First think I think of when I think of heartstring-tugging in BB is Walt talking to his family about foregoing treatment, AKA "the pillow scene."
Better Call Saul...whatcha think?
How That Key ‘Better Call Saul’ Death Was Kept Secret From Stars Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn
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The nature of the show meant that the very end (and, indeed, the last several episodes) could not have had the kind of ramp-up that BB had, of course. The whole thing was more of a coda.
More thoughts later, still shaking off a sickness, just wanted to say that initially.
More thoughts later, still shaking off a sickness, just wanted to say that initially.
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I agree with Yoda. The show gave us the climax the first 2 episodes then laid us down gently with the last 4 episodes just to wrap it up all nicely. It's the first time in a very very long time I've seen a show finish with some class. Salute! As good as Breaking Bad in its own way.
I'm waiting to see if anyone comments about Jimmy's motivations for doing what he did there at the end. The specific reason or reasons (and there was or were some).
WARNING: spoilers below
He didn't want Kim to shoulder the entirely load of guilt. Avoiding his share of accountability only made her feel more responsible. Her actions were how a normal person with a conscience reacts to whatever transgressions they've committed. It was only after hearing from his lawyer on that flight that Kim had given her written confession to Howard's widow that he decided to do what he did. He underwent a change of heart but it wasn't in response to all that he had done. It was because of the depth of Kim's sacrifice. So he didn't actually grow a conscience there at the end. They stayed true to the character and didn't give him a mawkish, redemptive ending.
I hope people can recognize and appreciate the ending for what it was. And for closing out a nuanced and uncompromising story on it's own terms.
I hope people can recognize and appreciate the ending for what it was. And for closing out a nuanced and uncompromising story on it's own terms.
I think I'd split the difference on those two options:
WARNING: spoilers below
I think initially, you're right: at first he's just being Saul (gets the sweetheart deal by scaring them with plausible lies about his state of mind during it all), then he hears about Kim, which is the one soft spot he still has, and decides to protect her...but notice that partway through his speech, even when he's softened and started to take blame...he looks at Kim and she's still not moved by it. It's then that he goes (seemingly) further than he'd planned, where he talks about Chuck, too, and says he's the one who ran away (not Kim) after their marriage fell apart. Then we get a little reaction from her.
I think his plan was to protect Kim, but in that moment he realized he needed some measure of her respect, too, and he dug deeper and found his genuine regrets.
I think his plan was to protect Kim, but in that moment he realized he needed some measure of her respect, too, and he dug deeper and found his genuine regrets.
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I think I'd split the difference on those two options:
WARNING: spoilers below
I think initially, you're right: at first he's just being Saul (gets the sweetheart deal by scaring them with plausible lies about his state of mind during it all), then he hears about Kim, which is the one soft spot he still has, and decides to protect her...but notice that partway through his speech, even when he's softened and started to take blame...he looks at Kim and she's still not moved by it. It's then that he goes (seemingly) further than he'd planned, where he talks about Chuck, too, and says he's the one who ran away (not Kim) after their marriage fell apart. Then we get a little reaction from her.
I think his plan was to protect Kim, but in that moment he realized he needed some measure of her respect, too, and he dug deeper and found his genuine regrets.
I think his plan was to protect Kim, but in that moment he realized he needed some measure of her respect, too, and he dug deeper and found his genuine regrets.
WARNING: spoilers below
final part at the prison. Wow. It's fitting that they saved some of the finest writing for the closing scene. I'm not even sure you can apply the term "closure" even though there was acceptance. Neither of them get to "move on" with their lives. They both know this and they accept it. I hope that people who feel somehow cheated or dissatisfied with the way it ended come to recognize and accept what a grownup effing way that was to close out a series.
So how do you sum up this entire show?
It’s all good, man!
Good finale. I’m satisfied. A lot to take in, but I’m satisfied. I almost just want to start the show over now. I wasn’t as invested in the first few seasons. Could be fun watching them again now knowing it all…
It’s all good, man!
Good finale. I’m satisfied. A lot to take in, but I’m satisfied. I almost just want to start the show over now. I wasn’t as invested in the first few seasons. Could be fun watching them again now knowing it all…
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We'll be watching the final two episodes tonight, so I appreciate y'alls discretion in not revealing the ending.
It surprised me to see that the viewership actually went down as the season developed. I don't quite understand that.
It surprised me to see that the viewership actually went down as the season developed. I don't quite understand that.
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What a show. What a universe. I watched the repeat episode after the original aired. Broke down the second time at the end. Triggered something in me. Who knows.
WARNING: "BCS" spoilers below
Kim was always his conscience. When he learned that she confessed to Howard's wife and the courts, you could see Saul, ironically, slipping away. He found Jimmy again. That was the reason for the Chuck scene as well. There is good in Jimmy he just had to find it again. He also wanted his credit in creating Walt's empire too, but he choose to confess to find Jimmy again. He also would rather Kim become a lawyer again then he have his freedom. He basically chose Kim over freedom even though he knew he would never be with her again physically.
That's basically the last scene was about. Haven't seen that much sexual tense without being naked since Out Of Sight. That's why I love that movie. General convention screams you shouldn't be with someone but you can't help it. You just click. It's very relatable to me, that's probably why I had such a visceral reaction the 2nd time around.
That's basically the last scene was about. Haven't seen that much sexual tense without being naked since Out Of Sight. That's why I love that movie. General convention screams you shouldn't be with someone but you can't help it. You just click. It's very relatable to me, that's probably why I had such a visceral reaction the 2nd time around.
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I came here to do two things, drink some beer and kick some ass, looks like we are almost outta beer - Dazed and Confused
101 Favorite Movies (2019)
I came here to do two things, drink some beer and kick some ass, looks like we are almost outta beer - Dazed and Confused
101 Favorite Movies (2019)
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I do grip and lighting for a living. Last night I watched the epic finale to the television masterpiece Better Call Saul like every rational person. Today I worked on a commercial for a local personal injury lawyer named Jason Stone. His catchphrase? Better Phone Stone.
We'll be watching the final two episodes tonight, so I appreciate y'alls discretion in not revealing the ending.
It surprised me to see that the viewership actually went down as the season developed. I don't quite understand that.
It surprised me to see that the viewership actually went down as the season developed. I don't quite understand that.
It may have also hurt that all the big cartel stuff ended earlier in the season. I mean the Kim and Jimmy stuff is absolute gold story telling but I can see casuals tuning out after the big exciting stuff happen.
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Watched the finale two days ago, and I'm still processing what I think and feel about the last couple of episodes.. I remember the Spopranos final episode/scene had the same effect on me.. Automatically thinking about were do we place/rank this compared to the other great series of television..?
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Excellent finale to one of the best shows ever, IMO.
Not much else to say, except, what the hell am I going to watch now?
WARNING: "Better Call Saul" spoilers below
My wife and I both were calling for a cut to black when they went to the long shot of her smoking in silence, with the shadows on the prison wall. They had one more scene in store, which I enjoyed also, but I think a cut to black from the shadowy smoking scene would have been perfection for me.
Not much else to say, except, what the hell am I going to watch now?
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Same, Sedai. Figured that was it. Not sure which is better but I was ready for it to end right there.
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I'll echo what everyone else said that it ended better than I could have imagined. I would have been okay with it
Hear hear, and like TONGO said, the end of this show does seem like the end of the era of the antihero crime drama that The Sopranos started way back when. Do we need another spinoff in this universe? Probably not, but if the Twitter joke The Pryce is Right series starring the guy in my avatar were actually made, I'd give it a chance.
Regardless, you should check out The Bear.
WARNING: spoilers below
ending at the point Sedai mentions, but I'm glad it didn't because Jimmy's finger-gun gesture to Kim made me teary-eyed.
Originally Posted by Sedai
Not much else to say, except, what the hell am I going to watch now?
Regardless, you should check out The Bear.
Last edited by Torgo; 08-17-22 at 01:17 PM.
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Firstly Better Call Saul is an epic series, even perhaps larger in scope than its sibling Breaking Bad. It will remain as one of the best series ever done on TV.
To my taste however the last several episodes of the final season went a little off the rails. The story line was digestible enough, but the dizzying array of flashbacks and call backs, although meant to further explain the story, caused confusion, and muddled rather than sharpened the understanding of the tale.
Of all my imagined possible endings, the one staged would not have made my top ten, and to me it attenuated the impact of the entire series.
Surprisingly the ending evoked the sudden transformation of evil to good seen in the climax of so many movies from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Perhaps that type of moral conversion never goes out of style.
It’ll be interesting to see if writers Gilligan and Gould will be able to resist the urge to reprise or spin off any future series or films, having spent 15 years on BCS and BB creating such indelible characters. Whatever projects come up, it will certainly be worthwhile to follow them.
To my taste however the last several episodes of the final season went a little off the rails. The story line was digestible enough, but the dizzying array of flashbacks and call backs, although meant to further explain the story, caused confusion, and muddled rather than sharpened the understanding of the tale.
Of all my imagined possible endings, the one staged would not have made my top ten, and to me it attenuated the impact of the entire series.
WARNING: "bettercallsaul" spoilers below
To my thinking there was no justification in serving up an 86 year life sentence for Saul. He never killed anyone in the series, nor were his chronic ill deeds deserving of that fate. His hari-kari admissions to the judge were out of character for Saul and served only as closure for Kim. The climax with Kim and Jimmy leaning against the prison wall while sharing a final cigarette before their parting scene would have been just as impressive without the overkill of Saul’s draconian sentence.
Surprisingly the ending evoked the sudden transformation of evil to good seen in the climax of so many movies from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Perhaps that type of moral conversion never goes out of style.
It’ll be interesting to see if writers Gilligan and Gould will be able to resist the urge to reprise or spin off any future series or films, having spent 15 years on BCS and BB creating such indelible characters. Whatever projects come up, it will certainly be worthwhile to follow them.
Last edited by GulfportDoc; 08-17-22 at 09:03 PM.
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@GulfportDoc: Your closing spoiler tag is missing the opening bracket. Think that's about it. If it still doesn't work then I think all the FONT bbCode (which I presume is being dragged in from the post being written in an external program first?) would be the next most likely culprit.
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