I think he worked out that he was never going to prove Chuck wrong no matter he did and also in the end his acceptance did not really matter to him. Chuck knew he would be a good lawyer its just he was always going to be the wrong "type" of good lawer.
His confidence had also been totally sapped by Chuck. That's why he said in the phone call to Kim that Chuck wouldn't like him taking that job. He would never have been comfortable there. I think he just wanted to break free from his brother completely.
Not sure why people always expect cliffhangers, glad this didn't have one it's not eastenders.
It's a grown up drama and the last episode was definitely the end of the beginning. We always knew where he was headed but now we understand why and can empathise with him.
I thought it set the whole thing up nicely for season 2. I'm a fan of Breaking Bad, so maybe you need to watch that to appreciate what happens next since everyone who has watched Breaking Bad knows Saul? Season 2 is hopefully about him setting up his own practice and the wacky people he defends.
Massive BB fan (the best TV series I have ever watched TBH) but, for me, BCS's first season has been better than BB's first season. Now it's all about what happens in the forthcoming seasons. But only a fool would bet on Gould and Gilligan cocking this one up........
Massive BB fan (the best TV series I have ever watched TBH) but, for me, BCS's first season has been better than BB's first season. Now it's all about what happens in the forthcoming seasons. But only a fool would bet on Gould and Gilligan cocking this one up........
Same for me. BB didn't hook me until half way through Season 2. BB is the best show I've ever watched, but BCS could easily get into my top 5 just from this first season. Can't wait to see what happens in season 2.
I'm surprised Vince Gilligan was only credited as writer/director on one episode. I would have thought he'd be more involved. I guess maybe he's busy with Battle Creek at the moment.
Don't forget that BB series 1 was affected by the Writer's Guild strike.
Also, VG has said that "written by" in the credits is shared around in turn by everyone in the writer's room; the team all contribute creatively and the credited person writes it up. So he almost certainly had major input to most if not all BCS episodes.
I think Vince Gilligan has said there will be 5 seasons.
Are you sure about this? Where did you read/hear this?
From what I've read/seen, Vince has never given an estimate of how many seasons the show is hopefully going to last, and has said that he would like the show to have storylines running simultaneously with Breaking Bad's timeline and after BB's finale.
Highly doubt he'd say how the show ends and they probably don't even know themselves. When they started writing BB, Jesse was to die in the first season. These things aren't set in stone.
Just watched the finale, I feel a little bit underwhelmed and confused by it. Will spoiler my comments as it is a bit early in the day for folk to have seen the ep just yet, don't open the spoiler unless you've seen it -
So Jimmy goes back to Chicago to relive old times and work out his demons, but decides he must go back to his new life in Albuquerque. A partnership awaits at a reputable firm, with the opportunity to make many millions from the care home place.
So why would he have a eureka moment and decide to break bad, just because he passed up $1.6m? What happened to Marco surely cautions against this. It just doesn't feel right.
Have I missed something?
Yeah I think so. His time with Marco, going back to being Slippin' Jimmy, just confirmed to him who he really was, what kind of person he really was. He'll always be Slippin' Jimmy, always a grifter, and he's more comfortable in that type of life. Basically throughout this first series, he's been kidding himself, and breaking ties with Chuck, and spending time with Marco has confirmed to him what he (and Chuck if we're honest) knew deep down. Now that he's accepted that, it's not far from here to get to Saul Goodman.
Excellent last episode, great series, great potential for the future. Although it has been slow-moving, it's been a very coherent story, and immaculately made with so many great moments. Episode 6, Mike's story was the best episode IMO, but there hasn't been a weak episode anywhere.
For me Breaking Bad is one of the greatest shows ever. I have enjoyed parts of Better Call Saul, but there's too much padding in it. I know it has a different story to tell and it's unfair to compare to BB, but comparisons are inevitable when it has characters from the show. It's not a patch on BB. That was the finale?
The show was watchable, but I never found it totally engrossing.
OK, that's a bit of a lie - Episode 2 (with Tuco), the Mike flashback episode and the penultimate episode were all brilliant bits of television, on par with Breaking Bad. I was totally hooked. The rest of the show struggled to maintain that level of consistency, with some superb moments and scenes, but weak overall episodes.
I think some people desperately want this to be just as good as Breaking Bad and so are painting it with a layer of gloss it simply does not have.
This is not a slight on the show. It's widely accepted that Breaking Bad was a slow starter, and look what it turned into. I don't think that praising Better Call Saul as incredible, genre-defining television does it any favours. The first series veered between average and good - a solid 6-7 out of 10 - which puts it in a good position to improve in future series.
I think some people desperately want this to be just as good as Breaking Bad and so are painting it with a layer of gloss it simply does not have. .
I don't think that's right. On the contrary I think some of the critics here want to be a copy of BB a little too much.
But I think the producers should be given credit for going a slightly different way, to build up the character and the storyline in a more measured way. We've learnt so much about the Jimmy McGill, why he became what he became in some detail, and I think he needed that. I have a lot more sympathy for the character now, and I think that will pay off when he becomes Saul.
I think the story will pick up speed eventually, for what its worth and will become more like Breaking Bad, once he takes on the Saul Goodman persona.
When he becomes Saul it will have a lose one but at the moment the two people just look like each other.
Even Mike is not the same person really.
The universe might be the same but its unfair to judge it against Breaking Bad.
For the story Breaking Bad was telling that was the best TV show but this is a totally different story and this is shaping up to be the best show at telling this story.
It has a massive layer of gloss on it. I think it has more then Breaking Bad as the people behind it have taken what they have learned from their previous show and have better understanding of what this type of show should look and sound like.
I don't think that's right. On the contrary I think some of the critics here want to be a copy of BB a little too much.
But I think the producers should be given credit for going a slightly different way, to build up the character and the storyline in a more measured way. We've learnt so much about the Jimmy McGill, why he became what he became in some detail, and I think he needed that. I have a lot more sympathy for the character now, and I think that will pay off when he becomes Saul.
I think the story will pick up speed eventually, for what its worth and will become more like Breaking Bad, once he takes on the Saul Goodman persona.
It will be interesting to view the BB episodes he's in after Better Call Saul finishes.
Just watching the Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul" (first appearance) and noticed a cool link. When Jesse and Walt are trying to intimidate Saul to look like they are going to throw him in a shallow grave he says "It wasn't me it was Ignacio, he's the one", looks like Nacho will be Ignacio here since Mike said his real name was Ignacio Varga and their futures will be closely linked in the show.
The show was watchable, but I never found it totally engrossing.
OK, that's a bit of a lie - Episode 2 (with Tuco), the Mike flashback episode and the penultimate episode were all brilliant bits of television, on par with Breaking Bad. I was totally hooked. The rest of the show struggled to maintain that level of consistency, with some superb moments and scenes, but weak overall episodes.
I agree with all that. I found those the best moments of BCS so far as well.
It's been a good show but I'm rewatching Breaking Bad at the moment and it's reminding me exactly how superb it was. I was hooked right from the off and never quite understand why some people say the first season was weak. BCS hasn't been quite as entertaining but still a good watch that ranks above most tv shows out there.
Finally got round to watching the last few episodes over the past couple of days and I must say i've loved the whole of season 1. the final scene of the season finale was great - the 'awakening' of saul goodman, if you will.
Certainly looking forward to Season 2 and hope it goes beyond that as well.
Comments
His confidence had also been totally sapped by Chuck. That's why he said in the phone call to Kim that Chuck wouldn't like him taking that job. He would never have been comfortable there. I think he just wanted to break free from his brother completely.
It's a grown up drama and the last episode was definitely the end of the beginning. We always knew where he was headed but now we understand why and can empathise with him.
I have watched BB.
Same for me. BB didn't hook me until half way through Season 2. BB is the best show I've ever watched, but BCS could easily get into my top 5 just from this first season. Can't wait to see what happens in season 2.
Also, VG has said that "written by" in the credits is shared around in turn by everyone in the writer's room; the team all contribute creatively and the credited person writes it up. So he almost certainly had major input to most if not all BCS episodes.
From what I've read/seen, Vince has never given an estimate of how many seasons the show is hopefully going to last, and has said that he would like the show to have storylines running simultaneously with Breaking Bad's timeline and after BB's finale.
Yeah I think so. His time with Marco, going back to being Slippin' Jimmy, just confirmed to him who he really was, what kind of person he really was. He'll always be Slippin' Jimmy, always a grifter, and he's more comfortable in that type of life. Basically throughout this first series, he's been kidding himself, and breaking ties with Chuck, and spending time with Marco has confirmed to him what he (and Chuck if we're honest) knew deep down. Now that he's accepted that, it's not far from here to get to Saul Goodman.
Excellent last episode, great series, great potential for the future. Although it has been slow-moving, it's been a very coherent story, and immaculately made with so many great moments. Episode 6, Mike's story was the best episode IMO, but there hasn't been a weak episode anywhere.
You watch 10 hours of "very average?"
That's very generous of you…
I agree, it's been watchable but I've found the pace really slow in the 2nd half of the season. Will still be tuning in for season 2 though however.
I respect your opinion but I disagree. It was better than BrBa's first series. Great drama.
The Mike episode was as good as anything I've watched in years, even the BrBa episodes Crawl Space and Ozymandius
I think a lot of people have given BCS the benefit of the doubt due to it being a prequel/spin-off of BB.
I'm pretty sure without that connection I wouldn't have watched beyond episode 3.
OK, that's a bit of a lie - Episode 2 (with Tuco), the Mike flashback episode and the penultimate episode were all brilliant bits of television, on par with Breaking Bad. I was totally hooked. The rest of the show struggled to maintain that level of consistency, with some superb moments and scenes, but weak overall episodes.
I think some people desperately want this to be just as good as Breaking Bad and so are painting it with a layer of gloss it simply does not have.
This is not a slight on the show. It's widely accepted that Breaking Bad was a slow starter, and look what it turned into. I don't think that praising Better Call Saul as incredible, genre-defining television does it any favours. The first series veered between average and good - a solid 6-7 out of 10 - which puts it in a good position to improve in future series.
You continually come here to criticize it, but you carry on watching?! Have you nothing better to do?
I don't think that's right. On the contrary I think some of the critics here want to be a copy of BB a little too much.
But I think the producers should be given credit for going a slightly different way, to build up the character and the storyline in a more measured way. We've learnt so much about the Jimmy McGill, why he became what he became in some detail, and I think he needed that. I have a lot more sympathy for the character now, and I think that will pay off when he becomes Saul.
I think the story will pick up speed eventually, for what its worth and will become more like Breaking Bad, once he takes on the Saul Goodman persona.
At the moment it has no connection to BB.
When he becomes Saul it will have a lose one but at the moment the two people just look like each other.
Even Mike is not the same person really.
The universe might be the same but its unfair to judge it against Breaking Bad.
For the story Breaking Bad was telling that was the best TV show but this is a totally different story and this is shaping up to be the best show at telling this story.
It has a massive layer of gloss on it. I think it has more then Breaking Bad as the people behind it have taken what they have learned from their previous show and have better understanding of what this type of show should look and sound like.
It will be interesting to view the BB episodes he's in after Better Call Saul finishes.
I agree with all that. I found those the best moments of BCS so far as well.
It's been a good show but I'm rewatching Breaking Bad at the moment and it's reminding me exactly how superb it was. I was hooked right from the off and never quite understand why some people say the first season was weak. BCS hasn't been quite as entertaining but still a good watch that ranks above most tv shows out there.
Certainly looking forward to Season 2 and hope it goes beyond that as well.