And we leave the flawed and conflicted hero of our story to ADX Montrose, aka “Rocky’s Alcatraz.” He is a top security prison where he serves 86 years for various felonies. Imagine him baking bread there and offering an endless amount of free legal advice for the rest of his days.
If this ending surprised you, take comfort in the fact: it surprised Saul Goodman, too. After negotiating with prosecutors in the series finale minutes, which included a masterclass in legal posture, Saul Goodman is heading off to a short seven-and-a-half-year stint in a (relatively) comfortable federal prison. It looked like A golf program called
It was a wholly fantastical lover deal, based on a version of his working relationship with Walter White, in which he was a victim of the late meth king, rather than his most important enabler. . Though obviously hyperbolic, Saul tells the chief federal prosecutor, George Castellano (Bob Jesser), that he needs to sell it to his one jury. And after having government lawyers see how effectively he can pretend to be a victim, the government signs. It appears to be the story of a man who isn’t bothered, or at least can quiet his conscience long enough to hang around the minimal punishment for his many sins.
But this is not the end of the story. Saul confesses to authorities that his ex-wife Kim Wexler was involved in the death of Howard Hamlin and changes his mind after hearing that he faces a potentially devastating lawsuit from Howard’s widow. . In the final scene of Perry Mason’s reversal play, Saul confesses everything in public court, ignoring both the incredible judge and his dumb co-lawyer, dooming him to life in prison. I was.
Volteface leaves a very different legacy for its protagonists. “Better Call Saul” has long been a character study, with characters constantly oscillating between shades of good and evil.As Jimmy McGill, he had an unparalleled talent as an imposter When conscience. His morals have forever been at odds with his primary talent — deceiving people for money, entertainment, and sometimes both.
Then he became Saul Goodman and Jimmy’s conscientious side disappeared. He became a very funny rogue.
The finale and final few episodes were designed to leave the viewer wondering who would have the upper hand, Jimmy or Saul. seemed likely to win. especially in this episode.
At various scenes, three characters from earlier in the show and “Breaking Bad” appear to take their final bows and help Jimmy riff on themes of regret and second chances. In a dialogue set during Season 5’s Death March in the Desert, Jimmy tells Mike that if time is given to his machine, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire he’s on the breakthrough money-making run by Hathaway. Say you’ll teleport to 1965 so you can invest early.
“That’s it? Money?” Mike says incredulously.
Jimmy seems ready to admit to something more mean, but the moment passes.
As the two share a basement apartment and await their new identities, when Walter White and Time Machine talk, he says he wants the chance to avoid a knee injury sustained in a “slip and fall” scam. increase. was young.
“That’s why you’ve always been like this,” said Walter with disgust.
And as his older brother Chuck said, “If you don’t like where you’re going, there’s no shame in going back and changing directions.
“Since when did you change course?” he retorts.
None of this makes him sound like a man ready for moral reckoning. In Omaha, we watched his Onzalam persona, Gene Takavitch, develop into the meanest version of his character we’ve ever seen. In her penultimate episode, Gene/Saul appeared ready to strangle Carol Burnett with a phone cord (OK, she’s the show’s Marion, but she’s still Carol Burnett).
So why did Jimmy beat Saul in the end? Why would he choose a lifelong punishment? Part of the answer is love. Especially my love for Kim. His bogus offer to the federal government to provide dirt to his ex turned out to be a ruse to make sure she was in court to see him redeem himself. rice field.
There are some symmetries here. He becomes a toxic version of Saul for Kim. For the same reason, he reverts to the morally strict version of Jimmy. In the penultimate scene, the two share a cigarette, just like they did when they were just beginning their legal careers.
Of course, love alone cannot explain why I chose to serve 86 years in prison. Jimmy chose light over darkness. It means giving himself the verdict he sees fit. Unlikely? Remember that Jimmy/Jean often oscillates between good and bad, sometimes in unpredictable ways. Personality is destiny is a cliché of the story, and Jimmy/Saul’s true personality was a coin toss until the very end. So was his fate.
As for Kim, she’s going to manage. She seems ready to quit her job at her sprinkler company and work again as a public defender. However, true love may not be in the cards. She was never more amorous than when she and Jimmy missed Mark. But if she found another crook, she might avoid him like an alcoholic avoids booze.
There’s a lot to discuss in this episode, but just one final question. What is the final verdict for ‘Better Call Saul’?
Here’s Your Faithful Recapper’s take: It was a great show at times, but more often than not it was a pretty good show, and too often it was a boring show. All — it was happily forgotten. For example, the plan to frame Howard had goofy elements that felt out of place even before the man was murdered. And the writers seemed to revel in their willingness to let Jimmy McGill’s biography unfold at its own, sometimes glacial pace, ignoring the pace viewers might prefer.
The show has always been a strange gimmick. It had spare parts bolted in from “Breaking Bad” and told the story of Walter White’s former cartel life in often the most engaging segments of the episode. (Big applause to Hector, Gus, Nacho and Lalo .) It created two completely different planets and barely crossed their orbits, albeit to a thrilling effect. (Think of a meeting at a restaurant between Mike and Kim.) The writers have the near impossibility of telling a story about love and ethics that has been interrupted by a bunch of cunning, heavily armed socialists. I gave myself a good job.
Finally, what shines most on your loyal recappers is the psychological richness of the show’s characters. Their actions were often so vague that viewers debated them.
Also, the show was always beautifully directed and shot. (Remember the ants swarming the ice cream on the sidewalk in Episode 3 of Season 5?) The attention to detail produced all sorts of Easter eggs for the watchful viewer. (A picture of the same mediocre hotel room appears in both “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul”. In this episode, Jimmy/Saul fly on Wayfarer, the same airline that suffered a mid-air collision in “Breaking Bad.” ) And there were many exceptional dialogues, ranging from poignant to hilarious.
Or give such a wonderful performance. Jonathan Banks’ performance in Episode 6 of Season 1 tells Mike his Armand Trout’s upbringing, but he’s just one of many standout performances. Then there’s Rhea Seehorn’s sphinx-like style since she first appeared, hitting her tearful catharsis hard in last week’s episode. Hat tip to Betsy Blunt giving what is Radar’s best soliloquy.
That’s all from Your Faithful Recapper. He bids farewell with that pretend gun double his draw, dedicating a shot of tequila, the show’s choice. Now it’s your turn. Let us know what you think about this episode and the series as a whole in the comments section. You can also nominate a character or set of characters that should get the next spin-off to do this all over again.
