What other episodes would you like to see analyzed? Apologies if the editing isn't up to the usual standard, but I'm traveling and edited away from home
Hey really like your videos. I've noticed you like to put a white background when playing two scenes side by side.. it's really bright and jarring. Makes it hard to watch the scenes you're placing narrowly in the center. Just a suggestion. If you can change it to black or something darker?
Two people have proposed The Fly and I think I support that. Because I hated that episode. It felt to me like skipping it would not make any difference because (a) what was conveyed about WW's obsessiveness could have been packaged in an intense quarter-/half-episode sequence, and (b) the episode neither adds to or detracts from the character arc. It'd be impressive if you would manage to change my mind and convince me that this episode has actual value beyond the obvious, and it was not just a way for Gilligan to allow Rian Johnson to go artsy-fartsy on a low budget.
His death was the most shocking and most impactful moment out of both shows. It happened so early in season 6 and the show just moved on like it was nothing. It was so brutal how realistic it was. It happened and the world didn't stop for it. I've never seen a death be treated like that and it's always stuck with me.
if this is a quality you like then watch The Wire. All deaths in the show are just as you described, major characters just getting killed seemingly out of nowhere in an instant and life just moves on.
@@badswimmer-h2b That's not the same. Nacho's death is an _outlier_ which is why it's so powerful. Every other death in the series carries much more weight to it, and its effects are noticeably felt by other characters after it happens. If every death in The Wire is treated the same, then there's no matching quality.
@@sauvagess he said he liked the fact a death was gritty and realistic and the show didn't stop for it, yet it was still very impactful for the viewer. I gave him a recommendation based off of him liking that. Stop sniffing ur own farts man
I like the idea that the the hubcap is a halo. It’s also so far removed from where his head is, it makes me think it’s sort of a removed halo, like it’s still there, but he’s strayed far from its presence.
I interpret the hubcap standing for Nacho’s father because in that moment he is on Nacho’s mind, sort of like a thought bubble in a comic. The large space between the hubcap and Nacho’s head is a visual metaphor for how far he has strayed from the right path.
BRO... I have always hated that Walt kills Mike. But when you look at it as the mirror to Mike killing Verner, its now poetic justice. You made me like a part of the show I have hated for years, well done.
I liked that Walt killed Mike even before BCS came out. It's a reminder that at the end of the day, Mike is just like all of the other bad dudes and is just another criminal even if he has a little bit more morality to him. He had numerous chances to walk away, and he's killed a lot of people with a lot of blood on his hands. Sometimes people don't get a grand exit and their death is mundane and spontaneous and lacks any meaning.
they even smacked it right in our faces when Werner went down to fix that faulty explosive which mirrored Walter entering his now-abandoned home looking at the big Heisenberg graffiti in Season 5
Looking back at Nacho's final dialogue and the way he took away that moment from Gus makes you rethink why Gus was so quick to understimate Hector in their final BB episode. He wanted that last laugh so bad.
Breaking Bad speedrun setup: "It may look silly right now what Nacho's doing with that bottle of pills but it's going to save a lot of time in the long run."
Brother the opening 3-4 minutes gave me goosebumps. Some wonderful connections you made there. I'll always think about Nacho now when I see Gus blow up.
Now finished the Video and what a piece of work man. Incredible! More of this please, Breaking Bad und BCS are just the best of TV and theres always more to talk about and discover. Thank you!
It's really enjoyable but I would poke a tiny hole in his interpretation of why Howard and Lalo's burial in the same grave is moving and upsetting. It's not because it's about the fall of empires. It's so much more personal than that. Lalo is not the end of the Salamanca empire by a long shot. We never saw Howard's father alive or felt emotionally tied to his (the father's) legacy, and the firm was falling apart, changing, & becoming less relevant to the story long before Howard's death. HHM as it existed when Chuck was alive was already no more. I understand pulling similarities to support a thesis, but I personally think Howard & Lalo's burial scene was so incredibly moving because the end of Better Call Saul makes very pointed visual reminders of who is truly a "good" person and who is a "bad" person, often with strong symbolic visuals, to demonstrate how fall certain characters have fallen, on what side of the line they lie, and our complicity in it as viewers rooting for them. For instance, when Mike goes to talk to Nacho's father, there is a fence dividing them. A good man from a bad man. Some of Mike's original intentions may have felt noble. When he took revenge for the death of his son none of us cried over dirty murderous cops. It *felt* like justice then. Yet when Mike vows to bring "justice" for Nacho's death, Nachos father makes it clear that more violence is not justice and will not bring his son back. "You gangsters, you're all the same". Mike thinks he's one of the good guys, but suddenly it is very apparent that he hasn't been a good guy for a very long time. Next to an upstanding, actually good man like Nacho's father it feels clear as day. Mike is on the wrong side of the fence and he will not be going back. Jimmy and Kim have a similar ending with a fence dividing them that eventually separates them forever. The prison fence is both extremely literal and heavily symbolic. The great pain of the visual with Howard and Lalo comes from the fact that Howard did *not* deserve to die like Lalo. These are two men who are not equal. The deep injustice of watching this happen to Howard's is painful, because even if we as viewers didn't like or sympathize with Howard, we know he didn't deserve **this** Howard's "crimes" against Jimmy and Kim (putting her in doc review for making him look bad, allowing himself to to take the fall for Chuck refusing to hire Jimmy) seem incredibly petty compared to the punishment Jimmy and Kim dole out to him, and the absolutely horrifying death he in no way deserved hammers this home. We know from Breaking Bad that they will likely never find Howard's body, and that he is buried forever side by side with his own murderer, a sociopathic drug lord who killed for the pleasure of killing. Howard made mistakes but overall he was a person who liked Jimmy and wanted to hire him. Who cared for Chuck and tried to honor his wishes and take care of his health. Who was sometimes selfish or petty and made mistakes, and was an annoyingly successful nepo baby who so easily got everything handed to him that Jimmy could never seem to reach. He he was also just a human being who seemed to be trying his best. Unlike so many others in this show, Howard was never a monster. Lalo was a f-king monster. Empires falling is definitely a recurring theme. But the emotional impact of Howard and Lalo in that grave comes from how both bodies get treated with the exact same brutal ending and horrible disrespect when they did not deserve the same burial. Sorry this is an enormous comment probably no one will read, I just really love thinking and talking about these shows. Autism. Anyway I enjoyed this video too, I just think sometimes people use examples to support a thesis and I view it really differently. But that's the fun of engaging with these videos. We all get to share our takes
Jokes aside, that scene also has a very important moment displaying walters ego and how manipulative can be, where when his son needs courage and is starting to drive walter calls him "Walt", not even Jr, but "Walt" as if the name should spark the courage and determination he needs to be successfull, but once Jr fails Walter calls him "Flynn".
I watched BCS up until the time jump, then breaking bad, then el Camino, then back to the end of BCS. Crazy rewatch, you catch so much more watching it in chronological order
15:01 I really loved this scene because you can tell Hector really wanted to kill Nacho, especially after his last speech. Even though he’s shooting his dead body it doesn’t matter because Nacho already decided his own fate and there’s nothing Hector could have done about it. It’s like he’s pointing and laughing at Hector for a last time. I love this show
This is such a good analysis. I've watched both series several times and some of these connections never even occurred to me, but they're so obvious once you point them out. The layering of symbols is next level!
I never heard anyone else say it but I watched that episode, nachos episode, and always saw it as Nachos crucifixtion. Like his long walk through a living hell knowing that it was all leading to his death, but taking it all on his own terms.
i always watch these videos and think if the creators really intended all this symbolism and how every small little detail has a meaning, and if it is intentional i wonder how they even come up with all this stuff. its insane to me
I think some things aren't really thought through, and it’s not necessarily important if they are or not for the analysis. A lot of artists work in an intuitive way, and in the end, they end up understanding their work better through the eyes of others. Hitchcock is a great example of this. Although, obviously, there are things that are planned, like the baptism and religious references (which was confirmed for me by someone here who mentioned that Nacho's shirt is full of crosses, something I didn’t notice but is so obvious lol). They probably pitched the idea of approaching this episode with a biblical iconography theme, focusing on the martyr concept, and from there, each department did their research and contributed from their own area (cinematography, costume, production design, etc.). Let’s not forget, it’s not just one head, but several, especially when it comes to a writers' room and not just one single writer.
Everything in a scripted show or a movie is there on purpose. Nobody makes a TV show by accident. Every prop was placed where it is by someone for a reason. Every stitch of clothing was picked and approved. Every shot framed, every cut made, every line spoken, every beat of silence has a reason. That being said, I do believe that creators can have symbolism they didn't intend show up in their work, but I think it's far more likely that something was purposeful and intentional.
It's a process of layering. Each department and each person making creative decisions on a production can add stuff and if the directors and show runners have a strong creative vision, they know how to integrate this.
as someone who has made digital art, sometimes the edit makes itself. I'd imagine a lot of this is just happy little accident. improvisation, last moment decisions, the magic of creation. kind of like the world in the show.
Man this episode might be top three for BCS, I actually forgot how good it is. Also love that Michael Nando got to really flex his considerable acting muscles.
I just realised after watching BCS, that Nacho is the same actor as Vaas. Now I understand why I symphatised with him throughout the series. The actor is just so great, that doesn't matter what kind of character he portrays, he fully delivers the intended goal.
What’s funny is I didn’t recognize Michael when I first watched the show but during the third episode, as the intro credits were rolling, I noticed “Michael Mando” and was like… wait, I know that name. Within a couple seconds I realized it was Vaas and I was super excited to see him in something live action knowing what a capable actor he is and boy did he not disappoint.
Nacho accepting his fate of death but doing it in his own way cements his character as an all time great, a victim of his own ambition, but also too kind hearted to survive in such a world.
Man you totally nailed it talking about the religious imagery. Nacho is speedruning the Holy Sacrements. The steps you have to take to become a member of the Catholic church He is Baptized. His talk with his Father is a confirmation/confession. Then he has Communion in his own last supper (which is the first Communion)
This is a GREAT video, I’ve always been pretty up to date w the bb and bcs cinematography but the parralels between the characters I never caught on or heard about. Incredibly put together. I love how the context of bcs elavates bb to a whole new level. Masterclass
Another note I liked was how weak and impotent the gun shots Hector put into Nacho’s dead body sounded and felt. All the power and violence Hector used to wield has been reduced to that
I've watched this show at least 5 times and it's amazing that people like you bring up this kind of details that I missed and never thought about. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, watching this video took me back to the very first times I watched BCS and it was an amazing experience. Keep it up!
YES!! finally a film breakdown channel that understand shot composition and its techniques! I fell down the rabbit hole long ago when I first discovered the "rule of thirds" in photography and how that composition though subtle has deep profound impact to the aura of the scene. Its purposeful to the subconscious. Cheers from Texas! subbed!
Another similarity with Jesse and Nacho is how they try to drown out their mind with their houses. With Jesse it's 24/7 party and with Nacho it's couple addict chicks to keep company and watching tv. Jesse is prone to be an addict so he goes for it with money. Nacho isn't one and is way more organized and had free drugs. So he does not think about it from kinda morality perspective and just needs.. company (that stays and he does not grow attached to). For Jesse it was not for company, it was just to quite literally drown out his head with chaos. Other with chaos and other with organized measures.
How on earth did they pull off the cinematography in Nacho's final scene? On its surface, it's just character dialogue - nothing fancy happening at all with the camera. But the lighting, the makeup, even down to him spitting blood and saliva as he talks to Hector, it's all immaculate. I'm genuinely startled every time I come across it.
This a fantastic breakdown and analysis... from the Werner/Walter connections and how they both link to Mike's arc, to the parallels between Nacho and Jesus and all the religious iconography visually referenced in this episode, you noticed a lot of things I never caught and made me see one of the best episodes and two of the best characters from both shows in a new light... great work!
The thing about the color of clothing also repeats with Walter, as he also switches gradually from light to darker colors, specially emphasized on the One Who Knocks scene
1:20 it's fun to watch early Mike scenes and imagine him as just the cool side character enigma in Breaking Bad he originally was meant to be. The writers and actor succeeded to expand him from extra to main symbol.
This is a really solid analysis, it doesn’t spend too much time summarizing events we’ve already seen and explores really new interesting ideas that I’d never thought of or seen before even two years after this episode came out. I already enjoyed Rock and Hard Place but this shines a new light on the episode that makes me appreciate the masterful writing in this episode even more.
Great video! I noticed most of these parallels but not all of them, it's great when I find a video that points out new stuff I hadn't noticed before. And there's more stuff to find, noticed for example how Werner is wearing very similar clothing to Walter in the scene when Mike kills him
This is a good video. I seriously thought that Nacho would have the same end as Jesse and that after suffering one last time he was going to be able to have a chance to start over, but I also understand the message that Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould want to give and that they want to stay true to that. Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad were a good series and I'm amazed that Better Call Saul gives other meanings to Breaking Bad after watching it. Good Video 👍
This video was a piece of art. You should be doing documentaries on filming. The attention to framing, colouring, the connections to religious images, just chef's kiss. Thanks for your work!
this video essay is, in itself, a masterpiece....Great job, I mean we all know how amazing the writing/cinematography on those shows were but spelling it all out gave me chills on just how amazing these shows really where...
I always found it funny taht Hector didn't react when Nacho told him he killed Lalo but the second He saids he put Hector in the chair only then he becomes furious really exposes waht a fony Hector truly is and taht family doesn't matter as much as him self
It would be a great moment, but Hector knows Lalo is still alive by this point because he's talked with him on the phone. He already knows Nacho betrayed Lalo so the only shocking thing in this scene to Hector is that Nacho swapped the pills (something that IIRC nobody ever found out until now and he himself thought was just his health) Personally I think Hector never would've fully believed Nacho and after getting his release would still think Gus had a hand in things. I forget if Lalo calls him again afterward though.
@@calistudent6335 He does. As Lalo sets up to invade the washing company building to find Gus' secret lair being built, he calls Hector the morning before everything goes down.
It’s one thing to be inquisitive about the show, having these thoughts randomly swirling in your head. It’s another to masterfully make one cohesive presentation to gather all those thoughts into one video. Good work! Subscribed!
That was some amazing analysis! Highlighting the thematic parallels and similar shots between the show and Breaking Bad really demonstrates how intent the writers of these two shows were. The parallels to religious imagery was also interesting, and the similar imagery really lends a power to the composition of the scenes (even for non religious viewers such as myself). Excellent video!
I would like to add something else to Nacho's death and is the form that he dies. Is common to see in the series or in the movies that the principal characters dies instantly, like a surprise, but Nacho's death feels different, instead to kill him in the last minute like other series do, the writers decide to announce his death at the begging only to make us (The spectators) suffer, at the begging of the episode he knows he is gonna die and he doesn't care because his dad is gonna be safe, he and us know that he's gonna die and the rest of the episode is him saying goodbye to Mike and his dad and is really hurtful to see it because we like the character (is like to see a familiar suffering an illnesses and you are only waiting for them to die). Is like that episode from Anne with an E when Mary is sick she doesn't have a cure and the rest of the episode is she saying goodbye to Sebastian, her friends and specially her baby and is really hurtful to us seeing it. 😢 That's the only thing that I wanted to add.
Excellent video. I appreciate when I find content on this website that is made by someone who is insightful with something to say. There's so much junk, so many people pretending to be original, but you sir did a very good job. Thanks for the video.
"He's my rock my sword my shield...he's the wheel in the middle of the wheel." In this case personified as a hubcap halo'd over the representation of his mechanic "father's" head.
4:56 Vince Gilligan confirmed that theres religious symbolism in Breaking Bad (don’t remember all but for exemple the name of Jesse is close to Jesus, he is a good person, in the end of Br Ba when he escapes uncle Jack s lab he has a beard and long hairs with an appearance close to Jesus, when Walt -who represents the devil by the way, like when Jesse says to Hank and Gomie "mr White he s the devil!", he is temptating him by doing sins SINCE THE 1ST EPISODE when he forces him to cook with him, threatening to snitch on him to the police if he says no- tells to Jack that Jesse is hiding under the car, its like if he sacrifices him for his own crímes, like Jesus for the men in the Bible, and Jesse also is temptated by męth addiction, like Jesus by the devil. And I dont know about you but when the planes expIode in the sky at the beginning of season 3, it always made me think of a ģodIy action, and when they are cooking in the desert of New Mexico, its like the deserts of the Sinai, as it is where Jesus is temptated by the deviI and they are sinning by making męth) so why wouldn’t there be in Better Call Saul?
I'm sure we missed so much... the production of shows go soooo deep in this era. The beauty of that, is that you can watch & rewatch many times and notice something amazing. We never quite got that from the Brady Bunch 😂. (And I'm always fascinated to learn about the Easter eggs sprinkled throughout brilliant shows like this). Bravo!
Absolutely great video! Extremely well executed breakdown of an episode just begging to be analyzed. One thing I would say is that you don’t have to apologize for your analysis like at 8:54. The subjectivity is implied, and anyone who gives you hate for your own justified interpretation of the text doesn’t have enough media literacy for their opinion to matter. You and your audience both know you backed up your points well enough for the halo to have a valid place in the video. Have confidence that your work is great- because it is.
Thanks a lot for the advice and kind words! I’m totally with you. I probably got a bit too defensive because, with my recent videos going viral, the comments have been full of people calling it overanalysis haha
The way Gus keeps firing his bullets even after clearly empty against Lalo reminded me of Jesse when he saved them at Eladios assassination the missing skill to hit but the confidence to keep trying implies that's what he truly saw in Jesse
This is a prime example of when all things come together to make it more than the sum of its parts. The framing, the writing, the ties to BB, the acting, the emotions on display... it's amazing.
your analysis is so so so compelling!!! i want to rewatch BCS entirely now. the hub cap as halo! also your drawings!! brilliant mind i wish u beautiful life :,)
Excellent analysis. I'm pretty cold on breaking bad these days but it serves as the foundation of the absolute masterpiece that is BCS and episodes like this show that the whole breaking bad story only improved over time.
This parallel at 12:15 shows just how different the show's visual style became by the second half, these scenes have similar weather conditions but one has way more contrast than the other
Werner died without saying a proper goodbye to his beloved wife, alone, staring into the stars Mike died without saying a proper goodbye to his beloved granddaughter, alone, staring into the wild
What other episodes would you like to see analyzed? Apologies if the editing isn't up to the usual standard, but I'm traveling and edited away from home
I have so many, but if I was forced at gunpoint to choose: Point and Shoot.
The flies episode in BB
Hey really like your videos. I've noticed you like to put a white background when playing two scenes side by side.. it's really bright and jarring. Makes it hard to watch the scenes you're placing narrowly in the center.
Just a suggestion. If you can change it to black or something darker?
The Fly
Two people have proposed The Fly and I think I support that. Because I hated that episode. It felt to me like skipping it would not make any difference because (a) what was conveyed about WW's obsessiveness could have been packaged in an intense quarter-/half-episode sequence, and (b) the episode neither adds to or detracts from the character arc. It'd be impressive if you would manage to change my mind and convince me that this episode has actual value beyond the obvious, and it was not just a way for Gilligan to allow Rian Johnson to go artsy-fartsy on a low budget.
God, I just love the way Nacho delivers the line “You think of me”.
one of the best lines of the series, he is just fenomenal
@@matheusramos1383 phenomenal
scorcese level cinema
@@Arookiton no one cares
@Shsjier Okay bud 😘
His death was the most shocking and most impactful moment out of both shows. It happened so early in season 6 and the show just moved on like it was nothing. It was so brutal how realistic it was. It happened and the world didn't stop for it. I've never seen a death be treated like that and it's always stuck with me.
Bodie
Red wedding from GOT wants to say hello.
if this is a quality you like then watch The Wire. All deaths in the show are just as you described, major characters just getting killed seemingly out of nowhere in an instant and life just moves on.
@@badswimmer-h2b That's not the same. Nacho's death is an _outlier_ which is why it's so powerful. Every other death in the series carries much more weight to it, and its effects are noticeably felt by other characters after it happens. If every death in The Wire is treated the same, then there's no matching quality.
@@sauvagess
he said he liked the fact a death was gritty and realistic and the show didn't stop for it, yet it was still very impactful for the viewer. I gave him a recommendation based off of him liking that. Stop sniffing ur own farts man
Better call Saul is so good as a spinoff prequel, so good that at the end of the series Breaking Bad feels like the spinoff Sequel.
Nah
@@Loch1210Yah
@@WhatUpLub never
@@Loch1210 always
@ Foh
I like the idea that the the hubcap is a halo. It’s also so far removed from where his head is, it makes me think it’s sort of a removed halo, like it’s still there, but he’s strayed far from its presence.
First idea I had was that the halo was descending down on him. Like he was reaching divinity, but not yet and he had still a long way to go.
I interpret the hubcap standing for Nacho’s father because in that moment he is on Nacho’s mind, sort of like a thought bubble in a comic. The large space between the hubcap and Nacho’s head is a visual metaphor for how far he has strayed from the right path.
They're so deliberate with their shots that I do not think it's coincidental at all. I think it's a halo as well.
@@Pietrac If that was the case then he wouldn't have a halo yet at all. You can only have a halo when you're already in Heaven, not alive on Earth.
Look at 9:40. There's a light on the wall, behind Nacho's head.
BRO... I have always hated that Walt kills Mike. But when you look at it as the mirror to Mike killing Verner, its now poetic justice. You made me like a part of the show I have hated for years, well done.
Breaking Bad’s plot was sometimes contrived, but Better Call Saul gives these contrivances more meaning, and seems 100% planned from the start
THIS. holy shit
I liked that Walt killed Mike even before BCS came out. It's a reminder that at the end of the day, Mike is just like all of the other bad dudes and is just another criminal even if he has a little bit more morality to him. He had numerous chances to walk away, and he's killed a lot of people with a lot of blood on his hands. Sometimes people don't get a grand exit and their death is mundane and spontaneous and lacks any meaning.
Walt capping Mike is the best part! Stupid Mike should have known not to run his mouth on my boy, he should have known consequences were coming 🔫
@@Gamfluent No one said he was
How did I not notice the werner hisenberg connection
Bruh im telling you 😭
they even smacked it right in our faces when Werner went down to fix that faulty explosive which mirrored Walter entering his now-abandoned home looking at the big Heisenberg graffiti in Season 5
There are no brakes on the Bravo Bince train.
Not sure. Maybe you're just not observant.
Dude, not sure how I missed that one!
Looking back at Nacho's final dialogue and the way he took away that moment from Gus makes you rethink why Gus was so quick to understimate Hector in their final BB episode. He wanted that last laugh so bad.
For a such machiavelic character, that always has perfect standards “dont play with ur food’ blew up hard on that one
@@brushrunnerTo be fair, Gus's whole arc is fulfilling an irrational goal through rational means.
I love that Nacho kills himself so that Hector can never have the satisfaction lmao him unloading the gun into his dead body really shows it
Hector looks so unbelievably impotent in that scene, shooting his gun at a corpse.
@@louieberg2942 Fr. It was so pathetic
Breaking Bad speedrun setup: "It may look silly right now what Nacho's doing with that bottle of pills but it's going to save a lot of time in the long run."
Brother the opening 3-4 minutes gave me goosebumps. Some wonderful connections you made there. I'll always think about Nacho now when I see Gus blow up.
Now finished the Video and what a piece of work man. Incredible! More of this please, Breaking Bad und BCS are just the best of TV and theres always more to talk about and discover. Thank you!
It's really enjoyable but I would poke a tiny hole in his interpretation of why Howard and Lalo's burial in the same grave is moving and upsetting. It's not because it's about the fall of empires. It's so much more personal than that.
Lalo is not the end of the Salamanca empire by a long shot. We never saw Howard's father alive or felt emotionally tied to his (the father's) legacy, and the firm was falling apart, changing, & becoming less relevant to the story long before Howard's death. HHM as it existed when Chuck was alive was already no more.
I understand pulling similarities to support a thesis, but I personally think Howard & Lalo's burial scene was so incredibly moving because the end of Better Call Saul makes very pointed visual reminders of who is truly a "good" person and who is a "bad" person, often with strong symbolic visuals, to demonstrate how fall certain characters have fallen, on what side of the line they lie, and our complicity in it as viewers rooting for them.
For instance, when Mike goes to talk to Nacho's father, there is a fence dividing them. A good man from a bad man. Some of Mike's original intentions may have felt noble. When he took revenge for the death of his son none of us cried over dirty murderous cops. It *felt* like justice then. Yet when Mike vows to bring "justice" for Nacho's death, Nachos father makes it clear that more violence is not justice and will not bring his son back. "You gangsters, you're all the same". Mike thinks he's one of the good guys, but suddenly it is very apparent that he hasn't been a good guy for a very long time. Next to an upstanding, actually good man like Nacho's father it feels clear as day. Mike is on the wrong side of the fence and he will not be going back.
Jimmy and Kim have a similar ending with a fence dividing them that eventually separates them forever. The prison fence is both extremely literal and heavily symbolic.
The great pain of the visual with Howard and Lalo comes from the fact that Howard did *not* deserve to die like Lalo. These are two men who are not equal. The deep injustice of watching this happen to Howard's is painful, because even if we as viewers didn't like or sympathize with Howard, we know he didn't deserve **this**
Howard's "crimes" against Jimmy and Kim (putting her in doc review for making him look bad, allowing himself to to take the fall for Chuck refusing to hire Jimmy) seem incredibly petty compared to the punishment Jimmy and Kim dole out to him, and the absolutely horrifying death he in no way deserved hammers this home. We know from Breaking Bad that they will likely never find Howard's body, and that he is buried forever side by side with his own murderer, a sociopathic drug lord who killed for the pleasure of killing. Howard made mistakes but overall he was a person who liked Jimmy and wanted to hire him. Who cared for Chuck and tried to honor his wishes and take care of his health. Who was sometimes selfish or petty and made mistakes, and was an annoyingly successful nepo baby who so easily got everything handed to him that Jimmy could never seem to reach. He he was also just a human being who seemed to be trying his best. Unlike so many others in this show, Howard was never a monster. Lalo was a f-king monster.
Empires falling is definitely a recurring theme. But the emotional impact of Howard and Lalo in that grave comes from how both bodies get treated with the exact same brutal ending and horrible disrespect when they did not deserve the same burial.
Sorry this is an enormous comment probably no one will read, I just really love thinking and talking about these shows. Autism.
Anyway I enjoyed this video too, I just think sometimes people use examples to support a thesis and I view it really differently. But that's the fun of engaging with these videos. We all get to share our takes
@lauralouwhooo I read your comment and it is beautifullu written. Thank you for that!
@@lauralouwhooo =3
That scene with Nacho calling his father tore me up. Even more so when Mike delivered the news to him.
There's the scene in which Walter was teaching his son driving. His son had a hard time pressing the brake. He's breaking bad.
fuckin LMAO
Wow that changes everything
Vravo Bince
braking*
Jokes aside, that scene also has a very important moment displaying walters ego and how manipulative can be, where when his son needs courage and is starting to drive walter calls him "Walt", not even Jr, but "Walt" as if the name should spark the courage and determination he needs to be successfull, but once Jr fails Walter calls him "Flynn".
I watched BCS up until the time jump, then breaking bad, then el Camino, then back to the end of BCS. Crazy rewatch, you catch so much more watching it in chronological order
How was it?
I just did that too recently!
im gonna try this in a few years when I forget about BB and BCS
“Damn this shit is one of the best video essays about this show ive ever seen” me at 3:39 realizing Im only in the intro.
Dude really put an entire video in the intro, got me every time.
@@petermok2188he really did bro i thought it was almost over and i check and im 3 minutes deep
15:01 I really loved this scene because you can tell Hector really wanted to kill Nacho, especially after his last speech. Even though he’s shooting his dead body it doesn’t matter because Nacho already decided his own fate and there’s nothing Hector could have done about it. It’s like he’s pointing and laughing at Hector for a last time. I love this show
This is such a good analysis. I've watched both series several times and some of these connections never even occurred to me, but they're so obvious once you point them out. The layering of symbols is next level!
14:24 what an incredible delivery michael mando did, it gives me chills every time.
I never heard anyone else say it but I watched that episode, nachos episode, and always saw it as Nachos crucifixtion. Like his long walk through a living hell knowing that it was all leading to his death, but taking it all on his own terms.
i always watch these videos and think if the creators really intended all this symbolism and how every small little detail has a meaning, and if it is intentional i wonder how they even come up with all this stuff. its insane to me
if you listen to the official podcasts, yes they did think all of that
I think some things aren't really thought through, and it’s not necessarily important if they are or not for the analysis. A lot of artists work in an intuitive way, and in the end, they end up understanding their work better through the eyes of others. Hitchcock is a great example of this. Although, obviously, there are things that are planned, like the baptism and religious references (which was confirmed for me by someone here who mentioned that Nacho's shirt is full of crosses, something I didn’t notice but is so obvious lol). They probably pitched the idea of approaching this episode with a biblical iconography theme, focusing on the martyr concept, and from there, each department did their research and contributed from their own area (cinematography, costume, production design, etc.). Let’s not forget, it’s not just one head, but several, especially when it comes to a writers' room and not just one single writer.
Everything in a scripted show or a movie is there on purpose. Nobody makes a TV show by accident. Every prop was placed where it is by someone for a reason. Every stitch of clothing was picked and approved. Every shot framed, every cut made, every line spoken, every beat of silence has a reason. That being said, I do believe that creators can have symbolism they didn't intend show up in their work, but I think it's far more likely that something was purposeful and intentional.
It's a process of layering. Each department and each person making creative decisions on a production can add stuff and if the directors and show runners have a strong creative vision, they know how to integrate this.
as someone who has made digital art, sometimes the edit makes itself. I'd imagine a lot of this is just happy little accident. improvisation, last moment decisions, the magic of creation.
kind of like the world in the show.
Man this episode might be top three for BCS, I actually forgot how good it is. Also love that Michael Nando got to really flex his considerable acting muscles.
The final monologue was so good.
I just realized that Werner wears the same cloths as Walt in his death!
Amazing!
11:58 You know the show is wild when everyone in this scene is dead
I just realised after watching BCS, that Nacho is the same actor as Vaas. Now I understand why I symphatised with him throughout the series. The actor is just so great, that doesn't matter what kind of character he portrays, he fully delivers the intended goal.
What’s funny is I didn’t recognize Michael when I first watched the show but during the third episode, as the intro credits were rolling, I noticed “Michael Mando” and was like… wait, I know that name.
Within a couple seconds I realized it was Vaas and I was super excited to see him in something live action knowing what a capable actor he is and boy did he not disappoint.
Goddamn I did not see the amount of imagery in this episode
Nacho accepting his fate of death but doing it in his own way cements his character as an all time great, a victim of his own ambition, but also too kind hearted to survive in such a world.
He is BCS's Jesse, but tragic in his own unique ways
Man you totally nailed it talking about the religious imagery. Nacho is speedruning the Holy Sacrements. The steps you have to take to become a member of the Catholic church
He is Baptized. His talk with his Father is a confirmation/confession. Then he has Communion in his own last supper (which is the first Communion)
This is one of the most beautiful analysis I have ever seen of anything ever. Absolutely phenomenal writing.
Amazing, I’m in pain atm and this helped 16 minutes of my day pass where I actually felt comfortable. Ty
Sending lots of love ❤
I hope you feel better now
This is a GREAT video, I’ve always been pretty up to date w the bb and bcs cinematography but the parralels between the characters I never caught on or heard about. Incredibly put together. I love how the context of bcs elavates bb to a whole new level. Masterclass
genuinely one of the best bcs/bb vid essays i've seen, just felt super genuine.
I absolutely love the scripting of this video. The descriptions are so vibrant and clear, and the connections are brilliant
Another note I liked was how weak and impotent the gun shots Hector put into Nacho’s dead body sounded and felt. All the power and violence Hector used to wield has been reduced to that
I've watched this show at least 5 times and it's amazing that people like you bring up this kind of details that I missed and never thought about. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, watching this video took me back to the very first times I watched BCS and it was an amazing experience. Keep it up!
You are a real master of your craft. I’ve just discovered you and watched 2 solid hours of your videos.
YES!! finally a film breakdown channel that understand shot composition and its techniques! I fell down the rabbit hole long ago when I first discovered the "rule of thirds" in photography and how that composition though subtle has deep profound impact to the aura of the scene. Its purposeful to the subconscious. Cheers from Texas! subbed!
Another similarity with Jesse and Nacho is how they try to drown out their mind with their houses. With Jesse it's 24/7 party and with Nacho it's couple addict chicks to keep company and watching tv.
Jesse is prone to be an addict so he goes for it with money. Nacho isn't one and is way more organized and had free drugs. So he does not think about it from kinda morality perspective and just needs.. company (that stays and he does not grow attached to). For Jesse it was not for company, it was just to quite literally drown out his head with chaos. Other with chaos and other with organized measures.
How on earth did they pull off the cinematography in Nacho's final scene? On its surface, it's just character dialogue - nothing fancy happening at all with the camera. But the lighting, the makeup, even down to him spitting blood and saliva as he talks to Hector, it's all immaculate. I'm genuinely startled every time I come across it.
This a fantastic breakdown and analysis... from the Werner/Walter connections and how they both link to Mike's arc, to the parallels between Nacho and Jesus and all the religious iconography visually referenced in this episode, you noticed a lot of things I never caught and made me see one of the best episodes and two of the best characters from both shows in a new light... great work!
The thing about the color of clothing also repeats with Walter, as he also switches gradually from light to darker colors, specially emphasized on the One Who Knocks scene
That was a beautifully written and executed essay!
This is SUCH a good analysis. Best one I've seen online about the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe. Bravo.
7:03 did I hear that right? "Nay-cho"
Yeah! There a problem with that Waylter?
13:01 "Salamaynka"
It took me way too long to realize this was an AI generated video but once i heard that my ears perked up like a fucking dog
@Questionable_Content Yeah the moment that happened is when it struck me this was AI too
@ACE-DOC check the video description. If thats not "chat gpt give me a youtube video description" i dont know what is.
1:20 it's fun to watch early Mike scenes and imagine him as just the cool side character enigma in Breaking Bad he originally was meant to be. The writers and actor succeeded to expand him from extra to main symbol.
this was so neatly done, Lancelloti. beautifully done.
That was an absolute GENIUS analysis. Wow. Well done, I audibly gasped multiple times throughout.
This is a really solid analysis, it doesn’t spend too much time summarizing events we’ve already seen and explores really new interesting ideas that I’d never thought of or seen before even two years after this episode came out. I already enjoyed Rock and Hard Place but this shines a new light on the episode that makes me appreciate the masterful writing in this episode even more.
It’s been a really long time since I’ve watched a video essay or analysis this good. Please make more!
Great video! I noticed most of these parallels but not all of them, it's great when I find a video that points out new stuff I hadn't noticed before.
And there's more stuff to find, noticed for example how Werner is wearing very similar clothing to Walter in the scene when Mike kills him
wow, I've watched most of your videos but this one feels on another level. Great stuff!
This is a good video.
I seriously thought that Nacho would have the same end as Jesse and that after suffering one last time he was going to be able to have a chance to start over, but I also understand the message that Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould want to give and that they want to stay true to that.
Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad were a good series and I'm amazed that Better Call Saul gives other meanings to Breaking Bad after watching it.
Good Video 👍
This video was a piece of art. You should be doing documentaries on filming. The attention to framing, colouring, the connections to religious images, just chef's kiss. Thanks for your work!
this video essay is, in itself, a masterpiece....Great job, I mean we all know how amazing the writing/cinematography on those shows were but spelling it all out gave me chills on just how amazing these shows really where...
Of the many (many, many) BB & BCS analysis videos I have watched over the years, this one is my favorite. Made my day, thanks for sharing it.
I always found it funny taht Hector didn't react when Nacho told him he killed Lalo but the second He saids he put Hector in the chair only then he becomes furious really exposes waht a fony Hector truly is and taht family doesn't matter as much as him self
It would be a great moment, but Hector knows Lalo is still alive by this point because he's talked with him on the phone. He already knows Nacho betrayed Lalo so the only shocking thing in this scene to Hector is that Nacho swapped the pills (something that IIRC nobody ever found out until now and he himself thought was just his health)
Personally I think Hector never would've fully believed Nacho and after getting his release would still think Gus had a hand in things. I forget if Lalo calls him again afterward though.
@@calistudent6335 He does. As Lalo sets up to invade the washing company building to find Gus' secret lair being built, he calls Hector the morning before everything goes down.
@@sauvagess ohh well then forget everything I said because last time I watched the show was a year ago Damm I am getting old
One of the best video essays I've seen in a while! Your analysis is great. Thank you❤
It’s one thing to be inquisitive about the show, having these thoughts randomly swirling in your head. It’s another to masterfully make one cohesive presentation to gather all those thoughts into one video.
Good work!
Subscribed!
That was some amazing analysis! Highlighting the thematic parallels and similar shots between the show and Breaking Bad really demonstrates how intent the writers of these two shows were. The parallels to religious imagery was also interesting, and the similar imagery really lends a power to the composition of the scenes (even for non religious viewers such as myself). Excellent video!
I would like to add something else to Nacho's death and is the form that he dies.
Is common to see in the series or in the movies that the principal characters dies instantly, like a surprise, but Nacho's death feels different, instead to kill him in the last minute like other series do, the writers decide to announce his death at the begging only to make us (The spectators) suffer, at the begging of the episode he knows he is gonna die and he doesn't care because his dad is gonna be safe, he and us know that he's gonna die and the rest of the episode is him saying goodbye to Mike and his dad and is really hurtful to see it because we like the character (is like to see a familiar suffering an illnesses and you are only waiting for them to die).
Is like that episode from Anne with an E when Mary is sick she doesn't have a cure and the rest of the episode is she saying goodbye to Sebastian, her friends and specially her baby and is really hurtful to us seeing it. 😢
That's the only thing that I wanted to add.
💯
Excellent video. I appreciate when I find content on this website that is made by someone who is insightful with something to say. There's so much junk, so many people pretending to be original, but you sir did a very good job. Thanks for the video.
"He's my rock my sword my shield...he's the wheel in the middle of the wheel." In this case personified as a hubcap halo'd over the representation of his mechanic "father's" head.
Oh my god like oh my god you are so good at looking into this feel like you got most these spot on
You could also gain so parallels with Nacho talking to his father, with Jesus talking with God (his father) in garden of gethsemane
4:56 Vince Gilligan confirmed that theres religious symbolism in Breaking Bad (don’t remember all but for exemple the name of Jesse is close to Jesus, he is a good person, in the end of Br Ba when he escapes uncle Jack s lab he has a beard and long hairs with an appearance close to Jesus, when Walt
-who represents the devil by the way, like when Jesse says to Hank and Gomie "mr White he s the devil!", he is temptating him by doing sins SINCE THE 1ST EPISODE when he forces him to cook with him, threatening to snitch on him to the police if he says no-
tells to Jack that Jesse is hiding under the car, its like if he sacrifices him for his own crímes, like Jesus for the men in the Bible, and Jesse also is temptated by męth addiction, like Jesus by the devil. And I dont know about you but when the planes expIode in the sky at the beginning of season 3, it always made me think of a ģodIy action, and when they are cooking in the desert of New Mexico, its like the deserts of the Sinai, as it is where Jesus is temptated by the deviI and they are sinning by making męth) so why wouldn’t there be in Better Call Saul?
Yeah and in the Bible Jęsus is a carpenter, and Jesse talks about how he likes to sharp wood when he s with the self-acceptance group
@@AnneAlle-i2pyou re right bro, this probably aint no coincidence
Plus, after the plane incident, the All-Seeing Eye literally falls on Walt in the form of a teddy bear’s eye
Gus saying “he looks to pretty” for Mike to rough up Nacho was also him saying he think Nachos fine af or that’s my headcanon
Incredible analysis! Thanks for so much to unpack
One of the best video essays I’ve ever watched wow
I'm sure we missed so much... the production of shows go soooo deep in this era. The beauty of that, is that you can watch & rewatch many times and notice something amazing. We never quite got that from the Brady Bunch 😂. (And I'm always fascinated to learn about the Easter eggs sprinkled throughout brilliant shows like this). Bravo!
Thanks for this video! I never saw all the connections like this, truly both amazing shows.
Absolutely great video! Extremely well executed breakdown of an episode just begging to be analyzed. One thing I would say is that you don’t have to apologize for your analysis like at 8:54. The subjectivity is implied, and anyone who gives you hate for your own justified interpretation of the text doesn’t have enough media literacy for their opinion to matter. You and your audience both know you backed up your points well enough for the halo to have a valid place in the video. Have confidence that your work is great- because it is.
Thanks a lot for the advice and kind words! I’m totally with you. I probably got a bit too defensive because, with my recent videos going viral, the comments have been full of people calling it overanalysis haha
The way Gus keeps firing his bullets even after clearly empty against Lalo reminded me of Jesse when he saved them at Eladios assassination the missing skill to hit but the confidence to keep trying implies that's what he truly saw in Jesse
I really enjoyed this analysis and it gave me a whole new perspective on some scenes and character arcs.
Thank you!
This is a prime example of when all things come together to make it more than the sum of its parts. The framing, the writing, the ties to BB, the acting, the emotions on display... it's amazing.
After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box.
MY MAN, your line work is crisp as hell!
your analysis is so so so compelling!!! i want to rewatch BCS entirely now. the hub cap as halo! also your drawings!! brilliant mind i wish u beautiful life :,)
Wow so much details and things that I've never came across before, great work brother, god bless.
Subscribed
Truly opened my mind, incredible video. I have a deeper appreciation for the series and Vince
Bro thanks for being a fellow fan and making this vid
I'm glad you're gaining so many subs. Really great content. I hope you keep doing it.
This is very good stuff man! Thanks for sharing your knowledge :)
Your drawing style is so unique, I love it. It almost looks King of the HIll characters, but the little dots and lines are so pleasing to look at
This episode sealed it in my mind that this is both an incredible prequel and show in itself.
Your analysis of the various films and scenes are elaborate and adds a precious detail in understanding the art of film making.
This analysis is actuals super good dude,keep it up!
Bro this video is fantastic. Great job.
I never made the Werner + Hesienberg connection. Well done sir, well done.
Excellent analysis. I'm pretty cold on breaking bad these days but it serves as the foundation of the absolute masterpiece that is BCS and episodes like this show that the whole breaking bad story only improved over time.
Both shows are incredible, I feel like it’s one big story that spans across 2 shows and 1 movie.
A rare bit of concision in the video essay landscape, great job!
deffo earned a sub! and I appreciate that you removed yourself visually from the storytelling keeping us immersed in the dialogue and imagery.
one of the best, most concise breaking bad videos
it's amazing all the detail that goes into this art form.
This is very smart analysis. Good job.
This parallel at 12:15 shows just how different the show's visual style became by the second half, these scenes have similar weather conditions but one has way more contrast than the other
Wonderful and moving analysis. Great video. Edit: I enjoyed it so much I'm about to rewatch this episode!
i thought there wasnt anything new anybody could still say about this show and youve managed to change my entire perspective on these episodes
This was an amazing analysis of both this episode and nacho who is easily one of the most legendary characters of the entire BB universe!
Excellent analysis. Fantastic for aspiring filmmakers as well as general fans of the show and characters.
Werner died without saying a proper goodbye to his beloved wife, alone, staring into the stars
Mike died without saying a proper goodbye to his beloved granddaughter, alone, staring into the wild