Better Call Saul

[rico]

As I am sure many of y'all already know, a spinoff of "Breaking Bad" titled "Better Call Saul" will be airing in 2014. This is going to be a prequel to Breaking Bad and will be based on the character of Saul Goodman from "Breaking Bad."

I, for one, will be watching. I'm sure the majority of all of you other "Breaking Bad" fans will be as well. Might as well get the discussion going sooner rather than later.

So... what are your hopes, expectations and/or concerns with the show? Here are some of mine:

Hopes: I hope to see Saul do his thing in the courtroom. I hope to see strong, unique supporting characters. I hope to see Breaking Bad foreshadowing. I hope he has an intriguing paralegal and/or assistant. I hope to see Breaking Bad characters such as Fring, Mike, etc...whoever. I hope the show kicks ass.

Expectations: I don't expect it to be as good as "Breaking Bad" (because nothing else is, really), but I expect it to be good since Vince Gilligan is writing. I somewhat expect it to have an even balance of comedy and drama...since Saul undeniably provides a substantial amount of comedic relief in "Breaking Bad." I expect to see "courtroom Saul." I expect the "Breaking Bad" references and character cameos to be less than what I hope. If it isn't even a fraction as good as "Breaking Bad," I expect it to be better than 95% of everything else on TV, since there is some shitty shit on TV these days.

Concerns: I'd be a liar if I were to say that I didn't think this show has potential of flopping and certainly failing to meet the presumed high expectations of the audience. Don't get me wrong, I think it will be good... but I think it COULD suck if not executed properly. My main concern is Saul ultimately proving himself to be a "little dab will do ya" type of character, which would lead to a show centered around his character not working out. I am hoping that the character of Saul will not be so over-used and constantly over the top, that he becomes annoying to me, thus ruining his character for me altogether... Not saying I think this will be how it goes down...just saying I think there is a CHANCE of this being the case, which prompts me to believe that a strong supporting cast is VITAL in terms of the amount of success/quality this show will accumulate. All in all, I don't think VG will steer us in an unfortunate direction though...I think they'll pull it off.

Thoughts?

DISCUS!!!!

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'm assuming she isn't safe anymore.

At the end of the scene with Kim and Lalo, when Lalo was leaving, he seemed to give a satisfied look, like "I'm sure this information will be useful"

(I also liked Lalo's reaction when Kim said she was Saul's wife, "his WIFE?!" He never seems to be surprised by anything so it was a first)

I wonder if Lalo threatens Kim to Saul, and Saul uses his new connections with Mike/Gus to have him taken out.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'm assuming she isn't safe anymore.

I posted that before I watched the scene with Kim and Lalo. Yea, she's going to have to go now. Question is, does she do it on her own or is Jimmy going to have to make her go.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I'm assuming she isn't safe anymore.

I read a theory that the bullet hole in the "World's Second Best Lawyer" cup was foreshadowing Kim's death.

[notorious]

Kim isn’t going to die, Saul’s attitude in BB doesn’t lend itself to the death of someone so close.

[Demonpenz]

How many kills did Mike have in Nam? Like a million?

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by sedated

At the end of the scene with Kim and Lalo, when Lalo was leaving, he seemed to give a satisfied look, like "I'm sure this information will be useful"

(I also liked Lalo's reaction when Kim said she was Saul's wife, "his WIFE?!" He never seems to be surprised by anything so it was a first)

I wonder if Lalo threatens Kim to Saul, and Saul uses his new connections with Mike/Gus to have him taken out.

That would be cool. Great responses by everyone. Excited to see how this all plays out.

Next season is the final season, correct?

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by notorious

Kim isn’t going to die, Saul’s attitude in BB doesn’t lend itself to the death of someone so close.

That's where I am too... it would definitely make BCS' story more powerful, but that would come at the expense of BB, I think.

Why would Jimmy want anything to do with the Cartel AND openly defy Gus and Mike at multiple points in BB (the latter is the one point that is already a bit tough for me to overlook in S3 and S4 of Breaking Bad - seriously, why would Saul trust such loose cannons in WW and JP over Mike and Gus with what we've seen from BCS at this point? Hopefully S6 can clarify this a bit).

If Kim dies, that would emotionally rock Jimmy and even if you're looking at him through the lens of self-preservation, I don't know why he'd have any interest in getting back into that world in BB. It just goes against so much of Saul's motives (focusing on self-preservation above all) that we've seen in BCS and BB.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

That's where I am too... it would definitely make BCS' story more powerful, but that would come at the expense of BB, I think.

Why would Jimmy want anything to do with the Cartel AND openly defy Gus and Mike at multiple points in BB (the latter is the one point that is a bit tough for me to overlook in S3 of Breaking Bad - seriously, why would Saul trust such loose cannons in WW and JP over Mike at that point? I'm sure S6 could clarify this point a bit).

If Kim dies, that would emotionally rock Jimmy and even if you're looking at him through the lens of self-preservation, I don't know why he'd have any interest in getting back into that world in BB. It just does against so much of Saul's motives (focusing on self-preservation above all) that we've seen in BCS and BB.

Agreed. Kim getting murdered in BCS would alter Jimmy in BB for sure.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

That's where I am too... it would definitely make BCS' story more powerful, but that would come at the expense of BB, I think.

Why would Jimmy want anything to do with the Cartel AND openly defy Gus and Mike at multiple points in BB (the latter is the one point that is already a bit tough for me to overlook in S3 and S4 of Breaking Bad - seriously, why would Saul trust such loose cannons in WW and JP over Mike and Gus with what we've seen from BCS at this point? Hopefully S6 can clarify this a bit).

If Kim dies, that would emotionally rock Jimmy and even if you're looking at him through the lens of self-preservation, I don't know why he'd have any interest in getting back into that world in BB. It just goes against so much of Saul's motives (focusing on self-preservation above all) that we've seen in BCS and BB.

I’d see him pushing her away to save her. And maybe she comes back to wrap up the future Jimmy storyline at the Cinnabons?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Agreed. Kim getting murdered in BCS would alter Jimmy in BB for sure.

Agreed.

He's entirely too 'devil may care' in BB for that arc to make sense in BCS.

But I'm hard pressed to come up with a scenario that WOULDN'T fundamentally alter his personality at this point apart from her just deciding she wants nothing to do with him and moving back to Nebraska or something.

A volitional departure from Kim could have Jimmy doubling down on the Saul persona and becoming who he is in BB. But anything like her dying because of him or even her going into witness protection (which would require that she flip on him, in all likelihood) just seems too much.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Agreed.

He's entirely too 'devil may care' in BB for that arc to make sense in BCS.

But I'm hard pressed to come up with a scenario that WOULDN'T fundamentally alter his personality at this point apart from her just deciding she wants nothing to do with him and moving back to Nebraska or something.

A volitional departure from Kim could have Jimmy doubling down on the Saul persona and becoming who he is in BB. But anything like her dying because of him or even her going into witness protection (which would require that she flip on him, in all likelihood) just seems too much.

Maybe she’ll get her vacuum cleaner repaired.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Maybe she’ll get her vacuum cleaner repaired.

To Omaha.

[Baby Lee]

When you realize why Mike took the gas cap from the ditched Suzuki Esteem. . . . .

[Baby Lee]

Out of all the epicness and badassery in the episode, my favorite moment was Mike's short journey from panic to prayerful relief when he realized he might blow the whole gambit if he didn't calm down after Jimmy plopped his nuts on the butcher block and started walking the $7M down the thoroughfare.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Out of all the epicness and badassery in the episode, my favorite moment was Mike's short journey from panic to prayerful relief when he realized he might blow the whole gambit if he didn't calm down after Jimmy plopped his nuts on the butcher block and started walking the $7M down the thoroughfare.

Yeah. That was damned well acted.