Better Call Saul -- Season 3 Fring-ing The Gang Back Together Again

[Winterfell is Burning]

12 hours ago, aFeastForDragons said:

The guy dropped off what was in the bag on the floor just before Gus came around and swept it up. I'd put money down on thats what happened. 

 

Or we or getting an overly drawn out plot where Gus is aware of everything. I like the show a lot but it definitely needs to move faster. Killing time to get 5-6 seasons is one of the worst things about TV. 

I don't think that was what happened, but Gus isn't aware of everything- it's just Jimmy was very bad at hiding that he was paying attention to Gus' man.

[DaveSumm]

I love the pace of the show, I hope it stays exactly the same. I also clocked that Gus could've swept up something from the bag without Jimmy noticing. I loved how Jimmy was unrolling the tape exactly as Chuck taught him as well, and then his decision to go and confront him coincides with him ripping it off and ruining his paint job.

[Consigliere]

Hmm...I never got the impression that Gus swept up something from the bag without Jimmy noticing. I thought the various shots of Jimmy went out of its way to show just how bad a job Jimmy was doing at remaining incognito and for a careful guy like Gus, Jimmy's suspicious behaviour would have been a red flag. I assumed that Gus may have whispered something to the bag man like "not now" or we're being watched" which prompted bag man to leave without doing the drop.

[The Mance]

Yeah, I still can't figure out everything that happened in that scene.  I kind of think the drop/exchange didn't happen, but its hard to be sure.  Whatever the normal procedure is has to be really innocuous anyway for it to be routinely carried out in a possibly crowded takeout seating area.  So I think that just because we/Jimmy didn't see anything doesn't mean much.  

Maybe the runner dumps whatever in the garbage, maybe he leaves it on the floor, or, hell, maybe he left it in the salt n' pepper shakers.  It really depends on the bulk of what was being dropped off, which we don't know.  I kind of doubt that Gus' main means of exchanging quantities of drugs and money is to have the same guy come by Los Pollos every week and forget his big green backpack, though.  That's just a little too obvious if there were ever anyone watching Gus' operation besides Jimmy, so it's likely that this is just for messaging orders and information/totals back and forth, or the occasional small items like the tracker from Mike's car.  

It's also hard to tell when exactly Gus became suspicious of Jimmy.  We never see Gus take notice of him until Jimmy starts climbing into the trash bin, which, whether you're an actual restaurant manager, or a drug kingpin posing as a restaurant manager, you're definitely gonna step in at that point.  Also, since we don't know much about the drop procedure, there's really no telling if the garbage bin has anything to do with it in a way that would arouse suspicion.  And, for all his bumbling before hand, Jimmy at least had the sense to make sure his watch was in the bin he was digging around in.  

I do think Gus found Jimmy odd enough that he was worth following outside, though, where Gus could see him talking with Mike and then driving off.  And, although we know that by the end of the episode Gus has put it all together, his look when Jimmy drove off was hard to read beyond him having an epiphany of some sort.  But whether it was "Ah ha, that suspicious idiot that I was watching the whole time was in cahoots with Mike just like I thought,"  or, "i wonder who that yahoo with his head in the garbage is talking to across th…. Ooooooohhh!"

 

Also, I forget what the extent of Saul's involvement with Gus was in BB, but is it possible that Gus steps in to help Jimmy with his Chuck problem?  Possibly by influencing Chuck's PI to give a conflicting account, or intimidating Howard?  This could set up a bit of a stalemate testimony wise, that could lead to Chuck not pursuing charges if Jimmy becomes Saul.  And witness intimidation might also be a bridge too far for Kim in her support of Jimmy.

[Commodore]

the hatred for Chuck confuses me

Chuck was right not to hire Jimmy to his firm, look what Jimmy did at the firm that did hire him

and Jimmy severely damaged Chuck's professional reputation by changing that date

 

[RumHam]

5 hours ago, The Mance said:

Also, I forget what the extent of Saul's involvement with Gus was in BB

There really was none. Saul knew there was "a guy" and that he was super careful and stuff. He did not know who he was. Or at least he did not let on to Walt that he knew who he was. It's not even clear that Saul knew Mike worked for him. Though presumably he went through Mike to set up the meeting with Gus and Walt. 

Honestly the whole thing where Mike is Gus's number one guy and Saul's PI never really made much sense to me, it felt like a retcon because the writers loved Mike and wanted to give him a bigger role. Mike shouldn't have needed Saul's money, and doesn't even seem to like Saul that much. 

20 minutes ago, Commodore said:

the hatred for Chuck confuses me

Chuck was right not to hire Jimmy to his firm, look what Jimmy did at the firm that did hire him

and Jimmy severely damaged Chuck's professional reputation by changing that date

 

You can be right and still be an asshole. It happens all the time. Also while Chuck was right to not want Jimmy at the firm, pretending it was Howard who didn't want him there was a really slimy move.

[Cas Stark]

Chuck knew Ernesto would tell Jimmy because once he knew he was right about what happened he also knew that Ernesto had already lied to him on behalf of Jimmy about the copy shop.

[dbunting]

20 hours ago, Commodore said:

the hatred for Chuck confuses me

Chuck was right not to hire Jimmy to his firm, look what Jimmy did at the firm that did hire him

and Jimmy severely damaged Chuck's professional reputation by changing that date

 

Does it really confuse you though? I mean, he is set up to be the one everyone hates, so why be confused?

Chuck has betrayed Jimmy multiple times in his life, has never believed Jimmy could ever amount to anything even though he made his way through law school. Hell, he even poisoned his own wife against Jimmy and was visibly upset when she liked him. Chuck. Is. An. Asshole. 

Now is Jimmy a screw up, hell yes.

[briantw]

45 minutes ago, dbunting said:

Does it really confuse you though? I mean, he is set up to be the one everyone hates, so why be confused?

Chuck has betrayed Jimmy multiple times in his life, has never believed Jimmy could ever amount to anything even though he made his way through law school. Hell, he even poisoned his own wife against Jimmy and was visibly upset when she liked him. Chuck. Is. An. Asshole. 

Now is Jimmy a screw up, hell yes.

Yup.  You can be a successful asshole just like you can be a likable screw-up.  And I think the main reason that Chuck isn't likable is that he pretty clearly wants Jimmy to fail and gets angry when he does not.  

[The Mance]

22 hours ago, RumHam said:

There really was none. Saul knew there was "a guy" and that he was super careful and stuff. He did not know who he was. Or at least he did not let on to Walt that he knew who he was. 

Well it would be odd for the show to spend so much time bringing Gus and Mike together in a show about Jimmy-->Saul unless the three of them are tied together in some way beyond just mutual acquaintance.  I can imagine Gus seeing some value in having an unscrupulous lawyer like Saul Goodman handy if any of Gus' underlings ever get in trouble.  Someone willing to go that extra mile, no questions asked, etc.  And keeping Saul in pocket but at arms length still fits with what's been established, even if it is a retcon.

Honestly the whole thing where Mike is Gus's number one guy 

and Saul's PI never really made much sense to me, it felt like a retcon because the writers loved Mike and wanted to give him a bigger role.

I agree it seems out of character for a man as careful as Gus to allow anyone as connected to him as Mike to have so many extracurricular dealings.   

2 hours ago, dbunting said:

Chuck has betrayed Jimmy multiple times in his life, has never believed Jimmy could ever amount to anything even though he made his way through law school. Hell, he even poisoned his own wife against Jimmy and was visibly upset when she liked him. Chuck. Is. An. Asshole. 

Yeah, I don't blame Chuck for not wanting Jimmy to work in his firm, but that doesn't excuse him leading Jimmy along for however many years, letting him think that he might eventually get to practice some actual law.  And then undermining Jimmy at every turn when he tried to achieve something on his own.  Chuck would have been happy keeping Jimmy buried in the mailroom until the end of time, and thats a shit way to treat your brother.  Not letting him work for you is one thing, but presuming to judge whether he should work as a lawyer at all, anywhere, makes Chuck an arrogant, controlling asshole.

[Mark Antony]

Fuck Chuck for firing Ernesto

[briantw]

12 minutes ago, Mark Antony said:

Fuck Chuck for firing Ernesto

Well I mean to be fair he was totally untrustworthy. 

[drawkcabi]

So maybe Mike with his crusade is going to stress Hector so much that will cause him to have a Stroke.

Some retro foreshadowing with the camera holding on the wheelchair in the doctor's office for a moment. Anyone catch in episode 1 of this season when the lady was naming off flowers, "buttercups, babies' breath, lilies of the valley".

When the doctor asked the nurse what the gringo was there for and she said "The revenge". I first thought Mike had given her the reason he was there was diarrhea as in Montezuma's Revenge, he drank the water. But the doctor knew he was there for drugs, was "revenge" a code word complaint that just meant someone wanted to buy drugs/do something under the table or was the doctor solely Gus' man and knew Mike was on a revenge mission against Salamanca?

Back on page one a poster said he's going to hold off until the entire season is up and binge watch it. I get that, some series I feel the same and hold off until an entire season or at least more than one episode is available so I can binge, like Humans, Fargo, or The Leftovers. However, I am really enjoying watching BCS one episode a week, this pace feels just right for me. I feel very entertained by each new episode as it airs, but I also feel content with that and not chomping at the bit to get to the next episode, waiting a week is just fine here, where other series it's not.

If season 3 follows as seasons 1 and 2 have though, after I watch the season finale I am going to feel quite frustrated for having to wait an entire year for more episodes.

[Cas Stark]

8 hours ago, Mark Antony said:

Fuck Chuck for firing Ernesto

Eh, he deserved to be fired, he's not trustworthy.

[Mark Antony]

Eh Chuck manipulated him on purpose knowing he was gonna tell Jimmy. At least Ernie doesnt have to bring ice and aluminum foil or whatever to that assholes house anymore. Hopefully Kim hires him. 

Also hope Kim gets to have her day in court with Chuck. Could definitely see her making Chuck look like a maniac in front of a jury. 

[Cas Stark]

9 minutes ago, Mark Antony said:

Eh Chuck manipulated him on purpose knowing he was gonna tell Jimmy. At least Ernie doesnt have to bring ice and aluminum foil or whatever to that assholes house anymore. Hopefully Kim hires him. 

Also hope Kim gets to have her day in court with Chuck. Could definitely see her making Chuck look like a maniac in front of a jury. 

Yeah, because he's not trustworthy and he already lied for Jimmy, and even after he would have known that Chuck was right about Jimmy's presence at the copy shop...he failed to come clean....and now doubles down with the second betrayal....how can he not be fired?  Of course Chuck manipulated him on purpose once he saw that Ernesto, too, had been swayed by his brother's charisma.

I'm sick of Kim and her trying to thread the needle between the Jimmy way and the Chuck way.  I sort of doubt at this point that HHM would let Chuck in front of a jury though.

[Mark Antony]

I mean the AD pretty much said she was gonna need Chuck to appear in court if it got to that point. 

And yeah like most shit Chuck does I understand why he does it but it doesnt make him any less of an asshole. I wouldnt say Ernie was "swayed by Jimmys charisma" either. They are friends. 

[The Mance]

54 minutes ago, Mark Antony said:

Could definitely see her making Chuck look like a maniac in front of a jury. 

All the pieces are there to completely break Chuck.  His recent high profile "mistake", the wacky electrical allergy, the temporary medical order, all the tinfoil wallpapering, etc.  All Jimmy needs to do is stick to the "confession as an attempt to placate his deranged brother" story and this all goes away.  Chuck has already denied the assault, and the b&e was just Jimmy forcing an inexplicably stuck lock on a door to which he had always been free to enter before.  

It would be interesting if Jimmy is the one who doesn't want to push his brother that far, and it's actually Kim who creates the rift between them by publicly crushing Chuck like that.

[Cas Stark]

I don't see a resolution where Chuck doesn't end up dead or institutionalized, he would never be able to tolerate Saul.  

[drawkcabi]

1 hour ago, Cas Stark said:

I don't see a resolution where Chuck doesn't end up dead or institutionalized, he would never be able to tolerate Saul.  

I see that as an inevitable course for Chuck as well, the only other possible course is after losing Chuck cuts all ties to Jimmy, retires, and buys a ranch or something in a remote area of a state like Alaska or Montana (it would be funny if it was Wisconsin) where he's free (at least in his mind) from electricity and electric signals.

Jimmy granting a final request to Chuck changes his name so he no longer practices under the McGill name, or after all this he figures "Jimmy McGill" has too much association with bad history attached to it, so for himself and for Kim who was associated with him changes his name to practice law with a fresh start.