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[Einchy]

Na. Still don't buy it. Its ok for TV reality, but BB and BCS are usually above that.

Eureka moments are lazy.

Wait, you're actually serious? They had a whole scene where they established how he came to realize this, it's not like it came out of nowhere.

Also, https://youtu.be/rP2yyQfTUGA?t=42s

It was a tad hokey indeed.

I honestly check out during the montages on this show. The only one so far that's really justified itself is the one with Kim networking last season, and even that one is questionable.

The one stylistic remnant from Breaking Bad the show would be better off jettisoning.

How is it hokey for him to change literally every single inch of the car, and only after he's looking at the fuel cap does he realize that he never checked inside of it. You'd have a point if he hadn't already checked all over the car but maybe you didn't notice because you checked out and weren't watching.

 

[Alex]

Nothing about it seems hokey to me, you have some weird ass standards.

Its exactly the kind of thing that would trigger a thought like that.

 

[newtypepilot]

How did Mike know to check inside the fuel cap at the car wreckers? Did the idea just pop into his head?

Cause thats lazy writing.

When he was waiting for the cab, he notices the junkyard was selling replacement gas caps, which made him realize that it could've been easily replaced. (The fuel door is not locked.) That's why he asked the owner if he had ones for the wagon. When he said yes, he immediately went to check the one from his car.

It's not lazy writing.

 

[Einchy]

When he was waiting for the cab, he notices the junkyard was selling replacement gas caps, which made him realize that it could've been easily replaced. (The fuel door is not locked.) That's why he asked the owner if he had ones for the wagon. When he said yes, he immediately went to check the one from his car.

It's not lazy writing.

They went the extra mile to explain all of it, it's the opposite of lazy writing. lol

 

[Blastoise]

It stuck out to me. Thats it.

I'm also watching the new season of Prison Break and enjoying. I'm not a TV snob.

 

[Mariolee]

How did Mike know to check inside the fuel cap at the car wreckers? Did the idea just pop into his head?

Cause thats lazy writing.

I think you were lazy watching.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I could watch seasons of just Mike. Dude is a boss, he don't even need to talk. I was ready to watch him just eat nuts.

 

[Oddduck]

It's the early 2000s. 2003, I think?

Yup. According to Wikipedia, season 1 took place in 2002.

 

[pigeon]

It was a bipolar, toxic, kind of hate fueled relationship but ultimately I think Walt did deeply care for him and regretted all the bad shit he did to him. He was going to die of cancer by the end anyway, but going into that white supremacist compound and wiping everyone out to free Jesse to me kind of put the definitive answer to it. He had no reason to do that other than to save Jesse.

Which is why, even in the final hour, I always find the "Walt ended up 100 percent evil" arguments to be misguided. He still had a small sliver of a heart left.

What?

I think it's pretty clear he did that because he was angry that somebody else was getting the credit for being Heisenberg.

Walt set everything up at the end so that it would be totally clear that he was the blue meth cook, even during the period where he wasn't even around.

 

[Mistle]

How did Mike know to check inside the fuel cap at the car wreckers? Did the idea just pop into his head?

Cause thats lazy writing.

It was literally the last thing he thought of after exhausting all his other ideas in pretty montage form.

 

[Schrade]

Na. Still don't buy it. Its ok for TV reality, but BB and BCS are usually above that.

Eureka moments are lazy.

When they focused on the gas cap while he was checking inside there, it stuck out to me immediately that 1) The gas cap looked brand new and wasn't used looking at all and 2) the camera focusing on it from a certain angle kinda shows that it was going to be a "special thing".

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

My TV glitched out at the Ernesto scene.

What happened to make Chuck so upset and Ernesto so visibly disgusted?

 

[JoeNut]

My TV glitched out at the Ernesto scene.

What happened to make Chuck so upset and Ernesto so visibly disgusted?

Ernesto heard the recording and realised chuck was screwing over his brother

Also, i love that Ernesto drives that bright blue Evo, it seems so out of character

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I think it's clear from the scene where he heard the recording that, while the lawyer in him totally hates what Jimmy did, Hamlin also thinks Chuck is a little shit.

But hey. I don't expect much from a guy that treated Jimmy like shit for years all because Chuck asked him to.

 

[Alpende]

I could watch seasons of just Mike. Dude is a boss, he don't even need to talk. I was ready to watch him just eat nuts.

This episode had a ton of Mike and it was awesome. I loved the way they revealed what his plan was. Giving bits of information throughout the episode and have it pay off in the end.

Also, I loved the BADBADNOTGOOD track during Mike's disassembling montage.

 

[BBboy20]

*Carl's Jr promoting this show*

 

[Saganator]

Also, i love that Ernesto drives that bright blue Evo, it seems so out of character

I think his car is perfect. I know of 2 meek nerdy dudes who drive a car just like it.

 

[OléGunner]

Magnificent return episode.
I just wish we could get a wee few more future Saul b&w scenes doled out to us as the season progresses.

Always one of my favourite parts of Better Call Saul but I'm sure the writing team just love teasing the fans.

 

[Flo_Evans]

It's the early 2000s. 2003, I think?

Ah your right. Still I think it was a bit of wizard tech for the time period. They did enough to establish it was it was some high end government stuff, I just hate when really good grounded shows have stuff that doesn't exist.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

I quite enjoyed the first episode, I'm starting to lose sympathy for Chuck though.

One thing bugs me but it's quite a small thing, how does Ernesto afford such a nice car? I'm guessing it's not a company car and he's just a PA... He must be paid shitloads.

 

[CopperPuppy]

How did Mike know to check inside the fuel cap at the car wreckers? Did the idea just pop into his head?

Cause thats lazy writing.

Hilarious. They painstakingly depicted how Mike came to this conclusion. I can't think of a show in recent memory that has gone to such lengths to explain a character realization. It was utterly thorough in both a literal and figurative sense.

"Lazy" has been rendered meaningless by posts like these. Don't like or understand something? Not on you - it's "lazy."

 

[Cornballer]

Via Reddit, a bunch of gorgeous shots from the premiere (imgur link)

 

[tearsintherain]

My TV glitched out at the Ernesto scene.

What happened to make Chuck so upset and Ernesto so visibly disgusted?

As said Ernesto heard the tape, but just to be clear I'm pretty sure thats chucks actual plan. To get Ernesto to hear he has a tape incriminating Jimmy. He knows Ernesto is snitching to Jimmy, so he figures Ernesto will tell Jimmy about the tape and send him into a panic and make a series of mistakes as Jimmy is wont to do.

I enjoyed the premiere, I enjoyed every scene, I like all the little slow tension build ups. I also had a problem with season 2, and i think the problem will continue with season 3: I really don't care that much what happens with Jimmy, Kim, Chuck, etc. I know Jimmy is going to fuck them all over, unintentionally. His character arc seems very limited - going from guy who wants to do good but always takes the shortcuts that ends up blowing in his face to guy who cares more about himself but still generally tries not to hurt anyone. Thats not a very big arc.

To me the best part of the show is the Mike parts, and that seems kinda fucked up for a show thats supposed to be about Jimmy.

 

[Cornballer]

- Brief Odenkirk Q&A over on AMC's website

 

[Alpende]

Hilarious. They painstakingly depicted how Mike came to this conclusion. I can't think of a show in recent memory that has gone to such lengths to explain a character realization. It was utterly thorough in both a literal and figurative sense.

"Lazy" has been rendered meaningless by posts like these. Don't like or understand something? Not on you - it's "lazy."

This surprises me as well. They clearly show why Mike would look at the gas cap. Sometimes I have the feeling people just don't pay attention and miss bits of information that you would not miss if you didn't use a phone during the show or something.

 

[riotous]

I quite enjoyed the first episode, I'm starting to lose sympathy for Chuck though.

One thing bugs me but it's quite a small thing, how does Ernesto afford such a nice car? I'm guessing it's not a company car and he's just a PA... He must be paid shitloads.

His father is a loaded fried chicken chain owner / drug kingpin.

j/k, not established, but a theory some have. He could in fact be one of Gustavo Fring's vaguely mentioned children.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Hilarious. They painstakingly depicted how Mike came to this conclusion. I can't think of a show in recent memory that has gone to such lengths to explain a character realization. It was utterly thorough in both a literal and figurative sense.

"Lazy" has been rendered meaningless by posts like these. Don't like or understand something? Not on you - it's "lazy."

Seriously, lol. Or, to put it more succinctly:

I think you were lazy watching.

xD

 

[Creamium]

Great episode, Mike scenes were outstanding. Starting to think they made BCS just so they could write more Mike stuff Loved the music during the montage, time to look into Badbadnotgood.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

It was a bipolar, toxic, kind of hate fueled relationship but ultimately I think Walt did deeply care for him and regretted all the bad shit he did to him. He was going to die of cancer by the end anyway, but going into that white supremacist compound and wiping everyone out to free Jesse to me kind of put the definitive answer to it. He had no reason to do that other than to save Jesse.

Which is why, even in the final hour, I always find the "Walt ended up 100 percent evil" arguments to be misguided. He still had a small sliver of a heart left.

I agree with your overall point that walt cared about jesse on "at least" some level, but goals 1,2,3,4,...and 49 of going into jack's compound was to get REVENGE on jack and his gang. later, he showed that he cared for jesse by sparing his life and offering jesse the opportunity to kill walt, but only after his principle objective of taking out jack, todd, and the gang was accomplished.

revenge for killing hank, taking his money, screwing him over, etc, etc

 

[Arkeband]

I quite enjoyed the first episode, I'm starting to lose sympathy for Chuck though.

One thing bugs me but it's quite a small thing, how does Ernesto afford such a nice car? I'm guessing it's not a company car and he's just a PA... He must be paid shitloads.

There's a 0% chance Ernesto isn't somehow related to Gus.

 

[riotous]

There's a 0% chance Ernesto isn't somehow related to Gus.

Yeah I think so too; and I think one of the things we'll find out about Gus is what happened between him and his family.

Ernesto resembles Gus, and of course there's his name. He also has some of the same seriousness / politeness to his personality.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

I just had a totally random though about what might happen with Chuck. Isn't he still technically Jimmy's lawyer (he was when he got in out of jail for the Chicago Sunroof)? What if he does something in his scheming that would break privileged information with Jimmy, since he is (again, technically) also a client.

it doesnt work that way. attn-client privilege extends to legal advice given, not for every unrelated conversation you have with that person for the rest of your life.

 

[MGrant]

I like the symbolism of Kim's indecision about the punctuation. Does she continue down this path (semicolon), end it (period), or change it (em dash)? We're left not knowing her decision.

 

[Dangerblade]

Is the podcast available somewhere other than iTunes? Would love to listen to it now on my laptop. I am subscribed to a YouTube channel that had all the podcasts from the first 2 seasons but it doesn't appear to have updated yet

 

[Cornballer]

Is the podcast available somewhere other than iTunes? Would love to listen to it now on my laptop. I am subscribed to a YouTube channel that had all the podcasts from the first 2 seasons but it doesn't appear to have updated yet

It's up.

.

 

[Dangerblade]

Thanks, I figured I missed it somewhere in here!

 

[Cornballer]

- Den of Geek: Better Call Saul's Michael McKean On Blood Ties, Consequences, And Season 3 Relationships (some spoilers)

 

[zewone]

There's a 0% chance Ernesto isn't somehow related to Gus.

Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a different show than some people in this thread.

 

[Spoony Bob]

About the gas cap back and forth, I wouldn't call it lazy by any stretch since it's very plainly laid out what brought him to when he asks for a cab... but while watching it I couldn't help think to myself "if there's a bug under that gas cap that'll be pretty doofy". I don't know, I just expected Mike to be more thorough than to toss the cap aside during that meticulous breakdown only to have it come back right before he shut the door on the whole thing.

That's sort of beside the question I wanted to ask though. Can anyone explain why he set the tracker up to the radio to drain it most of the night? I mean if it going dead is what tipped them off to replace it, why not just leave it working as normal until he's ready to pull the battery out and begin the stakeout? I just don't see the reasoning to draining the battery.

 

[Intheflorsh]

About the gas cap back and forth, I wouldn't call it lazy by any stretch since it's very plainly laid out what brought him to when he asks for a cab... but while watching it I couldn't help think to myself "if there's a bug under that gas cap that'll be pretty doofy". I don't know, I just expected Mike to be more thorough than to toss the cap aside during that meticulous breakdown only to have it come back right before he shut the door on the whole thing.

That's sort of beside the question I wanted to ask though. Can anyone explain why he set the tracker up to the radio to drain it most of the night? I mean if it going dead is what tipped them off to replace it, why not just leave it working as normal until he's ready to pull the battery out and begin the stakeout? I just don't see the reasoning to draining the battery.

Presumably they'd get suspicious if they noticed the tracker was missing a battery.

 

[riotous]

Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a different show than some people in this thread.

I think it's a fun theory; it fits a few things.

- Gustavo was a smart man who "groomed" people to play roles in his organization; like Gale who he paid to get a chemistry degree. Why not pay for one of his own sons to become a lawyer?

- Ernesto / Gustavo the obvious thing here; Ernesto is clearly a black man, but has a spanish name. Gustavo + black woman = child with spanish first name. (or Portuguese or whatever, not entirely sure the etymology)

- Saul says to Walt before getting him hooked up with Gus "I know a guy who knows a guy", and while it's implied that guy is likely Mike, I don't think Mike would actually ever recommend Gustavo deal with Saul. Mike hates Saul; but Ernesto on the other hand might suggest Jimmy/Saul as an option at some point for Gustavo if he ever needed legal help.

- Oh and look at this lighting used on Ernesto in the last episode:

FACE.... OFF

 

[The Horror the horror]

About the gas cap back and forth, I wouldn't call it lazy by any stretch since it's very plainly laid out what brought him to when he asks for a cab... but while watching it I couldn't help think to myself "if there's a bug under that gas cap that'll be pretty doofy". I don't know, I just expected Mike to be more thorough than to toss the cap aside during that meticulous breakdown only to have it come back right before he shut the door on the whole thing.

That's sort of beside the question I wanted to ask though. Can anyone explain why he set the tracker up to the radio to drain it most of the night? I mean if it going dead is what tipped them off to replace it, why not just leave it working as normal until he's ready to pull the battery out and begin the stakeout? I just don't see the reasoning to draining the battery.

I agree with your first point.

In the store, I think Mike internally chided himself for spending so much of his time disassembling the vehicle and began to realize the transponder had to be somewhere that was more accessible to his shadow, and with that notion already formenting in his mind the sight of those fuel caps crystallized that speculation as they coincided with his line of thought.

As for the battery, I think Mike wanted to avoid potentially tipping off his shadow that he had found the tracker and then disabled it by facilitating the impression that the transponder's signal was weakening naturally due to battery drain.

 

[PantherLotus]

Na. Still don't buy it. Its ok for TV reality, but BB and BCS are usually above that.

Eureka moments are lazy.

I'm sorry but I'm laughing at this.

 

[riotous]

As if people never have Eureka moments in real life; and often after they've spent a ton of time on something.

 

[zewone]

Na. Still don't buy it. Its ok for TV reality, but BB and BCS are usually above that.

Eureka moments are lazy.

Edit: Another eureka

 

[Fuu]

Man, I missed this show. Always blows my mind how absolutely gorgeous it is.

 

[triplestation]

Saul says to Walt he knows a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy

Saul knows Mike who knows x who knows Gus

What if x is Victor?

Also I bet we gonna see Lydia in season 4 or 5

 

[Jay Shadow]

Na. Still don't buy it. Its ok for TV reality, but BB and BCS are usually above that.

Eureka moments are lazy.

 

[Einchy]

People thinking and realizing things isn't really lazy writing either, especially when a scene is about the character thinking. Should all thinking scenes end with the character not figuring out the thing he is trying to figure out?

 

[Klocker]

How did Mike know to check inside the fuel cap at the car wreckers? Did the idea just pop into his head?

Cause thats lazy writing.

Shit when he was taking the car apart and they showed a shot with car in background on gas cap side. I literally said out loud.. check the gas cap!

So not lazy, effective if you ask me for a guy who looked everywhere but