Visit helixsleep.com/theelk to get up to $200 off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows #helixsleep ***What should I explore next in my Day **___** Born series?***
I checked and didn't see a Born vid for Arrested Development (it did have a Died one). Also, I'd love to see Born/Died videos for Veronica Mars, and maybe even older shows like M*A*S*H and Cheers.
What sold me was the episode “Five O” and seeing the tragic beginning of Mike. Talk about heartbreak: “You know what happened. The question is, can you live with it?”
In season 1 I thought it was brillant to see those 2 worlds of civil and criminal evolving next to each other in the same city while barely overlapping because you could tell that those two worlds will inevitably slowly become one for Jimmy through the seasons. It represented Jimmy slow fall into darkness
The initial distance made the final intersection even more brutal and powerful. Lalo and Howard in the same room was like seeing Walter White alongside Spongebob.
@@ElZilchoYo I feel like we all knew they’d collide at some point which made us worry for Kim more than anyone as she’s not in BB which then didn’t even make us consider Howard being a potential fatality making his death all the more shocking
@@michaeldavies9853 and they fact they cleverly chose to let Kim stay alive through breaking bad timeline was perfect, despite her near death encounters with Lalo.
If this were any other show, I feel the double story line wouldn'tve worked for as long as this did. Already knowing both characters so well allows us to keep our own interest. Not because the show is hinting at the stories overlapping, but because we know when they do and our own intrigue keeps us going. Imo
Interesting, I do agree Chicanery was definitely a turning point for the series, but I’d have to disagree that it’s the day the show was born. I think I’d give that to 1x09 “Pimento”. That episode is what started the whole Chuck vs Jimmy arc that lasted all the way until the end of the 3rd season and really was the largest factor outside of Kim for why Jimmy was the way he was. Still thoroughly enjoyed the video and your fantastic insight as always though!
To me, Chicanery was the climax of the first part of the show, beginning from the premiere up until then. Then, a new era started which culminated in Bad Choice Road. The last season represented the final evolution of Jimmy McGill to his final form as Saul, culminating in Fun and Games. And the last few episodes are the epilogue to Saul’s character.
BCS is one of the best written shows on tv. It’s allowed to go slow, and move characters into place before it erupts into a well crafted explosion. Then we get to see the aftermath of the explosion, and watch everyone clean it up. Great video. The finale was a wonderful way to tie up the entire universe.
This is honestly one of my top five favorite shows of all time. I have been saying for years that I loved it more than Breaking Bad but once the finale aired I knew for sure
Honestly I feel like we were lucky to have it. What a special couple of series. They spanned over 14 years and never let us down. It's going to be hard for any shows to replicate this in the future.
They basically showed off their skills for making a character drama while ALSO reminding us that they can still make an incredibly compelling action packed show. Better Call Saul did everything that Breaking Bad did and then pushed the envelope even further
I actually like the fact that the cartel storyline and Jimmy's lawyer storyline were kind of distinctly different and not totally intertwine the whole time. Because then finally in the last two seasons when they did intertwine it became all the more compelling and a much bigger payoff culminating in both prequel storylines being buried together under the super lab
Chicanery should have rolled at the Emmys. It’s a masterclass in acting, directing, you name it. I remember the night I watched it. I was numb when it ended. Amazing
I was so happy getting to see some of the backstory of Mike in Better Call Saul. He was one of my favourite characters from Breaking Bad. I'd love a prequel of a prequel and have a series centred around his time as a crooked cop (though maybe the parallels between his son's good cop and his bad vs Chuck and Jimmy's good lawyer, bad lawyer would be too close to consider making a whole new series)
As much as I would enjoy seeing that, Jonathan Banks is getting too old for a whole other series. I could only see Rhea Seehorn and Bill Burr having a series based on their characters, at this point.
I love how Chuck is the Skyler of BCS who exposes the anti-hero's true nature, causing him to entrench himself further in his worst behavior in an attempt to escape guilt, while Kim is the Jesse of BCS who cycles between enabling & discouraging his bad deeds until the king has to sacrifice himself to save their pawn.
@@2QAYL1138 Except Skyler has more legit reasons because Walter actually put her family at risk. Chuck, on the other hand, hates Jimmy right off the bat thanks to his jealousy and always gave hateful words towards Jimmy. Saying that Chuck is 100% right and Jimmy is 100% wrong undermines the complexity of their relationship.
@@nont18411 yes, Chuck is a different flavor or variation of that relationship with the anti-hero because over time he's exposed as owning a lot of blame for Jimmy's trauma that caused him to act out, whereas Skyler just married a dormant powder keg that was ignited by desperation mixed with a lifetime of being kicked around & probably a little boredom with his suburban lifestyle. So yeah, you could say Jimmy was more justified for some of what he did, but he still owns his decisions which caused harm to a lot of people who didn't deserve it.
What I found really extraordinary about BCS as a whole is how committed the writers were to telling the separate storylines, even going through the most mundane, seemingly uninteresting parts of those storylines (Jimmy selling phones, Mike doing his job as security consult) - but still keeping us hooked, then at the opportune moments, they brought those stories together in the most unexpected, emotionally devastating ways. The writers didn't take shortcuts, didn't rely on big spectacles to distract us - you could tell they LOVED what they were doing and the characters they were writing for. Admittedly, I favored the first 3 seasons more, because Jimmy and Chuck's story was so compelling and fascinating, and after (SPOILER) THAT EPISODE happened, Jimmy was kind of aimless for a while, which I think is exactly what the writers wanted us to feel, and they immediately put Kim's story front and center for us to see, all the while upping the stakes in Mike and Nacho's stories with the introduction of Lalo, keeping us viewers coming back for more.
i couldn't get into BB but i found BCS gripping from the very first episode Uno. with all its "slow pace" and everything fans usually complain about i think BCS is a more "modern" series, closer to art. it could hardly ever work as an introduction to a universe which takes a more mass appealing product. also, looking back, i hated almost every character on BB. BCS didn't give me this opportunity with such a detailed introspection into everyone.
He is one of the major sources for comic relief in Breaking Bad. When he's on Screen in Better Call Saul, aside from laughing, you'll go through pretty much all of the emotions.
It still bugs me the amount of BB fans who still haven’t seen this show yet, let alone the fans that gave up watching BCS because it’s “boring…” and didn’t think it was gonna be a character driven show. I’m like what else would you expect from a show about a lawyer
The perfect way to show how Chuck hated Jimmy’s charisma is the flashback where Jimmy had dinner with Chuck and his wife. Jimmy said a joke and the woman laughed. Chuck said a joke. And it fell flat. You can see in chuck’s face how annoyed and upset he was after that
Dunno where I could say the show was born but the finale was heartbreaking, heartwarming, & masterfully done. It was definitely saying good bye to a friend that's been keeping you company week after week. Seeing your analysis of Jimmy proving Chuck wrong was a wake up call I didn't realize til you mentioned it. Thank you!
Better Call Saul videos always have the best comment sections. I never see people bickering or fighting and any very rare disagreements are amicable and as civilized as they could possibly be. And I almost always get cool new perspective on something I already enjoy. You folks rock 🤙
6:40 I personally think that the parallel story lines is the strength of the show as the story of Jimmy moves a bit relaxed and it also involves many technical lawyer terms, which may not interest all the viewers and Mike's story feels more action packed and intriguing which helps to captivate the general audience... That's a great choice of flavours 💥💯
The biggest surprise to me about BCS was when I realized it is every bit as good as Breaking Bad and could argue it may be even better. The last thing I expected from the show before it aired
Great video! I personally liked how you took it until the ending of the series. For me, I can personally relate to the Chuck Jimmy relationship and how sad it went but then in the end Jimmy faced all that and I just love it that he faced it in the courthouse
For me the day Better Call Saul was born was in the episode season 1 episode 6 five-o That's the episode that hooked me But if you go back and re-watch the TV from the beginning you realize that it was amazing from the start. Uno is such a good pilot and doesn't waste a single moment in the episode.
I liked hopping between Jimmy and mike earlier on. I thought that both stories were interesting and at times riveting and were things I was fully engaged with learning more about. I assumed they would start to overlap more as time went on seeing as they work together by breaking bad, so maybe if someone hadn't seen breaking bad they might not know that. But I feel like most of us have, and it was all eventually tied together. 2 beloved characters going from unrecognizable to the flawed men we loved from a classic tv show, what's not to love?!
Still can't believe it's all gone, though I had issues with the finale in how it places Chuck, the arrogant, controlling man who basically created Saul Goodman in many ways with his refusal to give Jimmy any chance to change and deliberate sabotage him so everyone would view Jimmy in the same way he did, as someone who wasn't that bad.
I don't think it portrays chuck as that. It just shows that chuck did love jimmy, since a lot of people thought he didn't because of what he said to jimmy in 'lantern'.
That wasn't the case at all though. The point of the scene is to show that moment was the perfect and last occasion for both of them to sit down, talk and sort out their differences, but Jimmy's inability to listen to advice and Chuck's inability to empathize with Jimmy instead choosing to talk him down like he always did, made that impossible. It places blame on both brothers, in the end it was both of their unresolved turnmoil that made solving their problems impossible.
You can tell if someone is corrupt in their core when they characterize the Jimmy-Chuck relationship as the OP did. When I read his comment I reflexively grabbed for my wallet
I don't think that's how the scene portrays Chuck at all, it stills shows that he's incapable of empathizing with Jimmy and that he still looked down on Jimmy, but that he also loved his brother despite how rocky their relationship was. On top of that, the inclusion of H.G. Well's The Time Machine in the scene coupled with the prior time machine scenes implies that the thing Jimmy would really change in the end is how his relationship with Chuck went.
I don’t think we need anymore media taking place in the Breaking Bad universe … that being said if they announced they were making another spinoff show or movie showing where Bill Burr’s character is now, I’d watch it. Gladly.
As would I but that ain't gonna happen for myriad reasons. Old Billy rusty balls enjoys an acting gig, but being a lead actor is not something he is interested in, and Vince is on the record as saying that his next project won't be in the BB universe. Again, I would love to see it, and honestly you couldn't have picked a better character to spinoff.
There are two spinoffs I'd like to see: 1) Mike Ehrmantraut becoming a crooked cop in 1970s Philadelphia 2) Gustavo Fring's true origins And in case anyone asks, I don't mean Johnathan Banks or Giancarlo Esposito reprising their roles. They're both too old for these stories. They can find young actors to do it.
I’d personally disagree with the show being disjointed, it’s building up to everything after all, that’s pretty obvious. Your opinion of course though. I’d give the show a 10/10 from the first scene to the last
chicanery was the highlight for the show for me and my buddies After the episode came out we didn’t stoping talking about it and thought about the future
I picked a different episode thinking you would subvert expectations.. but let's be honest.. everyone loves this episode. For everyone who likes this show its top 3 always.
There is no day it died because it’s one of the greatest shows of all time and it’s quality and breaking bad what it spun off from will stand the test of time
I knew Saul from BB . I laughed but didn't care about him enough to take real notice. I was baffled about his name real name. Thought it was Saul. When watching BCS and was surprised my his kindness, hart work ethic. But still saw his "scheming ways" .
@@EntertainTheElk believe me I did! Your analysis and arguments offered me several new insights and actually made me want to rewatch the whole series again.
Great video as always, Also great pic for the day BCS was born! I kinda have a feeling of the show being born way earlier tho, I kinda feel like the show was born on the episode in Breaking Bad where Walter and Saul are waiting on being relocated. It's truly the first time we se Saul not being able to talk himself out of a sticky situation, having to go on the retreat. Seeing him without the normal, care free "I can get whatever I want" attitude. Here he is show to have a depth the we previously hadn't seen. Anyways just my 2 cents I guess, keep up the great work!
Chicanery is a long way in for this but I do agree it’s the episode that showed that Better Call Saul could stand alongside Breaking Bad. The court scene is just phenomenal
The ending of Better call Saul was bittersweet nothing like the breaking bad one which is okay, Great video essay I loved how you explained the ending.
@@EntertainTheElk ok first of all, YOU REPLIED! Just wanna say i love your videos especially this series. I too hope in the next one, this show gets its due :-)
I think saying that chuck didn't think much of his brother isn't entirely accurate. He definitely loved his brother and the act of pushing him away along with losing his practice was what drove him to suicide.
Saul wasn't born from the final act of betraying Chuck in the arena of law. He was born from the fallout. At the end of season 3, Jimmy willfully trashes his reputation with the elderly to repair Irene's relationship. He wanted to redeem himself. He tried to repair his relationship with Chuck. His trajectory was not yet Saul. In the wake of Chuck's suicide, Jimmy felt irredeemable. But without the emotional tools to confront these feelings, he saw himself as everything his brother thought he was, and the only way to make that work for him was to live this character that wasn't just immune to Chuck's judgment, but better than him as a lawyer, able to bend and work the law like magic. This is clear in the season 4 finale Winner, where Jimmy finally sublimates all his trauma into the character of Saul, "winning" over Chuck and stepping on his legacy. It may be a bit literal to treat this episode as the birth of Saul, because it's the first time Jimmy solidifies this character for himself and says so in the final shot. But it really is the culmination of grief and trauma being shed and corrupted and scrubbed in the same arena of law, the New Mexico bar association, in the SAME ROOM that Chicanery took place in. Jimmy conned everybody, but primarily he conned himself from owning up to his feelings about Chuck. By the end of it though, it's clear that basing your behavior off of spite for your dead brother whom you actually love and miss and wish to apologize to, isn't really a healthy way of coping.
Five-O was what sold the show for me. I liked the first episodes but Five-O was just something else. Mike was my favorite side character of breaking bad and he was developed beautifully in that episode. I’d say it’s the first great episode of the series and one of the best episodes in the breaking bad universe
I truly love Better Call Saul. I think it’s actually better than Breaking Bad. The pacing may be slower, but the slow build up to things getting more and more towards Saul Goodman becoming a true reality in the legal world of this universe is both amazing and tragic. I remember when Jimmy changed his name to Saul Goodman when being reinstated as a lawyer, I didn’t want that to happen. I got to really love Jimmy McGill for who he was. Yeah, he wasn’t perfect, but you know that deep down he is a good guy at heart who wants to do the right thing, but something in him keeps making him slip up and the fact I didn’t want Saul Goodman to exist, I realized I didn’t want basically the majority of Breaking Bad to exist since Saul is a major reason why Walt and Jesse were able to evade being caught throughout Breaking Bad. Such an amazing show from beginning to end and it really complements Breaking Bad as well. Great video man!
I don't think Jimmy changed. He was still looking for approval, once again from Kim, during his courtroom confession. Once he sat down and stared at Kim hoping she approved, I knew he did it for her.
From someone who loves Breaking Bad. Watched the series a few times over. Got family and friends into it. Yet tried BCS twice and couldn't get into it, should I try harder?
I kinda feel like people might be disregarding the fact that among the other prisoners, he’ll always be Saul Goodman, and him being behind bars makes it seem like he’ll never be able to be “Jimmy” again. He’s trapped with the persona he created, held back from truly allowing himself to change. And it seems in how he accepts this role (on the bus and in the prison) part of him still embraces Saul. Just how I interpreted things. What do you all think? (Either that, or he’ll forever have to be cell-mates with his sins. The final justice of the show is him being put in a place where he’s seen as something he doesn’t want to be anymore. He was always running from one reputation or another, but now he has to accept it. I could go on, orbiting what I’m trying to say without fully making contact, so I’ll leave it at that. Hope my points make sense.)
Which episode is the thumbnail from? Because that is the exact outfit James wears in his final black and white episode during the court scene. I have seen the behind the camera scenes and it is the exact match, the silver satin suit, navy patterned tie and red shirt
Chicanery for me was more like a conclusion. If we consider Better call saul a 3 part act. It’s end of the part 1. Pimento could be considered the start!
I liked the video but I'm conflicted: Saying Chickanery was where Better Call Saul was born is like saying Full Measures is the day Breaking Bad was born. Is the no turning back point of the series, and a climax at it. I agree with people saying Pimento would be a better fit for it. Or even season 2 has many examples of it. But Chickanery is too late.
All in all, I really enjoyed Better Call Saul. For me, it doesn't quite reach the level of Breaking Bad, but it got pretty damn close. I really agree with your point that around season 3, all the story lines to started to connect and I really felt all of that come to head in Season 5 (my favorite season). While I really enjoyed a lot of the final season, I felt like they separated the stories a little too much again as Kim and Jimmy were focused on Howard and while I still felt the finale was ultimately a satisfying end for Saul/Jimmy and the show as a whole, it just didn't hit me with the same Crescendo as Breaking Bad. But still fantastic show that was such an enjoyable ride
You were pretty spot on with the Breaking Bad episode, but I've gotta say I disagree with this one quite a bit as I feel this show was born was WAY earlier in season 1 episode 9 'Pimento'. Whilst Chicanery is an excellent episode, certainly one of the best in the show, it's a disservice to Chuck's character to say the show only came alive just moments before his death. A huge part of BCS is the growing disconnect between the McGill brothers and the debate of who's in the right. Chuck firmly believes his brother will always be slippin jimmy, and Jimmy, struggling to make ends meet as well as struggling to gain the respect of his cold brother, goes back to slipping. So who's in the right? Would Jimmy still slip if Chuck genuinely respected him? It's a profoundly layered relationship which is a big part of what makes BCS a great show. This is why I feel 'Pimento' is when the show was born. It begins the downards spiral of the brothers' relationship by revealing Chuck as Jimmy's main antagonist, his own brother jealous of him to the point of sabotage. Additionally, Mike's B plot was equally as entertaining and served as an apt way of him getting into the game through his introduction to Nacho. The parking lot scene serves as an excellent example of the show's comedy, peppered throughout the show. Where Breaking Bad had suspense and uncertainty for its characters, Better Call Saul has tragedy and comedy.
Visit helixsleep.com/theelk to get up to $200 off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows #helixsleep
***What should I explore next in my Day **___** Born series?***
I checked and didn't see a Born vid for Arrested Development (it did have a Died one). Also, I'd love to see Born/Died videos for Veronica Mars, and maybe even older shows like M*A*S*H and Cheers.
The Americans
What sold me was the episode “Five O” and seeing the tragic beginning of Mike. Talk about heartbreak: “You know what happened. The question is, can you live with it?”
Yeah, Five-O might be the first great episode.
I BROKE MY BOY
@@EntertainTheElk episode 2 was great
"I broke my boy." FOREVER ROBBED OF THAT EMMY
I though Five-O would be the episode it began, if not I think it should of been Pimento, I think Chicanery was the best episode not the birth
In season 1 I thought it was brillant to see those 2 worlds of civil and criminal evolving next to each other in the same city while barely overlapping because you could tell that those two worlds will inevitably slowly become one for Jimmy through the seasons. It represented Jimmy slow fall into darkness
The initial distance made the final intersection even more brutal and powerful. Lalo and Howard in the same room was like seeing Walter White alongside Spongebob.
@@ElZilchoYo I feel like we all knew they’d collide at some point which made us worry for Kim more than anyone as she’s not in BB which then didn’t even make us consider Howard being a potential fatality making his death all the more shocking
Yes, 100% agree. I admit it felt weird at first, but than it paid off in such a powerful way!
@@michaeldavies9853 and they fact they cleverly chose to let Kim stay alive through breaking bad timeline was perfect, despite her near death encounters with Lalo.
If this were any other show, I feel the double story line wouldn'tve worked for as long as this did. Already knowing both characters so well allows us to keep our own interest. Not because the show is hinting at the stories overlapping, but because we know when they do and our own intrigue keeps us going. Imo
Interesting, I do agree Chicanery was definitely a turning point for the series, but I’d have to disagree that it’s the day the show was born. I think I’d give that to 1x09 “Pimento”. That episode is what started the whole Chuck vs Jimmy arc that lasted all the way until the end of the 3rd season and really was the largest factor outside of Kim for why Jimmy was the way he was. Still thoroughly enjoyed the video and your fantastic insight as always though!
Thanks! Yeah, Pimento was definitely a possibility for my selection.
I am so glad to see this comment because I wanted to write it. Pimento was outstanding and I'm glad someone else said it, and said it so well.
i was thinking 201 "switch" because that's the moment jimmy and kim pull their first con together. maybe that's the moment kim wexler was born tho
For sure. This show was not “born” in the third season. I agree with you 100%
To me, Chicanery was the climax of the first part of the show, beginning from the premiere up until then. Then, a new era started which culminated in Bad Choice Road. The last season represented the final evolution of Jimmy McGill to his final form as Saul, culminating in Fun and Games. And the last few episodes are the epilogue to Saul’s character.
BCS is one of the best written shows on tv. It’s allowed to go slow, and move characters into place before it erupts into a well crafted explosion. Then we get to see the aftermath of the explosion, and watch everyone clean it up. Great video. The finale was a wonderful way to tie up the entire universe.
Glad you liked the vid!
This is honestly one of my top five favorite shows of all time. I have been saying for years that I loved it more than Breaking Bad but once the finale aired I knew for sure
It really stuck the landing. It's crazy that a prequel, sequel, spin-off could be that incredible.
Honestly I feel like we were lucky to have it. What a special couple of series. They spanned over 14 years and never let us down. It's going to be hard for any shows to replicate this in the future.
They basically showed off their skills for making a character drama while ALSO reminding us that they can still make an incredibly compelling action packed show. Better Call Saul did everything that Breaking Bad did and then pushed the envelope even further
What’re ur other favorite shows?
I actually like the fact that the cartel storyline and Jimmy's lawyer storyline were kind of distinctly different and not totally intertwine the whole time. Because then finally in the last two seasons when they did intertwine it became all the more compelling and a much bigger payoff culminating in both prequel storylines being buried together under the super lab
Chicanery should have rolled at the Emmys. It’s a masterclass in acting, directing, you name it. I remember the night I watched it. I was numb when it ended. Amazing
I was so happy getting to see some of the backstory of Mike in Better Call Saul. He was one of my favourite characters from Breaking Bad. I'd love a prequel of a prequel and have a series centred around his time as a crooked cop (though maybe the parallels between his son's good cop and his bad vs Chuck and Jimmy's good lawyer, bad lawyer would be too close to consider making a whole new series)
As much as I would enjoy seeing that, Jonathan Banks is getting too old for a whole other series. I could only see Rhea Seehorn and Bill Burr having a series based on their characters, at this point.
I love how Chuck is the Skyler of BCS who exposes the anti-hero's true nature, causing him to entrench himself further in his worst behavior in an attempt to escape guilt, while Kim is the Jesse of BCS who cycles between enabling & discouraging his bad deeds until the king has to sacrifice himself to save their pawn.
That sounds like an interesting video topic!
Except Chuck is the anti-hero's true nature.
@@BradsGonnaPlay How so? What I mean is that Chuck sees Jimmy for who he really is because of how opposite they are.
@@2QAYL1138 Except Skyler has more legit reasons because Walter actually put her family at risk. Chuck, on the other hand, hates Jimmy right off the bat thanks to his jealousy and always gave hateful words towards Jimmy.
Saying that Chuck is 100% right and Jimmy is 100% wrong undermines the complexity of their relationship.
@@nont18411 yes, Chuck is a different flavor or variation of that relationship with the anti-hero because over time he's exposed as owning a lot of blame for Jimmy's trauma that caused him to act out, whereas Skyler just married a dormant powder keg that was ignited by desperation mixed with a lifetime of being kicked around & probably a little boredom with his suburban lifestyle.
So yeah, you could say Jimmy was more justified for some of what he did, but he still owns his decisions which caused harm to a lot of people who didn't deserve it.
What I found really extraordinary about BCS as a whole is how committed the writers were to telling the separate storylines, even going through the most mundane, seemingly uninteresting parts of those storylines (Jimmy selling phones, Mike doing his job as security consult) - but still keeping us hooked, then at the opportune moments, they brought those stories together in the most unexpected, emotionally devastating ways. The writers didn't take shortcuts, didn't rely on big spectacles to distract us - you could tell they LOVED what they were doing and the characters they were writing for.
Admittedly, I favored the first 3 seasons more, because Jimmy and Chuck's story was so compelling and fascinating, and after (SPOILER) THAT EPISODE happened, Jimmy was kind of aimless for a while, which I think is exactly what the writers wanted us to feel, and they immediately put Kim's story front and center for us to see, all the while upping the stakes in Mike and Nacho's stories with the introduction of Lalo, keeping us viewers coming back for more.
This was epic. The ending felt like an actual relief. BCS was truly one of the shows ever
i couldn't get into BB but i found BCS gripping from the very first episode Uno. with all its "slow pace" and everything fans usually complain about i think BCS is a more "modern" series, closer to art. it could hardly ever work as an introduction to a universe which takes a more mass appealing product. also, looking back, i hated almost every character on BB. BCS didn't give me this opportunity with such a detailed introspection into everyone.
Yeah BCS could never exist with BB. But because of BB, BCS was able to have a unique and slower methodical pace.
I am so glad you chose that episode!! It's by far in the top 3 in the entire show
I didn't think BCS would be that great of a show but I was wrong. What an incredible journey.
Same. As a huge BB fan I thought it'd be a weird spin off show, like most of them are. Glad I was proven so wrong
What timing. I am watching Breaking Bad. Saul is great, I laugh everytime he is on screen.
He is one of the major sources for comic relief in Breaking Bad.
When he's on Screen in Better Call Saul, aside from laughing, you'll go through pretty much all of the emotions.
Much needed levity in the show. He helped balance it for sure.
It still bugs me the amount of BB fans who still haven’t seen this show yet, let alone the fans that gave up watching BCS because it’s “boring…” and didn’t think it was gonna be a character driven show. I’m like what else would you expect from a show about a lawyer
The end of the breaking bad universe??? Someone is forgetting the cinematic masterpiece of rhetoric and class that is Slippin Jimmy!
Fun fact: chicanery is the only episode that Mike doesn’t appear in before the last 4 gene episodes.
The perfect way to show how Chuck hated Jimmy’s charisma is the flashback where Jimmy had dinner with Chuck and his wife. Jimmy said a joke and the woman laughed. Chuck said a joke. And it fell flat. You can see in chuck’s face how annoyed and upset he was after that
oh do u know the ep?? i missdd that i think
@@amberfrost7772 season 2 episode 5
@@jokester18business51 thanks bro
Please more breaking bad and Saul analysis videos I need to fill my void of content and yours are always the best!
Wow thanks!
Dunno where I could say the show was born but the finale was heartbreaking, heartwarming, & masterfully done. It was definitely saying good bye to a friend that's been keeping you company week after week.
Seeing your analysis of Jimmy proving Chuck wrong was a wake up call I didn't realize til you mentioned it.
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I wonder why most Breaking Bad fans hated the premiere and didn’t tune in to the second episode.
I have been a fan of Bob odenkirk ever since "The Ben Stiller Show." Better Call Saul is a great show.
Better Call Saul videos always have the best comment sections. I never see people bickering or fighting and any very rare disagreements are amicable and as civilized as they could possibly be. And I almost always get cool new perspective on something I already enjoy.
You folks rock 🤙
These videos are so good. Thank you for making them. I learn something from every single video.
Glad you like them!
6:40 I personally think that the parallel story lines is the strength of the show as the story of Jimmy moves a bit relaxed and it also involves many technical lawyer terms, which may not interest all the viewers and Mike's story feels more action packed and intriguing which helps to captivate the general audience... That's a great choice of flavours 💥💯
The biggest surprise to me about BCS was when I realized it is every bit as good as Breaking Bad and could argue it may be even better. The last thing I expected from the show before it aired
Great video! I personally liked how you took it until the ending of the series. For me, I can personally relate to the Chuck Jimmy relationship and how sad it went but then in the end Jimmy faced all that and I just love it that he faced it in the courthouse
Glad you enjoyed it!
For me the day Better Call Saul was born was in the episode season 1 episode 6 five-o
That's the episode that hooked me
But if you go back and re-watch the TV from the beginning you realize that it was amazing from the start.
Uno is such a good pilot and doesn't waste a single moment in the episode.
I liked hopping between Jimmy and mike earlier on. I thought that both stories were interesting and at times riveting and were things I was fully engaged with learning more about. I assumed they would start to overlap more as time went on seeing as they work together by breaking bad, so maybe if someone hadn't seen breaking bad they might not know that. But I feel like most of us have, and it was all eventually tied together. 2 beloved characters going from unrecognizable to the flawed men we loved from a classic tv show, what's not to love?!
I’ll never get tired of watching video essays on this show
Still can't believe it's all gone, though I had issues with the finale in how it places Chuck, the arrogant, controlling man who basically created Saul Goodman in many ways with his refusal to give Jimmy any chance to change and deliberate sabotage him so everyone would view Jimmy in the same way he did, as someone who wasn't that bad.
Don’t you mean you can’t believe it’s “Saul Gone”?
I don't think it portrays chuck as that. It just shows that chuck did love jimmy, since a lot of people thought he didn't because of what he said to jimmy in 'lantern'.
That wasn't the case at all though. The point of the scene is to show that moment was the perfect and last occasion for both of them to sit down, talk and sort out their differences, but Jimmy's inability to listen to advice and Chuck's inability to empathize with Jimmy instead choosing to talk him down like he always did, made that impossible. It places blame on both brothers, in the end it was both of their unresolved turnmoil that made solving their problems impossible.
You can tell if someone is corrupt in their core when they characterize the Jimmy-Chuck relationship as the OP did. When I read his comment I reflexively grabbed for my wallet
I don't think that's how the scene portrays Chuck at all, it stills shows that he's incapable of empathizing with Jimmy and that he still looked down on Jimmy, but that he also loved his brother despite how rocky their relationship was. On top of that, the inclusion of H.G. Well's The Time Machine in the scene coupled with the prior time machine scenes implies that the thing Jimmy would really change in the end is how his relationship with Chuck went.
I don’t think we need anymore media taking place in the Breaking Bad universe … that being said if they announced they were making another spinoff show or movie showing where Bill Burr’s character is now, I’d watch it. Gladly.
lmao i dont think id even watch that tbh
As would I but that ain't gonna happen for myriad reasons. Old Billy rusty balls enjoys an acting gig, but being a lead actor is not something he is interested in, and Vince is on the record as saying that his next project won't be in the BB universe.
Again, I would love to see it, and honestly you couldn't have picked a better character to spinoff.
There are two spinoffs I'd like to see:
1) Mike Ehrmantraut becoming a crooked cop in 1970s Philadelphia
2) Gustavo Fring's true origins
And in case anyone asks, I don't mean Johnathan Banks or Giancarlo Esposito reprising their roles. They're both too old for these stories. They can find young actors to do it.
I’d personally disagree with the show being disjointed, it’s building up to everything after all, that’s pretty obvious. Your opinion of course though. I’d give the show a 10/10 from the first scene to the last
Chicanery was the episode that made Better Call Saul it's own.
That video essay was fantastic! Well done.
Thanks!
Now I want the series where Huell goes from his BCS weight to his BB weight. he could dethrone Kobayashi, call it Breaking Avocado or something
chicanery was the highlight for the show for me and my buddies
After the episode came out we didn’t stoping talking about it and thought about the future
That finale was amazing 🥲
I picked a different episode thinking you would subvert expectations.. but let's be honest.. everyone loves this episode. For everyone who likes this show its top 3 always.
Which episode were you thinking?
@@EntertainTheElk I think I picked Cobbler. Someone had already beat me to Pimento and I wanted the game to be fun
Uh, since it is a prequel the "2 shows" thing has to exist. It's all backstory bro.
I was fully sold from the pilot episode
good analysis...
My favourite episode from the first two seasons is definitely Nailed (2x9). That ending was so shocking
Who hasn't pooped through a sunroof?
Better 👏Call 👏 Saul 👏👏
There is no day it died because it’s one of the greatest shows of all time and it’s quality and breaking bad what it spun off from will stand the test of time
I knew Saul from BB . I laughed but didn't care about him enough to take real notice. I was baffled about his name real name. Thought it was Saul.
When watching BCS and was surprised my his kindness, hart work ethic. But still saw his "scheming ways" .
finally, the vid we've been waiting for!!
Hope you enjoyed it!
@@EntertainTheElk believe me I did! Your analysis and arguments offered me several new insights and actually made me want to rewatch the whole series again.
Great video as always, Also great pic for the day BCS was born!
I kinda have a feeling of the show being born way earlier tho, I kinda feel like the show was born on the episode in Breaking Bad where Walter and Saul are waiting on being relocated.
It's truly the first time we se Saul not being able to talk himself out of a sticky situation, having to go on the retreat. Seeing him without the normal, care free "I can get whatever I want" attitude. Here he is show to have a depth the we previously hadn't seen.
Anyways just my 2 cents I guess, keep up the great work!
Glad you enjoyed it!
And we have the twin ginger brothers who disrespected Tuco's grandmother to thank for it all.
Me, starting the video: “I wonder which episode he means.”
Me, seeing Chicanery: “Oh. Duh. Of course that’s the one.”
So that's what the Elkman looks like!
Hello! :)
Breaking Bad: to the death.
Better Call Saul: to the pain.
Chicanery is a long way in for this but I do agree it’s the episode that showed that Better Call Saul could stand alongside Breaking Bad. The court scene is just phenomenal
The ending of Better call Saul was bittersweet nothing like the breaking bad one which is okay, Great video essay I loved how you explained the ending.
Glad you enjoyed it!
What was the day Entertain The Elk's old mattress died? The moment he was sponsored by HELIX.
Hahaha. That's right!
No Emmy. Its all sad man
Sounds like the Emmys were for the first part of S6. So the final episodes will be nominated hopefully next year.
Emmys are a meaningless HBO circlejerk so it’s not that big of a deal thankfully
@@EntertainTheElk ok first of all, YOU REPLIED! Just wanna say i love your videos especially this series.
I too hope in the next one, this show gets its due :-)
I think saying that chuck didn't think much of his brother isn't entirely accurate. He definitely loved his brother and the act of pushing him away along with losing his practice was what drove him to suicide.
I was absolutely certain you were going to say Pimento. That would be my answer anyway.
It was a close 2nd place.
Saul wasn't born from the final act of betraying Chuck in the arena of law. He was born from the fallout. At the end of season 3, Jimmy willfully trashes his reputation with the elderly to repair Irene's relationship. He wanted to redeem himself. He tried to repair his relationship with Chuck. His trajectory was not yet Saul.
In the wake of Chuck's suicide, Jimmy felt irredeemable. But without the emotional tools to confront these feelings, he saw himself as everything his brother thought he was, and the only way to make that work for him was to live this character that wasn't just immune to Chuck's judgment, but better than him as a lawyer, able to bend and work the law like magic. This is clear in the season 4 finale Winner, where Jimmy finally sublimates all his trauma into the character of Saul, "winning" over Chuck and stepping on his legacy.
It may be a bit literal to treat this episode as the birth of Saul, because it's the first time Jimmy solidifies this character for himself and says so in the final shot. But it really is the culmination of grief and trauma being shed and corrupted and scrubbed in the same arena of law, the New Mexico bar association, in the SAME ROOM that Chicanery took place in. Jimmy conned everybody, but primarily he conned himself from owning up to his feelings about Chuck.
By the end of it though, it's clear that basing your behavior off of spite for your dead brother whom you actually love and miss and wish to apologize to, isn't really a healthy way of coping.
Five-O was what sold the show for me. I liked the first episodes but Five-O was just something else. Mike was my favorite side character of breaking bad and he was developed beautifully in that episode. I’d say it’s the first great episode of the series and one of the best episodes in the breaking bad universe
Winner is the best episode for saul
Saul gone is the best episode for jimmy
Yeah except “the names McGill” was cringe and forced imo
Great video!
Thanks!
Episode 1!
I truly love Better Call Saul. I think it’s actually better than Breaking Bad. The pacing may be slower, but the slow build up to things getting more and more towards Saul Goodman becoming a true reality in the legal world of this universe is both amazing and tragic. I remember when Jimmy changed his name to Saul Goodman when being reinstated as a lawyer, I didn’t want that to happen. I got to really love Jimmy McGill for who he was. Yeah, he wasn’t perfect, but you know that deep down he is a good guy at heart who wants to do the right thing, but something in him keeps making him slip up and the fact I didn’t want Saul Goodman to exist, I realized I didn’t want basically the majority of Breaking Bad to exist since Saul is a major reason why Walt and Jesse were able to evade being caught throughout Breaking Bad. Such an amazing show from beginning to end and it really complements Breaking Bad as well. Great video man!
No issue here with your choice. Fantastic episode. And great video.
my fav channel does my fav show.
Hell yeah!
called it
:)
I admit I was reluctant to think they would make a show that was on par with BB. Imagine my delight when they surpassed it.
Called it!!
Pat yourself on the back.
I enjoy being the elk
I don't think Jimmy changed. He was still looking for approval, once again from Kim, during his courtroom confession. Once he sat down and stared at Kim hoping she approved, I knew he did it for her.
Great video
Thanks!
Chuck was right the entire time. Jimmy never did change from his old scamming days, and him having a law degree did end in disaster.
Tell me what to do to change I’ll do it
The thing is Kim doesn’t want Jimmy to change at all
From someone who loves Breaking Bad. Watched the series a few times over. Got family and friends into it. Yet tried BCS twice and couldn't get into it, should I try harder?
Not harder. BCS is slower paced and more laid-back, so it helps if you approach it likewise, like watching a western or true crime series.
@@ErebosGR Thank you for your reply mate
Without a doubt. This is from a BB fan. BCS is more of a slow burn, but is absolutely worth it. BCS makes BB a better show.
I get its more slow paced, but why force yourself like 3 times to watch something? Especially if you couldn’t get into it?
@@Jon_1996. very true
I kinda feel like people might be disregarding the fact that among the other prisoners, he’ll always be Saul Goodman, and him being behind bars makes it seem like he’ll never be able to be “Jimmy” again.
He’s trapped with the persona he created, held back from truly allowing himself to change. And it seems in how he accepts this role (on the bus and in the prison) part of him still embraces Saul. Just how I interpreted things. What do you all think?
(Either that, or he’ll forever have to be cell-mates with his sins. The final justice of the show is him being put in a place where he’s seen as something he doesn’t want to be anymore. He was always running from one reputation or another, but now he has to accept it. I could go on, orbiting what I’m trying to say without fully making contact, so I’ll leave it at that. Hope my points make sense.)
I was hooked from Uno
Another video about Chicanery. How many videos are there on this site about this episode let alone the show
Which episode is the thumbnail from? Because that is the exact outfit James wears in his final black and white episode during the court scene. I have seen the behind the camera scenes and it is the exact match, the silver satin suit, navy patterned tie and red shirt
Oh wow I didn't realize that. Just thought the image was nice. Haha
Chicanery for me was more like a conclusion.
If we consider Better call saul a 3 part act. It’s end of the part 1.
Pimento could be considered the start!
The day the boys was born
oooh. Interesting. I do love that show.
In terms of "prequel problems," possibly the worst moment on the show was seeing Hector get his bell. Such a pointless bit of fanservice.
for me it was the ending of season 4
My favorite character is Lalo, wby?
That charisma!
I liked the video but I'm conflicted: Saying Chickanery was where Better Call Saul was born is like saying Full Measures is the day Breaking Bad was born.
Is the no turning back point of the series, and a climax at it.
I agree with people saying Pimento would be a better fit for it. Or even season 2 has many examples of it. But Chickanery is too late.
what's the outro music?
A majority of the music in this video is by the brilliant Ross Bugden. I think the end song is called Night Heat or something like that.
@@EntertainTheElk Thanks!
Spoilers for WHAT?
I've watched all of Breaking Bad, and BCS seasons 1-5, and would LIKE to watch this, but not if there's spoilers for BCS season 6.
Regardless, I'm giving you a 👍
Your content's always solid.
Heavy spoilers in this video, don’t watch it yet.
I spoil everything. So yeah don't watch until you're finished watching BCS. But thanks for the comment and like to help push the stupid algorithm. :)
All in all, I really enjoyed Better Call Saul. For me, it doesn't quite reach the level of Breaking Bad, but it got pretty damn close. I really agree with your point that around season 3, all the story lines to started to connect and I really felt all of that come to head in Season 5 (my favorite season). While I really enjoyed a lot of the final season, I felt like they separated the stories a little too much again as Kim and Jimmy were focused on Howard and while I still felt the finale was ultimately a satisfying end for Saul/Jimmy and the show as a whole, it just didn't hit me with the same Crescendo as Breaking Bad. But still fantastic show that was such an enjoyable ride
Of course, it’s Chicanery. Great analysis!
Predictable but still enjoyable I hope! :)
Can you do a video on the TV show Mr Robot
That'd be fun. I really enjoyed that show.
2 and half seasons in? Is this Series no longer about the first good episode, but just the best one?
In this case, it was finding the turning point in the entire series.
Nice
You were pretty spot on with the Breaking Bad episode, but I've gotta say I disagree with this one quite a bit as I feel this show was born was WAY earlier in season 1 episode 9 'Pimento'.
Whilst Chicanery is an excellent episode, certainly one of the best in the show, it's a disservice to Chuck's character to say the show only came alive just moments before his death. A huge part of BCS is the growing disconnect between the McGill brothers and the debate of who's in the right. Chuck firmly believes his brother will always be slippin jimmy, and Jimmy, struggling to make ends meet as well as struggling to gain the respect of his cold brother, goes back to slipping. So who's in the right? Would Jimmy still slip if Chuck genuinely respected him? It's a profoundly layered relationship which is a big part of what makes BCS a great show.
This is why I feel 'Pimento' is when the show was born. It begins the downards spiral of the brothers' relationship by revealing Chuck as Jimmy's main antagonist, his own brother jealous of him to the point of sabotage. Additionally, Mike's B plot was equally as entertaining and served as an apt way of him getting into the game through his introduction to Nacho. The parking lot scene serves as an excellent example of the show's comedy, peppered throughout the show. Where Breaking Bad had suspense and uncertainty for its characters, Better Call Saul has tragedy and comedy.
i really like breaking bad , but i think better call saul is the better show (or i prefer it or somethin)
You didn't inherently trust Vince G and Peter G to tie the stories together and quell your sn 1 & 2 fears???
does this have spoilers? i just started bcs
Definitely yes. Do not watch until you’ve finished the series.
@@EntertainTheElk thanks