Better Call Saul - Season 4 (AMC) (1 Viewer)

[joshEH]

Also, man, is Kaylee in college now? She looks even older here than in the BrBa episode where Walt shoots Mike.

Is she actually Benjamin Button?

 

[joshEH]

Wow, the script seems to have been 5 pages for this episode.

 

[TravisR]

Wow, the script seems to have been 5 pages for this episode.

No need for dialogue when the actors can convey what they're thinking with a look.

 

[joshEH]

^ Ha, yeah, was just having some fun, there. This episode's been absolutely extraordinary so far.

Also...Hank? Maybe?

 

[joshEH]

IS THAT DREW SHARP? A.K.A. Dirtbike Kid?

 

[WillG]

For Christ’s sake this stated at 9:00pm tonight. Thought it was always 10:00 pm.

Was looking forward to this but now I have to wait until tomorrow night before I can watch.

Shit!

 

[joshEH]

"May I ask why none of you guys are wearing a lift-belt?"

 

[TravisR]

For Christ’s sake this stated at 9:00pm tonight. Thought it was always 10:00 pm.

Was looking forward to this but now I have to wait until tomorrow night before I can watch.

Shit!

If you don't mind losing sleep, it reruns at 11-ish PM.

 

[joshEH]

Howard: "I think it was all my fault..."
Jimmy: "...Yep."

DAMN, this episode flew right by. Next thing I knew, I looked at the clock, and there only 10 minutes left to go. I knew this episode would be good, but I somehow didn't fully realize or expect that it'd instantly enter the Five-O/Pimento/Nailed/Klick/Chicanery/Fall/Lantern-tier of elite episodes.

I'm assuming this season Kim will start to blame herself for Chuck's death, as well. This might cause her to leave Jimmy. The malpractice insurance is what brought him back to being his old self. He remembers why he went to the insurance office -- to get the lady to raise Chuck's rates. Jimmy loved his brother. But Chuck died as he lived: not appreciating or even respecting the pure amount of brotherly care Jimmy gave to him throughout most of his life. As sympathetic as he is, Jimmy will never forget that.

I remember somebody somewhere suggesting after last season that Howard might kill himself because he feels responsible for Chuck's death, and I thought it seemed too far-fetched at the time. After tonight's ending, I'm not so sure of that. Even if it doesn't lead to suicide, Jimmy just might be cold enough to push Howard into a downward spiral that ruins his life, just for the sake of repressing his own guilt.

And it's stunning how Jimmy barely says more than 20 words in this episode, but that four-second bomb he dropped on Howard at the end and his behavior right after absolutely stole the show.

Some other great stuff/thoughts:

- If one thing will always catch fraud, it's hospital/insurance billing. Kudos to Peter and Vince for really amping up the tension in that scene. Damn, that hospital receptionist was ominous for several minutes, there. Woman nearly made him have a heart attack for real.

- Also, that ominous AF Omaha cabbie -- I half-expected him to get clipped right there. Being that it's a flash-forward, well after Breaking Bad, anything is possible. (I thought it was gonna be Jesse in the taxi when they planned up to slowly reveal the eyes. "Listen, bitch. We gotta talk.")

- They've literally played the Ink Spots for the last three seasons in a row during the premieres, in the Cinnabon-flashforwards.

- Madrigal would've let Mike keep the windbreaker.

- Howard being first on the scene after Chuck's death -- say what you want about him, but he's a standup guy.

- ABQ's minor league baseball-team is called the "Isotopes."

- Chuck graduated as valedictorian of his high school at age 14. Dayum.

- Bruce Lee with nunchakus > Ali with weapon of choice

- HAVE A PURR-FECT BIRTHDAY

- Mike pimpin' in the cart. They see me rollin', they hatin'. I swear, if you have a clipboard and confidence, you can sneak in anywhere. #FakeItTilYouMakeIt

- Good ol' Schweikart and Clifford Main sitting off in the background at Chuck's funeral.

 

[WillG]

If you don't mind losing sleep, it reruns at 11-ish PM.

Kind of wanted to get to bed early tonight.

 

[joshEH]

I love how depressing Cinnabon seems in this show -- it makes me nostalgic for those days as a kid when I just wandered the mall without any money.

So, I'm wondering about something. Since Chuck was in the middle of getting bought out of HHM, with several million dollars left to be paid, does that money still have to be paid to someone (i.e., Jimmy)? I'm assuming based on BrBa that Saul doesn't have several million dollars right onhand, but in real life, wouldn't HHM still have to pay out?

 

[TravisR]

I love how depressing Cinnabon seems in this show -- it makes me nostalgic for those days as a kid when I just wandered the mall without any money.

So, I'm wondering about something. Since Chuck was in the middle of getting bought out of HHM, with several million dollars left to be paid, does that money still have to be paid to someone (i.e., Jimmy)? I'm assuming based on BrBa that Saul doesn't have several million dollars right onhand, but in real life, wouldn't HHM still have to pay out?

Yeah, the money must go to Jimmy unless Chuck's will leaves Jimmy out.

I always thought Saul Goodman was actually pretty wealthy. Not that he had enough money to spend the rest of his life just spendin' but I thought that he largely kept working because of his greed, his enjoyment of seeing his face on TV & bus stops and because he couldn't pass up any opportunity to scam people.

- If one thing will always catch fraud, it's hospital/insurance billing. Kudos to Peter and Vince for really amping up the tension in that scene. Damn, that hospital receptionist was ominous for several minutes, there. Woman nearly made him have a heart attack for real.

The Disappearer apparently does good work.

- Good ol' Schweikart and Clifford Main sitting off in the background at Chuck's funeral.

Kudos to the studio for paying for the actors to come in and say a couple words. You could invent reasons why those characters didn't show up at the funeral but they did it right and had them there.

 

[joshEH]

Charles Lindbergh McGill, graduate of Francis Xavier High School and Georgetown University Law Center...double-Jesuit FTW.

So Mike didn't like just getting a check, and decided to earn his security-consultant title. "Ehrmantraut: Security Consultant" should be the next BrBa spinoff, but with a reality-TV feel to it. Mike walking up into places and pointing things that they are doing wrong. Then going off to the side, like the interviews on The Office, and giving safety commentary to the audience.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Just finished watching the Season 4 premiere and then reading through Josh's exhaustive posts (which were great).

Terrific opener. Still proves this is one of the best shows on television.

As usual, had my Shazam ready to identify the great music they put in these shows. Just added to my iTunes library: The Shadow of your Smile by Oscar Peterson.

The final moments of the show were a real punch to the gut....

Spoiler

Jimmy putting the blame on Howard like that and then whistling away in glee openly.

 

[TravisR]

The final moments of the show were a real punch to the gut....

Spoiler

Jimmy putting the blame on Howard like that and then whistling away in glee openly.

Yeah, Saul Goodman has always been just below the surface of Jimmy but it was unexpected to see the most overt 'appearance' of Saul so far.

 

[WillG]

- ABQ's minor league baseball-team is called the "Isotopes."

Guess in the BCS universe, Homer's hunger strike didn't work.

 

[WillG]

I love how depressing Cinnabon seems in this show -- it makes me nostalgic for those days as a kid when I just wandered the mall without any money.

So, I'm wondering about something. Since Chuck was in the middle of getting bought out of HHM, with several million dollars left to be paid, does that money still have to be paid to someone (i.e., Jimmy)? I'm assuming based on BrBa that Saul doesn't have several million dollars right onhand, but in real life, wouldn't HHM still have to pay out?

I was wondering this before I even saw the episode. I'm assuming Chuck willed everything to Rebecca, but I suppose if he hadn't yet received the HHM payout that money could be up for dispute. I wonder if it will be a plot point this season. In BB, didn't Saul have a sizable cache of cash in his office safe? And didn't one of the earlier seasons of BCS state what the amount of Chuck's buyout would have been?

 

[TravisR]

I was wondering this before I even saw the episode. I'm assuming Chuck willed everything to Rebecca, but I suppose if he hadn't yet received the HHM payout that money could be up for dispute. I wonder if it will be a plot point this season. In BB, didn't Saul have a sizable cache of cash in his office safe?

I think that was money to have some cash on hand and in case of emergencies (like enough money to hire The Disappearer and have some extra to go on the run with) and not all of his dough. Is Jimmy still getting a piece of the money from the Sandpiper lawsuit or is he out because he got himself fired by the old ladies last season? I think that was a sizable amount of money too.

And didn't one of the earlier seasons of BCS state what the amount of Chuck's buyout would have been?

I believe that in the previous episode, Howard gave Chuck $3 million and said there'd be two more payments. I don't know if that's two more payments of $3 million though. I think you're right that the money will be going to Rebecca.

 

[Greg.K]

- ABQ's minor league baseball-team is called the "Isotopes."

- Bruce Lee with nunchakus > Ali with weapon of choice

- HAVE A PURR-FECT BIRTHDAY

- Mike pimpin' in the cart. They see me rollin', they hatin'. I swear, if you have a clipboard and confidence, you can sneak in anywhere. #FakeItTilYouMakeIt

- Isotopes actually named after the team on The Simpsons - inaugural season was 2003, and that's apparently where the show is in the BCS/BB timeline, so nice detail.

- Everything about Security Consultant Mike was my favorite part of the episode. Cinnabon Jimmy's run-ins with the hospital clerk and the suspicious cabbie a close second.

 

[WillG]

I think that was money to have some cash on hand and in case of emergencies (like enough money to hire The Disappearer and have some extra to go on the run with) and not all of his dough. Is Jimmy still getting a piece of the money from the Sandpiper lawsuit or is he out because he got himself fired by the old ladies last season? I think that was a sizable amount of money too.

I believe Jimmy's deal with HHM over sandpiper is still intact. Last season he was trying to get the old ladies to settle which would have allowed him to get his payout faster. But now he has to wait until the case ends before he gets paid out.