"Better Call Saul" series finale Monday, August 15 (new Odenkirk show on AMC)

[PhDeac]

Yeah and in the ep where Max does Eladio tells Gus the only reason he didn’t kill Gus instead is because he knows who Gus was in Chile…

Yeah, I want to learn about the Chile stuff too. Great episode today.

There’s already a young actor who did a good job as a young Giancarlo Esposito in another show.

Make it happen!

 

[wakelaw13]

There’s already a young actor who did a good job as a young Giancarlo Esposito in another show.

Make it happen!

Are you talking about The Boys?

I thought it was a good episode, and I'm satisfied by the conclusion for Kim. It was pretty freaking brave of her to walk away from someone she loved, her entire career, and likely her home all in one move.

 

[PhDeac]

Yeah. The show did a good job getting Kim to that point. The scene at HHM was really good at helping the viewer reflect on how Jimmy/Saul directly destroyed the credibility of his brother and Howard which led to the end of HHM. Saul was sad about it but had no remorse.

By comparison, even as Kim told that coldblooded lie about Howard to his wife’s face, it was clear she was going to do something like break up with him or commit suicide.

Of course some of that is necessitated by the story but it was still set up well.

Four more episodes left. Looking forward to next week.

 

[dartsndeacs]

I hope Kim ends up dating the two brother hitmen

 

[deactherunner]

It will be interesting to see if Saul still fears Lalo is alive and coming for him all these years (even as Gene)-he seemed to think so when Walter and Jesse accosted him, but that could have been PTSD talking.

 

[PhDeac]

Saul didn’t know if Lalo told anyone where he’d be or anything. For all he knows, someone knows he’s the last person to see Lalo alive.

 

[awaken]

I hope Kim ends up dating the two brother hitmen

She ends up managing a GAP in Nebraska.

 

[TimmyClutch]

I didn’t fully understand the Gus wine scene. I think there is more there than just Gus saving some good wine for when he kills Don Eladio. The bartender guy is a known actor, I think there is some subtext I’m missing.

 

[PhDeac]

I didn’t fully understand the Gus wine scene. I think there is more there than just Gus saving some good wine for when he kills Don Eladio. The bartender guy is a known actor, I think there is some subtext I’m missing.

There was a ton of subtext in that scene which is why it's one of my favorite Gus scenes in the series.

There have been hints but no confirmation that Gus is gay and Gus and Max were romantically involved before Hector killed Max.

We see Gus angry. See Gus satisfied with revenge or a job well done. We don't him enjoying himself for the sake of pleasure.

In this scene, we see Gus at a bar he presumably hasn't been to in awhile, at least since being in lockdown once they found out Lalo was alive. We know he's a regular because the waiter, bartender, or more likely the sommelier recognizes him. Gus clearly likes the sommelier and was enthralled by his story about the wine. I don't know if you could say Gus was flirting but he definitely enjoyed himself in a way we haven't see in BCS or BB. His facial expressions said it all. But it also was sad that he could only allow himself the pleasure of the wine and company for a few fleeting moments before going back to his compound and ordering Mike to start back construction on the super lab.

 

[deactherunner]

There was a ton of subtext in that scene which is why it's one of my favorite Gus scenes in the series.

There have been hints but no confirmation that Gus is gay and Gus and Max were romantically involved before Hector killed Max.

We see Gus angry. See Gus satisfied with revenge or a job well done. We don't him enjoying himself for the sake of pleasure.

In this scene, we see Gus at a bar he presumably hasn't been to in awhile, at least since being in lockdown once they found out Lalo was alive. We know he's a regular because the waiter, bartender, or more likely the sommelier recognizes him. Gus clearly likes the sommelier and was enthralled by his story about the wine. I don't know if you could say Gus was flirting but he definitely enjoyed himself in a way we haven't see in BCS or BB. His facial expressions said it all. But it also was sad that he could only allow himself the pleasure of the wine and company for a few fleeting moments before going back to his compound and ordering Mike to start back construction on the super lab.

I thought perhaps the talk of the iron oxide an Mn in the soil reminded him specifically of Max (who I think was a chemist).

Upon rewatch, the inspection sticker on the LWYRUP car said November 2005, so I think we are months into the future, not years.

 

[DeacHead]

I didn’t fully understand the Gus wine scene. I think there is more there than just Gus saving some good wine for when he kills Don Eladio. The bartender guy is a known actor, I think there is some subtext I’m missing.

hey were both in Homicide: Life in the Streets, once upon a time. I think Esposito replaced Reed Diamond (the sommelier) on the full-time cast for the last season.

 

[PhDeac]

I was surprised it wasn't more of a time skip because they decided not to show us the direct aftermath of Kim leaving. Did she tell Saul where she was going? How did Saul explain it to the ABQ legal community? Did anybody suspect it had to do with Howard's death?

Maybe we'll get something. I do know that "I love you, too. But so what?" will be the hot breakup line of the rest of the summer.

Did you all catch the name Kim dropped in the courtroom scene? She said Paige Novick would be taking over her client. Paige is the Mesa Verde attorney she worked with. So I guess Paige left or is at least taking some pro bono clients.

Diamond and Espisito were both in the Homocide TV movie. Sepinwall posted this picture.

 

[EatLeadCommie]

There was a ton of subtext in that scene which is why it's one of my favorite Gus scenes in the series.

There have been hints but no confirmation that Gus is gay and Gus and Max were romantically involved before Hector killed Max.

We see Gus angry. See Gus satisfied with revenge or a job well done. We don't him enjoying himself for the sake of pleasure.

In this scene, we see Gus at a bar he presumably hasn't been to in awhile, at least since being in lockdown once they found out Lalo was alive. We know he's a regular because the waiter, bartender, or more likely the sommelier recognizes him. Gus clearly likes the sommelier and was enthralled by his story about the wine. I don't know if you could say Gus was flirting but he definitely enjoyed himself in a way we haven't see in BCS or BB. His facial expressions said it all. But it also was sad that he could only allow himself the pleasure of the wine and company for a few fleeting moments before going back to his compound and ordering Mike to start back construction on the super lab.

Pretty much all this. I got the overwhelming impression of loneliness in this scene. Gus is lonely (and yes, he is gay). The series is full of these long, seemingly disconnected scenes, that are just fantastically written, acted, and filmed.

The HHM scene was great too, again in a subtle way. There's a point where Rhea Seahorn's mouth kind of twitches, whether out of nervousness or because she is holding so much in is hard to determine, but it added a lot to that scene, and the story she was about to tell.

I'm really going to miss this show. I was very skeptical when they announced a Saul prequel, and while the story overall is not as good to me as BB, Saul is the better-made show in a lot of ways.

 

[SC DEAC]

At first glance I thought the wine scene was that the sommelier was being super annoying and being a blowhard know it all and that Gus, ever the gentleman, was kindly listening but in his mind was thinking I've got to get out of here before this dude comes back and starts up again about backpacking in Europe as a teenager. My wife then told me that no, they were flirting with each other. Then I was hmmm....oooooooohhhhhhhhh. Part of me still thinks that the sommelier was just annoying and trying to sell an expensive bottle of wine to a rich guy, but I guess my wife was right.

 

[OldGouldandBlack]

Kind of hated Reed Diamond on Homicide because he took over for Daniel Baldwin or Jon Polito or someone who ruled and I just didn't like his face or his silly name, Reed Diamond. But I thought that was him! Nice. I've matured, as has his face, and was less punchable, as well as being incredibly darkly lit, like 75% of the show.

 

[TimmyClutch]

I think you are right, this was showing us Gus enjoying himself for a moment, Lalo being dead, surviving his trip to Mexico, Hector being chastised, and then as soon as he realized he was letting his guard down, he went right back to his master plan. Its almost as if he caught himself savoring victory, and then shut it down.

 

[DeacHead]

Kind of hated Reed Diamond on Homicide because he took over for Daniel Baldwin or Jon Polito or someone who ruled and I just didn't like his face or his silly name, Reed Diamond. But I thought that was him! Nice. I've matured, as has his face, and was less punchable, as well as being incredibly darkly lit, like 75% of the show.

I'm pretty sure he replaced Ned Beatty, who indeed did rule.

I'm not surprised to see several reactions of "I thought he looked familiar". He's in a LOT of stuff but never the star. Very good character actor, though still no Ned Beatty.

 

[dartsndeacs]

was the dude who died in the first ep of the Shield

 

[OldGouldandBlack]

I'm pretty sure he replaced Ned Beatty, who indeed did rule.

I'm not surprised to see several reactions of "I thought he looked familiar". He's in a LOT of stuff but never the star. Very good character actor, though still no Ned Beatty.

What a cast in those first few Homicide seasons. Shout out to GOAT Yaphet Kotto, as well.

 

[PhDeac]

was the dude who died in the first ep of the Shield

Oh wow. I didn’t put that together. I remember Reed Diamond from The Dollhouse, an underrated show that was ahead of its time.