guy who worked at the company who quit and tried to pull away a massive client, Chuck would have strongly wanted to keep that from happening.
 
I agree. Chuck may have his problems with Jimmy, but he had every right to hold onto the client. Kim brought the client to the company. Chuck wanted Kim to stay, but Howard forced her out. Chuck wanting to keep the client isn't the same as Chuck wanting to screw over Kim (and by association, Jimmy).

Even if Kim were just a random guy who worked at the company who quit and tried to pull away a massive client, Chuck would have strongly wanted to keep that from happening.

Chuck went out of his way making himself very sick to keep a client Kim brought in. I don't think he was simply doing his job because he has been hands off with the company for awhile.
 

Nitsuj23

Member
Chuck went out of his way making himself very sick to keep a client Kim brought in. I don't think he was simply doing his job because he has been hands off with the company for awhile.

This and him seemingly not caring too much that they lost the client until Howard mentioned the Kim and Jimmy sharing an office. If I'm remembering correctly, it seemed like he sprung up and into his closet immediately after hearing that.
 

NotLiquid

Member
This and him seemingly not caring too much that they lost the client until Howard mentioned the Kim and Jimmy sharing an office. If I'm remembering correctly, it seemed like he sprung up and into his closet immediately after hearing that.

Exactly. Like I said; he's still doing things in a perfectly legal capacity, as is expected of him, and the assumption that a bigger law team could handle the case better than just a solo practitioner could is a reasonable counter argument (which Kim even acknowledged before Mesa Verde were swayed over). It's the why he's doing it which is what's creating the driving force here. The AV Club already put it better than I could.

But Chuck is willing to put himself through hell, to wrack his body with psychosomatic pain, in order to prevent Jimmy from even enjoying the penumbra of a successful Kim Wexler, Attorney at Law. And it’s an impressive performance. While we watch Chuck damning Kim with faint praise while emphasizing the complexity of the regulatory law on which Mesa Verde’s expansion could founder, we forget that he is powering through his aversion to the lights and phones and electromagnetic background by sheer will. He is not going to give Kevin any reason to doubt them, focused as he is on creating reasons for him to doubt Kim. HHM has to be positioned as the unimpeachable choice, because CEOs, like coaches punting on fourth down, would rather avoid the criticism that comes with bucking conventional wisdom than actually succeed.

Pretending that Chuck gave two shits about Mesa Verde is disingenuous when he only sprung into action personally after finding out that Kim was quitting to do something with Jimmy, and Howard was incredibly crafty with the words he chose upon talking to Chuck about it, since he never mentioned that they weren't intending on becoming partners. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if Chuck assumed that Mesa Verde moving over to Kim meant that Jimmy would have to be involved in the business which is a double whammy on his front, robbing Jimmy of the satisfaction of Kim being successful and also assuming he's robbing Jimmy of a legitimate major case.
 

Servbot24

Banned
Ah, misheard. Still my point stands, it was a damn trap. Chuck has given enough rope for Jimmy to hang himself. That with the previous scene with Chuck going a roundabout way to retain Mesa Verde? 100% complete trap for Jimmy.

I don't really get it. They got Mesa Verde back because that's the purpose of being a company - wasn't really roundabout either, just a meeting.
 

Madouu

Member
I love watching Jimmy work.

I love watching Mike work.

How in the hell can this series make work look so damn cool

Everything they're doing has an obvious purpose, something personal, that helps them achieve their own goals. Work is cool that way, slaving in retail is not :(
 
I agree. Chuck may have his problems with Jimmy, but he had every right to hold onto the client. Kim brought the client to the company. Chuck wanted Kim to stay, but Howard forced her out. Chuck wanting to keep the client isn't the same as Chuck wanting to screw over Kim (and by association, Jimmy).

Even if Kim were just a random guy who worked at the company who quit and tried to pull away a massive client, Chuck would have strongly wanted to keep that from happening.


I don't think anyone could argue that Chuck wasn't doing what any company would do in response to a large client potentially going elsewhere. The point is I don't see him going to the meeting if Howard doesn't mention that Kim was going in business with Jimmy. I honestly see him telling Howard to do everything in his power to keep them and leaving it at that if they left.

He knows that Kim obviously won't have any clients yet and making sure she doesn't have Mesa Verde will drive a wedge between her and Jimmy(causing him to "slip" and do something stupid) and/or make her second guess working with him. Jimmy is no saint but Chuck won't rest until Jimmy is no longer practicing law and only works a job that keeps him a down like a mail clerk.
 

Lothar

Banned
This is so dull. How can the people that made Breaking Bad have made this?

Every one of my friends and family have quit watching. It's just me left.

I want to stop watching but I like the characters of Saul (not Jimmy) and Mike so much that each week before it comes on I get excited again. Only to be mostly bored for a hour.
 
I don't really get it. They got Mesa Verde back because that's the purpose of being a company - wasn't really roundabout either, just a meeting.

He started the meeting with being positive to Kim and then circling back to his firm's knowledge. At the start even Howard was thrown trying to figure out what Chuck was doing. Chuck's guilt for screwing Jimmy manifests itself in his condition and after it was done he goes nearly comatose. Jimmy showed up after he got Kim demoted to file review, and now Jimmy finds out he pulled the rug out from Kim, he's definitely coming back. It's the perfect trap Jimmy tells Ernie to leave and the case files for Mesa Verde are right there with Chuck on the couch. Chuck doesn't have to do a thing but he effectively led Jimmy to temptation and let "Slippin' Jimmy" take over.
 
This is so dull. How can the people that made Breaking Bad have made this?

Every one of my friends and family have quit watching. It's just me left.

I want to stop watching but I like the characters of Saul (not Jimmy) and Mike so much that each week before it comes on I get excited again. Only to be mostly bored for a hour.

I dunno, I love it. but I preferred Mad Men to Breaking Bad (both great, but Mad Men was by far my favorite of the two) and this is essentially Mad Men in the Breaking Bad universe.
 
This is so dull. How can the people that made Breaking Bad have made this?

Every one of my friends and family have quit watching. It's just me left.

Yeah, you said this already last week. Not sure what your friends and family have to do with the people in here who are watching, enjoying and discussing. If you don't want to watch anymore, then stop.
 

Veelk

Banned
Chuck's guilt for screwing Jimmy manifests itself in his condition and after it was done he goes nearly comatose.

When the hell did this become a rule? Chuck's largest episode was when he was hospitalized when the cops barged in. Jimmy was completely absent in that situation. And nothing happened when he screwed Jimmy out of HHM.

It's the perfect trap Jimmy tells Ernie to leave and the case files for Mesa Verde are right there with Chuck on the couch. Chuck doesn't have to do a thing but he effectively led Jimmy to temptation and let "Slippin' Jimmy" take over.

Ah yes, devious chuck, who psychically compelled Ernie from his comatose state using his third eye to call Jimmy and inform him of his condition and to come over. Then of course he knew that Ernie would leave, even though he had express orders not to do so, practically handing Jimmy his opportunity. Because of course it was a temptation, why else would chuck leave those files there, just for Jimmy. I mean, it's not like he has (or believes himself to have) a condition that prevents him from getting work done anywhere but his own electricless home. And so successful is his ploy that Jimmy is probably going to get away with it, because as of now, Chuck has zero evidence that it wasn't his own screw up, not even for himself.

That dastardly, wily Chuck, always plotting against poor Jimmy who'd never hurt a soul if chuck didn't force him to.
 
This was the best episode of the season, maybe of all of BCS. The way each scene transitioned, from the beginning to end, was perfect.

I think Chuck has a reason to why he's so against Jimmy, he obviously still believes that Jimmy is a big reason for their father's sickness and death.

Idk, I like Jimmy, but he seems to affect everyone negatively around him through his actions, kinda like Walter did.

Also - Howard's actor, omfg never wanted to punch someone so much, he's so good at acting the prick Howard is, got me thinking that maybe he's like that in real life as well.
I'm still not convinced he'll pay off Kim's $15k student loan debt after she tried to steal a client from them.
 

Robot Pants

Member
This is so dull. How can the people that made Breaking Bad have made this?

Every one of my friends and family have quit watching. It's just me left.

I want to stop watching but I like the characters of Saul (not Jimmy) and Mike so much that each week before it comes on I get excited again. Only to be mostly bored for a hour.
It's a shame you aren't enjoying an incredible show that's easily already on par with Breaking bad after only 1 and a half seasons. I'm my opinion it's actually better.
 

RangerX

Banned
This is so dull. How can the people that made Breaking Bad have made this?

Every one of my friends and family have quit watching. It's just me left.

I want to stop watching but I like the characters of Saul (not Jimmy) and Mike so much that each week before it comes on I get excited again. Only to be mostly bored for a hour.

We must be watching two different tv shows. This is easily the best show on tv for me now, and as much as I loved BB, this tops it. The characterization,casting, music and the little details are so on point. I'm hooked. I'm genuinely baffled how anyone could be bored.

I agree with earlier posters that Chuck wouldn't have gone to the meeting if Howard hadn't mentioned Jimmy partnering up with Kim. Chuck plays by the rules but hes not as warm or compassionate as Jimmy. Also I quite like Howard's actor too. Hes really grown on me over the series. Seehorn is also hitting it out of the park.
 
Outstanding episode. The kinda of episode that just builds up heat for season the finale.

I don't really get it. They got Mesa Verde back because that's the purpose of being a company - wasn't really roundabout either, just a meeting.

There was a hint the stock trader Kim and Jimmy ripped off is the son of the Mesa Verde's CEO.
 
Great episode once again. So nice to see Kim and Jimmy like that, but sad at the same time because we know it's not going to last.

But this Mesa Verde thing, they are a bank. But in what way are they a client for Howard? This might be a newbie question, but I'm not familiar at all with the law firm stuff.

Oh and Saul copying those documents, what exactly is this going to do? He changed the location but I miss the point. Yeah dumb ol me. :)
 

Veelk

Banned
Oh and Saul copying those documents, what exactly is this going to do? He changed the location but I miss the point. Yeah dumb ol me. :)

Jimmy switched the last numbers the year of a case that would be relevant to their case. It looks like an amateur mistake, which night be alright once, but he made it on every document of significance. It will make chuck look all but senile, the Mesa Verde clients see he isn't the expert they initially thought, they go back to Kim.
 
Jimmy switched the last numbers the year of a case that would be relevant to their case. It looks like an amateur mistake, which night be alright once, but he made it on every document of significance. It will make chuck look all but senile, the Mesa Verde clients see he isn't the expert they initially thought, they go back to Kim.


Ah yes, now I understand. Thanks for explaining man.
 
I thought he was changing the address of a property?

So perhaps something embarrassing happens to the bank when they go to take some public action.
 

dave is ok

aztek is ok
Jimmy switched the last numbers the year of a case that would be relevant to their case. It looks like an amateur mistake, which night be alright once, but he made it on every document of significance. It will make chuck look all but senile, the Mesa Verde clients see he isn't the expert they initially thought, they go back to Kim.
It was the address of the property.

Meaning the property they intend to expand to is no longer listed on the documents correctly.
 

Funky Papa

FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Jimmy switched the last numbers the year of a case that would be relevant to their case. It looks like an amateur mistake, which night be alright once, but he made it on every document of significance. It will make chuck look all but senile, the Mesa Verde clients see he isn't the expert they initially thought, they go back to Kim.
Or it will blow up right into Kim's face because this show is all about denying happy endings.
 

Chase17

Member
How long before BB is this again? Feel like Mike's granddaughter looked older here then in BB but I may just be remembering wrong.
 

Fuu

Formerly Alaluef (not Aladuf)
How long before BB is this again? Feel like Mike's granddaughter looked older here then in BB but I may just be remembering wrong.
Six years before if I'm not mistaken (in season 1).

The character has been portrayed by 3 different actresses at this point (one in BB, two in BCS).
 

HardRojo

Member
Loved the intro, it was amazingly well done. I was happy for Kim but that didn't last long, fuck Chuck. Jimmy is a fucking surgeon when it comes to dirty stuff, but just like everything else, this will probably blow up in his face.
 

Creamium

shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuup
Man Rhea Seehorn can act. When she tought she landed Mesa Verde... genuine happiness. At that point it's clear she's gonna lose it again though. Loved Mike's little smirk when he was staking out Salamanca.

There's so much buildup in every plotline, the finale for this season will be something else.
 

PantherLotus

Professional Schmuck
-- Said this last week but if you're still bored by BCS, this show just isn't going to satisfy you. We're 18 episodes into what will probably be a 50-show run. You know the ending, or at least where the two main characters end up. You know where we are, you know where we're going. If you are not utterly compelled already, I don't know what to tell you.

-- The earlier comparison between Chuck and Skyler is really astute in that they occupy this interesting space of morally / lawful people opposed to the principal protagonist. I like this reading a lot because the audience becomes the subject, but let me push back on this. Skyler was always worried first about Walter's health and mental health, her son, her family ... at least until Walter crossed some Rubicon of unacceptable threats to each. But can anyone say that about Chuck? Everything we see now shows that Chuck is 100% focused on a personal vendetta in punishing or holding back Jimmy from success.

-- That said BCS could do some really neat things to bring Jimmy into focus as more of the fall-from-grace figure that Walter becomes to make us questions our initial assessment of Chuck. Perhaps they reveal Jimmy's thievery to be much more prolific than we already understand. Perhaps Jimmy is directly involved in Chuck's wife no longer being around. We already know Jimmy becomes Saul, but what if this descent actually mirrors Walter to Heisenberg's descent in the audience's eventual derision? That would be really neat, especially considering the 'haha hey funny but harmless' character we see in the BB world.

-- Has anyone really noticed the parallels between the two shows? A flawed character with flawed relationships finds his career in a crossroads as he discovers his true nature, undermining existing relationships while also tainting the soul / bringing down a somewhat innocent character along the way. Jimmy is Walter. Chuck is Skyler. Kim is Jesse. (!!)
 

Lothar

Banned
-- Said this last week but if you're still bored by BCS, this show just isn't going to satisfy you. We're 18 episodes into what will probably be a 50-show run. You know the ending, or at least where the two main characters end up. You know where we are, you know where we're going. If you are not utterly compelled already, I don't know what to tell you.

I know we're going towards Saul and Saul is entertaining and fun. The glimpse we had of Saul when he was inventing the story about the pie was great. Mainly I'm watching for the Mike, Tuco, and Hector story now. So I was really disappointed that Mike didn't do much this week. I'm just not too into the lawyer firm dealings. I did enjoy Chuck's pitch though.

Yeah, you said this already last week. Not sure what your friends and family have to do with the people in here who are watching, enjoying and discussing. If you don't want to watch anymore, then stop.

Sorry for not liking your show. I'm not saying anything about the people in here watching, enjoying, and discussing. I'm talking about me. I'm saying I've been more patient than most I know in sticking with it. I may say it next week too. I can't quit watching before Gus shows up. And who knows when Jimmy will turn into Saul. I'm also interested in the Mike storyline.
 
Yeah, I can't see how anyone can argue that Chuck only did what he did for the company. He risked his own health and well being after he heard that Jimmy was somewhat involved.
Chuck's not an evil character, he clearly doesn't like Jimmy's illegal way of doing things. But there's also jealousy there, which has been hinted at throughout the show.

Also, Chuck made Kim sad. Fuck Chuck.
 

PantherLotus

Professional Schmuck
I know we're going towards Saul and Saul is entertaining and fun. The glimpse we had of Saul when he was inventing the story about the pie was great. Mainly I'm watching for the Mike, Tuco, and Hector story now. So I was really disappointed that Mike didn't do much this week. I'm just not too into the lawyer firm dealings. I did enjoy Chuck's pitch though.

18 episodes in, it's time to acknowledge this is a show that uses lawyer firm dealings to illuminate character arcs.

Sorry for not liking your show. I'm not saying anything about the people in here watching, enjoying, and discussing. I'm talking about me. I'm saying I've been more patient than most I know in sticking with it. I may say it next week too. I can't quit watching before Gus shows up. And who knows when Jimmy will turn into Saul. I'm also interested in the Mike storyline.

I think it's 100% awesome to be critical of art. However I don't think that's what your comments are and promises to do more of the same are more or less explicitly trolling / begging for attention without an honest intention of dialogue.
 
Yeah, I can't see how anyone can argue that Chuck only did what he did for the company. He risked his own health and well being after he heard that Jimmy was somewhat involved.
Chuck's not an evil character, he clearly doesn't like Jimmy's illegal way of doing things. But there's also jealousy there, which has been hinted at throughout the show.

Also, Chuck made Kim sad. Fuck Chuck.

Chuck did not do anything unethical. He acted within the Bar Association rules. He would have acted the same way regardless of who the competing attorneys were.
 
Chuck did not do anything unethical. He acted within the Bar Association rules. He would have acted the same way regardless of who the competing attorneys were.

I didn't say he did anything unethical. You honestly think he would have went to speak with them, around all that electricity, if Jimmy wasn't involved? He's risking, from his viewpoint, his own health for one client.
 

Veelk

Banned
Yeah, I can't see how anyone can argue that Chuck only did what he did for the company. He risked his own health and well being after he heard that Jimmy was somewhat involved.
Chuck's not an evil character, he clearly doesn't like Jimmy's illegal way of doing things. But there's also jealousy there, which has been hinted at throughout the show.

Also, Chuck made Kim sad. Fuck Chuck.

The problem with the Fuck Chuck movement, similar to the Fuck Skyler and even the Yay Walter movements is that they boil down the characters to baser components than what the show gives us. True, Chuck is being a jackass, and he does go out of his way but he also wants to help his brother and cares for him.

These antithetical concepts are embedded within the same person make for a very interesting dynamic with Jimmy. He loves and hates his brother, wishes him success, but not as a lawyer, he does it because he knows he'll cause harm to the people around him with his exploitation of the law, but also envies his ability to do so. And all that makes for an interesting character, but not if you ignore one side just to support a caricaturized version of the character that fits preconceptions of him being a good or bad person. I mean, already we have people thinking chuck maliciously intended for Jimmy to mess with the Mesa Verde files, despite the impossibility of the claim.
 
I didn't say he did anything unethical. You honestly think he would have went to speak with them, around all that electricity, if Jimmy wasn't involved? He's risking, from his viewpoint, his own health for one client.

Having worked in a large law firm, yes.

I worked for a partner who would call clients from his hospital bed.

The problem with the Fuck Chuck movement, similar to the Fuck Skyler and even the Yay Walter movements is that they boil down the characters to baser components than what the show gives us. True, Chuck is being a jackass, and he does go out of his way but he also wants to help his brother and cares for him. .
this is the classical Gilligan character conflict: morally bent characters with hearts of gold and vice versa
 
The problem with the Fuck Chuck movement, similar to the Fuck Skyler and even the Yay Walter movements is that they boil down the characters to baser components than what the show gives us. True, Chuck is being a jackass, and he does go out of his way but he also wants to help his brother and cares for him.

These antithetical concepts are embedded within the same person make for a very interesting dynamic with Jimmy. He loves and hates his brother, wishes him success, but not as a lawyer, he does it because he knows he'll cause harm to the people around him with his exploitation of the law, but also envies his ability to do so. And all that makes for an interesting character, but not if you ignore one side just to support a caricaturized version of the character that fits preconceptions of him being a good or bad person. I mean, already we have people thinking chuck maliciously intended for Jimmy to mess with the Mesa Verde files, despite the impossibility of the claim.

I wasn't being serious with the 'fuck chuck'. I thought that was pretty obvious since I said it after just saying that Chuck clearly isn't evil or just doing this out of jealousy.
Unless of course you're agreeing with me and expanding upon that, and I've misunderstood.

Having worked in a large law firm, yes.

I worked for a partner who would call clients from a hospital bed.

I have to completely disagree. The only time we've seen Chuck do this, and 'power through' as he did, is coincidentally about a firm that he feels could fall into the hands of Jimmy. If I'm not mistaken, Howard is also vague about the professional relationship between Jimmy and Kim's firms.

I'm not saying he did it just because of Jimmy. But he was clearly a factor.
 

Lothar

Banned
18 episodes in, it's time to acknowledge this is a show that uses lawyer firm dealings to illuminate character arcs.



I think it's 100% awesome to be critical of art. However I don't think that's what your comments are and promises to do more of the same are more or less explicitly trolling / begging for attention without an honest intention of dialogue.

I have a feeling you would say that about any negative opinion on the show. I don't think the entire series will be lawyer firm dealings, well I hope not. At some point he will become a criminal lawyer. At some point he will he will have to combine with the Mike story. Going into this season, it looked like he was already at that point. It looked like he was done with firms. I was so happy about that.
 

Fuu

Formerly Alaluef (not Aladuf)
The problem with the Fuck Chuck movement, similar to the Fuck Skyler and even the Yay Walter movements is that they boil down the characters to baser components than what the show gives us. True, Chuck is being a jackass, and he does go out of his way but he also wants to help his brother and cares for him.

These antithetical concepts are embedded within the same person make for a very interesting dynamic with Jimmy. He loves and hates his brother, wishes him success, but not as a lawyer, he does it because he knows he'll cause harm to the people around him with his exploitation of the law, but also envies his ability to do so. And all that makes for an interesting character, but not if you ignore one side just to support a caricaturized version of the character that fits preconceptions of him being a good or bad person. I mean, already we have people thinking chuck maliciously intended for Jimmy to mess with the Mesa Verde files, despite the impossibility of the claim.
Agreed. The writers and actors go out of their way to paint everything with shades of grey but people insist on seeing black and white.

edit: not you, EdibleExplosives, but viewers who see Chuck as some sort of mustache-twirling villain.

Having worked in a large law firm, yes.

I worked for a partner who would call clients from a hospital bed.
In the specific context of Chuck and the show, do you believe he would zone out, walk straight to the wardrobe, grab a suit without space blanket lining and tell Howard to set up a meeting immediately with phones and lights on if Jimmy wasn't involved?

He clearly changes his expression and body language in that scene after Howard mentions Jimmy.
 

harSon

Banned
That scene of Jimmy brought back memories of me changing my grades in High School before they crossed paths with my parents. It's so much easier with a scanner and photoshop...
 
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