eh, i dunno, i don't see it as a problem thus far. so long as it doesn't turn into a 'league of extraordinary gentlemen'-style thing where all they do is give familiar characters walk-on parts. if this is a prequel, i expect to find out how Jimmy becomes Saul, how he meets Mike and why he decides to become a criminal lawyer. Tuco was one of my favourite characters in BB and it' shame he only lasted a handful of episodes, so bringing him back into the frame is a great idea in my book.
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 09:10 (nine years ago) link
tuco's gun is comically large
― Clay, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 09:20 (nine years ago) link
that's what she... oh never mind
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:05 (nine years ago) link
Lydia wasn't a "rogue housewife"
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:42 (nine years ago) link
yeah, this was pretty good. i really liked that there wasn't much expository dialogue - the characters' interactions were enough to fill in the blanks.
i wonder if the black and white photography in the omaha sequence was a deliberate homage to / joke about alexander payne's nebraska?
― bizarro gazzara, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:44 (nine years ago) link
were the flash forwarded sequences in BB b/w?
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:49 (nine years ago) link
Did 'Chuck' ever get mentioned in BB? I take it he's Jimmy's brother? Or uncle?
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 10:50 (nine years ago) link
So glad this isn't just a knockabout sitcom about a hapless lawyer though. I was always a Saul agnostic when he was in BB as he stood right on the edge between comic foil and slapstick sitcom buffoon. Plus it took me ages to stop thinking of him as Gob in Arrested Development, but as a lawyer instead of a magician. I like how Jimmy cuts a bittersweet, really quite dualised and tragic figure. One minute he's walking around in his suit, acting as though he owns the place; next he's returning home to an absolute hovel after having been talked down to and kicked in the nuts by life... It continues the double-act of WW/Heisenberg in that respect.
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 11:07 (nine years ago) link
i might be out on this already, the tone just feels off to me; I bet there will be some inspired stuff but not sure I want to invest ~14 hrs or w/e
― johnny crunch, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:10 (nine years ago) link
There will be loads of bb characters in this. Of course as Saul goodman he'll have good reason to come up against every scumbag in Albuquerque, and cops too
I mean, this is a breaking bad spinoff about Walter White's wacky lawyer; its very existence is fan service, however much prestigey ~darkness~ they inject into it.
I'm down cause I thought odenkirk was brilliant in bb
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:15 (nine years ago) link
i loved the cold open so much
― gr8080, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:35 (nine years ago) link
I enjoyed this a fair bit, just because Saul is a great character and it's good to spend more time with him. Wish the Tuco reveal hadn't come so early, because it's a fairly short line from him to Gus Fring, and really if this show is going to succeed on its own terms it needs to take time to do a Frasier and build its own universe of characters. The scenes with Chuck suggested that's in the plan, even if he felt miscast - I struggled to see him and Saul as actually related.
It's also showing us at least two Walter White-style descents into the underworld, and I love seeing people way way over their heads.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:40 (nine years ago) link
Like I think a constant parade of "hey look, it's Badger!" gratuitous fanwank would be the worst approach they could take and I more or less trust Gilligan not to take that road.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:41 (nine years ago) link
No they'll be careful not to make it constant I think
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:58 (nine years ago) link
yeah i think i trust this team enough now not to make it shit
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:07 (nine years ago) link
When you look at Odenkirk's career between his inspired turn as Stevie Grant in The Larry Sanders Show and his BB turn as Saul it is quite depressing, a lost decade and a half of mediocre writing credits and various atrocious comedy-fail shite. I think this being his stand alone big shot and Gilligan's nerviness at following up such a big hit might be something to do with the rocky start this series has made. I hope it gets better cos I always liked Odenkirk, but so far it all feels a bit stilted and predictable.
― xelab, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:09 (nine years ago) link
nah...
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:16 (nine years ago) link
don't think i'd heard of odenkirk before BB though.
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:17 (nine years ago) link
i think the broken windshield was a nice level of fan service callback
― young pc thug (Merdeyeux), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:31 (nine years ago) link
haha, what's that?
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:33 (nine years ago) link
i.e. that walt's windshield was constantly broken and now we've had another two broken windshields already, the breaking bad universe is much like our universe but with way more broken windshields
― young pc thug (Merdeyeux), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:34 (nine years ago) link
xposts
Odenkirk did Mr Show between Sanders and Breaking Bad! And he was in Nebraska after BB, which was nominated for a Palme D'Or and a half-dozen Oscars. He will be fine if this tanks.
― Brio2, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:40 (nine years ago) link
and fargo
― oi listen mate, shut up (dog latin), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:44 (nine years ago) link
Comedy-fail dross and an appearance in a Payneful, overrated movie might pay the bills but fronting your own series is a different matter and Fargo is also post BB.
― xelab, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:47 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, Odenkirk hasn't had the best luck making movies of his own but he's otherwise had a pretty solid (if generally low-key) career and a vast comedic community that rightfully respects the shit out of him. Plus he brought Tim & Eric into our hearts and homes. He's gonna do just fine.
― Brodozer Coke Buffet (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:48 (nine years ago) link
Mr. Show = 'comedy-fail dross'. Okay.
― Brodozer Coke Buffet (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:50 (nine years ago) link
ok whatever your assessment of his career or talents are - he understands the risks of Better Call Saul, he'll be fine if it doesn't work out, and it's not "his stand alone big shot".
The NYT interview seems totally level-headed:
“I was worried about what it would do to my family and worried about whether I would end up being the guy who” — um, screwed up — “the legacy of ‘Breaking Bad.’ ”“And then I talked to my daughter, who is 13 and incredibly mature, she said, ‘It’s a big opportunity, we will be fine, and if it’s bad, really, how bad could it be?’ ”“And I said well, it won’t be bad. It’s written by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould; the worst thing is it’s a really interesting misfire. If that’s the worst thing it is, I’d be more than happy to be part of that.”
“And then I talked to my daughter, who is 13 and incredibly mature, she said, ‘It’s a big opportunity, we will be fine, and if it’s bad, really, how bad could it be?’ ”
“And I said well, it won’t be bad. It’s written by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould; the worst thing is it’s a really interesting misfire. If that’s the worst thing it is, I’d be more than happy to be part of that.”
― Brio2, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 14:59 (nine years ago) link
There's a scene in Ep 1 at a security checkpoint where the guard waves the metal detector near a guy's privates and it goes off...the fact that McKean is in the cast made me think this was a homage to Spinal Tap
― calstars, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 15:12 (nine years ago) link
― gr8080, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 13:35 (2 hours ago) Permalink
Me too!
― Punny Names (latebloomer), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 16:19 (nine years ago) link
AAAAAAAAAAAA
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 17:51 (nine years ago) link
That was some nasty comedy, it's rare I genuinely lol while cowering
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 17:54 (nine years ago) link
The second half was quite okay.
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:38 (nine years ago) link
Enjoyed this thoroughly. The vibe is hard to pin down; I can't think of many other things that hit this kind of dour anti-humor/slapstick balance. Reminds me of the book Miss Lonelyhearts more than anything, maybe a little Coen brothers too. The skitching/generic funk scene was a little cringe worthy but I'm excited for the rest.
― Tomás Piñon (Ryan), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 18:52 (nine years ago) link
I'm hoping we get to see more of what he's been up to post-Breaking Bad
― paolo, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 21:44 (nine years ago) link
Saul is sort of similar to Jesse in that he's basically a good person but poor choices mean that he gets involved in some really quite unpleasant situations
― paolo, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 21:47 (nine years ago) link
Jesse is a good person?
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 21:49 (nine years ago) link
afaict the only good person in BB was junior
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 21:52 (nine years ago) link
yeah, i hope there's more post-Breaking Bad stuff. Gilligan seems to like telling stories from opposite ends and flashforwards and stuff anyway, so might happen a bit.
― Brio2, Tuesday, 10 February 2015 21:59 (nine years ago) link
Episode 2 is good - starting to gather pace.
― the gabhal cabal (Bob Six), Tuesday, 10 February 2015 22:45 (nine years ago) link
lol:
credits shot of Saul staring balefully out across the North Dakota sunrise from his Cinnabon― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, September 30, 2013 10:59 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, September 30, 2013 10:59 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― gr8080, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 01:16 (nine years ago) link
whoops didn't c+p the whole thing:
was waiting for post-credits shot of Saul staring balefully out across the North Dakota sunrise from his Cinnabon― what's up ugly girls? (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, September 30, 2013 10:59 AM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― gr8080, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 01:19 (nine years ago) link
This is all very enjoyable, though it does feel a bit like The Hobbit to BB's LOTR; everything is broader and sillier, and there's a little too much fan service. It should ideally be a show that someone who's never seen it's predecessor could enjoy perfectly well and I'm not sure it is. I am looking forward to the rest, the ripping off the embezzlers plotline has potential, and the standard of storytelling was obviously very high.
― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Wednesday, 11 February 2015 11:08 (nine years ago) link
Jimmy's foray into the HHM offices (ep. 1) was hilarious, man. His second interaction with the older fella on the ground floor was classic, sort of 'why are we engaging in hand shake' "Right." "yes."
First part of his Network bit in the meeting room, he kinda channeled both Larry David and Daniel Day Lewis.
― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Wednesday, 11 February 2015 14:46 (nine years ago) link
loved and hated the all that jazz homage
― gr8080, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 15:05 (nine years ago) link
i really really hope we've seen all the tuco we're going to see
tuco was without a doubt my least favorite character in the BB universe and even if raymond cruz's acting chops were a little better in monday's episode than they were in s1/s2 of BB he still grates on me
hoping the county treasurer character gets fully developed like walt did (without totally mirroring walt)
― gr8080, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 15:26 (nine years ago) link
Didja ever get your shit pushed in?
― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Wednesday, 11 February 2015 15:29 (nine years ago) link
loving this. It is v much BB part 2 the sequeling, but in some ways I already like it more just because I love Bob Odenkirk so much
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 16:26 (nine years ago) link
i hope the b+w cold open isnt the last we see of nu-saul, even if we have to wait for the s2 premiere or something
― gr8080, Wednesday, 11 February 2015 16:29 (nine years ago) link
xp it's so exactly breaking bad as a comedy! Like how many times did we see an abject, desperate Walt trying to wheedle his way out of being killed? But it has a diff feel cause saul's dialogue & performance are so firmly in the comedy register (which is why so many find him jarring in breaking bad). The Saul-Walt parallels in this show are at absurd levels but it seems to be working at a level of its own. The violence is on the farcical bathtub of gore, zombie necktie level and I hope it stays there. I found the desert scene horrific & hilarious but the date scene was even worse/better, I was wincing & laughing so hard (plus blackmail tributes always get props from me)
― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Wednesday, 11 February 2015 16:45 (nine years ago) link
tbh I think Saul was key to making BBad's tragicomic tonal balance really work. The series didn't fully click for me till he was introduced.
― Simon H., Wednesday, 11 February 2015 17:15 (nine years ago) link
Fuck the Emmys :(
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 06:48 (one year ago) link
Saw a tweet that said the show is now 0 for 46 in Emmy noms.
― Chris L, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 14:32 (one year ago) link
I mean, I like Succession too, but good lord. Nothing for this show? It is especially a crime that Rhea Seehorn still doesn't have one for this show.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 14:36 (one year ago) link
I saw a tweet about this and assumed it was an ironic joke, since I assumed BCS would have won a bunch of Emmys.
― death generator (lukas), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 15:07 (one year ago) link
What would explain that? Breaking Bad won 16/58--there's no inherent bias.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 15:16 (one year ago) link
I'd be upset about this but I didn't see anything that actually won an Emmy so
Rhea Seehorn not winning anything is criminal though
― frogbs, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 15:22 (one year ago) link
bcs gets one more go ‘round for the last batch of episodes this summer fwiw
― Clay, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 16:38 (one year ago) link
Julie Garner was probably the best thing in Ozark but this is the third time she's won for playing Ruth ffs xpAlthough some people are saying apparently the second half of the final season is eligible next year so there may be one last chance
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 17:06 (one year ago) link
Good to know, I was wondering about the eligibility since the last episodes just aired. Garner was great and deserved an Emmy, but I don't know about three for the same role and def not at the expense of zero for Seehorn.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 September 2022 17:21 (one year ago) link
Other than constantly upping her "fucks"-per-minute, I don't know that Garner ever deepened that character as she went along.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 17:49 (one year ago) link
i can pai, i can pai
― Neanderthal, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 18:12 (one year ago) link
Vince Gilligan’s Next Series Starring Rhea Seehorn Lands At Apple TV+ With Two-Season Order:
The untitled project, described as a blended, grounded genre drama, has received a two-season straight-to-series order from the streamer...Gilligan will serve as showrunner and executive produce through his High Bridge Productions.
― dow, Thursday, 22 September 2022 20:52 (one year ago) link
"blended, grounded": cuhwawfee tawwwk!
― dow, Thursday, 22 September 2022 20:54 (one year ago) link
srsly, whut's 'at mean??
Sounds like good coffee to me.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 22 September 2022 20:58 (one year ago) link
From back in August:The series is described as a blended, grounded and thought-provoking genre drama and has been compared to ‘The Twilight Zone’.
― groovypanda, Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:07 (one year ago) link
Seehorn has come back from LA to run the desert roadside diner owned by her suddenly-blinded father. Travelers and locals stop by to tell tales, do other things. Is my hoped-for premise.
― dow, Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:31 (one year ago) link
And yours?
― dow, Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:32 (one year ago) link
So down for whatever
― Wiggum Dorma (wins), Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:42 (one year ago) link
something like Maniac but also not too much like Maniac
― nashwan, Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:52 (one year ago) link
Puppets
― sweating like Cathy *aaaack* (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 22 September 2022 21:53 (one year ago) link
she teams up with the Swedish chef to sell meth and it's called Breaking Bork
― i eat ass with a knife and fork (Neanderthal), Thursday, 22 September 2022 23:20 (one year ago) link
hell yeah, give her a damn show
― mh, Friday, 23 September 2022 00:23 (one year ago) link
the black & white cinematography was such an amazing device for Jimmy & Kim’s scenes, giving them that doomed romance of something like A Place In The SunTheir final interactions together were like mini homages to all the old movies they watched together, knowing they’re stuck with the life they’ve made but wishing it could be more.
oh and jimmy giving chuck the hg wells time machine book i nearly cried <3
― assert (matttkkkk), Thursday, 20 October 2022 22:12 (one year ago) link
What is it with airports? I had the same in the airport lounge leaving to Iran.
Miss this tv show, wish it would go on forever
― hrep (H.P), Monday, 31 October 2022 06:16 (one year ago) link
yeah I've tried a few other shows since but nothing is on the same level
plus it was really nice to have Bob Odenkirk on TV every week. regardless of what you thought of anything else
― frogbs, Monday, 31 October 2022 13:24 (one year ago) link
There was a link to the Critics Choice Awards (whatever they are) on another thread: https://variety.com/2023/awards/news/critics-choice-awards-2023-winners-list-1235488828/. Weird: Better Call Saul won Best Drama Series, Odenkirk won Best Actor, Giancarlo Esposito won Supporting Actor, and Carol Burnett was nominated (but lost) for Best Supporting Actress.
Rhea Seehorn was not nominated.
While I'm not quite as high on her work in the last couple of seasons as everyone else (as opposed to early on, when I thought she was great), that's egregious.
― clemenza, Monday, 16 January 2023 22:43 (one year ago) link
Maybe this time
This guy looks pretty beat up...BUT, HOORAY! and THANK YOU to everyone who enjoyed Better Call Saul, and for this Nom. We all cared SO MUCH everyday we made this show. It starts with the WRITING and I'm so thankful Peter Gould and Gordon Smith are nominated. RHEA being… https://t.co/aiTsW9qU4T— Mr. Bob Odenkirk (@mrbobodenkirk) July 12, 2023
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 12 July 2023 19:34 (ten months ago) link
No idea how they determine such things, but isn't Rhea Seehorn a lead actress? I've seen the first three seasons of Succession, not the new one, but to me, Seehorn was at least as much of a lead as Sarah Snook.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 12 July 2023 19:45 (ten months ago) link
iirc the actor (or sometimes production) themselves decides in which category to submit
― Clay, Wednesday, 12 July 2023 19:48 (ten months ago) link
I want an entire series about season 6 Kim.
― papal hotwife (milo z), Tuesday, 5 December 2023 04:08 (five months ago) link
otm
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 December 2023 14:51 (five months ago) link