Better Call Saul: Nature vs. Nurture
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2022
- Let's dive deep into this fascinating series.
Support these videos & check out extra stuff: / whatstherapy
The other videos in this series: (no need to watch in order)
Part 1 ➪ Better Call Saul: Can People Change? - • Better Call Saul: Can ...
Part 2 ➪ Better Call Saul: Ethics Are Strange - • Better Call Saul: Ethi...
Part 3 ➪ Better Call Saul: Kim & Jimmy's Love - • Better Call Saul: Kim ...
Part 5 ➪ Better Call Saul: Wolves & Sheep - • Better Call Saul: Wolv...
Part 6 ➪ Better Call Saul: Real Redemption? - • Better Call Saul: Real...
Part 7 ➪ Better Call Saul: The Artist's Journey - • Better Call Saul: The ...
Part 8 ➪ Better Call Saul: Is Revenge Enough? - • Better Call Saul: Is R...
[2/4/23 update: I finally watched Breaking Bad! Check out my first thoughts here: th-cam.com/users/livewn7HYnvO...]
Season 6 spoilers, of course. Check out the live streams we did before each of the last 6 episodes, and the post mortem streams: • TH-cam Streams!
Articles cited:
- Belpomme, D., Carlo, G. L., Irigaray, P., et al. (2021). The Critical Importance of Molecular Biomarkers and Imaging in the Study of Electrohypersensitivity. A Scientific Consensus International Report. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(14), 7321.
- Callahan, K. (2020). The Culture of Mental Illness: Better Call Saul and American Psychiatry.
- Cinemre, F., Ogut, S., Bahtiyar, N., Cinemre, D., Cinemre, G., & Aydemir, B. (2021). Electromagnetic field exposure and health problems among college students. Medicine Science | International Medical Journal, 10(2), 380.
- Genuis, S. J., & Lipp, C. T. (2012). Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: Fact or fiction? Science of The Total Environment, 414, 103-112.
- Kjellqvist, A., Palmquist, E., & Nordin, S. (2016). Psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life in idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 84, 8-12.
- Leitgeb, N., & Schröttner, J. (2003). Electrosensibility and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Bioelectromagnetics, 24, 387-394.
- Raese, J.D. (2015). The Pernicious Effect of Mind/Body Dualism in Psychiatry. Journal of psychiatry, 18, 1-7. - บันเทิง
Interesting to see someone who's a big BCS fan without even watching Breaking Bad. Goes to show how great a spinoff it is.
Better Call Saul had me hook-line-sinker, it's amazing.
That's all there is to it.
Yeah, but it makes me more sympathetic for characters like Gus, and Mike, but BCS, makes you feel more for Jimmy, so it’s a inverse.
i am also a BCS fan w/o having any BB!!
I didn't realise you guys existed! Can you watch Breaking Bad and let us know what you all think? Would be so interesting to see how it lands on people who watched BCS first.
@@djspark191 i fell in *love* with BCS right from jump, and fully planned on giving BB a go after, like in chronological order. but it isnt something im eager for bc of how great this pre/sequal has been. 🥳 i know im in a small minority, lol.
I always read Chuck’s EHS as something that he genuinely felt and was certainly an anxiety disorder, but I thought it was a misdiagnosis of what actually causes that anxiety. Based on the timeline before the show’s events and the degree to which these symptoms manifest compared to other events in the show, I think there’s one clear cause aside from electromagnetic fields. It’s Jimmy. And perhaps it’s coincidental, but Chuck starts developing this disorder after Jimmy passes the bar, he’s brought to the hospital after being tased over having illegally purchased a newspaper that Jimmy hid from him depicting what Chuck thought was one of his scams to attract more clientele, he has a seizure and gets concussed when he deduces that Jimmy paid off the clerk at the 24-hour print shop, etc. Every time Chuck sees a scenario in which Jimmy, a force of chaos that threatens the legal system he respects so dearly, seems to have found a way to manipulate the system in his favor so that he can progress further through that system, Chuck’s symptoms seem to get worse. In contrast, Chuck seems to get more tolerant of his symptoms whenever he is in a position to reign Jimmy in a little or when Jimmy is otherwise not in a position to practice law. In season 1, Chuck begins recovering because he and Jimmy are working on a case together, and thus he has direct control over the legal actions Jimmy takes. He manages to work up the ability to go all the way to the office in order to engage with meetings and decisions that can be read as attempts to spite Jimmy. He’s well enough to operate a tape recorder when it means incriminating Jimmy, especially after putting on a show of his condition worsening. And his final phase of trying to become better before he ultimately snaps coincides with the ruling of a year of Jimmy no longer being able to practice law. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, like you said, the harshest thing Chuck ever said to Jimmy was while he was at his healthiest. I think that kicking Jimmy while he was down was a healing process for him. But I also think that’s what killed him. I think that there was this realization of his own cruelty that did cause him to relapse into his anxiety disorder. His final act was one of desperation, to free himself of the pain and discomfort of this imperceivable electromagnetic field that he already removed entirely from his home, as well as the guilt of his own cruelty, hence the lantern motif carrying over from the cold open of that episode where he and Jimmy had shared a happy childhood memory together by lantern light into it being the tool through which he burns down his house with him in it.
That's why I will never want to be in Breaking Bad universe.
It has Chuck, whose happiness is based on his brother's misery and is willing to use anyone as a pawn to make sure his brother stay miserable.
It had Saul and Kim, who will hurt you anytime to spice up their sex life. You will never know what you have to do to upset them. Anything you do can piss them off and they will destroy your life in a way that you will never see it coming until it's too late.
It has Todd and Lalo, who will murder you anytime as a move to their plan or just because you ride a bike to a wrong place at the wrong time.
It has Walter, who will poison you, watch you overdose to death or sending a person to murder you to further his selfish gain. Sitting on a plane can kill you as well thanks to his actions.
It has Mike, whose appearance might give you a false sense of security but is willing to kill you or let you die once you pose a tiniest threat to Gus operation.
It has Hank, who will assault you just because he "suspects" you are a drug dealer.
This universe is full of monsters.
Yeah, it was a combination of things for Chuck no doubt. I always noticed how much worse he got too when Jimmy would do something underhanded. If you think about it, most of the reasons he left his house was because of Jimmy. He purposely didn’t give him the ABQ journal so Chuck went outside to steal the neighbors which led to the tasing. When he stopped bringing him supplies he was forced to go to the store. The thing when Jimmy fucked him over with Sante Rosa with the malpractice insurance. There’s multiple other instances also. I’m sure the divorce played some role too. I’d say Chuck seeing Jimmy become a lawyer was the biggest trigger for his mental illness by far though. He had a severe mental illness that forced his mind to make up a defense mechanism. Was too proud to admit to himself it was a mental disorder and not a physical one. Jimmy had the chance to get him help when he got the TEG, but didn’t do it. I realize it’s a show haha, but that’s my very basic assessment of Chucks problems.
Jimmy never had a fair shake. His dad ruined the family owned business, his abusive brother hated Jimmy, was only happy when he was done, and hated that Jimmy was loved in anyway (Rebecca thought he was funny, his parents loved him more (think his moms death) etc…), and that brother tried his hardest to ruin jimmys life at every chance he got, he was always surrounded by people that brought out the worst in him, etc…
th-cam.com/video/8q-dXldjnbU/w-d-xo.html
walt jr watching sausage
Just wanted to add my thought about Chuck and Jimmy's relationship. Chuck uses the same tactics as Saul, maybe not as flashy or showy, but the same thought process. Chuck manipulated the Masia Verda situation just as much as Jimmy did.
if anyone were to doubt this man is a therapist, just watch him go “ive got my computer right here- we’re adapting! we’re adapting to changing circumstances.” thats therapist right there.
th-cam.com/video/8q-dXldjnbU/w-d-xo.html
this is the exact moment walt jr became wendy
One thing I adore from Jimmy's impromptu speech to the young woman outside HHM is how he ends it with "You don't matter all that much to them? So what!?" Literally echoing Chuck's final words to him, and revealing just how deeply they cut him, though he'd never admit as much. "I don't miss Chuck, I don't THINK about Chuck, he was here, and now he's gone. That's that!" Couldn't be further from the truth.
Fenito!
This was the exact moment jimmy broke bad. Bravo Vince
as someone with OCD that is definitely triggered by stressful emotional situations and past trauma, it resonated to me that Chuck might have OCD that manifested in his mind as EHS.Watching him chop his walls to bits at the end of his life to find what was still on gave me a horrifying feeling of recognition of how far OCD can take you into obsession. His trauma involving the wife, jealousy of Jimmy and seeming need to always be in control and "on top" really go along with this for me
i'm also burdened by OCD (now managable) and nobody i watched the show with knew what was wrong with chuck. it was such an accurate portrayal (wanting control, fearing change) it scared me.
@@odimane I hope you can hook up with a great therapist. I have been working with a fabulous one and getting great results. lots of progress on my behaviors. here if you need to talk more. I know how deadly this condition can get. I have felt like Chuck chopping out his walls way more than I like to think about
💞
Thought i was the only one who thought that lol. I’ve got OCD too and definitely saw some parallels. it’s really heartbreaking but beautifully written.
I hope y’all are okay, OCD is a hell of a burden my friends. stay strong.
Same here I’ve struggled with OCD my entire life. It’s pretty much manageable at this point (some days) and I learned a lot about it as well as other disorders. From what I learned, I can say for sure that most of (if not all) illnesses and/or disorders are either linked to emotional trauma, or straight up caused by it.
While I appreciate that there is a lot of thought and consideration about electro-sensitivity nowadays, I think the show made it fairly clear that it was a psychosomatic response to his divorce. Chuck felt like he would be alone forever, so his brain gave him an invisible condition that would keep him that way.
thats the first time i heard that kind of illness in this show or in real life its fascinating like this girl in a documentary with a very rare condition th-cam.com/video/8q-dXldjnbU/w-d-xo.html
Didn’t it manifest before the divorce though?
@@Shawn_Babcock No, it happened after and that's why his ex-wife only found out the day she visited him in court. It was most likely a combination of the divorce and Jimmy being a lawyer.
@@Shawn_Babcock even if it did, chuck had issues before the divorce tbh. the divorce just exacerbated them.
@@Shawn_Babcock it began manifesting shortly after chuck discovered jimmy was a lawyer. chuck drove his wife away by keeping her in the dark about these issues.
One of the things I truly admire about BCS is how committed the writers are to telling the story without glossing over the slower, more mundane aspects of the characters' day-to-days, which in retrospect actually add into and reveal so much about their development, how they get from one point to another.
When jimmy gets disbarred , they literally skip over 11 months
@@dry-bones that’s not necessarily related to the point they’re making. unrelated to any time jump-kim and jimmy eat takeout and have movie nights together on screen, multiple times throughout the show. it’s great characterization.
Oh man. It’d be super interesting to start breaking bad fresh after bcs actually finishes. You’re immediately reintroduced to characters like Tuco, Crazy 8, and Wendy, and it genuinely feels like you’re picking up in the same exact universe. It’s amazing!
Spoiler him some more why don't you...
@@wittyjester He's mentioning well known characters who appear in a show from a decade ago. If them being in that show is a spoiler then mentioning Saul comes from Breaking Bad is a spoiler.
@@MrPikaGammer It doesn't matter how old the show is, he just stated that he has never seen or watched it. So he doesn't know anything.
Mentioning those characters as safe, when he doesn't know that having only watched BCS, he now knows nothing will happen to them.
And that right after BCS ended on a cliffhanger that was intended to communicate to the viewer that from now on, no-one is safe and the gloves are off. For the mentioned characters, even if not really most important ones, he now has his intended tension ruined if he reads that comment.
Look, I'm not scolding or bitching at anyone, that is not and was not my intention, I just wanted to mention it, because I thought it to be obvious. No animosity from my end. Not mad at anyone. It just IS a spoiler for someone who has JUST STATED, he has never watched the show and only knows the BB universe from BCS.
@@wittyjester it absolutely matters. If you did not see something that has come out 10 years ago it's your own fault. People have the right to talk about their favourite show online. You are so lame dude.
he should hold back from watching the final few episodes of BCS until he's watching all of breaking bad, otherwise it kinda ruins the continuity a bit. although watching 5 seasons of breaking bad just so the last few eps of BCS can fit a chronological order is a little far lmao, but it'd be ideal.
Kaylee is probably the only plot hole they can't control between BCS and BB. Her age fluctuates HUGELY
Not a plot hole. A child is gonna look drastically different over 10 years than an already fully grown adult will. No kid looks the same for longer than a couple years. Once you turn 30 you basically look like that until you’re 50-60. You can’t call it a plot hole because they can’t perform anti-aging miracles on their actresses.
@@racobjeba nah bro Kaylee´s age is inconsistent af, dont even bother to excuse that
Everyone is very visably older in bcs anyway
Everyone is very visably older in bcs anyway
Everyone is very visably older in bcs anyway
i like what you said about how the mcgill brothers’s dad didn’t believe either of them. he didn’t believe jimmy’s worldview, and he didn’t believe chuck’s view of jimmy. and it got me thinking about what you said, how when we don’t get approval or validation from our parents, we seek it in others. jimmy and chuck both spend the rest of their lives trying to prove their worldview to others by imposing those views onto others. two narcissistic brothers caught up in the idea of winning.
Definitely watch Breaking Bad. Although I will say, even though it is flawlessly written and paced throughout, it took me until I think the third episode to get really invested in it. From then on out it is incredible.
Breaking bad and similar shows are tough for me. They are SO well written and acted that some of the more difficult episodes can be like, emotionally taxing to watch, so much so that we can't really binge them or use them as background entertainment.
@@iamjustkiwi wrong as god
@@iamjustkiwi I ruined a relly good show by using it as backround entertainment way too much.
@@iamjustkiwi binge yes, background, never.
Mfs just throw words like flawless around like they're even qualified to know what that means... and then say it takes three episodes to like the show? So it has a flaw?
Trying to listen to a psychological breakdown of a dramatic dance of complex characters and relationships as a desert lizard has multiple ego-death inducing psychedelic experiences
Honestly, the portrayal of Chuck's illness is so fascinating to me. It's basically the reason why I watched the show. Because of my own OCD, I felt so bad for him because his symptoms were debilitating and he had to leave his job - and Jimmy was a self-destructive knucklehead who worried his brother wouldn't get better, a worry I've had personal experience with. My impulse when I began the show was to sympathize with Chuck first because of my own experiences (whether or not you think he has OCD, his symptoms had some elements that hit very close to home for me), but slowly it becomes very clear that there's something *wrong* with their relationship and Jimmy's enabling is part of his desperation for Chuck's approval and love. I was so caught off guard by how complicated the situation became, bc both sides can be argued really well. As someone who deals with shitty brain worm ideas that get too sticky sometimes, I don't wish Chuck pain, but I do find myself hating the guy. His habit of punishing Jimmy for every fault was horrible.
When Jimmy admitted to Chuck that he'd done what he did from the Mesa Verde case, it was sad to watch. I was glad that he wouldn't be gaslighting Chuck anymore, and I hoped the two of them could actually talk about it and figure shit out. But then the audience is shown that Chuck had faked his compulsions and it absolutely disgusted me. I am so mentally distressed by the compulsions I do - and, yeah, gaslighting is shitty no matter who you are and maybe Jimmy shouldn't have done what he did - but, oh my God, that's a red fucking flag. If I hate Chuck, it's because I have personal experience with obsessions/compulsions and I would never in a million fucking years decide to use that shit as leverage. (Interestingly, my impulse is to hate Chuck rather than hate the writers for doing this to a mentally ill character, which speaks volumes to how good they are at writing. In a twisted way, it makes sense of Chuck to be manipulative, and then it feels like, to me, that Jimmy has *the worst* brother.)
I agree with most of what you said about Chuck, although I think that the last interaction he had with Jimmy didn’t come from a place of manipulation, but from a place of desperation. He just lashed out his anger and probably said the things he did just because he was hurting and subconsciously tried to send some hurt onto his brother, before finally taking all the hurt on himself and ending his life
It was his “I watched Jane die.” moment. I know that both Walter and Chuck said that out of anger. Still they are a-holes.
@@nont18411chucks was a culmination of his inability to relate and empathize with his brother, although heartless he wasn’t trying to hurt jimmy, it’s just a byproduct, Walt’s moment was a spit in the face. He picked the thing that would hurt Jesse the most because that was his ultimate motivation.
Oh damn lmfao, if you're actually not trolling about not watching Breaking Bad, that's such a nice and different perspective haha, I was thinking about this and wishing sometimes that I'd start with Better Call Saul and then go to Breaking Bad. Personally, once Better Call Saul is finished I'm gonna rewatch Breaking Bad now with the background of BCS. I feel like the show is gonna hit different with knowing all the stuff that goes on with Better Call Saul
BCS really added so much depth to Saul, Mike and Gus. And also to the Salamancas (just not quite as much)
I only watched the first few episodes of Breaking Bad prior to watching Better Call Saul, as I didn't really like it that much. Purely on the back of BCS, which I binge watched the first 4 seasons of, I went back and binge watched BB. It got really good when Gus and Mike were in it. Gus is one of the best villains in TV history. His death was one of the scariest things I've ever seen on TV.
Fr
The fact that you haven't seen Breaking Bad before Better Call Saul actually makes me kind of jealous. It's probably one of my favorite shows of all time but I think in some ways, my perception of it does sit under the cloud of Breaking Bad. Sometimes when I'm watching a scene from BCS I'll have to catch and shame my brain for using BB as a reference point. And reminding myself of BB isn't a terrible thing to do but I feel it cheapens things slightly. As much as I love Saul as a show more there are some things I just can't unsee. So having no knowledge of BB, you must really see an entirely different show than me, in a way that I never will.
The way that Kims Mother openly mocked her affection was difficult to watch, it just seemed the cruellest thing possible at that moment.. She didn't do it for a reason, like you say, emotionally immature, unconscious almost, she's another product of a dysfunction further down the generations. That's a hell of a back story to even imagine, reverse engineered maybe but it's where this show scores over every show I've seen, the layers and the detail are well reasoned from a point of view. Good stuff
I think you missed something important about that scene in the season 4 finale where Jimmy tries to "indoctrinate" the former shoplifter.
His speech is pure projection about his relationship with Chuck. Literally every line is a direct representation of an aspect of his and Chuck's relationship, closing with Chuck's final words to Jimmy that he never mattered much to him.
Throughout all of season 4 Jimmy had been suppressing his thoughts and emotions regarding Chuck's death, and that speech is when the dam breaks he's finally processing all his grief.
He fails at indoctrinating her because he's not his usual smooth charismatic self. He's in emotional turmoil and comes off a bit unhinged.
I would of voted for Kristy Espizido
Bingo!
Idk if he is really trying to indoctrinate her. Rather just make himself feel like he is giving her good advice, I don't think he really believes that he can change her
I think it was more projection too. When jimmy does "follow the rules" he isn't given much praise or support from Chuck, and I think it was his breaking point of realizing that if someone sees him as a con man, they'll never see him as anything else
He didn’t really indoctrinate her either. He just worn her about things she will have to face in a real world because he saw so much of himself in her.
hell yeah ive been waiting for this since i finished the last 3, your perspective on the show is really refreshing in my opinion and i think the lack of breaking bad info weighing down on it is at least partially a reason for that
I like the theory that chuck developed electro magnetic sensitivity as an outward expresion of him stressed and upset about his brothers success as a lawyer.
isn't that basically a fact?
@@Someone_adachi people dont know it tho
@@kweep1 i didn’t
@@Someone_adachi Not really hes hiding a anxiety disorder with his "magnetic sensitivity"
@@boomwizardyt7228 are you implying he knowingly does this?
Having suffered, and been treated for, PTSD - I found it very well depicted in Chuck's suffering. Also the exposure therapy. I went through that myself... "Brown pot, green shirt, white speaker..." :D
The last sentence hit me like a freaking ton of bricks.
😍
@@39Weird not sure how that is an appropriate response to a serious comment about PTSD. I never really connected too much to Chuck like others here, but for over a decade now I have even struggled to get a full night of sleep. I guess after reading the other comments, there are some things I can relate to there.
As I say with everyone else, you are in a strange position where since you watched and understand BCS very well, watching Breaking Bad afterwards is definitely a different experience. Throwaway lines from Saul and decisions from Mike make way more sense. Even when Gus seems to have telepathic abilities in Breaking Bad, BCS pretty much explains that this is his caution. There's just so much that you'll experience differently due to starting BCS first.
honestly its much better if he watched bb first he would definitely understand the " You are not Kevin Costner " line th-cam.com/video/8q-dXldjnbU/w-d-xo.html
SPOILER FOR BB
If ur talking about the ending scene of 'End Times' ,that wasn't his telepathic abilities, he just realized that there was something off with the whole scenary because of what Jesse said( Brock was *poisoned* )
@@SuperBrosHQ This is exactly what is being said by OP. Gus seems telepathic when it’s really just extreme caution, which BCS builds up
I wonder if BCS will handle the breaking bad timeline in a way that will make sense if you haven't seen breaking bad. I feel like that's gonna be hard to do, like for someone like this guy he's gonna basically see an entire show flash by in a quick montage probably. Regardless, I can't wait
even as someone who hates chuck a lot, i really appreciate the shows nuance when it comes to him
sure he did everything he could to cut jimmys potential off, but he was still one of 2 remaining members of a family and hes _still_ a tragic loss of life, total jerk or not
My mom never watched breaking bad but she's all caught up on BCS with me and she loves and is super interested in it, which is insane to me because she pretty much exclusively watches cheesy Hallmark and wholesome sitcoms. This show is just on another level.
Did you fill her in on any BrBa info beforehand or as you watched? I feel like my parents would love BCS and I want to recommend it to them but I know they wouldn't care for BrBa so I'm not sure how out of the loop they'd be and how much context do I give them. Specially with the last episodes with the flashbacks and Gene, I'm afraid they won't quite understand the jump that was Jimmy to Saul to Gene
@@thequarrywoman1 yeah ive filled her in on a bit. nothing major, just stuff like oh hector did something terrible to gus, this flash forward takes place after bb, shit hit the fan in bb which is why he's here now sorta thing.
You know what makes Better Call Saul so great? It holds up to rewatching. Rewatching urges and rewards viewers to analyze and further understand it. And even better, it holds up against the scrutiny of it all. Perhaps better than any other show. Great video!
I watched every video you made on BCS from start to finish. Some more than once. It hits me on a real personal level when you break down the show, especially with this video 'Nature VS Nurture'. I wanna say more, a lot more.... I just can't wait till you make your next one soon.
The wolves and sheep thing always bothered me because it's missing a category of people, the Shepard's. Those capable of defeating the wolves but with the ability to be compassionate, caring, good people.
Great comment.
Shepards aren't a thing in nature, it's wolves and sheep, that's why
@@ratedr7845 I mean I guess that depends on what you mean by nature. When did homosapiens go from natural to unnatural? There's been Shepard's since pre-history. Shepard's are just animals that are smart enough to understand the value of protecting the weak.
@@somethingsomething8511 well said @comment on the natural to unnatural
@@somethingsomething8511 Like Alpha, Beta, Omega, Sigma personalities. All species have their hierarchy. Nothing other than alive v. dead is finite, all things have grey areas.
Easily some of the best content surrounding this show. You're essentially obligated to watch BrBa and make content about it now. It's just as good as Better Call Saul. Plus you gotta see what happens with Saul, Mike, Hector, etc.
YES. I need a relationship deep dive with Marie and Skyler, for one. I would also LOVE to hear what this channel has to say about Jimmy's WANING extravagance and confidence throughout BrBa. How every successive episode shows him receding further and further into himself and away from the all the trauma around him. Watching "Gene" as the latest version of Jimmy's identity makes A LOT of sense if you watch BCS then BrBa, then reflect on the Gene scenes. Are we watching depression, apathy, self-loathing? Maybe. Obvs Jimmy is terrified of getting "caught" and we see paranoia and even almost selective mutism at work where trying to speak at all can be almost impossible when anxiety closes your throat. But I think there could be a whole lot of anger, bitterness, resentment, being stifled. And resentment allowed to fester can also call a lot of attention to someone when they rupture under sometimes trivial pressure. Does Jimmy live in fear and apprehension? Or does Jimmy actually live in anger and vigilance?
Breaking Bad and BCS are very different shows. Breaking Bad is way faster paced and breakneck in terms of its story.
But i would say try to watch it. It still has the great writing and attention to detail. Both the shows are few of the best i ever watched.
I'm no medical professional, but I feel like in-patient treatment is the obvious course of action for someone with a psychiatric condition as acute as Chuck's. The entire first three seasons are Chuck getting better, then relapsing, with more and more dire consequences each time, until it ends in inevitable tragedy. If Chuck had received the psychiatric care he needed in season 1, I think it could have saved his life and possibly even his relationship with his brother.
In patient would probably be better, but the question is whether he can be FORCED into such treatment, and also how effective FORCED treatment would be
I think Chuck also said what he did to Jimmy in order to distance himself from humiliation and regain some form of control. I've regrettibly, done the same...
If you're consumed by pride, and faced by something that threatens it so drastically, it can feel like its better to be the dickhead with control than it is to be the powerless fool.
You can even convince yourself you aren't a dickhead in the first place, if you're in denial enough.
I see myself in Chuck and Jimmy. I find what Chuck did ireprehensible and yet, part of why, is because I know what it takes and why he did it. I've been there. Its painful, so painful you feel like you have to live a lie just to regain your footing. And just like Chuck, it'll consume you. I am... fortunate, to not have met the same fate. Its a sad thing. I understand.
I am a better person now, but it feels like seeing your shadow slink in front of you. Something thats always there, in some way, but that you've accepted and learned to control.
I feel the exact same way as I've been through it too with my own little brother, so glad I too became a better person and it's so sad that Chuck and Jimmy never got there..
That's also why that Karaoke scene with Jimmy and Chuck literally had me crying my eyes out.
It literally felt like an emotional wound just opened.
I'm so glad me and my brother are in a way better place now and I love him dearly, always have but now I don't hold any ill towards him.
And I try my best and with all my heart to express my love for my little borther.
That's a very beautiful comment.. bless you.
Because you have something that Chuck never have…a character development
I was curious if there was someone out there who hadn’t seen BB but has seen Saul, and while you should 100% watch BB I’m curious how different your take is going to be watching the post show prequel first.
My mom watched better call Saul first lol
I watched BCS from start to finish before watching Breaking Bad and let me tell you the experience is still great, I rewatched BCS after finishing BB and went straight into season 6
I convinced a friend to watch BCS first to see how his experience would differ from mine
th-cam.com/video/8q-dXldjnbU/w-d-xo.html
damn walt jr
A friend of mine did this and he said it makes Walt less sympathetic because he fucked up so many things in Breaking Bad that took several seasons in Better Call Saul to build.
I love your discussion about Chuck's EHS so much. An amazing way to think about his illness and some of the factors that can contribute to it. Especially how it comes from probably the most qualified person on the internet to talk about it also. Love your channel:)
You don't NEED to see Breaking bad, but you're missing out on like 20 easter eggs per episode, and lots of backstory that makes the BCS plot more interesting.
Something like that happened to me, I watched Better Call Saul without even realizing it was the prequel of Breaking Bad. It seemed to me like just another show, so I postponed BB. Eventually I watched a few episodes and I couldn't stop.
THATS SO CRAZY I LITERALLY FOUND THIS SERIES TODAY AND FINISHED WATCHING THE WHOLE THING EARLIER TODAy
that's like 57 hours tho
@@unsettlingslug8576 i think hes talking about the TH-cam series
@@FLLMALL LMAO yes i meant the youtube series but i appreciate the assumption that i have the ability to watch a 60 hour tv show in one day
@@fredwroolie8125 LOL that'd be quite the ability
“… our limited conceptions of what is possible affects the way we support change and growth in our loved ones”
As a trans person with an unsupportive family, that wording was impactful and succinct. The placement of mental health and medicine at the center point of the suppression of trans people is more frightening when considering the notion of involuntary hospitalization. What a horrible trap
Edit; the trap being, trans people are forced to legitimize their existence through pre-existing and hostile legal/medical frameworks which can easily be closed around them. “Gender dysphoria, eh? Increased suicide rates? Guess it’s another 51-50.”
The legal phase of fascism tends to start including medicine and bodily autonomy to step towards removal of undesirables. It’s kinda happened before
its interesting that you seem to think that Jimmy's speech didn't land with Kristy: it seemed like it made quite the impact on her to me at least, with her simple but excellent delivery of "I do", along with the intense look of understanding she gives when Jimmy asks her if she gets it. Think of what she knows about him/who it's coming from: even though he didn't directly say it, she can probably figure out that he was likely the only one to vote for her. But he stuck up for her, and made a case for her. She could probably guess those things, even if not told or she didn't see them. But with his explanation of how to overcome odds like those, I think she understands that Jimmy was speaking from experience, and wanted to help her succeed with the best advice he had for doing so, for better or for worst. But I do think she understood all of this, and what he told her, and took it to heart. Would be cool to see a nod to her later in the future, doesn't have to be anything big, could just be simple like a billboard for Kristy Esposito's fledgling independent law practice in the background of ABQ. But I think she got it, and hoping she takes all the working parts of the advice and runs with it, same with the film crew students who hopefully got their careers off the ground before their first reference/point of experience became a fugitive lmao
I definitely highly recommend watching Breaking Bad eventually, it's just as good as Better Call Saul and the 2 shows really complete each other imo
“BCS is the best show ever”
: the guy who hasn’t watched any of the other best shows
I love how clear and easy to follow your tone and articulation are. It's great when the videos are close to an hour!
I saw Chuck's statement to Jimmy as part of the way that siblings do to each other in general, because they're trapped within the same household for years with different interpretations of the world, they want to win or feel dominate in the conversation. Sibling rivalry. That's all it is. Then again, after that fiasco or "chicanery", Jimmy thought it was a good idea to head to Chucks house to see how's he's doing. Maybe he should've gave Chuck more time, like a year at least to settle things down. Because like Rebecca, Chuck's ex, said that he's mentally ill and he's being taking care of by Ernesto and Howard. Time heals wounds.
I really like this in-depth analytical perspective, super high quality content here.
Definitely watch Breaking Bad.
Imagine it to be BCS but with more intensive and fast paced plot. But it has the same god tier character development. Water and Jesse is every bit as complex as Jimmy and Kim. Although I do think BCS characters are much more likable.
Yup. It’s also worth watching to see the rest of Saul’s arc play out as well as some other notable members of the BCS cast.
I've been waiting for ages to see if someone who hasn't seen Breaking Bad would like Better Call Saul. I've maintained that the two shows are extremely distinct and can be enjoyed separately. Turns out you agree.
I have always thought Chuck's last scene was about distancing himself from his brother- who really did a lot for him- before he took his own life. They had a very strained, dishonest relationship, Chuck's last act was to get Jimmy to stop caring about him just before he died. It's the exact kind of fucked up love you'd expect from a pair of manipulative brothers who deep down really care about each other.
I would rather see the POV of someone who's only seen BCS all the way through until its last ever ep without seeing any of BB beforehand. Their perspective of Walt would be fucking insane going into BB after that.
You would definitely enjoy Breaking Bad especially when you start to delve into all the instances that Walter White manipulates everyone around him.
out of all the bcs discussions your takes are really fresh and informative
It seems to me that when Chuck accuses Jimmy of hurting people over and over again, that may be true, but he generally doesn't do so intentionally; however Chuck does exactly the same thing. He may disguise it as 'tough love' or disciplining perceived transgressions or not wanting to lose, but that is exactly what he does - over and over again.
You know, as an aside, seeing the scene again where Jimmy lays the money down on the counter to bribe the copy shop guy, made me recall that that was exactly the same way Hector lays out the money on the counter to bribe Nacho's father for use of his shop. Interesting.
The aspect that nobody ever explore is that Chuck didn’t just only hurt Jimmy, he also hurt Howard a great deal too.
Many people said that what Chuck did to Jimmy was justified because Jimmy is a bad guy but what about Howard? Howard is a good guy and his life got ruined by Chuck as much as Jimmy. Maybe the reason nobody talks about it because while Jimmy still holds animosity towards Chuck, Howard just thought the opposite and still blindly idolized Chuck until his death.
I think, Dr. WT, your analysis is impeccable. Thanks for the time you put into this video--and, sharing your knowledge. It's very intricate.
Damn I literally just watched all the episodes of these Better Call Saul analysis series. And wow man do you have a way of being able to encapsulate a lot of interesting points and particular behaviors that these characters commit and using that to create a substantial grasp on these characters and how it effects the direction of the show. Great work keep it up!
What a great video. I liked the part about going into EHS. I never knew if that was even real or not. I am almost in the hate Chuck camp, we are told to pity him some in the show just like we are told to pity Howard before he was killed. Good writing requires characters with depth and complexity, and BCS and BB do that. The writers are amazing. Your video was an hour and I wasn't sure I'd make it thru it all. Its been great. What a unique perspective on the show! Thank you.
Having watched Breaking Bad, during the first season of BCS, my impression was that BB was a drama with comedic relief, and BCS was a comedy with dramatic relief. (Indeed, BCS was briefly going to be a half hour sitcom, an idea that was dropped pretty quickly.). As BCS went forward, that idea of the show didn't stick with me, but I'll say I still feel BB is a lot darker overall than BCS, in spite of all that's happened.
What I find really problematic about Jimmy and Chuck's father, is that he does not put others just before himself - he often puts them before his family, too, and to me out of an unhealthy desire to be seen a certain way by the community and other people.
This is what, to me, Jimmy realizes but Chuck idealizes away.
this is a great point i didn’t even think about. it’s very a performatively kind trait
True
You're probably my favourite channel on TH-cam right now, thank you so much for your content.
it's crazy to me you haven't seen breaking bad but i think seeing bcs first gives you a very unique perspective to watch bb from.. a perspective that pretty much no one else will get the opportunity to see from, experiencing bb after seeing the prequel first
don't worry about the drama of Breaking Bad, it's a dark comedy for the first three seasons. I love your videos so much. thank you for taking the time to make them. 💙
Season 5 is arguably the only season of Breaking Bad that left me feeling uncomfortable. Seasons 1-4 are a lot lighter. So it’s really only the final season where things get extremely grim for the main cast.
I usually watch your videos on my television, and I've been watching longer than I've been subscribed (sorry about that), so I have never had the privilege of reading your viewers' commentary; which is why when I thought I had a unique perspective to share from my personal struggle with panic disorder (recently diagnosed) to talk about why Chuck's (possibly) legitimate physical issue with EMS could have become more severe due to him developing worsening psychosis based on “actual” physical symptoms he could feel, I jumped onto my laptop to contribute my insight to your comment section. Needless to say, I quickly saw that your community had already addressed what I wanted to say and had done so in ways that are far more succinct and easily digestible than I ever could (which will become self-evident if you continue reading my rambling comment). But, since I'm here, I might as well say what I was thinking, as I don't comment on videos very often (which I should, as I know how engagement supports creators like you - insightful, thoughtful people who contribute so much to my life). So, here I go …
You talk about the issue I'm reacting to around the 45:15 mark, saying that it's proven that Chuck is not physically hypersensitive to all frequencies but may be sensitive to some -- BUT that it's unclear why he would convince himself that he was experiencing (or why other people with this condition may have experienced) worse "legitimate" physical effects than he (/they) actually is (/are). That is: why wouldn't people with this condition only feel the actual physical symptoms, which are probably/possibly not as bad as what we see Chuck experience.
Your (perhaps merely rhetorical) query immediately made me think of my own experience with panic attacks, which began to occur seemingly out of the blue one day last June when I woke up in the morning from a night's sleep in full panic -- something I had never experienced before in my life. The chest constriction, severe tachycardia, sweating and shivering at the same time, inability to breathe in or move despite the overwhelming need to run or throw myself on the floor, tunnel vision, mental confusion, and certainty I was dying lasted for over ten minutes that first time. When they passed, seemingly on their own, I had no idea what I had experienced. I was pretty sure, though, that it wasn't a heart attack, as I've experienced that before. I did, however, believe that it had to do with my underlying severely debilitating physical condition: cystic fibrosis. As a little backstory for context: I am considered "a patient of advanced age" and part of a minority of pre-1980 CF babies to live into my 40s, as 32 is the (optimistic) average age of death for people born with CF in the year and geographic location I was. As such, these days, I'm always on guard for "THE END," as I have become significantly sicker in the last 10 years. I have also had multiple near-death experiences seemingly every month, including a coma and prolonged, severe ICU delirium, among many other events.
However, despite frequent advice to do so, I had (up to that point) never dealt with this trauma in any real, therapeutic way, as I had never done more than discuss it in a few sessions with a counselor on my CF medical team. It wasn't that I didn't believe in psychiatry; it was because I believed my physical ailments were far worse than anything that may be happening to or in my mind, so I made no time to really pursue any form of consistent psychiatric help. Because of this, I concluded that the episode was all physical, and merely the beginning of THE END for me, and that all I could do was try my best to prevent it from happening again.
But, as I'm more than sure you know, this fear of panic attacks merely led to more panic attacks: each one longer and more severe than the first. By mid-July, I was barely able to move, as I had conditioned my mind to be triggered by almost anything that led to any of the symptoms I felt during an attack: most notably my inability to breathe, as it is the primary and most severe physical symptom I feel from my worsening CF (I'm on supplemental oxygen, etc.). These symptoms, of course, led me to develop actual phobias that would've seemed insane to me just weeks before: I was afraid to walk up stairs, go into any bathroom, sleep in my bed, sleep at all, do my CF treatments, cough, walk, eat, work on or even look at my TH-cam channel, and everyday these phobias became stronger, more frequent, and more stifling. I finally started to consider the possibility that I was not dying from actual symptoms of worsening CF, but that I may actually be experiencing something I never truly understood (or perhaps even totally believed in) before: that I could be suffering physically from some form of extreme mental illness.
The physicality of it was the catalyst. It was the clear, undeniable, and terrifying uncontrollability of the physicality of this mental illness that made it something of an equal (or possibly even worse) threat than the clear, undeniable, and terrifying uncontrollability that cystic fibrosis has been (and continues to be) in my life. (This of course also made me really treasure your discussion and citation of secondary source material regarding the limited perspective in the medical community when it comes to the duality of mind and body - I cannot wait to read that article!)
It's funny that my dad always used a variant of "wolves and sheep", being "there are wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs who protect the herd". My dad is naturally very defensive of those who don't or can't defend themselves, and always tried to impart that sense of moral obligation on me and my siblings
LETSGOOOO IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG, CANT WAIT TO WATCH IT
I think you should check out breaking bad specifically because I'd love to know the perspective of somebody who watches these shows in this order. Because unlike most viewers you're gonna go into it knowing exactly who Saul, Mike, Gus and the Salamancas are.
I knew going in to watching your BCS videos that you hadn't seen Breaking Bad, but I would consistently forget while watching these. The only thing glaring at me was when you were talking about Gus and Mike's "revenge" scene, since you didn't mention Gus' late boyfriend or his vendetta against the Salamancas
Finally another of these. I was checking for this to come out for weeks. Love the dedication you put into these. Also I agree. Better call Saul is the best show in quite a while. Arguably better than breaking bad.
Love your videos the effort put into each is killer, and love to see more from you.
you can actually go into Breaking Bad viewing it as a sort of dark comedy (AT FIRST) the humor in BrBa is way more morbid but its there and it helps you transition into the wayyyy darker stuff later on. the actors for Hank and Marie have even gone on and stated that when they first auditioned for the roles they thought the show was a comedy. better call saul's sense of humor didnt come out of nowhere, its pretty much a staple of this universe.
Thank you for making content like this. This show is so fucking good and detailed, the characters are so ridiculously fleshed out in a way I've never seen in TV, including Breaking Bad. So it deserves to have videos made analyzing it like this.
I love watching your videos! I kinda apply many concepts to my own life and I find them not only entertaining but also very constructive, thanks for such great content!
I think breaking bad is actually a really worthwhile experience, ESPECIALLY as a fan of better call Saul. While it is definitely a little more intense and slightly less nuanced, i still have yet to find any other piece of media that captures the vibe found in pretty much EXCLUSIVELY these two shows…
I’m actually shocked you haven’t seen Breaking Bad
It would be interesting for you to watch it like a sequel to BCS tho
You'd love house just because of how funny it is whenever it tries to be.
I can’t wait to share this with everyone I know! This is so well done and thought out!
Can't wait for your channel to blow up, amazing content.
Would be cool if you made a discord server
Brilliant video! I'm always happy to see deeper discussion with BCS. I'm from Albuquerque so I've been watching since Breaking Bad, however I prefer BCS, the writing has only improved since BB. Jimmy has probably been the most interesting characters I've seen on television and maybe in media as a whole.
I'm happy I've found your channel, I've been hoping to find more content like this. I don't think BCS gets enough appreciation from BB fans so even more fun that you've never seen it.
I love these psychological break downs and deep dives! So interesting, great job and thank you!
I could sit here and listen to you talk alllll dayyyy.
Love these videos so much, instantly my favorite channel
I had a feeling you hadn't watched it. Not once had you mentioned it and some of your takes on the side characters have been......interesting. I've always thought it would be fascinating to see someone watch BCS first and see what they think.
It's so weird to see someone who hasn't seen bb lol
I've always wonder, what it is to watch Gene's scenes without knowing why is he there?
Bb is basically the midtime betweenJimmy and Gene's timelines, so I think you should watch it and give your opinion as someone who didn't watch bb first, I'm really curious to know your impressions and what is the experience like.
So please, if you watch it after bcs ends, make a video about it, it'd be pretty interesting!
It might be good for you to watch Breaking Bad after BCS finishes. Then, you can see the fates of all the remaining characters.
If BCS builds a world, then BrBa tears that world to shreds
YES I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR MORE, these videos are so good!!!
Love the way you used this as an excuse to give a more substantial analysis of electromagnetic sensitivity. It is such an interesting anomaly, it deserves at least this much nuance and subtlety. Kudos!
Sopranos is definitely worth a watch with therapy knowledge
I didn't realize you'd be discussing season 6 when I started this. Loved the first 3 videos! Will be back when I've completed the series!
As an older brother i definitely relate and empathise with Chuck to some extent but i feel like his unwillingness to give Jimmy a chance, even preventing him from working with HHM in the first season did nothing but spiral Jimmy further.
SUPER interested in your perspective since you haven’t seen BB. Can I ask has anything in Saul not made sense? Like the flashforward in season four to his breaking bad era office? Also was the end of the pilot at all interesting since the cliffhanger was basically “it’s a guy from breaking bad with a gun!”? When hank showed up were you like “why on earth are we spending this much time with two random DEA agents?”
I always just assumed watching Saul wouldn’t really work without having seen breaking bad, but the fact that you enjoy Saul THIS MUCH is fascinating to me
Yes, especially the flash forward you mentioned! I always knew it was just this gap and I couldn't understand it
I think in the face of causation that the question of nature vs. nurture is immaterial. If we haven't got freewill - and that doesn't seem to be a meaningful concept- then it doesn't matter to me if we are force by nature or nurture to do the things we do... We were going to do them regardless.
i regularly rewatch this series as a form of therapy ever since i turned 21 and lost medicaid 😔 so thank you for this series, wonderfully and eloquently written !! its gotten me through many late nights
Hell yeah i was waiting for this one! I was looking at your channel yesterday thinking its been a month since the last video, hoping you'd post part 4 soon and here it is :))
That’s funny, I also watched BCS before breaking bad! I only finally watched it after binging s1-4 of BCS. The show holds up entirely on its own without BrBa knowledge. If you want another recommendation in the same vein of BCS and not the sopranos/wire, I’d rec Mr Robot.
thank you so much for not saying that chucks illness is "fake". the amount of people that cant differentiate a psycological responce to stress that causes crippling pain and "a fake illness" is incredibly worrying
As someone who watched BCS (season 1-5) before watching Breaking Bad, and is currently re-watching BCS having now watched Breaking Bad, it is a very interesting contrast. Seeing characters like Lydia on re-watch brings an "oh hey, it's her" response. Ditto most of Mike and Gus' character development. Seeing Mike's change as a person throughout BCS without knowing what happens with him in Breaking Bad is remarkable. There are many more examples, but I really like Mike's development without context.
As someone who's studying characters in terms of story, in hopes of making my own story, I've really been enjoying your videos! Plus they're entertaining. Thank you, man!
Breaking bad is an amazing show, Ive been rewatching it every couple of years since middle school. Personally I prefer Saul, but not cause its better, theyre just differently paced shows
Breaking bad starts off as a comedy
You're awesome! Love hearing your analysis. :)
I have fibromyalgia, possibly hEDS and or psoriatic arthritis. All of these conditions are invisible unless I'm having a particularly bad day due to over-exertion. The first two conditions have no litmus test, and the last can be tested for but unreliably (lots of false negatives). It's incredibly difficult to live with a condition that cannot be proven yet is so painful/debilitating. Stress makes all illness worse. Try to be compassionate to those who say they are in pain 💛 (unless they given you very, very good reason not to).
So well stated and so true. Not all physical/mental/emotional pain is visible. I’ve experienced this personally, similar to what you said.
I love these analyses. I don't think it's super necessary to watch Breaking Bad, and knowing that you haven't seen it makes your read of the show all the more fascinating. Especially when you talk about the pacing. I've seen both shows and found them different even though there is shared story and characters. An analytical read of Succession would be amazing!
I was not a fan of Chuck, I didn't hate him, but I have been curious about why he felt the way he did about Jimmy. It felt much deeper than what we'd been shown. But the scene where Jimmy lies to Kim about whether he had gotten permission to run the commercial was the moment it clicked for me that his read of his little brother may have been right. That Jimmy would let Kim blindly swim into the tidal wave that was going to come, it's been a while since I had been that angry at a character on TV.
I also read Chuck's last words for Jimmy as an effort to push him away. The isolation he always had, the loss of his gig and stature at HHM. I don't think Chuck could practice any more on his own if the malpractice insurance rates were too high for HHM to be able to carry. So that together I think he may have felt like ending it all. The illness overcame him simultaneously. I couldn't read another source of his malice at that moment.
The acting and writing on this show is top notch.
Thank you for this enriching content
I definitely feel it’s somewhat necessary to watch considering how much Better Call Saul’s finale will probably spoil Breaking Bad. It’s also worth watching to see what happens to Mike, Saul, Gustavo, and the Salamanca family.
What makes me feel bad about Chuck is that he seems like he just couldn’t move on from his resentment, and also couldn’t just be honest and distance himself from his family, at least emotionally. I think maybe he felt like he had to be the responsible one at home, and then because the parents didn’t do a very good job parenting jimmy, he ended up taking responsibility for him and maybe they just took him for granted. We don’t know how bad jimmy might have been, maybe it really felt like a burden to chuck, but he also couldn’t escape the feeling that he had to clean up the mess. I don’t like the way he treated jimmy but it makes sense that he’d feel anxious around him.
@@danimolusco I like your read. McKean does say he felt his reading of Chuck was that he'd wished his parents had done more to rein Jimmy in.
I would say, yes, definitely watch Breaking Bad. At this point, however I would wait until the end of Better Call Saul. I almost envy you going into BB with the knowledge that we will have at the end of BCS. Even those of us who have already seen Breaking Bad will be looking at it with new eyes. And, trying to process BB now (right after 607) while we're still reeling with BCS would be counterproductive I think.
I really enjoy your insightful breakdown videos.
Such a well made video, I've never seen BCS broken down this much, very interesting!