Amph Better Call Saul (Spoilers within)

I want Jimmy to be smarter: not so terrible at stakeouts, not so easily conned by his own brother. But aside from the writers not doing what I want them to do, episode 2 was uniformly excellent.

"Do what I want, and nobody get hurt."
--Rylo Ken

 

It was nice to see Francesca back, and I appreciated her pointing out Jimmy's logo was crooked.

 

One thing I didn't like was Gus figuring out Mike was tracking him. There were plenty of things that could have tipped him off, but that lightbulb moment seemed a bit out of nowhere.


Edit to clarify, my problem isn't that Gus figured things out, but the lightbulb moment. Was very disconnected from everything else, not sure what Gus had seen previously that led to that.

As for Mike, I doubt his working for Gus has anything to do with Jimmy. He couldn't care less about Jimmy. His sole motivation is his granddaughter.

 

Gus' moment of realization seemed weird to me too. Kind of out of nowhere, but I'll take it.

 

When does everyone think that Gus realized? Remember he has a backroom office that has access to a bunch of cameras (per Breaking Bad). You don't see Gus cleaning until later in the scene. Where is he in the beginning of the scene? He's in the back watching his restaurant from his computer. He sees a guy order food who doesn't eat his food. Watch the scene again. Jimmy is VERY obvious and not subtle at all. He also kind of sticks out as he's the only one in a suit in the restaurant if I remember correctly. Literally, all Gus has to do is watch Jimmy drive across the street while cleaning and see him get in another car.

Let's pretend Gus wasn't watching any security cameras like I'm assuming above - how many times a day does he see a man appearing to get IN a garbage can? How many times have you seen someone in a McD or Burger King trying to get into a garbage can? Sure, the watch was quick thinking, but he wasn't fooling anyone, especially Gus. Come on!

I'd have to watch Breaking Bad again but doesn't Gus identify Walt his first time at the restaurant as well?

 

No question Jimmy sticks out like a sore thumb. But Gus's moment of realization seems so totally disconnected from that.


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I assume he was pondering it, and it suddenly clicked.

 

Jimmy's reconnaissance form was entertaining. Subtlety was never his thing.

 

Jimmy was likely already known to Gus and his organization as an associate of Mike. Who knows how long his car had the tracking device.

 

Anyway, I agree that Gus Fring up to no good with Mike may somehow entangle himself with Jimmy and Chuck's whole thing, because I believe the showrunners said that Jimmy and Mike are going to turn a bit darker this season and, right now, they're actually fairly good guys (even if jimmy may swindle a lot). but I'm really hoping for more Mike and Jimmy scenes, they were almost in different shows last year. "I literally checked the trashcan" might be my favourite moment of the episode. If not for Wexler dropping "Gimmie a dollar" to become Jimmy's lawyer. I dunno if that bit popped up in Better Call Saul yet but that was how Saul introduced himself to Walt and Jessie, so (prequelness) it's a bit he stole from Kimmy.

I noticed in the end credits Giancarlo Espostio was added to the "starring" credit roster (placed in the end credits so not to spoil the Gus reveal but I'd wager he'll be in the opening credits next week) Is Nacho' s actor still a starring cast member? Where's Nacho anyway?

 

I want more Nacho too, he is a fantastic character.

 

Somewhat click-bait-y headline on Time recap declaring "Better Call Saul Doesn't Need Gus Fring" But I did find this quote enlightening:

"And, as Gus, Esposito is unsurprisingly great at summoning all the old familiar responses from us: fear, and delight in our fear. But Saul isn't a show that'd seem to have room for a Big Bad. Even its biggest emotional beats are rooted in the mundane. While it's true that Gus, too, is not yet what he'd eventually become (a fearsome titan in the world of crime), he lacks the shading and ambiguity that makes the show what it is. Orderly and utterly lacking in remorse, he's basically a supervillain. And this is a show that's excelled at showing us the painfully human."

Interesting notion although, I will counter that simply with "It's the third season, I'm totally okay if BCS introduces a supervillain mastermind"

 

Gus is just a great character (as is Nacho). In the grand scheme, he's there more for Mike than Jimmy.

 

Just finished the first episode of this season. I'll be caught up in a couple of days.

 

That's a stupid quote from an ignorant person. Stop wasting our time, Fail.

 

I agree that Gus had his suspicions as he's a criminal mastermind, but I didn't take it as a "light bulb" moment, but rather a moment of confirmation. He obviously knew something was odd with Jimmy in the restaurant, especially when they were digging in the trash. Gus have always been a subtle and methodical character; observing, analyzing and planning. The tracker in the Mike's gas cap is a metaphor of that. Of course, Gus will find Mike to be an asset than an adversary.

As I thought, Chuck set up and used Ernesto. Ernesto better not be fired.

So, Jimmy will be arrested for breaking and entering, threatening bodily harm/domestic violence and destruction of property... Yeah, I could see him defending himself and beating these charges with possible entrapment as a defense as Chuck hired a P.I./Security Guard.

 

What I like so much about Gus is that he is obviously highly intelligent, but not only doesn't he feel the need to boast and broadcast it, he downplays it so those around him keep their guard down while giving him all the info he needs. Everybody else can't let a second slip by without beating their chest proclaiming they are top dog. Mike shares those qualities with Gus, but Mike is still a fraction of Gus' patient observance.

Good call. I admit I overlooked that until you posted here because I was expecting something more elaborate. In real life, the odds of any of those things actually getting charged is next to nil. The "in" might be that Jimmy has gone head to head with cops in their own station as an attorney in a less that diplomatic way, so they might actually bring the charges based off revenge. Judge would laugh at it. I think it would have worked better if Chuck placed the recorder in the office building with an extra night guard that watches just that room, but out of sight from Jimmy the Intruder. It really was a let down for me in a show that has had brilliant setups thus far.

 

Ha! Disbarment. I knew it. Just a different path than I thought.

 

What an actor Chuck is. Perhaps there is another way. He is my brother.

 

yeah, I figured that's all Chuck really wanted. He doesn't want Jimmy to do time, just keep him out of the sacred halls of his noble profession. I guess we already know this is not going to work.

 

I'm trying to figure out how the name change is going to work. Is it going to be because of a disbarment? How would it not be stupid? Whatever the reason will be, apparently it's justified enough that even Mike is perfectly willing to call Jimmy "Saul."

 

I don't think he'll end up being disbarred.

And yeah, I don't think it could work. Even if he got a completely new identity, he's still in Albuquerque, dealing with the same bar association.

 

Chuck could possibly be the one getting disbarred as he makes irrational decisions just to end Jimmy's career. It might even be a big enough event that Jimmy has to change his name because of the embarrassment of the McGill name.

EDIT ADDITION:
Would any lawyer take that deal? I know a lawyer that served a bit of time because the judge considered they were offered a bribe. Didn't get disbarred and that is directly associated with how they perform in their profession. A fight between brothers would be quite a steep hill to climb for disbarment.

The prosecutor also stated one of many reasons these things are left as "a civil matter", not a criminal one. Family squabbles have a higher tolerance level before it becomes a criminal matter. Then Chuck talks about Jimmy not being a real threat. At that point, the prosecutor would have probably walked away. Then when he asked her about disbarment as a plea, the red flags should have been going off left and right for her. Now she see's motive on Chuck's part.

Surprised she didn't ask "well, what was he trying to get in this locked drawer? Was he trying to steal money for drugs?" And if Chuck actually said "it was a tape of him saying something compromising", her first thought would be blackmail.

Jimmy has nothing to worry about. This prosecutor isn't very sharp.

 

Well, if Saul was telling the truth in Breaking Bad, the name change was for the homeboys as they all want a pipe-hitting member of the tribe.

 

Disbarment should have been clear to everyone last week. My guess as to how this plays out is that the trial goes relatively well for Jimmy, and the brothers come to a compromise: Chuck drops the charges if Jimmy agrees to practice under a different name.

Remember one of the first episodes, HHM wanted Jimmy to stop using the family name. I would imagine Chuck was behind that.

One interesting thing will be how both sides deal with the contents of the tape. Neither really wants that revealed, and it will be the Elefant in the room.


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