Better Call Saul 1x9
Added 2024-09-24 23:13:35 +0000 UTCComments
Holy shit Ariannaβs ability to predict stuff is insane!!!
Jacob Livingston
2025-06-05 22:32:56 +0000 UTCI agree that it isn't definitively answerable but my personal opinion is this. It is hard to say that the kind of person who gave up a million plus, took the time to look after his troubled brother, gave his best client away to Kim etc, listened to and respected his elderly clientele etc was doomed to become Saul. I think the most likely option was that Jimmy would have always used tricks but what he used those tricks to accomplish would have been more 'righteous' than they ended up being.
Zane Platt
2024-10-05 15:20:24 +0000 UTCMy point is that despite being a criminal and a con man at this point in the story he has more of a heart than Chuck. When you actually look at how Chuck interacts with people it ain't very good. He belittles Ernesto and others 'below him', he pressures Hamlin, he sabotages Jimmy and so on. When you look at Jimmy at this point in comparison he treats Ernesto with respect, he makes sacrifices for Kim's sake (ala the Kettleman's), he shows that he takes the time and listens to his elderly clientele and for a year he looked after his brother everyday.
Zane Platt
2024-10-05 15:11:44 +0000 UTCJimmy is not a good person
Curtis Murphy
2024-10-05 14:40:48 +0000 UTCJimmy was already pulling shit before he found out about Chuck
Curtis Murphy
2024-10-05 14:40:05 +0000 UTCI'm certain that, Chuck's "Condition" is a manifestation of his resentment toward Jimmy. It might be obviously implied to some viewer, but certainly not outright directly stated at anytime in the show. They hint at this when they asked when the symptoms started and it was conveyed that it was when Jimmy passed the BAR Exam. It's certainly Checks way of repressing and not processing his emotional pain.
Arson Stays Up Too Late Watching Video Tapes
2024-09-29 11:06:00 +0000 UTCYeah, itβs possible that he would have ended up in a better position. To be clear, I like Jimmy. He is a mostly kind man, loyal, and a very smart guy. I just think the show clearly establishes from the beginning that he is ridiculously unethical and doesnβt respect the law. Chuck is right about that, but he is still a snake.
Matthew s
2024-09-27 04:18:20 +0000 UTCI agree, with most of that but by this point Jimmy has been "clean" for years but ********************************************************************************************************************************************************SPOILER!********************************************************************SPOILER!********************************************************************SPOILER!********************************************************************Chuck created a self fulfilling prophecy by doing this, we cant know if Jimmy winds up doing what he does in the future but i feel like this was this was the push down that path.
Purported74
2024-09-27 00:07:47 +0000 UTC100%
Purported74
2024-09-27 00:00:00 +0000 UTCMe when someone causes me a minor inconvenience: you're not a real lawyer. you're not a real lawyer! university of american samoa for christ's sake? an online course? what a joke. I worked my ass off to get where I am. and you take these shortcuts and think suddenly you're my peer? you do what I do because you're funny and you make people laugh? I committed my life to this! you don't slide into it like a cheap pair of pants!
Kara
2024-09-26 20:13:43 +0000 UTCI actually agree with you that I think Jimmy would have ended up cutting corners anyway, but you don't think if Chuck was 100% supportive from the jump Jimmy would end up better? Look at what he accomplishes this season with a little bit of verve, ends up finding a massive multi-state exploitation of old people case. He starts making decent money churning out wills for old people with care and attention, no shortcuts or cheats or cheap tricks. We get fed morsels of the kind of lawyer "James McGill" could be if he wasn't broke and desperate and lacking formal support from one of the most respected, wise lawyers in the state.
Kara
2024-09-26 18:00:21 +0000 UTCjail time for jimmy for almost making kim cry π€
Kara
2024-09-26 17:57:32 +0000 UTCDid I ever tell you the definition of insanity? It's parking your van outside the Kettleman's house three nights in a row.
Kara
2024-09-26 17:53:51 +0000 UTC"You're not a real lawyer. [...] When you abuse [the law] people get hurt." I was worried you would guess this twist after last episode lol, some of the comments got waaay too comfortable π IMO this is a peak reveal, makes the rewatch so good knowing Howard was effectively playing the villain on behalf of Chuck. You can see it on his face too like he hates doing this, he just wants to run a law firm and make money and have fun, not antagonize some mailroom grinder cuz your business partner bestie asks. The conflict that begins here is one of the most interesting aspects of the show for me, whether you believe people can change or was Slippin Jimmy always destined to become Saul Goodman? Excited to hear Maple and Arianna's thoughts as the show progresses! Enough has been said about Chuck already so I'll talk about Mike. Really fun seeing him get into crime-adjacent world for the "first" time. His criminal speech and line "you make a deal with somebody, you keep your word" - this summarizes Mike's entire character in a nutshell. This is who he is in Breaking Bad. This is probably why he was so pissed at Walt, who would lie, cheat + break any deal to 'win'. Mike dips into the criminal world (we know what he's like in BB) but still has these rules, its so cool. He was built for a different time, he should have been an 'honorable thief' in the old american west.
Kara
2024-09-26 17:49:45 +0000 UTCChuck is a prick and also, we know Jimmy ends up as Saul so technically Chuck is right e.g "When you abuse the power of the law people get hurt" we've seen this happen. The tough part for me is, what would Jimmy be if Chuck brought him into HHM, mentored him, supported him? Some would say he would still end up cutting corners and being a "criminal" lawyer, some would say he'd have a much better shot at being truly Good. It's not an answerable question but it's fun to think about, debate, read people's takes etc. Also don't worry Chad - after airtime of this there was literally a subreddit called r/FuckChuck π people hated that crispy suited man
Kara
2024-09-26 17:39:26 +0000 UTC"cause you can't handle a wavelength" LOLOL
Spence
2024-09-25 12:17:24 +0000 UTCI respect your opinion. I have been a practicing attorney for 15 years. It is clear from the beginning of this show that Jimmy is unethical as an attorney. His scam on the Kettlemans in the very first episode was enough to get him disbarred. He also is an accomplice to Mike's scheme to steal the police officer's notebook. Any lawyer that participates in crimes with his client is not fit to practice law. Also, every attorney has had people in their life doubt them and some have experienced deep betrayals. It normally does not cause you to descend into a life of crime. Chuck is 100% right on this point. But, again, it does not excuse his behavior. He is a terrible brother!
Matthew s
2024-09-25 11:05:31 +0000 UTCFair enough. Like I said, it's mostly devil's advocate. I would never be on Chuck's side just watching this show on my own. I just don't love it when people lose all perspective and just throw themselves into Jimmy's corner without question. Especially with such a well-written, complex character like Chuck, I think it's unfortunate if people just don't waste a moment's breath on him, condemn him as the evil older brother and move on.
Christophe
2024-09-25 08:33:30 +0000 UTClol yeah the trevor casting was fun. also like the casting of homie from farcry 3.
Chad Gloria
2024-09-25 08:11:10 +0000 UTCChad here, I hear that, but even with that factored in, I'm gonna struggle with Chuck from here on out cause he didn't need to lie to Jimmy about it. He thinks he's saving his feelings but this is way worse and everyone wants their older brother to believe in them. Plus, with all the bonding over good work they've done together for the last week I'd expect Chuck to notice Jimmy's value as a "real" lawyer. Jimmy wants so badly to be a good guy but no one will give him a chance and then they judge him for figuring it out wihout their blessing.
Chad Gloria
2024-09-25 08:10:24 +0000 UTCBtw you guys have seen "Man Mountain" (as he is officially credited) before, he was in El Camino as the bodyguard for the hookers for that party the welding guy was throwing. Also, I don't know if y'all are gamers but the douchebag bodyguard with the many guns, that's the actor that provided the voice and motion capture for Trevor in GTA V. Once you see it, you can't unsee it xD
Christophe
2024-09-25 08:03:59 +0000 UTCIn general, I like playing devil's advocate for Chuck from this point onward because I think too many people have the gut reaction of "Chuck asshole: therefore Chuck ultimate evil". I'm sure I'll have more to say on the topic going forward but for now I'll just say that I don't think Chuck's resentment for Jimmy came out of nowhere. People are right to say that it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy, Chuck saying Jimmy will always be Slippin' Jimmy is probably the biggest reason why that does come true and Jimmy evolves into Saul. But that initial feeling doesn't come out of nowhere. It doesn't seem like Chuck had anything to do with Jimmy being Slippin' Jimmy in the first place. It might just have been a consequence of their upbringing, Chuck being the much older, already super successful brother, maybe Jimmy didn't feel like he had any chance of rivaling that and just decided to say fuck it to the system. But that isn't inherently Chuck's fault. And as "only" an older brother (not a parent), Chuck is probably not aware of the influence he has on Jimmy and really is like a subsitute parent for him in the way that Jimmy strives to make him proud. Without defending Chuck's douchebaggery and asshole-ishness, it's just a complicated and tragic situation overall.
Christophe
2024-09-25 07:42:18 +0000 UTCWhat has Jimmy done to this point in the series to suggest that he will never be worthy of practicing law? Every attorney depicted in media uses tactics and loopholes to build their cases, Jimmy just does it in an unconventional way. I agree that Chuck is ultimately right about his brother (and his suspicions are well founded), but it is absolutely fair to question if his attitude towards Jimmy made the transition to Saul Goodman all the more possible.
FW27
2024-09-25 04:59:25 +0000 UTCgreat discussion at the end!
trysmo324
2024-09-25 04:21:26 +0000 UTCthis episode is one of my favorites in the series for several reasons: 1. the absolute betrayal when Chuck tells Jimmy his true feelings. Its obvious Jimmy looks up to his brother, wants to emulate him, and make him proud. its just devastating. 2. As an attorney, I KNOW how hard the bar exam is --you take special Bar-Bri classes every day for three months, study 12-14 hours every day, then take an 16-hour written exam spread over 2 days. (In my state, only 44% pass the first time) so, Jimmy did that --he worked his azz off and chuck knows it, that means its just petty jealousy 3. the Law is an extremely snobby profession, I have personally had cases against lawyers who went to Harvard and Yale who literally looked down on the rest of us who went to 2nd tier schools!!! Chuck reminds me of one of those pretentious Douch bags who forget that half those ivy league admission slots are legacy admissions anyway!
Chris Bruneau
2024-09-25 04:14:00 +0000 UTCI believe it is called "Reading the Law" to get your law license. Quick google search California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington are the only states that allow this method.
ZitherManifesto
2024-09-25 02:51:57 +0000 UTCHey, I agree with you. Chuck is objectively correct. He does some questionable things, however, everyone forgets that Jimmy is a manipulative narcissist because he's charming. Jimmy is literally one of the most common worst archetypes of people doing the most damage out in the real world right now but he's got that main character pov armor. They'll never side with us but I appreciate your efforts.
Nate Judge
2024-09-25 02:38:38 +0000 UTCJimmy chose the law because of Kim, not because of his brother.
Phan
2024-09-25 02:27:45 +0000 UTCYeah, I don't think you are right. If you tell a kid everyday that they will be nothing, don't be surprised when they don't have the confidence to be something. That is what Chuck did to Jimmy. His lack of belief is why Jimmy ended up where he did. The show is pretty obvious about exhibiting this
Zane Platt
2024-09-25 01:55:32 +0000 UTCYeah, pretty much none of what you wrote is right. First, Chuck is a massive hypocrite and just as underhanded as Jimmy is with the law. He readily admits that he would the same as S & C. He would happily use whatever he could to win a case, even if it is morally objectionable. He just excuses it because laws permit and protect his shitty dealings. Second, the reason Chuck ends up being 'right'' is ironically because of how he treated his brother. Jimmy literally had someone return his bribe and looked past a million plus to be legitimate. So, it is just as likely that if Chuck had believed in him, he would have gone down a different path. Third, the reason Chuck betrays Jimmy is out of jealousy and spite, not because he holds the law sacred lmao. He resented him because Jimmy was always the one people liked more. This is made abundantly clear later. Four, Jimmy quite literally tended to Chucks needs for a full year (and even showed concern after finding out he was betrayed). He had multiple opportunities to make bank and didn't as well, so the idea that Jimmy just wanted a big pay day is incredibly and obviously untrue. Five, the idea that Jimmy went to night school while working, persisted after three failed bar exams and so on to become a lawyer just to get paid is so funny. The guy was pulling profitable schemes in Cicero without issue. There were plenty of far easier ways to profit than to work incredibly hard to become a lawyer. The reality is that he was trying to make his brother proud and pay him back for helping him out of jail. That is why he chose the law profession .
Zane Platt
2024-09-25 01:53:18 +0000 UTCAt the core of it, he is a bad person. He doesn't have faith in people, he is self centred, he is egotistical and so on. In reality, what 'good' does he actually do? Even as a lawyer, he readily admits that he would do the same underhanded but legal tactics that the opposing lawyers were pulling with Sandpiper so in what way is he good?. Doing shitty things doesn't inherently make someone shitty, but it is why he acts the way he does that makes him such a shitty guy. He acts out of spite, he manipulates, he belittles and more because he derives his self worth from being 'superior' to his brother. Like I said, what Mike says about good criminals and bad priests is deliberate and supposed to represent Chuck and Jimmy. So, I do not understand the idea that him being flawed and human somehow means he isn't a bad person. He is.
Zane Platt
2024-09-25 01:37:43 +0000 UTCBut what about Chuck's point of view? Is he not allowed to hold something sacred and want to protect it? His high regard for the law is respectable. His hard work within it is respectable. He *does* know his brother and we as the audience know that Jimmy is in fact doing unscrupulous work related to his practice. We know that Chuck is right about Jimmy, we already saw Breaking Bad. We can sympathize with Jimmy that being treated like this by Chuck hurts, it really does but we should also admit that Chuck was, in the end, right. As for Chuck not being appreciative that Jimmy has been helping him let's not forget that our first look at the Jimmy-Chuck relationship was Jimmy fighting HHM for keeping Chuck on payroll instead of buying him out of the company. If you ask me, Jimmy is only helping Chuck as far as he can a big payday out of it. Jimmy, being who he is, is shooting for big money every chance he gets. There might be a part of him that wants to be a lawyer, but it's really just more about the big payday, not the career.
Phan
2024-09-25 01:28:59 +0000 UTCEh I've heard that point before but I don't really see Chuck as a bad person, he's just very unlikable and the audience demonized him for it. But "bad person" is a stretch. (Not that he's innocent or doesn't do shitty things, but doing shitty things isn't neccesarily what makes someone bad.) Chuck, like everyone in this universe is a mess of a person, and he deals with his issues super flawed ways, which is what makes him human.
Lorenzo Baxter
2024-09-25 01:28:40 +0000 UTCI think he only became Saul Goodman because of Chuck. Jimmy did change. He wasn't Slippin Jimmy anymore. He worked hard to be a lawyer the legitimate way like his brother. He only became Saul Goodman because Chuck kept sabotaging him every step of the way.
dylan s
2024-09-25 01:22:32 +0000 UTCKIM. FUCKING. SEXLER.
cat named toebean
2024-09-25 00:49:53 +0000 UTC100%. Chuck's treatment of Jimmy is ironically why Chuck ends up being right about him. If he had supported him, he would have very likely gone down a different path.
Zane Platt
2024-09-25 00:37:49 +0000 UTCThe conversation Mike has with Pryce foreshadows what Chuck did to Jimmy. Chuck thinks that because he is a law abiding lawyer that he is a good man but he is a bad person at heart. Jimmy is the opposite.
Zane Platt
2024-09-25 00:34:10 +0000 UTCThis reveal of Chuck as the villain gagged me when I watched it for the first time. I will say that Chuck isn't wrong about Jimmy. He is not fit to practice law; we know he becomes Saul Goodman. Still, at this point in time, Chuck was completely out of line.
Matthew s
2024-09-25 00:27:27 +0000 UTCUgh. Chuck's true colors. Such a snob.
Joe Blankenship
2024-09-25 00:26:56 +0000 UTCYeah, itβs very much a sliding doors situation. If Chuck had supported Jimmy, would Saul have ever become a thing? I donβt think so. He was trying to be a good person and the one person whose approval he sought made it very clear he would never respect him.
Jeff K
2024-09-25 00:24:05 +0000 UTCI feel bad for Howard here. For all the flaws of the type of person Howard is, it sucks he was put in this position by Chuck.
Joshua Luzania
2024-09-25 00:02:33 +0000 UTCWhat Chuck said is like a combination of both sibling jealousy but also just resentment. Like Chuck acting like Jimmy didn't really pass the bar because he did an online class, I think is the jealousy, because Jimmy is the funny guy and makes people laugh and Chuck is not that charming compared to him. But he's also resentful of what Jimmy has done in the past. We don't know, but clearly Jimmys schemes has hurt Chuck, and possibly their family. So there's valid pain that Chuck feels that seems to be unresolved. Jimmy did really change. But Chucks hurt has gone so deep that it's literally connected to his illness. The more Jimmy schemes and manipulates, the worse his condition is. These two really could use some family therapy π Although, what Chuck said is a self fulfilling prophecy. Because sadly, that's exactly the type of person Jimmy becomes. As Saul Goodman, he manipulates the law and uses it like a toy. But Jimmy definitely wasn't doomed to become that, we can see he's able to be better than that. Which really makes Jimmy's whole story pretty tragic tbh.
Lorenzo Baxter
2024-09-24 23:50:05 +0000 UTCMan are these last two episodes so good. And heartbreaking.
Jeff K
2024-09-24 23:36:51 +0000 UTCHelll yea!
Andrew Clifton
2024-09-24 23:25:38 +0000 UTC
