at this point, i consider Saul to just be an extension of Breaking Bad in terms of quality. Considering Gilligan's starting his eighth season at this level, i can't think of anyone else in television who's been able to sustain this greatness this long.
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Tuesday, April 11, 2017 12:31 PM (two hours ago)
it's always sunny and the simpsons come to mind, but those are half-hour comedies rather than hour-long dramas
also imo BB was pretty patchy
― k3vin k., Tuesday, 11 April 2017 18:50 (seven years ago) link
Unless you're talking about the inimitable Al Jean (which I suspect you are not), The Simpsons didn't have a single showrunner carrying them through nearly a decade of amazingly-solid TV so I'm not sure the comparison applies.
― Break the meat into the pineapples and pat them (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 11 April 2017 19:15 (seven years ago) link
this "single showrunner" thing is a relatively new phenomenon
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 11 April 2017 19:16 (seven years ago) link
ah good point xp
― k3vin k., Tuesday, 11 April 2017 19:18 (seven years ago) link
xpost Eh, kinda, but you did at least have big name producers/creators back in the day who presumably maintained some degree of quality control.
― Break the meat into the pineapples and pat them (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 11 April 2017 19:29 (seven years ago) link
always sunny seems like the gold standard for this with comedies, yes... they've actually been consistently good longer than the simpsons imo!but simpler times
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Tuesday, 11 April 2017 20:31 (seven years ago) link
Loved all the Mike scenes this week, although took me a while to work out what he was up to.
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 07:12 (seven years ago) link
So this has aired already in Murica? Must stop clicking bookmark!
― chap, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 08:04 (seven years ago) link
Already on UK Netflix too
― Bernie Lugg (Ward Fowler), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:21 (seven years ago) link
^ Yeah
It airs in the US on the Monday night and is then available over here on Netflix on the Tuesday
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:37 (seven years ago) link
Oh fuck I thought it was next week for some reason. Nice surprise.
― chap, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:44 (seven years ago) link
So did Chuck intend for Ernesto to hear the tape?
On Mike's espionage, wouldn't they have just replaced the battery in the old bug rather than taken it away? Wasteful.
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:46 (seven years ago) link
I was also thinking that, but I suppose when you trying to discreetly plant a tracker on someones car - speed and stealth will be more important. And the tape recorder being on play and the ott reaction deffo seemed contrived and part of some cunning plan.
― calzino, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:54 (seven years ago) link
Not to mention his smug move with the tongs once Ernie left
ulysses otm; the inching forward of the gene timeline (omg this has different timelines, how mindbending lol) is more impactful than any number of EXPLOSIVE season openings
― briscall stool chart (wins), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 09:57 (seven years ago) link
I like the way Mike shows his ex-cop stakeout craft to perfection. Like he has the discipline to sit in a darkened room for hours (with just some pistachios for company!).
― calzino, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 10:58 (seven years ago) link
I suppose part of the reason Fring ends up employing him is that he realises Mike has skills way beyond any of his happy amateur goons.
― calzino, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 11:07 (seven years ago) link
Well, the full reason I should have said.
― calzino, Wednesday, 12 April 2017 11:09 (seven years ago) link
I just want to say how much I appreciate that the mechanics of the tracker switch-off were shown in loving detail but never overtly explained. It's so refreshing to have to actually think about what characters on a TV show are doing and why they're doing it rather than having the writers hammer it all into the brains of their half-engaged viewership. Mike is a smart and skilled dude, so I enjoy feeling like he's at least a step or two ahead of me, a decidedly less smart and skilled dude.
― Break the meat into the pineapples and pat them (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 13:19 (seven years ago) link
yep, it takes a strong creative team to trust that they're a little in front of you and show not tell
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 14:11 (seven years ago) link
https://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/1dkcej/never_eat_pistachios_in_the_dark/
― briscall stool chart (wins), Wednesday, 12 April 2017 15:31 (seven years ago) link
protein
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Thursday, 13 April 2017 03:58 (seven years ago) link
I think chuck's plotting will end up being like the ricin thing, one of those schemes that rely on everyone involved reacting in exactly the way the schemer predicts they will - I really have no idea where they're going with it though, apart from a vague idea that he's trying to foment discord between Jimmy & Kim.
― briscall stool chart (wins), Thursday, 13 April 2017 14:51 (seven years ago) link
Yeah. Agreed.
― It's always (sunny successor), Thursday, 13 April 2017 16:00 (seven years ago) link
I am intrigued by what Chuck is planning. Suppose Ernesto does tell Jimmy about the tape--as Chuck and Howard already discussed, Jimmy will know that the tape wouldn't be useful in court. So other than having further proof that his brother is out to get him, why would Jimmy even be stressed about it?
― JRN, Thursday, 13 April 2017 22:41 (seven years ago) link
Kim
― It's always (sunny successor), Sunday, 16 April 2017 15:52 (seven years ago) link
I noticed there appears to be a companion Talking programme to this now. Is that new. Is that just becoming standard to everything remotely intriguing these days?Things not cheapened by the gossip level?Did Dr Who get one yet?
― Stevolende, Sunday, 16 April 2017 17:19 (seven years ago) link
I've only noticed it with AMC shows (Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul... I think Preacher may have had one?)
― scattered, smothered, covered, diced and chunked (WilliamC), Sunday, 16 April 2017 17:47 (seven years ago) link
Game of Thrones has one as well. Or maybe that's just in the UK?
― trishyb, Sunday, 16 April 2017 17:49 (seven years ago) link
Talking Dead and a few others too
― groovypanda, Sunday, 16 April 2017 18:35 (seven years ago) link
Doctor Who has one in Australia now. The host opened the first episode by introducing the panel, then saying "Forget about the episode we just watched, [SCREAMS SPOILER ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE], let's talk about that!"
― (±\ PLO;;;;;;; Style (sic), Sunday, 16 April 2017 23:10 (seven years ago) link
The real eye opener is the accompanying podcast
― It's always (sunny successor), Monday, 17 April 2017 19:25 (seven years ago) link
For B.B./BCS I mean
― It's always (sunny successor), Monday, 17 April 2017 19:26 (seven years ago) link
The podcast is great
― (±\ PLO;;;;;;; Style (sic), Monday, 17 April 2017 22:46 (seven years ago) link
Are they doing one this season?
― briscall stool chart (wins), Monday, 17 April 2017 22:47 (seven years ago) link
premiere was okay, obviously a slow burn w a specific focus. I did wonder what the point of all those shots of Kim deciding on whether or not to use a period, a semi-colon or an en-dash was though.
― Οὖτις, Monday, 17 April 2017 22:54 (seven years ago) link
presumed it was playing on (and, not incidentally reminding the audience of) her obsession with doing things properly
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Tuesday, 18 April 2017 02:22 (seven years ago) link
a mountain that can be a rising line graph... or fallingthe fuckup of the paint as jimmy veers away from his brother's method of patient methodical tape rollingthug in the car circling "trajectory" on the word searchthe tip off of just why the tape was made at the start of the episode leading to payoff IN THE SAME EPISODE so that we don't get in front of the storythe mirrored plots of mike and jimmy on opposite sides of the lawthe obvious but teasing reveals of the Pollos Hermanos sign and of Esposito sweeping upso many lengthy silent sequences, brilliantly framed with such an eye to detail... the out of focus spider running on the tarmac as mike's head breaks the rounded horizon linejust bravado work front to back
Gilligans direction was incredible this ep. I love that they're not afraid to be corny or obvious (trajectory, a little crooked) but with such panache
Saul's secretary! That was bigger than gus for me
― briscall stool chart (wins), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 16:46 (seven years ago) link
I know! So unexpected.
There must have been, what, a full thirty dialogue-free minutes between the first two episodes of the season? That takes chutzpah. And to make it work takes serious skill.
― Lipbra Geraldoman (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 16:56 (seven years ago) link
I loved his oh so covert staking out of Pollos Hermanos, for a bit of comic relief. But overall, yeah that was a technically stunning and perfect ep.
― calzino, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 16:58 (seven years ago) link
My favorite little detail this week was the fact that Jimmy has a velcro wallet. That just seems so perfectly Jimmy.
― 20-lol pileup (WilliamC), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:00 (seven years ago) link
"this guy REALLY doesn't want to talk about cracker barrel" got a belly laugh out of me
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:26 (seven years ago) link
On a meta level I appreciate how chuck's brilliant genius plan was to use REALY SUBTLE REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY on derrrnie so Jimmy would immediately lose his shit and run into a trap, cause it's like a comical simplification of the ricin gambit for ppl who complained that that was too convoluted
On a non-meta level it was played so so well (hamyln's dorky little agitated run is cranstonesque) and I care much less about the mechanism than the outcome, I think being cornered like this is what leads to the first really big downward lurch for Jimmy
― briscall stool chart (wins), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:45 (seven years ago) link
still don't see what Chuck pins on Jimmy - breaking + entering and assault, destruction of private property, etc.? OK whatever
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:47 (seven years ago) link
Could that be enough to get him disbarred?
― JRN, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:53 (seven years ago) link
Whatever the particulars, I think the overall aim would be to get Jimmy disbarred — Chuck wants to take away Jimmy's one big life success. xp!
― 20-lol pileup (WilliamC), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:55 (seven years ago) link
xpost Yeah it didnt seem that big of a GOTCHA tbh. 1st 2 episodes have been ok. I'm getting more of a kick out of Mike's long wordless scenes of covert stalking than Jimmy's story (which seems to be covering well trodden territory)
― Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:55 (seven years ago) link
the reverse for me. Mike's plotline more closely mirrors BB's focus on mechanics and minutiae, but it's Jimmy's plotline that has the emotional resonance and depth of character
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 17:59 (seven years ago) link
I agree, its just Jimmy's story has been less appealing so far this season
― Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 18:01 (seven years ago) link
breaking and entering is enough to get him arrested, i think there's three people who now can prove admission of guilt to what's on that tape... no longer his story vs mine.in any case, it's enough to force jimmy out of the law... under his own name at least.
i really really appreciate (as per the block quote up top) that they explained in the opening why the tape was made without explicitly telling the audience and then, in opposition to a zillion other hourlong dramas that would've made the buildup to Jimmy breaking the crux of the story for five more episodes ("THE SECRET TAPE SAGA FINALLY COMES TO A HEAD IN THE NEXT TO THE LAST EPISODE BEFORE THE LAST EPISODE"), bang, it's over.
― Bobson Dugnutt (ulysses), Wednesday, 19 April 2017 18:30 (seven years ago) link
i think there's three people who now can prove admission of guilt to what's on that tape
idk Jimmy's defense - that he was telling his totally nuts brother what he wanted to hear in order to restore him to some semblance of sanity - is totally believable. And the tape itself is destroyed, of questionable provenance etc.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 19 April 2017 18:31 (seven years ago) link