S02.E05: Rebecca

[knaankos]

That's possible. They did make a fairly big deal last season about jimmy not walking away with the easy $800,000 and did the right thing instead. No we are to believe that he was stealing money from his dad little by little? This is a hard one to read because I can see both being true.

[Bannon]

I think it is very, very, likely that large elements of the story Chuck told Kim was a lie. First, Chuck portrayed a hyper-idealized image of his father. What were the words, something to the effect that dear ol'dad couldn't even conceive of people doing bad? In Cicero, Illinois, home base of Al Capone, with Chuck and Jimmy's dad  being old enough to remember the reign of Capone? Either Chuck's lying to a large degree, or this show's writers have become inept. I don't think this show's writers have become inept.

I think Chuck and Jimmy's dad had his good elements but not only could he conceive of others doing bad, but could do bad himself, and it was some vice or bad behavior which caused the 14k to be lost, and Chuck felt guilty about not  being there, or even had some unintentional role in it, and he concocted a story, and maybe even convinced himself it was true, that the little brother he already resented stole the money, and broke dear ol' dad's heart.

I also think there is a parallel being set up between Kim and Rebecca. I think that Rebecca sides with Jimmy in some way, not necessarily romantic or sexual at all, and it sets off Chuck's hypochondria. Kim, meanwhile, may be yanked from the cesspool of doc review with Chuck's apparent assistance.  If you don't think Chuck is a big enough A-hole, to save Kim's career in the firm, for the express purpose of trying to get Kim to side with Chuck in a dispute with Jimmy, you have underestimated just how large a gaping A-hole Chuck is.

I understand why some have become annoyed with the pace of the show, and agree the table is now set. Jimmy has to leave the square life, because it obviously isn't for him, and the rift between brothers needs to become final. I'll trust the wirters for now that they have a good sense of pace, and are now ready to proceed.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bannon

[Umbelina]

Well one thing is certain, it doesn't pay to be a rainmaker at Chuck's firm.

[Sentient Meat]

That episode was brilliant in a slow burn sort of way... loved the way how they took their time showing how Kim tried to desperately Apollo 13 herself out of the doghouse, and I kept thinking that this show felt like so much more than series television...but rather the work of someone who had built up so much good will with AMC and their audience that they could actually afford to tell stories in their own unique style like independent film did in the nineties before illegal downloading killed almost everything except Marvel franchises.  This show is a one off gift... think David Lynch doing Twin Peaks (hope he doesn't fuck up the new one ) or Apatow doing Freaks and Geeks.  In an era with endless Law and Order, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Chicago Earth Wind and Fire knockoffs we should thank our lucky stars for VInce Gilligan even when he's not giving us the second coming of Ozymandias.  When you think about it... even with their flaws, Kim and Jimmy are way more sympathetic characters than Walt or Jesse... and I'm secretly hoping that when all of this is over and everything seems irretrievably lost that she finds her way back to that Cinnabon counter.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Sentient Meat

[ketose]

Yep. It's also possible that Chuck's rule-minding ways have blinded him to another explanation for the missing funds: A commenter at the AV Club pointed out that Jimmy was quite possibly using that money to pay protection to the mafia. (Cicero was prime mob territory; it's where Outfit kingpin Joey Aiuppa rose to power and kept his headquarters.) Heck, it's even possible that the reason Jimmy's dad was so adamant that Jimmy didn't steal the money is because Chuck Sr. was the one who was paying off to the mob, but he knew he couldn't tell straitlaced Chuck Jr. lest he lose all respect for his saintly old man.

If you think about it, $14,000 isn't that much over time. Let's say Jimmy pocketed a $20 bill a few times a week. That would add up to $14K in 4-5 years. If that amount of money shut down the store, it probably wasn't doing too well anyway. But Jimmy grabs a few bucks and the business goes under, therefore Jimmy destroyed the business.

 

At the same time, Kim is better off without Jimmy. She's not like him and any kind of relationship will involve knowing about his actions. Kim tried to make him a better man with the job at D&M and Jimmy still found a way to slip up. The meet him is to love him. To know him is to eventually hate him.

[ElDosEquis]

The bedroom scene reminded me of Skyler and Walt in the pilot. If it was Chuck's birthday he might have gotten a handjob. :)

Rebecca is just Jimmy's type, classy with just the right amount of dirt. :)

It would have been oral, her hands are here breadwinners?

 

The story about their father is horseshit. How do I know this?

 

Chuck prefaces the story about his dad being born without the 'gene'. MANY storekeepers would extend their customers small lines of credit and over time? Either forgot or let it ride - in order to keep a customer for the long haul, I can see those little transactions adding up after a while and coming back to bite him in the ass. (not only that? Jimmy was the kind of guy that went after insurance scams or dicks that wouldn't think of taking some winos wallet and watch, should they find them in an alley.

Jimmy may have been a scum bag, but I don't see him stealing from family.

 

I also think chucky's wife takes a run at Jimmy...women love a sense of  humor.

[RCharter]

I liked this episode, it made Chuck more human.  I'm sure he will slip right back to asshole, but its nice to see where his motivation comes from.  I could see where it would be hard to forgive your brother who stole from your father and kinda had a hand in his death (or at least, you could see it that way).

 

LOL @ Erin, she is a buzzkill, but I think she could be a fun character.  Loved the scene with the court clerk (?)

It would have been oral, her hands are here breadwinners?

 

The story about their father is horseshit. How do I know this?

 

Chuck prefaces the story about his dad being born without the 'gene'. MANY storekeepers would extend their customers small lines of credit and over time? Either forgot or let it ride - in order to keep a customer for the long haul, I can see those little transactions adding up after a while and coming back to bite him in the ass. (not only that? Jimmy was the kind of guy that went after insurance scams or dicks that wouldn't think of taking some winos wallet and watch, should they find them in an alley.

Jimmy may have been a scum bag, but I don't see him stealing from family.

 

I also think chucky's wife takes a run at Jimmy...women love a sense of  humor.

I think your explanation is plausible, but I think all Chuck saw was that the money was gone....Jimmy had a reputation as Slippin' Jimmy.......a low level con artist......and his father refuses to blame his sweet innocent Jimmy for anything.  In Chuck's shoes it would all look like his father covering up for Jimmy.....which would give him the same anger and resentment as if it were the absolute truth.

[RCharter]

That Erin girl at the office was annoying.  But I thought the juxtaposition of Jimmy and Kim at their respective offices was amusing.  Jimmy lied to Erin and told her he was going to stay and work with her in the office, and he bailed the first chance he got.  Meanwhile, Kim lied to those guys in Documents with her and said that she was leaving the office right after they did, when she actually took off her shoes and hunkered down for the night.  Jimmy was bucking rules and order as always, and Kim was committing herself to her work at the expense of sleep.

 

Erin may be annoying, but I think she is dead on the money for a lot of people working at a firm.  Very....detail oriented.  A bunch of flags.  Probably has an electronic copy with "notes" and "revisions."  I'm sort of surprised she didn't just do the work for him since it would make her life easier.  She probably did law review in school, and oh boy, she knows how to do citations like a pro.  She has the BlueBook memorized inside and out.  She does not stray from "firm style" in anything.  I think she could be very interesting, because I think Jimmy could have more of an effect on her than she has on him.  She sees the world as a very black and white place, but she is young, and she may soon realize that she will be stuck having to basically read through and edit briefs for the rest of her career if she continues on the same path.

 

I agree with whoever said Kim's time would be better spent looking for another job. Which really I don't know why she isn't doing that already. It's not that small a town, she is a good lawyer. So maybe you have to start over again, but get out of this creepy unwind able dynamic between these 3 men.

I think the problem for Kim is explaining why she is leaving HHM.  No one wants damaged goods, and if you can't get anyone to really give you a recommendation after like 4 years of working at the firm....you're starting to look like damaged goods.  Howard/Chuck would find a way to tank it.  Neither would ever really SAY anything, it would all be off the record, very "well, I can't SAY she was a bad employee, but you know, she just wasn't a good fit for us"

 

And I think Kim wants that big firm life.  Jimmy doesn't want it at all, and I think he is jealous of the DA, in the trenches.  Jimmy does not want to breathe that rarefied air, but Kim does.  I think the job at Davis and Main was really Kim's dream job and its probably one of the reasons she gets annoyed at Jimmy for fucking it up.  She cant imagine not wanting that big firm lifestyle.  But, I think if you leave one big firm to try to leapfrog to another it has to be a really well thought out plan, you don't want to just quit.

[loki567]

Definitely think there's something missing in Chuck's story. I mean the first part of it is how much Chuck idolized his father, but nobody's 100% good. So I'm willing to bet the father knew exactly where that 14,000 went. Maybe Jimmy found out and covered for his father somehow and when his father died after losing the store, the guilt lead him down the path of Slippin' Jimmy. And because Chuck has a huge sense of envy towards Jimmy, who's probably always gotten the attention, his immediate response is to blame his brother. I'm willing to bet we're going to get the second half of the story at some point this season. 

[Synth]

Chuck couldn't tell his wife a simple joke.

 

There are different dialects, accents and terms in all 'espanol'. There is the proper  Castillian Spanish and then there is the Mexican Spanish.

 

Castilian is just another word for Spanish, it's tautology in other words. 'Pensinsular' Spanish would be a more apt description for dialects from Spain. People from Argentina for example frequently say they speak 'castellano' (castilian) instead of Spanish as both terms are interchangeable and mean the same thing.

 

And referring to as any dialect as proper is a bit like claiming that only British English is the only 'proper' English when an English speaker from a country such as Australia, South Africa and yes even the US  is more than capable of speaking 'proper' English. :)

 

I've know plenty of Brits who butcher the English language so just because someone is from the country where the language originates from doesn't mean they are immune from making mistakes. 

[Bryce Lynch]

It would have been oral, her hands are here breadwinners?

The story about their father is horseshit. How do I know this?

Chuck prefaces the story about his dad being born without the 'gene'. MANY storekeepers would extend their customers small lines of credit and over time? Either forgot or let it ride - in order to keep a customer for the long haul, I can see those little transactions adding up after a while and coming back to bite him in the ass. (not only that? Jimmy was the kind of guy that went after insurance scams or dicks that wouldn't think of taking some winos wallet and watch, should they find them in an alley.

Jimmy may have been a scum bag, but I don't see him stealing from family.

I also think chucky's wife takes a run at Jimmy...women love a sense of humor.

Good point about Chuck, Sr. That could well be how the money disappeared over the years.

So you think Rebecca snuck off the reservation for a little dirty damp and deep? :)

I doubt it was with Jimmy as Chuck would never have forgiven him for that. In the timeline, Jimmy meets Rebecca when he is already semi-reformed after Chuck rescued him from the Chicago Sunroof charges.

Maybe she had an affair with a guy who likes married women and works at his father's fabricating company. It could be the cause of his divorce. :)

[Bryce Lynch]

Hector is back...that scene in my favorite ABQ diner, with my favorite waitress...(didn't she give Walt his free birthday breakfast when he returned from New Hampshire?) and Mike made my skin crawl. Great work from both. The look on Mike's face when Hector left said volumes.

I am liking Kim and the law stuff...and I am not a lawyer and in general dislike lawyer shows and their problems. But that spoke to me of corporate politics and how careers get screwed over, not because of the work, but the politics. And the sadistic pleasure Howard took in sending Kim back to doc review was crushing to watch.

Perfect casting again, Jimmy's babysitter is every tedious, mind-numbing, rule following corporate soldier that haunts the hallways of corporate America. Is it wrong to hope she gets caught in the cross fire of a drive-by shooting?

Walt's final birthday breakfast was at Denny's with a different waitress.

You recognized the diner and waitress from Madrigal when Lydia met with Mike to propose killing his 11 men so they wouldn't rat either of them out.

Mike had obviously been eating there a long time. When Lydia tried to pretend she had just bumped into him and called him "Duane" to hide his identity, the waitress said, "Anything else, Mike" and he said, "No thank you, Fran."

I wonder if Hector brought his own Stevia.

The scene mirrored the BB scene in many ways. I believe it was the same booth and at the end one of the characters got up and left a bill on the table to pay the other persons check.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bryce Lynch

[Chaos Theory]

What I like was Chuck was written so much a villian last season and maybe because we were seeing everything from Jimmy's perspective. Now we are hearing Chuck's side of the story and there is actual history to why Chuck takes a hard line with his brother.

Kim was one of the weaker characters last season but she was a marvel this episode. You can see how unlike Jimmy she is. Instead of taking an easy path she grinds her way to a big job and even when it is taken away she doesn't give up.

<~~~~ edited because my phone makes up words.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[ghoulina]

Rebecca. So we finally meet Chuck's wife. I was hoping that would happen.I wonder what eventually happens to her. Chuck still wears the ring, so that makes me think she died. And, how jarring to see Chuck with an actual light bulb in his mouth!

 

 Very interesting scenes with Chuck this episode, overall. Looking at them, you would think Jimmy would be the one jealous of Chuck - nice job, nice wife, nice house. But in reality, there might be a lot of jealousy on Chuck's end. Actually, I don't even know that I'd call it jealousy. It's more of a seething resentment. I think he has always had this image of Jimmy in his mind, and feels very frustrated that he can't get anyone to see it. 

 

First we have the dinner with his wife. He warns her about Jimmy. They work out a signal if it gets too bad. But then Jimmy shows up and it's not horrible. Sure, he's a bit rough around the edges, and it's clear there are some uncomfortable moments. But in the end, Rebecca finds him hilarious and Chuck is left sitting in bed, wondering if his wife has ever found him that funny. (My interpretation) I bet he was hoping someone would finally see Jimmy as he does, finally be on his side - but nope. 

 

Then we have the conversation with Kim. I'm not sure what to think about that story. Would Jimmy really steal from his own father? Enough to put him $14,000 in debt? I don't know. Jimmy is slick and conniving, but he does have a heart. I can't see him hurting people that he loves, not intentionally. This is the man who wouldn't let the Hydrox lady pay him the last of her money. But, then again, maybe teeange Jimmy was different.I don't know. I'm not even sure that matters. The point is, Chuck feels it's true and once again - why can no one see what a screw up Jimmy is??? Dad refuses to listen to him. Not Jimmy. And Chuck's frustration begins to grow. 

 

But why is he telling Kim this? Is he really trying to warn her? Or is he trying to push her away and further hurt Jimmy? Maybe I'm just overly paranoid about Chuck, because of his behavior last season. He called his partner in the middle of the night to stop Jimmy from getting hired on at HHM. I am always skeptical about how involved in things he really is. He acts like this doddering invalid, who can't even work with a sliver of light. He sits there silently while Howard throws down the hammer. But is there a lot of manipulation going on behind the scenes? I just don't know. But I'm intrigued as hell. 

 

Speaking of Kim, ugh....my heart just broke for her when she went through all that work to bring in a new client, and Howard left her in doc review! I just cannot understand why he is THIS mad about the damn video. She didn't help make it. She didn't put it on the air. She simply viewed it and didn't say anything, because she didn't think there was anything worth saving. I just can't figure out why this was such an egregious offense that he is making her life a living hell, and how long will this go on? 

 

Then you have Jimmy trying to swoop in save her. With his ridiculous lawsuit idea. You know, I love that Jimmy is solver. I love how his mind works. But sometimes he is just way too grandiose. More and more, despite the heart I believe he has, I see some of Chuck's "chimp with a machine gun" coming out. When he becomes desperate, he gets these outlandish ideas. And you can't just come up with a quick fix every time. Sometimes things just need to work themselves out. I loved that Kim insisted she was going to save herself! It's just too bad her plan didn't work. 

 

I also find it insanely interesting that Jimmy has offered twice in the past few days to quit Davis and Main. Ostensibly in the name of righting things for Kim, but....he seems all too quick to offer that solution. This is not where he wants to be. 

 

The scenes with him and Erin were freaking hilarious! What a stuffed animal blocker that woman is. No fun at all. I need more of that duo in my life. 

 

 

Mike's story was great this week. I see Stacy has been put up in a hotel. 

 

Ding, ding, ding!!!! We have TIO! I literally gasped. So great. 

 

You know, a lot of people last week were commenting that Mike's deal with Nacho seemed really out of character. That there was too much that could have gone wrong. It was too risky, and why keep him alive, with all the potential blowback? I agreed. But....we are thinking of BB era Mike. This is Mike at the START of who he becomes. And we are seeing blowback! Maybe this is it. Maybe this mess he's gotten himself into is what teaches him his future mantra of "no half measures". 

 

I saw the boots! Looking forward to next week. 

[ghoulina]

Personally, I don't mind the slow-burn and I enjoy this season just as much as the first one.  I just really enjoy this universe and these characters, and I can't wait to see how Jimmy and Mike become who they were on Breaking Bad.

 

I so agree, I'm loving it. I was surprised to see so many negative comments about the episode, and the season in general. I remember watching last night, and Kim and Chuck were just talking - and I was riveted. It's true that a lot of the characters aren't very likeable. But I felt the same with Breaking Bad. Over the course of the series I think I hated more people than I actively liked. The first time I watched, I HATED Walt. Hated him! And I thought - how odd to watch a series where I dislike the main character so so much. But he was still a fascinating character. That's how I feel about this show. I really cannot stand Chuck, yet I want to know more about him. That's the beauty of Gilligan, IMO. I'm hooked. 

[SoothingDave]

How did Chuck have so many lights on in his house, and yet it was still so dark?

 

And, on that theme, do the lawyers in Doc Review really work with no overhead lights and just table lights?

 

Just a very dark episode, in terms of cinematography.

[benteen]

Excellent episode!  I agree that Jimmy’s story is a slow burn but I’ve been enjoying it this season.
I thought the first scene was brilliantly acted and written.  Michael McKean should really get some Emmy consideration.  His portrayal of how controlling and resentful Chuck is fantastic.   Chuck is so detestable and I think he wants to sink Jimmy’s relationship with Kim.  I don’t believe his version of the story about his father.  There’s more to it than meets the eye.

 

I was wondering too why Kim isn’t looking for another job.  She seems almost like  a woman who won’t break off a relationship with a man that she knows is a loser.  She determined that HHM is her future, no matter what.  Although I imagine Howard wouldn’t give her a good recommendation if she left and how she left her job would be questioned by any intentional employer.

 

My Tio!  Hector’s appearance was unexpected but awesome.  It’s been great to see Mike interact with all of these characters.  Mark Margolis was great when he wasn’t speaking on BB and does great here.

[Ottis]

Chuck is an ass, but the show is making it pretty clear that Chuck is mostly right about Jimmy

 

 

Thank you. That Chuck is mostly right became apparent 2 episodes ago and I posted then that it was the point where I finally flipped to realizing Jimmy is the architect of his own lack of success (and Chuck, who had seen far more of Jimmy than we have, was right, if an ass at times), and it has been fascinating watching people still defend Jimmy just because he is more likeable. It's still going on in this episode thread! Bravo, BCS writers. This is why Jimmy doesn't equal Walt in terms of breaking bad ... Jimmy has always chosen the path he is on.

 

Not sure what to make of Chuck's marriage. His wife clearly wants to cut loose more, and enjoyed the diversion of Jimmy. And then when Chuck tried a joke, she barely paid attention. Timing? Not sure what that meant.

 

My Tio!  Hector’s appearance was unexpected but awesome.

 

 

Oddly, I knew exactly who that was as soon as he entered the diner in shadow. It was the hat, combined with the odd gait of an older man with a degenerative illness. Made me think immediately of the wheelchair. Masterful portrayal by the actor.

 

Chuck is so detestable and I think he wants to sink Jimmy’s relationship with Kim.  I don’t believe his version of the story about his father.  There’s more to it than meets the eye.

 

 

That's still possible, though if the show goes there, they have been deliberately misleading us all along, which would make me like the show less. It's easy to mislead an audience when you purposely portray characters in a way opposite of the truth. It is harder, and better, to make them complex and harder to categorize.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Ottis

[Bryce Lynch]

I so agree, I'm loving it. I was surprised to see so many negative comments about the episode, and the season in general. I remember watching last night, and Kim and Chuck were just talking - and I was riveted. It's true that a lot of the characters aren't very likeable. But I felt the same with Breaking Bad. Over the course of the series I think I hated more people than I actively liked. The first time I watched, I HATED Walt. Hated him! And I thought - how odd to watch a series where I dislike the main character so so much. But he was still a fascinating character. That's how I feel about this show. I really cannot stand Chuck, yet I want to know more about him. That's the beauty of Gilligan, IMO. I'm hooked.

I don't mind the pacing, I just don't find Kim's character or storyline to be all that interesting, especially compared to Mike and Jimmy's.

I actually like season 2 more than 1 so far. This episode was OK and the final scene made it totally worth watching, but it wasn't as interesting as the rest of the season, IMHO.

[mattie0808]

Chuck should just write off Jimmy. That, I would understand. It's this constant...I don't know, nasty joy he gets not only from being (in his mind) proven right about Jimmy, but from actively going out of his way to be involved in making sure Jimmy doesn't find success or that every single person all the time knows he's messed up/done wrong. That is what makes me despise Chuck. It's not that he has no hope where Jimmy's concerned, it's that he's possessed with a need to make sure, however much is within his power, that Jimmy is the chimp with a machine gun he thinks his brother is. Oh, but if his brother wants to kindly wait on him hand foot and care for him while he suffers from his made-up disease/his actual mental illness, that's just fine. His distaste for his evil, lying, conniving, criminal brother doesn't extend to being taken care of! He'll even make fun of him for doing so if it means Chuck gets another gleefully nasty jab in about Jimmy's work. Whether Chuck's "right" about Jimmy or not, I really find him detestable for the way he chooses to relate to him.

 

Let's just say I'm skeptical about the details of that story with the sinless father, and "I'm not an accountant, BUT...eeeeevvvviiiiillllll Jimmy!" Chuck. I guess we'll see.

 

I really feel for Kim. Hamlin just exhausts me at this point.

 

OMG, TIO! Hector! Yaaaaaay! Holy hell, that was great. :) And more fun along those lines promised by the promo.

 

[Primetimer]

And more not-quite-burning questions sparked by 'Rebecca.'

Read the story

[Bannon]

Again, the portrait of Chuck Sr., given by Chuck Jr., is simply not credible, given the context of time and place. Chuck Jr., is what , in his mid 50s or so by 2002? That means he was born in about 1945-1948, which means his dad was born 1925ish, in Cicero Illinois. There is no way a person born in that town, in that time, especially if they became a small shop owner, had such a naive view of human beings, in the way Chuck Jr., described. Cicero was an incredibly corrupt, violent, place, , and somebody whose early life took place in that setting would not be the person Chuck Jr., described. Chuck's story to Kim has to have huge elements of bullsh*t.

 

No, Jimmy was never a good guy, trying to keep on the straight and narrow. My bet is that Chuck Sr. never was either, and that is going to be revealed. 

[SoSueMe]

Ha! Pixie Ninja looks about 12.

[Bryce Lynch]

Hector reminded me of Vito Corleone the way he approached Mike in a not overtly threatening way, talking about his nephew's faults and trying to "reason with him" and of course offered a carrot in the form of $5,000. I think the stick may be coming next week and Marco and/or Leonel might be carrying it.

BTW, is it too much to hope for that we might see Tortuga?

[RustbeltWriter]

Even though the story is developing slowly this season, I'm enjoying the anticipation of seeing Jimmy break bad and become the ambulance chasing crumb we all know and love. He really is trying to do things "right" and be the man Kim thinks he can be but following all the rules is chaffing. It will make the transformation into Saul that much more satisfying.

[ShadowFacts]

Can I just say that Howard is a huge asshole and I hope somebody hires Mike to neutralize him?  Alternatively I'd like Kim to go get a job with Gretchen and Elliot.  Who says she can never get a decent job again without a hearty recommendation from HHM?  She is consigned to work in that hellhole forever?  She has to know she is never going to be respected there.

 

Chuck was not telling the whole story about Jimmy and their father.  He is only able to see Jimmy through his resentment goggles.  There may be elements of truth but Kim has got to question why he would be telling her about this at all. 

 

Hector's appearance was the most riveting part of the episode.  I did not see evidence of movement disorders -- not in his speech, his walk, or use of his hands/arms.  He used both, just his left hand more because he's probably left-handed. I loved that we heard him talk, and talk and talk and talk.  His accented English sounded more like Puerto Rican English than Mexican English to me, but it didn't bother me.  It will be interesting to see how Mike gets out of this jam, I can't imagine how unless the gun somehow disappears out of evidence.

[ghoulina]

How did Chuck have so many lights on in his house, and yet it was still so dark?

And, on that theme, do the lawyers in Doc Review really work with no overhead lights and just table lights?

Just a very dark episode, in terms of cinematography.

 

Very much of the show has been like that - Jimmy's old scenes in his nail salon apartment. Mike lurking in the shadows at night. Jimmy and Kim meeting in the parking garage. There might be some deeper symbolism to it, but I feel like it's just part of the Noir vibe they're going for. 

[Auntie Anxiety]

 

Definitely think there's something missing in Chuck's story. I mean the first part of it is how much Chuck idolized his father, but nobody's 100% good. So I'm willing to bet the father knew exactly where that 14,000 went. Maybe Jimmy found out and covered for his father somehow

This is exactly what I was thinking.  Something was going on with Chuck, Sr. that would have tarnished his image (gambling? another woman? a child out of wedlock?) and Jimmy was the one chosen to handle it because their father didn't want or need a lecture from Chuck, Jr.  So Jimmy did what needed to be done and didn't say anything about it, much like Kim keeping quiet about not knowing the whole story regarding Jimmy's commercial because she didn't want to make him look bad.  Perhaps Chuck, Jr. wasn't around and didn't know the extent to which their father was stumbling (thus he could paint a picture of the father being a saint).  My guess is that Jimmy was the favorite child and that is why Chuck is so jealous of him.  

[ElDosEquis]

Castilian is just another word for Spanish, it's tautology in other words. 'Pensinsular' Spanish would be a more apt description for dialects from Spain. People from Argentina for example frequently say they speak 'castellano' (castilian) instead of Spanish as both terms are interchangeable and mean the same thing.

 

And referring to as any dialect as proper is a bit like claiming that only British English is the only 'proper' English when an English speaker from a country such as Australia, South Africa and yes even the US  is more than capable of speaking 'proper' English. :)

 

I've know plenty of Brits who butcher the English language so just because someone is from the country where the language originates from doesn't mean they are immune from making mistakes. 

Andale pues. Yo hablo la idioma de 'los bajos'. Los "del altos' saben mas y hablan como gente propios? ; )

[Blakeston]

Hector's appearance was the most riveting part of the episode.  I did not see evidence of movement disorders -- not in his speech, his walk, or use of his hands/arms.  He used both, just his left hand more because he's probably left-handed.

 

On Breaking Bad, in the flashback to the 1980's in the episode Hermanos, we saw that Hector was holding his drink in his right hand, but he couldn't lift it to his lips without using his left hand to move his right arm.

 

When we saw him in this episode, his walk was slow and awkward, his head jerked to the side at times, and he was extremely reliant on his left arm. It looks like his problems with movement got worse.

 

Very much of the show has been like that - Jimmy's old scenes in his nail salon apartment. Mike lurking in the shadows at night. Jimmy and Kim meeting in the parking garage. There might be some deeper symbolism to it, but I feel like it's just part of the Noir vibe they're going for. 

 

I think they were also trying to hide the actors' wrinkles. Oddly, though, while Chuck looked younger, Jimmy looked older in that scene than he did anywhere else in the episode.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Blakeston

[futurechemist]

I guess I'm a soft touch, because I feel bad for Chuck now.  I do think part of his plan is to take revenge on Jimmy by coming between Jimmy and Kim, but I also think Chuck genuinely sympathizes with Kim for being "conned" by slippin' Jimmy.

 

I never watched Breaking Bad, so the last scene with Mike didn't really leave an impression.  Though it did sort of contradict last week, where I assumed all the criminals thought Mike was a random old guy.  Now Tuco's family knows exactly who he is and that he's an ex-cop.

[ShadowFacts]

 

When we saw him in this episode, his walk was slow and awkward, his head jerked to the side at times, and he was extremely reliant on his left arm. It looks like his problems with movement got worse.

 

I just re-viewed the scene, and if he's reliant on his left arm, it's not extremely.  It could just be his dominant hand.  He uses both hands to hitch up his pants when he comes in, he uses both when gesticulating, and he uses his right hand to put the money on the table when he leaves.  He's got a little upper body sway to his gait when he walks in, and sometimes his head is moving a lot, but other times it is perfectly still.  He may have some impairment, but it doesn't seem to be impacting his mobility much at this point.  It was kind of great to see him this animated.

[Tim Thomason]

I guess I'm a soft touch, because I feel bad for Chuck now.  I do think part of his plan is to take revenge on Jimmy by coming between Jimmy and Kim, but I also think Chuck genuinely sympathizes with Kim for being "conned" by slippin' Jimmy.

 

I never watched Breaking Bad, so the last scene with Mike didn't really leave an impression.  Though it did sort of contradict last week, where I assumed all the criminals thought Mike was a random old guy.  Now Tuco's family knows exactly who he is and that he's an ex-cop.

 

Mike isn't exactly hiding who he is and his name was probably on the police report. Even in 2002, a simple Google search for Mike Ehrmantraut would reveal all of what Hector seems to know. That said, I'm sure he hired the second-best PI in all of New Mexico to do a quick background check on Mike and they probably know about his questionable background in Philly and where he works everyday and where his family lives. I'm sure Hector didn't run into Mike at his favorite diner by accident.

 

I love prequels, and I love that element of this show. But even if Breaking Bad never existed, the final scene between Jonathan Banks and Mark Margolis was great, and definitely gives the impression that Mike is in the crosshairs of some very powerful people.

[PrincessSteel]

Just when I start to feel some sympathy for Chuck we get the coffee scene (grrrrr!) and I whiplash right back into contempt for his entitled self.

[Dev F]

This is exactly what I was thinking.  Something was going on with Chuck, Sr. that would have tarnished his image (gambling? another woman? a child out of wedlock?) and Jimmy was the one chosen to handle it because their father didn't want or need a lecture from Chuck, Jr.  

 

That might confuse cause and effect, though. It's possible that Chuck Jr. is such a rulemonger because his father made a conscious effort to protect him from the seedy side of life. The difference between Chuck and Jimmy could be largely the result of the fact that Chuck grew up being taught that life is fair and good people are rewarded for their hard work, while Jimmy learned that you have to hustle and play ball with shady people to get ahead.

 

I just re-viewed the scene, and if he's reliant on his left arm, it's not extremely.  It could just be his dominant hand.

 

But, again, the previous Breaking Bad flashback suggests that this wasn't always the case. If this scene had occurred in a vacuum, sure, there'd be no reason to assume that Hector was particularly disabled. But since we know that he used to drink with his right hand but had trouble doing it, and now he pointedly reaches for his coffee cup with his left hand, it make sense that it's meant to indicate some level of degeneration.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Dev F

[Chaos Theory]

Ok I think I have it: Jimmy is pure charisma but little to no ethics or sense of boundaries. While Chuck has no charisma but he is by nature an ethical man who does not understand how people keep giving Jimmy chances even when he leaves them holding the bag.

[Auntie Anxiety]

 

Ok I think I have it: Jimmy is pure charisma but little to no ethics or sense of boundaries. While Chuck has no charisma but he is by nature an ethical man who does not understand how people keep giving Jimmy chances even when he leaves them holding the bag.

And Chuck has built up a lifetime of resentment because people really love being around Jimmy, regardless of how he screws things up.  Many people rail about how they do the right thing and get a kick in the ass regardless. I am known to say that no good deed goes unpunished. Chuck can't stand that he isn't as well liked as Jimmy, even though he (Chuck) is so accomplished and upstanding.  As I said in an earlier post, I believe this was an ongoing situation since childhood. The McGill parents always favored Jimmy no matter how high achieving Chuck was.

[ElDosEquis]

Again, the portrait of Chuck Sr., given by Chuck Jr., is simply not credible, given the context of time and place. Chuck Jr., is what , in his mid 50s or so by 2002? That means he was born in about 1945-1948, which means his dad was born 1925ish, in Cicero Illinois. There is no way a person born in that town, in that time, especially if they became a small shop owner, had such a naive view of human beings, in the way Chuck Jr., described. Cicero was an incredibly corrupt, violent, place, , and somebody whose early life took place in that setting would not be the person Chuck Jr., described. Chuck's story to Kim has to have huge elements of bullsh*t.

 

No, Jimmy was never a good guy, trying to keep on the straight and narrow. My bet is that Chuck Sr. never was either, and that is going to be revealed. 

 

You just touched on another 'maybe' in the story?

 

About the corrupt town? How's about this angle?

Paying protection money to keep the store open - most likely in a town with THAT kind of reputation?

 

About the chuck/jimmy rivalry....The worst fucking critics and haters sometimes come from the people you hold closest to you? Sometimes the person that 'holds court' at a gathering will either attract or repel people. The people around him will be laughing and enjoying the event and the uptight assholes will be watching their every move and thinking about the scene they are making?

 

Chuck isn't a hard to fathom character. He's the asshole born without the 'fun' gene. He is socially awkward, so he retreats into the black/while world. Anything that he doesn't find to his liking is black.  

 

He is like a vampire/evil monster lurking in the dark. The 'lightness of day' (and electricity because it brings light into his home) is his enemy. His belief of getting poisoned by electricity is the 'cockroach effect' - turn on the light and watch them freak out?

 

One of the nastiest things that can happen to a host is preparing the house for the 'Worst Possible Dinner Guest', then having them show up and charming the shit out of everyone. Chuck preps his wife with another quick "this is the ripcord, in an emergency pull it" talk and she ends up having a good time.

 

Later on? Chuck tries to redeem himself and save a little face by telling a lawyer joke, flubs it, then gets a pat on the head and "I'm going to sleep, turn off the light" for his troubles. Chuck despises Jimmy for his charisma and goodness, so much so that when Chuck has his 'breakdown/illness", Jimmy can't walk away from his big brother. Chuck senses this and retreats into his darkness and takes advantage of jimmy with ice/propane and grocery runs.

 

It's NOT enough that Jimmy beings apples into the house, they MUST be the fucking designer apples that the store across the Valley sells? Jimmy won't abandon his brother - that street is one way - but Chuck won't make that mistake again.

 

He saves Jimmy from jail.

Pays his way to New Mexico

Gets him a job at his firm

Invites him to dinner, where he charms the panties off his wife.

The job inspires Jimmy to study and pass (the third times the charm) the bar

Jimmy begins his career, but by THIS time Chuck ain't having any of that....

NO JOB FOR YOU!!!

 

Chuck is deathly afraid of Jimmy coming in to eclipse his sun (Imagine the horror of having James McGill, Esq. being mistaken for the McGill on the sign outside?) at the firm. He just can't see his ne'er do well brother, do well......

Edited March 15, 2016 by ElDosEquis

[ElDosEquis]

And Chuck has built up a lifetime of resentment because people really love being around Jimmy, regardless of how he screws things up.  Many people rail about how they do the right thing and get a kick in the ass regardless. I am known to say that no good deed goes unpunished. Chuck can't stand that he isn't as well liked as Jimmy, even though he (Chuck) is so accomplished and upstanding.  As I said in an earlier post, I believe this was an ongoing situation since childhood. The McGill parents always favored Jimmy no matter how high achieving Chuck was.

 

Chuck is the guy that drives by the 80 year old guy trying to change his tire on the side of the road, Jimmy? He stops, takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves and changes the tire - even tho it will make him late for his appointment?

 

When Jimmy shows up, Chuck is laughing about and telling the group about the poor old schmuck with the flat by the side of the road,  When Chuck tries to shame Jimmy by being late, Jimmy explains, "I stopped to help this poor guy with a flat on the side of the road......."

[benteen]

I used to watch wrestling a lot and I read an interview years ago with Paul Heyman (a guy who strikes me a lot like Jimmy now that I think of it).  He talked about Vince McMahon, the owner of the WWE and the type of personality he is.  He said McMahon is the kind of guy who, if he sneezed during a meeting, would spend the next ten minutes being angry at himself for not controlling the sneeze.  That's exactly how I see Chuck.  I have no that that he obsessed angrily to himself about his joke falling flat with Rebecca until he fell asleep and he was probably still pissed off about it the next morning

[ghoulina]

Just when I start to feel some sympathy for Chuck we get the coffee scene (grrrrr!) and I whiplash right back into contempt for his entitled self.

 

Yes! He sounded like he was talking to a secretary when he initially asked. Then when she made a face, he was all, "Oh well, you know, I WOULD make it myself. But EM sensitivity." Yea, okay, buddy. 

Edited March 15, 2016 by ghoulina

[knaankos]

Chuck is the guy that drives by the 80 year old guy trying to change his tire on the side of the road, Jimmy? He stops, takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeves and changes the tire - even tho it will make him late for his appointment?

When Jimmy shows up, Chuck is laughing about and telling the group about the poor old schmuck with the flat by the side of the road, When Chuck tries to shame Jimmy by being late, Jimmy explains, "I stopped to help this poor guy with a flat on the side of the road......."

Ehh I feel like this is far too sparkly of a view of Jimmy. Don't forget this guy used to regularly con unsuspecting people out of a lot of money.

[RCharter]

Hector reminded me of Vito Corleone the way he approached Mike in a not overtly threatening way, talking about his nephew's faults and trying to "reason with him" and of course offered a carrot in the form of $5,000. I think the stick may be coming next week and Marco and/or Leonel might be carrying it.

BTW, is it too much to hope for that we might see Tortuga?

Oh, and lets not forget, the hothead nephew should spend "some time in jail, but 8 years is too much...."

 

Can I just say that Howard is a huge asshole and I hope somebody hires Mike to neutralize him?  Alternatively I'd like Kim to go get a job with Gretchen and Elliot.  Who says she can never get a decent job again without a hearty recommendation from HHM?  She is consigned to work in that hellhole forever?  She has to know she is never going to be respected there.

 

Sadly, from all I've seen/heard this is the way that big law works (at least in bigger markets).  If she wanted to move to a smaller firm, if she wanted to open her own practice, maybe even if she wanted to go in-house it would be a different story.  But after years at her job, if she can't get a good recommendation, she would seem like damaged goods.  The Davis and Main thing opened up for Jimmy as a right time/right place scenario.  And everyone had to go to bat for him.   After he brought in a huge case.  However I think, Jimmy's idea of suing HHM might have been a good idea just to get her the leverage to get a good rec out of them to find another position.  Not actually sue, but the threat of the suit to make sure they give her a sparkling recommendation or actively support her getting another position.  

 

And I don't even think Howard would just settle at not giving her a good recommendation, I think he would actively look to tank it because he wants Kim to feel punished.

I guess I'm a soft touch, because I feel bad for Chuck now.  I do think part of his plan is to take revenge on Jimmy by coming between Jimmy and Kim, but I also think Chuck genuinely sympathizes with Kim for being "conned" by slippin' Jimmy.

 

I never watched Breaking Bad, so the last scene with Mike didn't really leave an impression.  Though it did sort of contradict last week, where I assumed all the criminals thought Mike was a random old guy.  Now Tuco's family knows exactly who he is and that he's an ex-cop.

I'm soft too, because at worst I think Chuck really believes that he and his family were conned by Jimmy.  And that it killed his dad.  Its hard not to imagine holding some resentment if thats what he honestly thinks went down.  As for idolizing his father.....that was his father, he probably idolized him his entire life and as a young man probably saw him through rose colored glasses.  Especially if he was away doing a clerkship and wasn't there during the day to day operations.  However.....I also think its possible that Jimmy took $100 here and there over the years....either figured he was paying himself, that he put in some sort of overtime and wasn't too concerned with the bookkeeping.  If it was small amounts over the years it shouldn't have been why he had to shut down.

Edited March 15, 2016 by RCharter

[Ottis]

Chuck is deathly afraid of Jimmy coming in to eclipse his sun (Imagine the horror of having James McGill, Esq. being mistaken for the McGill on the sign outside?) at the firm. He just can't see his ne'er do well brother, do well......

 

 

In vacuum, maybe. But we have already seen Jimmy execute several scams on his own that have nothing to do with Chuck (and on BCS, not BB). And we have seen Jimmy put Kim's career on the line despite repeated warnings and pleas from her. And we have seen Jimmy's reaction is to suggest she sue HHM, and he has no clue she wouldn't feel the same.

 

Chuck may or may not fear that his brother is potentially more brilliant than Chuck. Whatever he feels, it doesn't change the fact that Jimmy is the architect of his own failure, and even if Jimmy manages to take one step forward, it is then two steps back. Chuck is right there. The only question is, did Chuck do something that made Jimmy this way? If not, no amount of Chuck bashing can change the fact that Jimmy is who he is.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Ottis

[Bryce Lynch]

Yes! He sounded like he was talking to a secretary when he initially asked. Then when she made a face, he was all, "Oh well, you know, I WOULD make it myself. But EM sensitivity." Yea, okay, buddy.

While it came across like "Fetch me some coffee, woman!", I don't think he intended it that way. I don't think he even wanted coffee. It was just an excuse to have a conversation with Kim so he could trash Jimmy to her.

He was being a weasel, not a sexist.

[ElDosEquis]

Ehh I feel like this is far too sparkly of a view of Jimmy. Don't forget this guy used to regularly con unsuspecting people out of a lot of money.

It may be 'sparkly' in the sense that he wasn't strong arming people. Con jobs aren't violent crimes - they usually require a bit more planning than a simple robbery??

My point was that Jimmy is a person that operates on a ground floor level - Chuck wouldn't get his hands dirty on a flat tire - especially someone else's tire - he'd call AAA and then stand over the guy telling him he'd better put all the lugnuts on right, because he's a lawyer and specializes in class action lawsuits against automakers?

[TVFan17]

Hector reminded me of Vito Corleone the way he approached Mike in a not overtly threatening way, talking about his nephew's faults and trying to "reason with him" and of course offered a carrot in the form of $5,000. I think the stick may be coming next week and Marco and/or Leonel might be carrying it.

BTW, is it too much to hope for that we might see Tortuga?

 

It is probably too much to hope for, but I won't complain at all if Tortuga shows up.  I'd even be happy to see the turtle. ;)

[heisenberg]

(gambling? another woman? a child out of wedlock?)

 

Chuck's studies fees Maybe?  or just plain shop lifting over the years...

[Dev F]

My point was that Jimmy is a person that operates on a ground floor level - Chuck wouldn't get his hands dirty on a flat tire - especially someone else's tire - he'd call AAA and then stand over the guy telling him he'd better put all the lugnuts on right, because he's a lawyer and specializes in class action lawsuits against automakers?

 

I'm not sure what in Chuck's characterization suggests that he's contemptuous of the average Joe on the street. If your hypothetical were about, say, whether Chuck would let someone who had an important meeting to get to cut in line at the DMV, I could see him becoming indignant and refusing, and even complaining later about the asshole who thought Chuck would break the rules for him despite the fact that everyone else in line behind him was waiting dutifully. But I don't see any reason to imagine that Chuck would be like, "Can you believe this guy wanted help fixing his car from a big fancy lawyer like me? What a loser!"

Edited March 15, 2016 by Dev F

[RCharter]

While it came across like "Fetch me some coffee, woman!", I don't think he intended it that way. I don't think he even wanted coffee. It was just an excuse to have a conversation with Kim so he could trash Jimmy to her.

He was being a weasel, not a sexist.

I agree.  Its hard to see things from Chuck's perspective because he is actively the worst, but I think he wanted to talk to her and talking over a cup of coffee is sort of a thing....and from his perspective, he really can't get it.

 

I would even take it a step further.  I think at the outset, Chuck was all about getting back at Jimmy by getting at Kim.....but he may have sort of changed his tune when he saw that she had been there all night working.  He may genuinely think he is doing her a kindness by warning her away from Jimmy.  The same way he wished he had been able to warn/protect his father.  Because even if Jimmy never took that money, from Chuck's perspective, he did and it ruined his father.