Better Call Saul 4.03
Aug. 21st, 2018 04:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakI'm starting to get depressed because the conclusion that not less, but more of the drug business storylines the more we approach the Jimmy-turns-Saul horizon is likely strikes me as inevitable, and to repeat for the nth time: not what I watch this show for. I liked (or, well enjoyed would be the more accurate term) these characters and their storylines fine on Breaking Bad, but not here, and have to restrain myself from muttering go away! every time they take up even more screen time. While knowing they just won't. Sigh.
Basically the only emotional investment I have in the drug business so far is pity for Nacho, whose increasingly awful existence (this week he has to subject himself to being shot at, shoulder and hands, by Gus' minions so the Salamancas won't know what's up) is starting to approach Jesse Pinkman dimensions. You know what would make me invested in this tale? If Nacho were to conclude prison can't be worse than this and surrenders himself to the police, then gets Kim as his lawyer somehow. (Jimmy being currently disbarred for a year.)
Meanwhile, this week's guest-starring Breaking Bad relics include the guy whom Saul will later persuade to sell his pesticide business to Walt to, and Gale Boettcher. Now I have a Gale related pet peeve, which is that I often see him described as "an innocent". And just: no. Childish or childlike, by all means. Naive in certain regards, sure. (It didn't seem to have occured to him that once he learned Walt's manufacturing method, it makes one of them superfluous from Gus' pov.) Definitely a nerd of the endearing variety (such as when he sings Gilbert & Sullivan to a chemistry filk like in this Episode). But innocent? The guy is an adult who willingly, without being blackmailed, got into the drug manufacturing business. He knows what meth does to people, and he produces it enthusiastically. He knows that Gus isn't a mild-mannered patron of the sciences but a drug kingpin, with all that implies. An innocent, he's most definitely not. Which is why I was a bit apprehensive when he showed up, afraid he'd get a tragic backstory (tm), but no, he's happy as punch and eager for the day Gus lets him produce poison for people, not just analyze it. I'm petty enough to feel satisfaction.
On to the Wexler & McGill show. Jimmy has his first scene with Mike this season, trying to pitch the Hummel figurine heist to him, but Mike, not surprisingly, given what Madrigal now pays him, is not interested. What did surprise me is that there seemed, dare I say it, a touch of concern on his part re: Jimmy in his refusal. I mean, we're a far cry from the Mike to regarded Jimmy as an annoying pest in s1 here, and equally from the Breaking Bad era Mike who basically doesn't care whether Saul lives or dies. He did sound sympathetic. And is also correct that it can't be about the money for Jimmy. (And not even about revenge or the satisfaction of embarassing a mark, either.)
The actual Hummel heist was the kind of black humor suspense both shows (BB and BCS) do very well, but like Mike, I do wonder about Jimmy's ultimate motivation. (Other than self sabotage, which I don't think he's conscious of.) I've seen a review suggesting that maybe he plans on not selling the figurine at all but giving it to Irene as a further apology, but I doubt it: I think the show is done with that story, which got wrapped up last season. Ah well, I guess we'll find out.
Meanwhile, Kim returns to work for Mesa Verda and looks ambiguously distracted or terrified, however one wants to interpret her expression, as her client drones on about Mesa Verde's expansion plans. At the very least, I think she feels overwhelmed and remembers how her effort to do it all resulted in her near death by car accident last season. When she returns home, she surprises me by actually handing over the Chuck letter (along with the paltry inheritance which, btw, is still more than what Jimmy would get if they sell the newly stolen Hummel figurine). I thought this would be stretched out till either the middle or the end of the season, but no. Jimmy reads the letter, and while it's not dated, it's pretty clear when it was written: back when Jimmy was working in the mail room at HHM, but before he succeeded at passing his secret bar exam (remember, Chuck had no idea Jimmy wanted to be a lawyer until Jimmy told him about this result). It's patronizing but actually affectionate, as I suspected, though Kim is the one who cries, not Jimmy. Let me go out on a limb here and say she's not crying because of Chuck. (Who evidently was fine feeling benevolent about his brother as long as Jimmy was a humble mail room worker, and would dispense with fraternal solidarity as soon as he learned Jimmy aspired to his own profession.) I suspect the tears are what she held back in the earlier Mesa Verde scene where she wanted to go back to Can-do-it-all Kim but found she couldn't. Also possibly because she feels sorry for Jimmy, since the letter itself may be affectionate and actually praise Jimmy, but because of Chuck's own actions since writing it, will not be any help. But mainly I think the letter was just a trigger, not a cause.
Basically the only emotional investment I have in the drug business so far is pity for Nacho, whose increasingly awful existence (this week he has to subject himself to being shot at, shoulder and hands, by Gus' minions so the Salamancas won't know what's up) is starting to approach Jesse Pinkman dimensions. You know what would make me invested in this tale? If Nacho were to conclude prison can't be worse than this and surrenders himself to the police, then gets Kim as his lawyer somehow. (Jimmy being currently disbarred for a year.)
Meanwhile, this week's guest-starring Breaking Bad relics include the guy whom Saul will later persuade to sell his pesticide business to Walt to, and Gale Boettcher. Now I have a Gale related pet peeve, which is that I often see him described as "an innocent". And just: no. Childish or childlike, by all means. Naive in certain regards, sure. (It didn't seem to have occured to him that once he learned Walt's manufacturing method, it makes one of them superfluous from Gus' pov.) Definitely a nerd of the endearing variety (such as when he sings Gilbert & Sullivan to a chemistry filk like in this Episode). But innocent? The guy is an adult who willingly, without being blackmailed, got into the drug manufacturing business. He knows what meth does to people, and he produces it enthusiastically. He knows that Gus isn't a mild-mannered patron of the sciences but a drug kingpin, with all that implies. An innocent, he's most definitely not. Which is why I was a bit apprehensive when he showed up, afraid he'd get a tragic backstory (tm), but no, he's happy as punch and eager for the day Gus lets him produce poison for people, not just analyze it. I'm petty enough to feel satisfaction.
On to the Wexler & McGill show. Jimmy has his first scene with Mike this season, trying to pitch the Hummel figurine heist to him, but Mike, not surprisingly, given what Madrigal now pays him, is not interested. What did surprise me is that there seemed, dare I say it, a touch of concern on his part re: Jimmy in his refusal. I mean, we're a far cry from the Mike to regarded Jimmy as an annoying pest in s1 here, and equally from the Breaking Bad era Mike who basically doesn't care whether Saul lives or dies. He did sound sympathetic. And is also correct that it can't be about the money for Jimmy. (And not even about revenge or the satisfaction of embarassing a mark, either.)
The actual Hummel heist was the kind of black humor suspense both shows (BB and BCS) do very well, but like Mike, I do wonder about Jimmy's ultimate motivation. (Other than self sabotage, which I don't think he's conscious of.) I've seen a review suggesting that maybe he plans on not selling the figurine at all but giving it to Irene as a further apology, but I doubt it: I think the show is done with that story, which got wrapped up last season. Ah well, I guess we'll find out.
Meanwhile, Kim returns to work for Mesa Verda and looks ambiguously distracted or terrified, however one wants to interpret her expression, as her client drones on about Mesa Verde's expansion plans. At the very least, I think she feels overwhelmed and remembers how her effort to do it all resulted in her near death by car accident last season. When she returns home, she surprises me by actually handing over the Chuck letter (along with the paltry inheritance which, btw, is still more than what Jimmy would get if they sell the newly stolen Hummel figurine). I thought this would be stretched out till either the middle or the end of the season, but no. Jimmy reads the letter, and while it's not dated, it's pretty clear when it was written: back when Jimmy was working in the mail room at HHM, but before he succeeded at passing his secret bar exam (remember, Chuck had no idea Jimmy wanted to be a lawyer until Jimmy told him about this result). It's patronizing but actually affectionate, as I suspected, though Kim is the one who cries, not Jimmy. Let me go out on a limb here and say she's not crying because of Chuck. (Who evidently was fine feeling benevolent about his brother as long as Jimmy was a humble mail room worker, and would dispense with fraternal solidarity as soon as he learned Jimmy aspired to his own profession.) I suspect the tears are what she held back in the earlier Mesa Verde scene where she wanted to go back to Can-do-it-all Kim but found she couldn't. Also possibly because she feels sorry for Jimmy, since the letter itself may be affectionate and actually praise Jimmy, but because of Chuck's own actions since writing it, will not be any help. But mainly I think the letter was just a trigger, not a cause.
