Amph Better Call Saul (Spoilers within)

Hey, we are so caught up on Jimmy/Chuck, we are forgetting about Mike. Interesting scenes there. I know very little about cocaine, so I can't comment on the reality of that scenario, but it was interesting.

 

Yeah, the Mile/Gus stuff was great, too. Should be interesting to see how Mike goes from just wanting revenge to going over to the dark side completely.


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Actually, I think my favorite moment in the episode was during the Gus-Mike scene, when Gus points out that the threat to Mike's family no longer exists, so why is he still going after Salamanca.


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The start of the Gus and Mike relationship.

Of course Jimmy is going to trial. He's not going to give Chuck the satisfaction of hanging up his ability to practice law. I do like the idea of the settlement deal with Jimmy gives up his last name, but I don't think that will happen. I believe the change to Saul is a different story.

 

It's cool to be able to watch Mike demonstrate his resourcefulness and determination in ways that will ultimately make Gus think, "I need to hire this guy".

 

The Mike stuff this season so far is genius. Hat's off to the writers! (The strike won't affect the show right? It's completed filming and such right?)

 

If not this season, it could delay the next one depending on how long the strike lasts.

 

As great as the Mike & Gus stuff was, that scene was my favorite in that episode; it's going to cost her something at some point, but it's nice to see Kim being all-in with Jimmy in his battle against Chuck.

 

And this week we saw Gus make that initial suggestion of an offer... great stuff.

 

I really like that they didn't (at least not yet) tie Gus's employment of Mike to some Jimmy mistake. And making it more about Gus' urgent need for Mike that essentially puts the power in Mike's court and not Gus' was perfect alignment for Mike's character. While at the same time, indirectly hinting at Mike's vulnerability: his family. Mike is finding more in common with Gus with his hate of Hector, which all comes back to his family. He's a very calculated person, but gets more emotional and open when his family is threatened.

If Gus hammers on Mike's vulnerability to get him to work for him, it might be the opposite of a threat. Instead, it might be some options to secure their future. Carrot v. stick (Hector trying the stick method and it backfiring)

 

I'm struggling with something for the first time regarding the show. You work for Los Pollos Hermanos, which as far as you know, is a totally legit business. Three jerks come in..and well you know what happens. Wouldn't you say, "sure, I'll call Mr. Fring", then step into the back office and call the police? Someone explain it away for me, please!

 

There's definitely some things this season that require some forgiveness (suspension of disbelief). I still think the Jimmy arrest would not have happened (more on that later). Perhaps the company policy was to call Gus first and Gus told them not to call the police. Of course, if the employees ever presented that policy to the labor board, Gus would be in trouble. But that doesn't mean employers don't do it and employees that are in a fast food job might not have the career experience to realize it is wrong. Still, I agree, it is asking quite a bit of the audience.

Now in the past, we had somebody take some property from the parents house. My younger brothers still lived there and witnessed it with my mother. The called the cops, then me and then my other brother. (BTW, before the age of quality smartphone video). My mom followed the person back to their house and let us and the cops know where it was. We got there well before the cops (always waiting for cops). The person had their garage door open and we identified everything they stole.

Cop told us he couldn't do anything. Three witnesses to the theft and five witnesses to ID the stolen property. Cop told us to take it up in civil court. When I stated "I'll just go get the stuff", the cop suddenly was able to protect --- the criminal.

Cop said the only way they'd do anything was if the police arrived on scene during the theft on our property. Well, I've never known a criminal to take 3 to 4 hours to rob items from a house, so basically we learned that if people want to break into your property and take off with your stuff right in front of you with no legal consequences, they can. If you try to restrain them, not only might you end up dead, you'd probably be prosecuted.

Also worked at a very large textile wholesaler (International). One of the employees was caught on camera loading up their truck with tens of thousands of dollars worth of product. Even with the person on camera and right there in person for the police to ID, nothing happened. No criminal charges.

And about two years ago, I was doing some work at an attorney's office. On camera, 3 or 4 cleaning people were caught on camera taking every computer, tablet and other high dollar item. Cops came. Nothing done. It was on about 12 different cameras. From the parking lot (with license plate), to the entry, to the elevator, to the hallway, to each and every office looted. No criminal charges filed.

So when I watch the Jimmy/Chuck legal entanglement, I roll my eyes. The only way I can imagine it going the way it did is if Jimmy outright confessed on site. Of course he wouldn't.

 

That's a very strange account of how police respond to reports of a crime. People report burglaries all the time, and if the stolen property ends up in someone else's possession, that implicates the person in possession of it either as the perpetrator or someone who accepted possession of stolen goods. I don't know how often people have to negotiate the return of stolen property in civil court. As far as I know, one of the actual official jobs of police is making "every reasonable effort to recover lost and stolen property, to identify the owner, and ensure its prompt return."

 

I thought the same thing, but apparently it's company policy.

 

Hector doesn't give a **** about health code violations!

 

I like that it's "Ken Wins" in the training video.

 

Best episode of the series tonight!

And Huell!

 

Amazing performances in "Chicanery"

And on Chuck's illness:

Spoiler

Jimmy makes it sound like the divorce caused the illness. But if we read into the opening, Jimmy is a lawyer by the time Chuck sees Rebecca as she mentions how surprised she is by that. The illness allegedly began two years after the divorce. Anyone wanna bet how soon after the divorce Jimmy revealed he had passed the bar? Divorce may have caused the stress but it seems far more likely that Jimmy being a lawyer was the straw that broke Chuck. And perhaps his mind hatched this illness as a way to distract and deter Jimmy from really pursuing the law to its fullest, by taking advantage of Jimmy's love for his brother to make him care for Chuck at the cost of his own career. Sure, that part is probably not something Chuck consciously did, but it is likely how his mind tried to cope with these events.

 

SKINNY(er) HUELL

 

shout out to the Chicago Sunroof. Chuck will never forget it, and neither will we.

 

Yodaminch great point about the cause. Tremendous episode in so many ways. Maybe most especially because of all the plot lines it opens up for the rest of the season. Also, really loved Patrick Fabian's performance, both on the stand and especially in the talk with Chuck before hand. I know his primary concern is the firm's reputation, but he clearly also has a significant amount of sympathy towards Jimmy and always has.

 

Agreed, the character is refreshingly nuanced. He's trying to protect the firm and remain loyal to Chuck, yet he sympathizes with Jimmy's efforts to take care of his brother and is uncomfortable about airing it all publicly, because he knows it's lose-lose for everyone involved. Watching Chuck crack was heartbreaking and indeed one of the great moments of the series.

 

Great courtroom drama.

 

The vet was awesome, too.

 

Ues. Criminal vet who still cares about the animals.