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[Cornballer]

These interviews were already posted in the thread, but here are a few more quotes from the cast.

Odenkirk's EW interview:

Jimmy seems to have put himself in quite a pickle with his admission, but he doesn’t yet realize how sour this pickle is about to get. What was your first reaction when you read that scene?

I liked how much it was about brotherly love, that moment of Jimmy just kind of surrendering and saying, “Look, it was me,” and admitting it and doing it for his brother’s sanity and health. I really like the emotion of it, and I also feel like I get the exhaustion of just the wanting the fight to stop, you know? I have great empathy for that whole thing — whenever you see couples fight, you kind of feel like, “Don’t you guys just get exhausted? Don’t you just want to go, ‘Hey. You know what? I give up.’” But then, the fact that the brother really hasn’t given up and the brother was manipulating this whole time on some level just makes me hate Chuck more. As much as I love Michael McKean, Chuck is a f—ing asshole. He’s a f—ing asshole. Come on! You really need to do that? And he’s got to win at all costs. I mean, really it’s Chuck who has to win at all costs.

How much of Chuck’s descent in this episode was a ruse? From the self-induced catatonia to the Mylar room, at what point did Chuck start playing Jimmy, and how much of it was real and how much of it was fake?

It was a combo platter of real and fake. It was his anxiety just run amok, but it was fueling his crazy plotting. He was genuinely relieved to finally have an excuse to put up his walls of Mylar [laughs]. I’m sure he’s been thinking about that for years and he felt like he’d been pushed to the limit and he could just do it. But also he had to grit his teeth like crazy to go pick out the old tape recorder and set it up and plug it in, and yet it was worth it to him. And the crazy thing is, if you think about it, if Chuck thought that plan was going to work, what he realized was: When I show my brother how much my sanity is at stake, he will break down. That’s what will break my brother down. I will show him my sanity has been taken and I will use that against him. I know he loves me enough and cares about me enough that he won’t be able to keep up his front in the face of my own health issues, but then I will use his love for me against him. That’s pretty s—ty. Of course, we don’t really know what Chuck’s going to do with that, but I imagine he’s going to try to get Jimmy disbarred. I guess if he really loves his brother, he might say “Okay, I have this tape now. Don’t f— around anymore.” But I don’t think that’s what he’ll do.

That was my next question: We don’t see Chuck show Jimmy that he has proof of his crime. Is it possible he’s going to sit on that for a while and figure out how he play that card? Or do you think he’s already got a plan in place?

I think he’s got a plan in place. I keep thinking about Howard Hamlin [Patrick Fabian], who has kind of turned out to be this fairly reasonable guy in every way — legally, he’s not overly selfish. He takes people into account. When you meet Howard Hamlin, he comes across as such a snake, but then as we’ve gotten to know him over these two seasons, he’s got a balance to him, which is pretty amazing to see. And you believe it too, so I don’t know if Howard would step in there and go, “Look, okay, I get it. It’s a s—ty thing your brother did. But we don’t need to take him down. Let’s just move on.” That seems to be Howard’s attitude….

You know how a battle that you’re in that has your ego involved, it just will not leave you alone? It can be the dumbest thing. There’s all kinds of disagreements and challenges we have in our day that we can set aside and take on as we approach them. And this kind of thing, this thing that involves your ego, is the kind of thing that you just can’t get it out of your f—ing head and it drives you. So I think in this case, Chuck has got this disease, he believes it’s real, and it is weakening him, and then he’s also thinking, “You know, I can use it against my brother. I can use his sympathy for me and what I’m going through.” Because ultimately, he always comes through. He always comes back. I mean, Jimmy checked in on Chuck even after everything. He checked in at the beginning of the season, you remember, there was a feeling of like, “Well, is he going to ignore his brother, try to avoid him?” And he drove by the house and looked at the house, and there was Ernie coming out, and he asked him how his brother’s doing. So that’s sort of a deeper motivation for Jimmy than anything else. It’s just his feelings for his brother.

Michael McKean interview:

Have you gotten any sense from viewer feedback of whether or not people’s minds and their views of Chuck, and therefore Jimmy, have shifted through this season?

Yeah. I think so. I think so. I think they realize that there’s no bad guys in the work of Vince and Peter and Thomas Schnauz and the rest of [the writers]. Nobody’s all one thing, because people aren’t all one thing. People aren’t a single sentence or a paragraph. People are page after page… as we discover more about them, it just makes them more interesting, makes them more compelling. I think if someone is one hundred percent villain, he’s not very interesting, unless you’re making a nice big superhero movie or something where you want the purity of the villain. It’s good to know we’re recognizable human beings, it’s good to know that there’s more to [these characters] than just bad guy/good guy, because that’s how it is in real life. That’s why the show remains so compelling to me.

Did your opinion about Chuck shift this season?

It has always been my responsibility to understand his point of view. I’ve done so to the best of my ability. I think to really play any character, you have to see their point of view and you have to adopt their point of view. The scripts have been so good, and the writing has been so honest, and the directors so phenomenal that I’ve never felt at sea at any time. It’s just good to have all the info, and that’s what’s on the page. We’re very lucky.

Why do you think Chuck is immune to Jimmy’s charms, where so many others are not?

Chuck is quite a bit older than Jimmy. When Jimmy was still screwing up in high school, Chuck was already out of law school and set up his own practice and was very successful. In any sibling situation where there’s one sibling who is screwing up, there will always be at least one parent who will come and say, “Look, would you please talk to Jimmy? See if you can straighten him out.” Chuck became a surrogate parent in a lot of ways. That’s a very frustrating thing for a person, because you can’t wave that magic wand. Just because you’ve got your life together doesn’t mean that you can infect other people with that. They have to find it their own way. I think that’s a level of frustration for Chuck.

Also, the shorthand that I came up with… I made an assumption about it, but it’s been borne out by the writers, that I made my mother very proud and Jimmy made our mother laugh. That’s something I couldn’t manage. That’s something that’s just not who I am. That level of frustration is pretty great for Chuck, I think. That’s making it very basic, but I think a lot of things spring from that. It’s not so much that I’m immune to his charm, it’s just that I think other people make too much of it and are overlooking a lot things about Jimmy that are not so nice.

We see that also with Chuck’s wife, who I assume we’re going to find out a lot more about next season. Jimmy very easily made her laugh, and when Chuck tried to tell her a joke later she kind of humored him with a chuckle.

Yeah. Here’s Jimmy, almost without lifting a finger, being the charmer. For Chuck, it’s all work, because his work is controlling people. His work is influencing people. When one does it without what Chuck would consider to be the proper equipment, it’s very frustrating.

Why do you think Chuck doesn’t tell Jimmy that his mom did wake up and say his name before she passed away?

That’s my secret. Just remember that a lot of things in this relationship are about power and perception of power.

In the final scene with Chuck and Jimmy in the finale, Jimmy is there because he’s guilty, partly, but also because he’s concerned about Chuck. He does not suspect at all what Chuck is doing with the hidden tape recorder and how he’s trying to get him to confess. Does Chuck have any second thoughts about what he’s doing, tricking Jimmy?

I don’t know about Chuck, but I certainly don’t. Once again, I’ll go back to my fallback position, it’s about power.

Chuck tells Jimmy and Kim that he thinks Jimmy has a good heart despite all the things he gets himself and other people into. Do you think he does really believe that?

I’m sorry. I can’t tell you that. It’s because it’s too complicated. It’s too complicated to be one way or the other. You can feel that about someone sometimes, and other times it’s just like, “No, screw them. They’re worthless.” It has to fluctuate. I don’t think at any time does Chuck doubt his own perceptions of Jimmy. It’s just that where it goes emotionally is very complicated. There’s no one answer.

More Q&A via both of those links.

 

[Shanlei91]

I remember when people were worried about the Breaking Bad spinoff being awful. Now it's one of the best shows on TV, being one of the few where nearly all the character's actions are morally gray.

I hate Chuck but his character is ridiculously tragic. I felt awful for him during the flashback but once it cut to the present I wanted Jimmy to not call 911.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I remember when people were worried about the Breaking Bad spinoff being awful. Now it's one of the best shows on TV, being one of the few where nearly all the character's actions are morally gray.

I hate Chuck but his character is ridiculously tragic. I felt awful for him during the flashback but once it cut to the present I wanted Jimmy to not call 911.

I'm just glad Ernie took the blame for that one. What a solid guy.

 

[Shanlei91]

I'm just glad Ernie took the blame for that one. What a solid guy.

Ya, adds to the whole Kim & Jimmy calling him Ernie and Chuck calling him Ernesto. He works for crazy Chuck but is actually friends with Jimmy.

 

[Surfinn]

Wow. I had no idea I watched the finale last night?! How come this season isn't 16?

Fantastic episode.

 

[tearsintherain]

The theory that Chuck is the one who ruins the McGill name is really good, didn't think about that. It would also be wild and crazy if he appears in the Cinnabon era, and we find out they just have been super estranged for years.

Also the actor who played Gomie is running for county commissioner in ABQ and apparently has had some BCS moments of his own
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...-blackmail-threat_us_56f4ea95e4b014d3fe22c393

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Ya, adds to the whole Kim & Jimmy calling him Ernie and Chuck calling him Ernesto. He works for crazy Chuck but is actually friends with Jimmy.

I love how there's so much depth to these little details which makes it really fun to discuss like this.

These interviews were already posted in the thread, but here are a few more quotes from the cast.

Odenkirk's EW interview:Michael McKean interview:More Q&A via both of those links.

Great interviews; thanks. Sounds like Chuck's actor is really into the part.

Well, I say get away with murder as a catchy turn of phrase.

Jimmy has a flair for presentation. I don't know whether it's because he's charming so he can make any situation sound good or that he makes any situation sound good is what makes him charming. But if you say it in sheer literal terms: "Jimmy committed a crime" then there's no getting away with it. But Jimmy wouldn't say that. He'd frame it as helping his associate and friend, making a tiny alteration to the documents, one that is almost meaningless, and easy to fix, with no great loss done to anyone.

A good example is actually the opening scene of the show. That's Jimmy working his hardest to present the situation in as best a light as possible. Everything Jimmy says is perfectly true, but he skirts around addressing what the 3 boys actually did. They were in the thralls of youth, having a good time, something they won't do again, and it was a victimless crime wherein no body got hurt. It's a very convincing defense all things considered. As a counter, the prosecuter says absolutely nothing and simply shows the jury the court tape. There is no attention paid to presentation, neither condemnation or scorn: The prosecutor just shows it like it is: The boys had sex with a head. And just like that, Jimmy lost.

So when I say that Jimmy gets away with murder, it's not that people wouldn't hold him accountable if they had the stark truth of what he does. But he paints everything in the best possible light when he absolutely has to tell the truth, and most of the time, it works. Back when he was working for Davis and Main, Chuck immediately spotted that Jimmy solicited his clients, which he did. But Jimmy worded his explanation in such a way that it was innocent. But if Chuck had evidence of the stark truth, davis and main would be far less satisfied. That may be the biggest contrast with the two brothers. Jimmy tries to distort reality to make it fit his version as much as he wants, but Chuck's skills as a lawyer revolve around citing factual evidence in support of his case. The closest he came to distortion is his rhetorical false assurances that Kim has everything covered to Mesa Verde which itself is designed around layering the amount of factual issues that Kim would have to contend with to serve them, and then he then immediately defaults to simply presenting more factual evidence ("Kim is just one person, we as a firm can handle your needs better).

That said, I think Chuck exasperates this effect. While people like Jimmy, that rarely clouds their vision of him to the extent that his likability is the only reason he can do anything. In his betrayal speech, he cites his likability as the only real reason that Jimmy can be a lawyer, when Jimmy actually worked quite hard doing real (if occasionally unorthodox) detective/lawyer work. The reason the Sandpiper case exists isn't because Jimmy slicked anyone, it's because he noticed a deficiency in the numbers while working a smaller case, found a legal loophole in which to obtain the documents he needed, then reconstructed them (with chuck's help), making a damn federal case. That is authentic lawyer work that chuck tries to ignore. Meanwhile, people actually do like Chuck. He's highly respected and revered. Howard treats him right and defers to him when he is uncertain. Jimmy worships the guy, and takes care of him out of a genuine love even despite all that happened to him. Even Ernie doesn't seem to have an issue with Chuck until he goes ballistic with his crusade. He had a wife that was genuinely fond of him. His issue is less that he is unloved (by the characters within the show anyway. Some people in this thread would mount his head on a pike in front of his burning house.) and more that he feels unloved.

The scene with his mother dying is specially key. There is absolutely no reason to believe that either parent favored Jimmy. That his mom said Jimmy twice before immediately dying could have happened for literally any reason at all. It doesn't mean she loved Jimmy more. That Chuck interprets it that way regardless is more of a statement on his psychology than direct evidence of his parents regard.

And thank you for this. Really interesting to read these conversations about their characters. The scene with their mother added so much to them both.

The theory that Chuck is the one who ruins the McGill name is really good, didn't think about that. It would also be wild and crazy if he appears in the Cinnabon era, and we find out they just have been super estranged for years.

It's a great theory and genuinely makes a ton of sense. Chuck becomes increasingly unhinged in his attempts to disbar his brother, and in doing so sullies the family name.

 

[triplestation]

Yeah I think Chuck will take jimmy to court and lose. This is what will spark the idea in Jimmy's head to change his name.

 

[pj]

I'd love to see a fan edit of this show. Better Call Saul "Plot without the plod" edition. Better Call Sal "Not killing time" edition. Better Call Saul "We get it" edition.

I bet you could cut 50% of the running time out of the show without cutting any scene in its entirety and lose almost to lih-truh-lee nothing in plot or emotional impact.

It is crazy how slow this show moves

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Damn what a goddamn excellent season of TV

 

[Surfinn]

I'd love to see a fan edit of this show. Better Call Saul "Plot without the plod" edition. Better Call Sal "Not killing time" edition. Better Call Saul "We get it" edition.

I bet you could cut 50% of the running time out of the show without cutting any scene in its entirety and lose almost to lih-truh-lee nothing in plot or emotional impact.

It is crazy how slow this show moves

What? I never feel like the show is moving too slow. Everything done on screen feels deliberate and meaningful. Not perfect by any means, but very, very high quality.

 

[blame space]

its pace is deliberate. I really have grown to love it. TV isn't just about a plot-point breakdown.

 

[CharminUltra]

Watching the finale again. This teaser is so great.

Chuck's face right after she dies...

"Did she wake up? Did she say anything?"
"... No."

 

[Servbot24]

I'd love to see a fan edit of this show. Better Call Saul "Plot without the plod" edition. Better Call Sal "Not killing time" edition. Better Call Saul "We get it" edition.

I bet you could cut 50% of the running time out of the show without cutting any scene in its entirety and lose almost to lih-truh-lee nothing in plot or emotional impact.

It is crazy how slow this show moves

Plot is not the point of many, if not most great stories.

 

[mxgt]

It is crazy how slow this show moves

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I don't really know what you expect from the show?

 

[CharminUltra]

"NO CAT SCAN! NO CAT SCAN!"

Seriously? Hating on cats now?

Fuck Chuck.

 

[pj]

its pace is deliberate. I really have grown to love it. TV isn't just about a plot-point breakdown.

It don't care if it's deliberate or not. It feels like slow for slow's sake and I think the show could be shorter and not suffer in quality. 50% is an exaggeration on the whole, but certainly many scenes could be half as long and overall probably 15-20% could easily be cut out.

Scenes drag for minutes after the last drop of emotion or insight or character development was already wrung out.

For example, the segment with Kim calling everyone she knew to find client leads was about 4 times as long as it needed to be. The flashback of Jimmy's dad getting scammed was also much longer than it needed to be. The

Spoiler

mom dying

scene also felt overly long as I was watching it.

If I had any skill or software for editing I would do a couple scenes to show what I'm talking about. If someone else does it I'll be sure to post it here so people can judge for themselves!

Edit: nvm, I'm not gonna win with you people. I hope S3 has a 9 minute one shot take of jimmy eating a bowl of ice cream start to finish. It'll be the best thing that's ever been put on film.

 

[CopperPuppy]

I'd love to see a fan edit of this show. Better Call Saul "Plot without the plod" edition. Better Call Sal "Not killing time" edition. Better Call Saul "We get it" edition.

I bet you could cut 50% of the running time out of the show without cutting any scene in its entirety and lose almost to lih-truh-lee nothing in plot or emotional impact.

It is crazy how slow this show moves

What a crazy thing to say about this show. Just because the plot is deliberately slow-burning in nature does not mean there is an excess of superfluous material. On the contrary, this is one of the few shows currently airing where I can honestly say that virtually all of the material is carefully curated and essential in its own way.

If I had any skill or software for editing I would do a couple scenes to show what I'm talking about.

Oh boy...

 

[Triggerhappytel]

What a crazy thing to say about this show. Just because the plot is deliberately slow-burning in nature does not mean there is an excess of superfluous material. On the contrary, this is one of the few shows currently airing where I can honestly say that virtually all of the material is carefully curated and essential in its own way.

Yeah, I agree. The character development is excellent in this, and even in places where it seems a little slow, I don't feel like anything is wasted here.

 

[Veelk]

Edit: nvm, I'm not gonna win with you people. I hope S3 has a 9 minute one shot take of jimmy eating a bowl of ice cream start to finish. It'll be the best thing that's ever been put on film.

If anyone could pull if off, it'd be Gilligan and Gould, and I mean that genuinely.

 

[Surfinn]

It don't care if it's deliberate or not. It feels like slow for slow's sake and I think the show could be shorter and not suffer in quality. 50% is an exaggeration on the whole, but certainly many scenes could be half as long and overall probably 15-20% could easily be cut out.

Scenes drag for minutes after the last drop of emotion or insight or character development was already wrung out.

For example, the segment with Kim calling everyone she knew to find client leads was about 4 times as long as it needed to be. The flashback of Jimmy's dad getting scammed was also much longer than it needed to be. The

Spoiler

mom dying

scene also felt overly long as I was watching it.

If I had any skill or software for editing I would do a couple scenes to show what I'm talking about. If someone else does it I'll be sure to post it here so people can judge for themselves!

Edit: nvm, I'm not gonna win with you people. I hope S3 has a 9 minute one shot take of jimmy eating a bowl of ice cream start to finish. It'll be the best thing that's ever been put on film.

It's possible that a few scenes could be cut a little shorter, but it's nowhere near as dramatic as you're making it out to be. After watching TWD S6 burn through a lot of bullshit and wasted time, this show feels like a godsend.

 

[CharminUltra]

It don't care if it's deliberate or not. It feels like slow for slow's sake and I think the show could be shorter and not suffer in quality. 50% is an exaggeration on the whole, but certainly many scenes could be half as long and overall probably 15-20% could easily be cut out.

Scenes drag for minutes after the last drop of emotion or insight or character development was already wrung out.

For example, the segment with Kim calling everyone she knew to find client leads was about 4 times as long as it needed to be. The flashback of Jimmy's dad getting scammed was also much longer than it needed to be. The

Spoiler

mom dying

scene also felt overly long as I was watching it.

If I had any skill or software for editing I would do a couple scenes to show what I'm talking about. If someone else does it I'll be sure to post it here so people can judge for themselves!.

After having just watched the glorious ER scene again, all I can say is: I'm seriously glad Gould and co. are in charge of the show and not you.

 

[March of the Crabs]

That was, as a whole, one of the best seasons of TV I've seen in a long time. This show is something else.

 

[FZZ]

It's gonna be interesting to see Jimmy vs. Chuck next season

I think Jimmy will hold out and never fully go through with his schemes against Chuck even after the tape, something bigger will need to happen and that's when Saul will be born. I think after Saul is born he beats Chuck and then makes his name in private practice that way.

 

[CHC]

Goddamn that finale was a cocktease.

But I LOVE how they have somehow managed to make this decrepit, bitter, and (possibly) mentally ill old lawyer the major villain of the series. The stakes are so realistic, I'm glad that they didn't try to manufacture another Walter White / crime-lord character for Jimmy to get all dirty with. The pace is fresh and pleasing, despite what will undoubtedly be a torturous wait for season 3.

 

[Veelk]

The only real issue I have with the pacing is that it's slow both on the build up and the climax. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but it makes the finales not feel like finales. The finales both end in major changes for the characters, Jimmy had his self actualization epiphany and Chuck finally was brought down to his level, but if I were going by the episodes alone, I wouldn't be able to tell you where season 1 ended (backtrack and reshoot of the finale scene in Episode 1 of season 2 aside), and I would think than season 2's finale was just another episode and we were getting another one next week. The slow build up and slow climax, as satisfying as they are, mean you expect them to keep going.

But if you want an actually slow, superflously long story, read wheel of time. That is a series, albiet a written one and not a tv series, that has the problem pj is talking about. You can literally make edits to compress, cut and edit sentences that are overly long or redundant with as you go along.

 

[Surfinn]

The only real issue I have with the pacing is that it's slow both on the build up and the climax. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but it makes the finales not feel like finales. The finales both end in major changes for the characters, Jimmy had his self actualization epiphany and Chuck finally was brought down to his level, but if I were going by the episodes alone, I wouldn't be able to tell you where season 1 ended (backtrack and reshoot of the finale scene in Episode 1 of season 2 aside), and I would think than season 2's finale was just another episode and we were getting another one next week. The slow build up and slow climax, as satisfying as they are, mean you expect them to keep going.

But if you want an actually slow, superflously long story, read wheel of time. That is a series, albiet a written one and not a tv series, that has the problem pj is talking about. You can literally make edits to compress, cut and edit sentences that are overly long or redundant with as you go along.

Yeah, I didn't know I was watching a finale. Thought we were getting another one next week. Still fantastic and the quality is consistent, unlike most shows.

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

It's interesting to see how, despite being right about all the facts, Chuck can't get anyone on his side. Because he's just so damn unlikable, whereas Jimmy is likeable and charismatic as hell.


I mutter things like that all the time. I don't see the problem.

Just sounds like something Danny Glover or the guy from Moonlighting would mutter after a series of crazy almost unsurvivable events.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

"NO CAT SCAN! NO CAT SCAN!"

Seriously? Hating on cats now?

Fuck Chuck.

Despite everything, that scene was incredibly hard to watch I felt really bad for Chuck

 

[Cornballer]

- Onion A|V Club's Polite Fight: How Better Call Saul’s season finale brings out the darkness in Chuck and Jimmy

An intense debate in the comments on Donna Bowman’s review of the Better Call Saul season two finale fuels much of John and Gus’ discussion of “Klick.” Which character is worse, morally speaking: Chuck or Jimmy?

Our hosts also turn their attention to the sound design in Mike’s sniper scene and Kim’s heartbreaking reaction to Jimmy’s commercial. Kudos to a poster for noticing that Jimmy’s wholesome appeal to the elderly is followed immediately by a fitting ad for a certain brand of garden tools.

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

Morally, Chuck has been pretty sound. He doesn't owe Jimmy anything. He knows from a lifetime of experience how far he can safely stick his neck out for his brother and is only trying to impart this knowledge on others who might be pulled in by Jimmy.

 

[IronRinn]

- Onion A|V Club's Polite Fight: How Better Call Saul’s season finale brings out the darkness in Chuck and Jimmy

No more Saul, no more Polite Fight for me.

(Don't give a single fuuuuuuuuuuuck about Game of Thrones.)

 

[TheOMan]

Morally, Chuck has been pretty sound. He doesn't owe Jimmy anything. He knows from a lifetime of experience how far he can safely stick his neck out for his brother and is only trying to impart this knowledge on others who might be pulled in by Jimmy.

Except for that whole lying about their Mother's dying words, but you know...maybe he forgot?

 

[Spectral Glider]

The

Spoiler

mom dying

scene also felt overly long as I was watching it.

The entire opener of Jimmy saying he wanted something to eat to him coming back with the food, with the mom dying in between, took exactly 5 minutes. Seriously dude, just go watch something else.

 

[RecRoulette]

Surprised there are still people hanging around waiting for the show to pick up the pace like it's inevitable.

 

[Sami+]

I can't say I ever liked Chuck since the big reveal last season, but this definitely solidified my stance on him. Whether his flaws are mildly reasoned or not, I just can't sympathize with someone so openly antagonistic toward their own brother. Where Jimmy fails to see the importance of maintaining the law, Chuck lets his devotion to it completely undermine his humanity.

He's a jealous, petty, small man who deserves no sympathy.

 

[CharminUltra]

(Don't give a single fuuuuuuuuuuuck about Game of Thrones.)

I still plan to watch it, but after the abomination that was last season, I think I'd call it hatewatching instead (without going to that show's OT to shit on it.)

 

[Langdon Alger]

Morally, Chuck has been pretty sound. He doesn't owe Jimmy anything. He knows from a lifetime of experience how far he can safely stick his neck out for his brother and is only trying to impart this knowledge on others who might be pulled in by Jimmy.

Before the last episode I might have agreed with you. But after seeing the insane lengths that he's is going to to try and ruin Jimmy, I've lost all sympathy for Chuck. Jimmy should have had him committed.

 

[IronRinn]

I still plan to watch it, but after the abomination that was last season, I think I'd call it hatewatching instead (without going to that show's OT to shit on it.)

At the very least John and Gus will have something interesting to say about it.

(Seriously, I just really like Polite Fight. I would like 30 minute Polite Fights. I would also like Polite Fights for The Americans. What the fuck, not even Polite Fight is watching The Americans. WHAT IS IT GOING TO FUCKING TAKE TO GET PEOPLE TO WATCH THE AMERICANS!?)

Ahem, sorry about that folks, lost my head there for a hot second.

 

[Saty]

Good on Chuck. I'm not sure why people are rooting for the guy who 'ratfucked' his brother and was responsible for his head injury. Chuck is just doing what needs to be done to make Jimmy stop. Jimmy ain't the 'good guy' here and i dislike how viewers are again trying to make Jimmy be on the right like they did with Walter White.

Mike's side was pretty bad. Mike, buddy, go away. You have $250K. You screwed Salamanca good enough. Why are u trying to embroil yourself with shit? It's just plain stupid he continues to stick out his neck. That's what all the stupid criminal wannabees that Mike keeps embarrassing would do. 'Oh, he threatened my grand-daughter so ain't no chance in hell he's going to live. I'm gonna drop like that! Show him whose the boss'. (or because the innocent the gang killed, whose life is also on Mike's head?).
But yet Mike is acting just like another hothead who decided he must put somebody in his place. Again, i just don't buy it. It's not convincing to have his character has been written for 2 seasons. It's not something Mike would insist in doing.

And the way it ended. It didn't. They completely failed to give a satisfying closure or a more natural pause to his arc. Whatever they planned just didn't fit with 10 eps. It's really the worst kind of a cliffhanger where you don't feel something was accomplished and you wouldn't bat an eye-lid if next week E11 aired. Seemed like they wanted to convey how Mike cares enough about Nacho that he decided against killing the boss when it meant hurting/killing Nacho as well But there wasn't enough around that.

Mike pulling off the heist and then agonizing himself about the murdered innocent would have been an excellent resting point. A clearer arc for him this season. And you then could have done what you did this episode in next season's opener. Instead of ending on a whimper of a cliffhanger you start a new season with a bang and increase alertness to the max.

 

[Einchy]

Despite everything, that scene was incredibly hard to watch I felt really bad for Chuck

It actually felt like he was being tortured.

 

[MrBadger]

Before the last episode I might have agreed with you. But after seeing the insane lengths that he's is going to to try and ruin Jimmy, I've lost all sympathy for Chuck. Jimmy should have had him committed.

*the insane lengths that he's going to to prove Jimmy sabotaged him

 

[BobTheFork]

Trying to remember, were Tio and Mike ever in the same scene in BB? I thought maybe in that scene where his nephews carry him into the trailer to meat with Gus that Mike was there. I'm wondering whether they need to write around Tio knowing who Mike is and that he works from Gus.

 

[chadderbox77]

It don't care if it's deliberate or not. It feels like slow for slow's sake and I think the show could be shorter and not suffer in quality. 50% is an exaggeration on the whole, but certainly many scenes could be half as long and overall probably 15-20% could easily be cut out.

Scenes drag for minutes after the last drop of emotion or insight or character development was already wrung out.

For example, the segment with Kim calling everyone she knew to find client leads was about 4 times as long as it needed to be. The flashback of Jimmy's dad getting scammed was also much longer than it needed to be. The

Spoiler

mom dying

scene also felt overly long as I was watching it.

If I had any skill or software for editing I would do a couple scenes to show what I'm talking about. If someone else does it I'll be sure to post it here so people can judge for themselves!

Edit: nvm, I'm not gonna win with you people. I hope S3 has a 9 minute one shot take of jimmy eating a bowl of ice cream start to finish. It'll be the best thing that's ever been put on film.

bwhahaha, no. It's perfect the way it is, really. I love every minute of it, and will gladly savor all of the minutes we can get.

 

[ColdPizza]

I love slow burn shows so this is precisely my cup of tea. If you want quick cuts look elsewhere.

 

[Robot Pants]

Trying to remember, were Tio and Mike ever in the same scene in BB? I thought maybe in that scene where his nephews carry him into the trailer to meat with Gus that Mike was there. I'm wondering whether they need to write around Tio knowing who Mike is and that he works from Gus.

Oooo sounds hot.

 

[Creamium]

My only nitpick of this finale: not enough Kim

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Which, in a metatextual twist, is the actual thing frustrating Chuck. It's one of his central conflicts, that people let Jimmy get away with murder just because he's likable, and he's constantly trying to point out how bullshit that excuse is.

True, but at the same time, perhaps he could learn a thing or two from Jimmy. That being likeable can be helpful. That you don't attract flies with vinegar but with honey. And of course Jimmy could learn to be more... ethical and all.

Chuck reminds me of a guy I used to know on an Internet forum, who would argue quite vociferously about stuff like religion and politics. He was usually right, factually, but he was such a complete and utter asshole about it that most people, including people who generally agreed with him, loathed him. Like, I'm not talking about a bit of snark here, a condescending comment there; he was just perpetually openly hostile (he'd get banned real quick on GAF haha), it was almost impossible to have a polite disagreement with the guy. We all wondered if he was like that IRL, if he alienated his friends and relatives the way he alienated the people in his online community.

Good on Chuck. I'm not sure why people are rooting for the guy who 'ratfucked' his brother and was responsible for his head injury.

How was Jimmy responsible for his head injury?? Chuck insisted on going out there despite his "condition", he insisted on getting more and more agitated despite the clerk telling him to back off and calm down and despite Ernesto trying to calm him down as well.

Come on now, Jimmy can be responsible for many bad things (like, say, forging the docs) but Chuck going out of his way to put himself in danger to his health simply because he wants to spite his brother is entirely on him.

 

[CharminUltra]

My only nitpick of this finale: not enough Kim

Seriously, this bummed me out. At least she was great in the couple of scenes she was in.

 

[Spectral Glider]

Don't understand why some people have a problem with Mike's motive involving Salamanca. They did a whole episode establishing that Mike once took bribes as a cop and advised his son to do the same. His son got killed anyway. Mike goes out of his way to murder the cops responsible for his son's death and splits town. And Mike was severely distraught that he got his son to roll around in the dirt like him for nothing at all. Now, he's determined to take care of his daughter in law and grand daughter. Because of Mike taking Nacho's job to get rid of Tuco, he's put his family on the radar of Salamanca, who outright threatened his grand daughter. That's why Mike hasn't forgotten about him. He murdered cops for crying out loud, he doesn't give a shit about getting in the face of Salamanca at this point.