Better Call Saul (warning spoilers ⚠️)

[trueblue84]

I thought the future timeline was a brilliant idea. We already know what happened to the breaking bad characters

I just felt it threw the pacing off. Also, the ending was a bit far fetched. Why would a character who's entire being was about looking after himself and beating everyone else throw away a deal when there was no benefit to anyone?

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Jimmy Mcgill is no normal man though

I agree that he's far from normal but he wasn't stupid either. Far from it. He'd know what awaited him on the inside and what he'd have to live with for the rest of his life. That's what makes him making such a crazy decision so unbelievable. I just don't buy it personally.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I just felt it threw the pacing off. Also, the ending was a bit far fetched. Why would a character who's entire being was about looking after himself and beating everyone else throw away a deal when there was no benefit to anyone?

Because it was the only way he could get to see Kim, and make sure she wasn't implicated herself in civil suits. Kim was the only person he would ever consider putting before himself, so it made sense to me. Far fetched for a normal person, but not far fetched for Jimmy McGill

 

[Joey66]

The extra ten minutes & the plot twist was probably added after his slight heart attack as the actor on health ground did not want a return series .... hence his longer sentence ended the great series once & for all .....

 

[wandyr79]

Because it was the only way he could get to see Kim, and make sure she wasn't implicated herself in civil suits. Kim was the only person he would ever consider putting before himself, so it made sense to me. Far fetched for a normal person, but not far fetched for Jimmy McGill

Exactly, He was a split personality, if you want to look at it that way. Saul Goodman was the devil on his shoulder and Jimmy McGill was the angel, he basically switched to Jimmy and made sure he came good for somebody else despite it being massively detrimental to himself.

The extra ten minutes & the plot twist was probably added after his slight heart attack as the actor on health ground did not want a return series .... hence his longer sentence ended the great series once & for all .....

I was surprised that there was a 6th season as I heard previously that there was going to 5 but may be wrong about either or both of those. Seeing interviews with the Vince Gilligan during the Breaking Bad DVDs I would say he is the type of person not to let a series drag unnecessarily, so I would assume that this was either going to be always the final season or they decided in the 4th/5th to have another one.

 

[teppic]

Brilliant series. Pacing was perfect, and the ending was almost Christ-like in his personal sacrifice. To reconcile with Kim at any cost and admit he was guilty in Chuck's suicide was pure redemption. Really sad stuff though, everyone came out of it worse than when it all started.

 

[Milk]

Exactly, He was a split personality, if you want to look at it that way. Saul Goodman was the devil on his shoulder and Jimmy McGill was the angel, he basically switched to Jimmy and made sure he came good for somebody else despite it being massively detrimental to himself.



I was surprised that there was a 6th season as I heard previously that there was going to 5 but may be wrong about either or both of those. Seeing interviews with the Vince Gilligan during the Breaking Bad DVDs I would say he is the type of person not to let a series drag unnecessarily, so I would assume that this was either going to be always the final season or they decided in the 4th/5th to have another one.

“Slippin’” Jimmy ain’t no angel

 

[mightymoyes]

Because it was the only way he could get to see Kim, and make sure she wasn't implicated herself in civil suits. Kim was the only person he would ever consider putting before himself, so it made sense to me. Far fetched for a normal person, but not far fetched for Jimmy McGill

the fact you have to explain that baffles me how some people even get this show

 

[wandyr79]

“Slippin’” Jimmy ain’t no angel

Well, no, but my thoughts are that in his heart he was good, trying to get his brothers approval, helping his brother, loving and caring for Kim, this last one is highlighted when they are signing the divorce papers, as in how he has done the complete turn into a heartless person, Kim saying 'When I knew him, he was good', when he started to get more criminally/morally corrupt he used 'Saul Goodman' as an excuse, so to speak.

The turn at the end was him going full circle back to the imperfect but heart in the right place person.

 

[Diogenes the Cynic]

Thought it was crap to be honest.

 

[Jamiednm]

Why would a character who's entire being was about looking after himself and beating everyone else throw away a deal when there was no benefit to anyone?

That was Saul's character, not Jimmy's.

The Saul Goodman persona was a defensive mechanism/coping strategy for a deeply hurt and traumatised Jimmy. It was a benefit to him to Jimmy to denounce his Saul/Gene ways and own up to his crimes. If he took the deal, he would've spent some easy years in a cushy celebrity 'jail' then come out even more corrupt and lost as Saul and being miserable for the rest of his life. He wasn't happy as Saul, he was miserable. So ultimately he chose between a miserable, depressing, soulless lie of a life as Saul Goodman, or the rest of his life in prison but hoping to make peace with his past and regain the respect of Kim. There was no option for a happy ending.

 

[trueblue84]

That was Saul's character, not Jimmy's.

The Saul Goodman persona was a defensive mechanism/coping strategy for a deeply hurt and traumatised Jimmy. It was a benefit to him to Jimmy to denounce his Saul/Gene ways and own up to his crimes. If he took the deal, he would've spent some easy years in a cushy celebrity 'jail' then come out even more corrupt and lost as Saul and being miserable for the rest of his life. He wasn't happy as Saul, he was miserable. So ultimately he chose between a miserable, depressing, soulless lie of a life as Saul Goodman, or the rest of his life in prison but hoping to make peace with his past and regain the respect of Kim. There was no option for a happy ending.

Was it though? He conned people when he was Jimmy and even in the last epsiode, Walter said "so you've always been the same".

 

[Jamiednm]

Was it though? He conned people when he was Jimmy and even in the last epsiode, Walter said "so you've always been the same".

Yeah, Jimmy wasn’t a sociopath that would glibly suggest murder like Saul would. He was an eccentric who generally had a good heart, tried to move away from his ‘slippin’ past but ultimately self sabotaged because of his complex relationship with his brother in particular.

Walt only knew Saul Goodman and his comment “you’ve always been like this” is the condescending, narrow viewpoint of a totally arrogant and manipulative Walter White.

I think the best juxtaposition of Jimmy and Saul is the scene where Kim walks out on the broken hearted Jimmy, followed by a time skip to Saul waking up with a hooker and keeping himself constantly distracted from any feelings by loading up on anti depressants and being constantly plugged in to work and making money. Saul is the manifestation of the very worst of Jimmy, compounded by the trauma of Chuck’s final days, Howard’s murder and losing Kim.

 

[neil999]

Wondering if they are building to redemption and him giving himself up

Not quite right lol

 

[Death]

I'm torn on how that ended.

Spoiler

I absolutely expected Jimmy to end up in prison, and honestly anyone expecting a different, more positive end for Jimmy/Saul obviously haven't been paying attention to this or Breaking Bad. The show writers don't forgive or reward people like Walt and Saul. I expect some people wanted a more bang bang flashy ending but this worked better for me. In fact, I think anything other then Jimmy going away like that would've done a disservice to the story.

Jimmy had his Walt "I did it for me" moment and is finally able let it all go, have a clear conscience and do right by the woman he loved. The final scene is similar to the old black-and-white movies that Jimmy and Kim used to watch together. Its like Casablanca and the "we'll always have Paris" line. It might not be what you wanted for Jimmy but its what he deserves and he knows it.

The problem I've got with the ending is that NOBODY in real life would sabotage their own trial to that extent and willingly turn a cushy prison and seven year sentence into into an 80 plus year life sentence in an utter hell hole just to make a point. Yes I know he did it for Kim and himself so he could finally lay Saul Goodman to rest, but come on!

100000% agree