Better Call Saul: Season 4

[Fadingpain]

I enjoyed episode 2.  I'm confused by Jimmy's performance in the job interview though.  It all made perfect sense and was consistent with his character up until he refused the offer and called the would-be employers suckers. 

 

When he went out to his car, I was expecting someone to come out after him, and increase the offer or something like that, but it never came.  I still can't figure out Jimmy's angle with that.  Why did he do it?  And does this mean he isn't really looking for a job with his other job seeking activity?  

 

It seems like Jimmy is going to proposition Mike about a break-in at the printer company place to steal the Hummels (which don't have much value by the way; the market on those things crashed a long time ago).   Is Jimmy just looking for crime opportunities with his "job hunt" or what?

 

Dumb Nacho.  Just as he tries to get out of the crime business, his mistake makes him owned by Gus.  I like his character though and it will be interesting to see what happens to him. 

 

The scene where Kim reamed Howard a new a-hole was highly entertaining, but it looks like Kim is going to keep the letter and money away from Jimmy, to protect him.  I don't agree with that; that is going to bite her/Jimmy in the ass at some point.  And I can't wait for the day when that letter is read.  I don't think it will be one last belittling of Jimmy from the grave as Kim predicted.

 

Good episode; they all fly by.  Can't wait for next week. 

 

 

[shrader]

Can someone remind me what Mike did to wind up on Madrigal's payroll?

[Canadian Bills Fan]

13 hours ago, Steptide said:

It's been so long since I've watched breaking bad, I actually wanna go back and watch the episodes with Saul Goodman just to see what his charecter was like compared to jimmy

 

 

I was saying the same thing to my wife last night

[The Poojer]

Can you kindly summarize the Nacho thing...i know he switched the pills, was that in defiance of Gus?  How did Gus figure it out?  When they were getting their 'cases' they demanded 6 not 5 because the Salamancas got 6 why shouldn't they, i got confused(which isn't difficult)

 

9 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

I enjoyed episode 2.  I'm confused by Jimmy's performance in the job interview though.  It all made perfect sense and was consistent with his character up until he refused the offer and called the would-be employers suckers. 

 

When he went out to his car, I was expecting someone to come out after him, and increase the offer or something like that, but it never came.  I still can't figure out Jimmy's angle with that.  Why did he do it?  And does this mean he isn't really looking for a job with his other job seeking activity?  

 

It seems like Jimmy is going to proposition Mike about a break-in at the printer company place to steal the Hummels (which don't have much value by the way; the market on those things crashed a long time ago).   Is Jimmy just looking for crime opportunities with his "job hunt" or what?

 

Dumb Nacho.  Just as he tries to get out of the crime business, his mistake makes him owned by Gus.  I like his character though and it will be interesting to see what happens to him. 

 

The scene where Kim reamed Howard a new a-hole was highly entertaining, but it looks like Kim is going to keep the letter and money away from Jimmy, to protect him.  I don't agree with that; that is going to bite her/Jimmy in the ass at some point.  And I can't wait for the day when that letter is read.  I don't think it will be one last belittling of Jimmy from the grave as Kim predicted.

 

Good episode; they all fly by.  Can't wait for next week. 

 

 

[Canadian Bills Fan]

10 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

I kind-of wished they'd snuck a Beverly Hills Cop reference in there.  

 

Kim going off on Howard...that's Rhea Seehorn's Emmy nomination right there.

 

 

What an amazing scene.

 

The acting is so good!

 

Even the look on Howards face when he asks "What can I do to make it better"

 

Just outstanding acting all around 

9 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

I enjoyed episode 2.  I'm confused by Jimmy's performance in the job interview though.  It all made perfect sense and was consistent with his character up until he refused the offer and called the would-be employers suckers. 

 

When he went out to his car, I was expecting someone to come out after him, and increase the offer or something like that, but it never came.  I still can't figure out Jimmy's angle with that.  Why did he do it?  And does this mean he isn't really looking for a job with his other job seeking activity?  

 

It seems like Jimmy is going to proposition Mike about a break-in at the printer company place to steal the Hummels (which don't have much value by the way; the market on those things crashed a long time ago).   Is Jimmy just looking for crime opportunities with his "job hunt" or what?

 

Dumb Nacho.  Just as he tries to get out of the crime business, his mistake makes him owned by Gus.  I like his character though and it will be interesting to see what happens to him. 

 

The scene where Kim reamed Howard a new a-hole was highly entertaining, but it looks like Kim is going to keep the letter and money away from Jimmy, to protect him.  I don't agree with that; that is going to bite her/Jimmy in the ass at some point.  And I can't wait for the day when that letter is read.  I don't think it will be one last belittling of Jimmy from the grave as Kim predicted.

 

Good episode; they all fly by.  Can't wait for next week. 

 

 

 

 

I was thinking it may have something to do wiith how he would rather make quick money by doing shady things than put in a honest days work for a steady paycheck.

 

I think it plays in to why he becomes Saul Goodman 

[Dante]

11 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

I kind-of wished they'd snuck a Beverly Hills Cop reference in there.  

 

Kim going off on Howard...that's Rhea Seehorn's Emmy nomination right there.

1

As soon as that scene completed I asked my son what else she has been in? A bunch of single episodes of other shows so not much. But I have enjoyed her all series. Seems like a very good actress.

Edited August 14, 2018 by Dante

[shrader]

23 minutes ago, Canadian Bills Fan said:

 

I was thinking it may have something to do wiith how he would rather make quick money by doing shady things than put in a honest days work for a steady paycheck.

 

I think it plays in to why he becomes Saul Goodman 

 

At first I was thinking it was mostly a case of instability after everything with Chuck.  Making the call about the hummels hurts that thought a bit, but it's possible that he thought about that well after he left.

[apuszczalowski]

3 hours ago, shrader said:

Can someone remind me what Mike did to wind up on Madrigal's payroll?

I believe it was something Gus set up for him as a way to launder money for him for stuff he did? It's the company gus uses for that purpose I believe

[Fadingpain]

3 hours ago, The Poojer said:

 

The money laundering/Madrigal:

 

Remember when Mike took all that money from the cartel out of the truck tire?  He has a fortune in hot, stolen money that he wants to pass onto his daughter in law and granddaughter, but he knows he might end up dead at some point with the money being labeled as dirty.  In that case, the women in his life will never receive the cash.

 

So Mike needs the money laundered.  He approached Gus and asked him to launder it for him for like 20% commission I believe; Gus was always impressed with Mike's competence and agreed to launder the money for free.  It helps that they both share a hatred for the Salamancas.  I think Gus did it for free simply to entice Mike even further to the dark side, which we know was ultimately successful if you watched Breaking Bad.

 

Mike's relationship with Madrigal is all about laundering the money.  The dirty money goes into a big company's cash flow, gets mixed up with lots of legitimate cash, and clean money comes out and goes back to Mike.  In order to create a facade for why Mike is receiving cash on Madrigal's books, they set up an agreement whereby Mike is "hired" as a "security consultant".  

 

This last episode featured a clash between Lydia (works at Madrigal) and Mike.  She is asking him why the hell he is actually showing up and creating problems at the company.  Given that he is an illegal, fictional employee of the company, he should not be showing up, according to Lydia.  Mike is doing it to give himself a better alibi in case anyone from the law ever starts sniffing around.  Lydia went to Gus to complain, but Gus took Mike's side in the dispute.

 

Ultimately, it's fair to say Mike and Gus are the two most competent people on the entire show (at least among "bad guys"), and they both share an enormous respect for one another.  Their relationship (and watching it bloom) is some of the best stuff on the entire show IMO.

 

 

[Fadingpain]

4 hours ago, The Poojer said:

Can you kindly summarize the Nacho thing...i know he switched the pills, was that in defiance of Gus?  How did Gus figure it out?  When they were getting their 'cases' they demanded 6 not 5 because the Salamancas got 6 why shouldn't they, i got confused(which isn't difficult)

 

Nacho's swapping of the pills was an attempt to kill Salamanca so that he would stop putting pressure on Nacho's father to make his legitimate upholstery shop a cover for illegal activity.

 

Gus was pissed off about the attempt on Salamanca's life b/c Gus hates Salamanca immensely, and wants to personally make him suffer painfully and then die at Gus' hand! 

 

We just saw the scene where Gus' underlings snuck into the hospital room to see what Salamanca's condition truly was.  They reported back saying he's in a coma, no one can really do anything, but no one really knows what will happen next.  Gus considered that unacceptable, b/c he wants Salamanca to recover, so that he can basically torture and kill him with Salamanca knowing what is happening!  LOL.

 

So that is why the hot shot doctor showed up from Johns Hopkins, apparently somehow arranged by and paid for by Gus.  He is desperate to nurse the guy back to health so he can have at him.

 

Remember the scene last episode when Nacho foolishly stopped his car on the bridge and threw the pills into the river?  One of Gus' henchmen was following Nacho and saw him do it.  They kind of put it all together and Gus realized what was going on.

 

Arturo and Nacho are both idiots; they try to take advantage of the situation with Salamanca in the hospital by hustling for 6 kilos instead of the usual 5 from Victor and Tyrus.  They think they are going to be tough guys and get a little something extra.  At least I think that's basically what was going on.

 

Of course, Gus is a few steps ahead of them and they kill Arturo.  They would have killed Nacho as well but Gus figures he is of more value left alive, and forever in debt to Gus for sparing his life.  Gus wants to use him as a loyal servant.

 

This is significant because Nacho's character is complex; he is genuinely torn between being a good boy of his honest, hard working father, and a criminal scumbag.  He has been leaning to the good side of late, presumably with a genuine interest in getting out of a life of crime, which he mentions to his father.

 

Now Gus has pulled him back in to the dark side deeper than ever before!

 

Poor, stupid, but I think ultimately good, Nacho!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Fadingpain

[The Poojer]

Completely forgot about the pill bottle toss, now it makes more sense. 

 

Sorry for being so aloof, but what was the scene where Nacho was waiting in the business as it opened, told the guy to keep the money, but then took it.....that wasn't his father, correct?  it seemed like an auto mechanic, not an upholsterer...probably should have rewatched the previous season, but the new one completely crept up on me

 

3 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

Nacho's swapping of the pills was an attempt to kill Salamanca so that he would stop putting pressure on Nacho's father to make his legitimate upholstery shop a cover for illegal activity.

 

Remember the scene last episode when Gus foolishing stopped his car on the bridge and through the pills into the river?  One of Gus' henchmen was following Nacho and saw him do it.  They kind of put it all together and Gus realized what was going on.

 

[shrader]

That was his father.

[Fadingpain]

10 minutes ago, The Poojer said:

Completely forgot about the pill bottle toss, now it makes more sense. 

 

Sorry for being so aloof, but what was the scene where Nacho was waiting in the business as it opened, told the guy to keep the money, but then took it.....that wasn't his father, correct?  it seemed like an auto mechanic, not an upholsterer...probably should have rewatched the previous season, but the new one completely crept up on me

 

The older guy was Manuel Varga, Nacho's father.

 

He owns and was in his own upholstery shop.  He assumed his son was there to collect the usual tribute payment required by Salamanca.

His son was telling him that it was not needed anymore, b/c he is thinking he has killed or almost killed Salamanca.  His dad doesn't know that he did that to protect him.

 

His father gave the money anyway b/c he is just sort of burned out and sickened by the whole thing.  Like "take it anyway!"

 

So his son took it, presumably he will give it back to his dad at some point or buy him a gift maybe.

 

1 minute ago, shrader said:

That was his father.

I tried to answer your question about Madrigal a few posts ago.

 

 

[The Poojer]

thank you, that's what i figured, but the business setting threw me off.

 

1 minute ago, Fadingpain said:

The older guy was Manuel Varga, Nacho's father.

 

He owns and was in his own upholstery shop.  He assumed his son was there to collect the usual tribute payment required by Salamanca.

His son was telling him that it was not needed anymore, b/c he is thinking he has killed or almost killed Salamanca.  His dad doesn't know that he did that to protect him.

 

His father gave the money anyway b/c he is just sort of burned out and sickened by the whole thing.  Like "take it anyway!"

 

So his son took it, presumably he will give it back to his dad at some point or buy him a gift maybe.

 

[Fadingpain]

4 minutes ago, The Poojer said:

thank you, that's what i figured, but the business setting threw me off.

 

[LeGOATski]

16 hours ago, DC Tom said:

 

I kind-of wished they'd snuck a Beverly Hills Cop reference in there.  

 

Kim going off on Howard...that's Rhea Seehorn's Emmy nomination right there.

That scene moved me.

[DC Tom]

10 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

That scene moved me.

 

Most scenes with Seehorn move me. 

 

Not in the same way, of course...

1 hour ago, Fadingpain said:

Of course, Gus is a few steps ahead of them and they kill Arturo.  They would have killed Nacho as well but Gus figures he is of more value left alive, and forever in debt to Gus for sparing his life.  Gus wants to use him as a loyal servant.

 

This is significant because Nacho's character is complex; he is genuinely torn between being a good boy of his honest, hard working father, and a criminal scumbag.  He has been leaning to the good side of late, presumably with a genuine interest in getting out of a life of crime, which he mentions to his father.

 

Now Gus has pulled him back in to the dark side deeper than ever before!

 

Poor, stupid, but I think ultimately good, Nacho!

 

Less in debt, and more blackmailed because Fring has that secret hanging over Nacho's head.  Turn on Fring, and he rats Nacho out to the cartel...which would gain him benefits with the cartel as well.  Fring, as usual, is playing all the angles.

 

He had Arturo killed to illustrate he wasn't weak - Arturo was expendable, so made an example of, to show Fring was deadly serious.  Interestingly...it's not entirely dissimilar to what Don Eladio and Hector Salamanca did to Fring - kill the one in an attempt to control the other.

[LeGOATski]

14 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Most scenes with Seehorn move me. 

 

Not in the same way, of course...

 

(Insert video clip of George Costanza proclaiming "It moved, Jerry!" here)

[shrader]

2 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

 

I tried to answer your question about Madrigal a few posts ago.

 

 

 

Yeah, I saw that.  Thanks.

 

1 hour ago, DC Tom said:

 

He had Arturo killed to illustrate he wasn't weak - Arturo was expendable, so made an example of, to show Fring was deadly serious.  Interestingly...it's not entirely dissimilar to what Don Eladio and Hector Salamanca did to Fring - kill the one in an attempt to control the other.

 

There's still no better example of killing off the expandable guy than the guy who was supposed to be watching Walt and Jessie in the meth lab.  That had to be one of the most cold-hearted moments in the entire show.

[/dev/null]

17 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

 

 

Dumb Nacho.  Just as he tries to get out of the crime business, his mistake makes him owned by Gus.  I like his character though and it will be interesting to see what happens to him. 

 

 

 

 

I suspect Nachos ultimate fate was predetermined in Breaking Bad.  On a side note "Lalo" is rumored to be introduced in S4