*** Better Call Saul: Season 4 *** (SEE NOTE IN OP)

167,683 Views | 1458 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Brian Earl Spilner
Liquid Wrench
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Let go of the Westworld thing. Forget I ever used the world "timeline." I'll try to explain again using different worlds.

Sometimes the show focuses more on the primary character. Sometimes it focuses more on other characters.

So, for instance, a 5 minute video montage of Jimmy tinkering around the cellphone store does not literally mean that 5 minutes just passed for him and everyone else in Albuquerque. The 5 minute montage was just a representation of how he was spending his workday(s). It does not mean that when we cut back to Mike and Werner, only 5 minutes have passed in their lives.
Burdizzo
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AG
The hour's approaching, to give it your best
And you've got to reach your prime.
That's when you need to put yourself to the test
And show us a passage of time
We're going to need a montage (montage)
Ooh it takes a montage (montage)
Show a lot of things happening at once,
Remind everyone of what's going on (what's going on)
And with every shot, show a little improvement
To show it all would take to long
That's called a montage (montage)
Girl we want montage (montage)
In anything if you want to go
From just a beginner to a pro,
You need a montage (montage)
Even rocky had a montage (montage)
Always fade out in a montage, (montage)
If you fade out
It seem like more time has passed in a montage (montage)
tysker
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ChiliBeans said:

And Werner was not perfectly fine last episode. He was getting drunk, talking to strangers about the super secret job, and opening up to Mike about what he cares most about in life and about his father's lasting legacy. Don't know if you've ever spent much time around adult men, been when an adult male work colleague starts talking to you like that, it usually means something is going on in his head.
Wener's father built one on the most iconic buildings of all time. As far as we can tell, Werner's legacy is an underground bunker thats taking twice as long to build as expected. His underperformance on this job and possibly his life is getting to him.
aTmAg
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ChiliBeans said:

Let go of the Westworld thing. Forget I ever used the world "timeline." I'll try to explain again using different worlds.

Sometimes the show focuses more on the primary character. Sometimes it focuses more on other characters.

So, for instance, a 5 minute video montage of Jimmy tinkering around the cellphone store does not literally mean that 5 minutes just passed for him and everyone else in Albuquerque. The 5 minute montage was just a representation of how he was spending his workday(s). It does not mean that when we cut back to Mike and Werner, only 5 minutes have passed in their lives.
Really? A 5 minute montage does not literally mean that only 5 minutes passed? Who would have thought? (Do you really think I didn't know this?)

The point is this. Last episode Mike threatened Werner when he talked too much. About the same time in that timeline, Jimmy mentioned that he was about a month away from being a lawyer again. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that only a month has passed between Mike's discussion with Werner and the beginning of this episode when he was wigging out.
BMX Bandit
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aTmAg said:

BMX Bandit said:

any chance Jimmy steals an identity, permanently becomes "Saul Goodman" and retakes the bar exam?
You tell us, Mr. Lawyer. Is such a thing possible?
is it possible to steal someone identity? yes.

Is is possible to change your name? yes.

Is it possible to commit fraud? yes.

but ultimately, what you pointed out here I think this is why my early morning brainstorm is not what will happen, he'd have to go to a new town to practice.


Quote:

Couldn't the board recognize him along with other lawyers who would see him around the courthouse? Anybody who goes against him that knows his history (and I imagine that would be a lot of people) could easily just report him.
aTmAg
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BMX Bandit said:

aTmAg said:

BMX Bandit said:

any chance Jimmy steals an identity, permanently becomes "Saul Goodman" and retakes the bar exam?
You tell us, Mr. Lawyer. Is such a thing possible?
is it possible to steal someone identity? yes.

Is is possible to change your name? yes.

Is it possible to commit fraud? yes.
I meant the "and actually practice law despite everybody knowing who you were prior" part.
BMX Bandit
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the more likely result is that he wins an appeal and gets to practice, but relationship with Kim irreparably harmed.
aTmAg
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BMX Bandit said:

the more likely result is that he wins an appeal and gets to practice, but relationship with Kim irreparably harmed.
Another lawyer question:

If Kim went in and "vouched" for him, would that help his case? Or does that sort of thing not really happen or have any sort of effect?
Liquid Wrench
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Hey BMX, this is is really in the weeds, but genuine question that popped into my head: Could an attorney use a DBA to advertise the practice, without actually changing his name? As in, could it still be Jimmy McGill on his bar card, while using "Saul Goodman" and "Better Call Saul" to advertise his services/place of business? kind of a like how the Texas Hammer commercials are really just advertising a referral service?
BMX Bandit
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In texas (and probably most other states) you can't be misleading as to the identify of the lawyer.

So "Call Jim Adler, the Texas Hammer" doesn't mislead you on who is.

"Saul Goodman" to me seems to be misleading. But he could always legally change his name to that .
aTmAg
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ChiliBeans said:

Hey BMX, this is is really in the weeds, but genuine question that popped into my head: Could an attorney use a DBA to advertise the practice, without actually changing his name? As in, could it still be Jimmy McGill on his bar card, while using "Saul Goodman" and "Better Call Saul" to advertise his services/place of business? kind of a like how the Texas Hammer commercials are really just advertising a referral service?
What is a DBA?

And what do you mean that Texas Hammer commercials are advertising a referral service? You aren't actually hiring that guy as your lawyer?
Belton Ag
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Quote:

What is a DBA?
Doing Business As...

So for business purposes his company name could be James McGill, Esq. DBA Saul Goodman, Attorney at Law or something like that.

tysker
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BMX Bandit said:

the more likely result is that he wins an appeal and gets to practice, but relationship with Kim irreparably harmed.
And possibly Kim's reputation/career
Liquid Wrench
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Quote:

And what do you mean that Texas Hammer commercials are advertising a referral service? You aren't actually hiring that guy as your lawyer?
IDK, you might actually get him sometimes. Don't know the details, but here's an article from his perspective: https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2015/06/12/the-texas-hammer-lawyer-jim-adler-talks.html
Liquid Wrench
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Belton Ag said:

Quote:

What is a DBA?
Doing Business As...

So for business purposes his company name could be James McGill, esq. DBA Saul Goodman, Attorney at Law or something like that.


And remember in Breaking Bad, he had Walt make out a check to "Ice Station Zebra Associates," so he had some kind of funky arrangements.
Wildmen06
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Saul tells Walt his real name is McGill in Breaking Bad....that doesn't sound like someone who would be trying to hide his previous identity
mavsfan4ever
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I have to agree with aTmAg on Werner. I just think his actions make more sense if he legitimately fears for his life. I understand the arguments for the other side, arguing that he just sort of flipped out all of a sudden. But everything makes much more sense if he was scared for his life and thought he was a dead man after the project was completed. I don't care enough to make 30 posts about it, but my thoughts are below. Hopefully we find out next week if Werner actually feared for his life or just went off the deep end.

His actions with the explosives could be someone just freaking out with explosives. But it makes more sense that he was that nervous because he has come to the realization that they aren't getting out alive. We understand that Mike would probably have a smarter way to take care of the Germans, but he doesn't know that. When there was a problem, I think Werner thought it was a trap (bc everything should have been working). This makes that scene incredibly intense if you take that viewpoint, and His freak out then makes more sense. I don't think he'd be that nervous just bc he was near explosives.

I thought Werner was using his wife as an attempt to escape. When he initially made the request, I don't think he was ever planning on returning if it was granted. Once it was denied, I think he decided he needed another escape plan (bc he feared for his life once the job was done).

Werner noticing the cameras and developing an elaborate escape plan goes more along with someone fearing for his life and wanting out, and not someone falling off the deep end and losing his mind. I think this is the best argument for why he didn't just lose his mind all of a sudden.

Assuming he left bc he thought he was a dead man, I'm thinking we get some backstory next week on why Werner escaped and what he learned that made him realize his life was in danger.

Or maybe I'm completely wrong about everything and we find out he got cabin fever and just had to get out.
Zombie Jon Snow
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I mean the ONLY way it was some trap is if his men were in on it. They were the only ones wiring it and setting the charges etc. or mike would have to intervene and push the button with him down there at which point the crew knows mike is going to kill them all eventually. Not a good plan at all and not a Mike plan for sure. Any plan to take him out would have taken them all out and that won't be until the job is done.

Plus if he felt it was a trap he could have faked looking at the connections etc. he was the only one down there. He could have simply not risked anything come back up and shrugged his shoulders.

It was panic. He cracked.

Nothing else makes sense.
Texas 1836
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When did Werner look up at the camera?

Before detonation? Before phone call? Before Mike told him no to leaving?

Looking back, that was when he was thinking about bolting and how to defeat the cameras.
Know Your Enemy
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After the phone call before going into his double wide, I believe.
mavsfan4ever
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Correct. In my opinion, the fact that he planned it all in advance, and the fact that it was a somewhat complicated plan, works against the theory that he just lost his mind all of a sudden or panicked and decided to bolt.
mavsfan4ever
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Zombie Jon Snow said:

I mean the ONLY way it was some trap is if his men were in on it. They were the only ones wiring it and setting the charges etc. or mike would have to intervene and push the button with him down there at which point the crew knows mike is going to kill them all eventually. Not a good plan at all and not a Mike plan for sure. Any plan to take him out would have taken them all out and that won't be until the job is done.

Plus if he felt it was a trap he could have faked looking at the connections etc. he was the only one down there. He could have simply not risked anything come back up and shrugged his shoulders.

It was panic. He cracked.

Nothing else makes sense.


I don't care or feel that strongly about it to argue. But why are you convinced that someone other than his team could have accessed the wires?

Again, I'm not saying they did access them or that mike would actually kill him this way. I'm saying that there seem to be multiple things pointing to the fact that Werner is starting to realize that he may not be getting out after the job. So if he feels that way, why are you convinced that he would be 100% sure no one other than his team accessed the wires at some point?
Texas 1836
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Junkhead said:

After the phone call before going into his double wide, I believe.
You are exactly right. I just looked through the episode online and that is correct.
Zombie Jon Snow
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well "at some point" seems to be the crux of the issue.

it seems to me you don't run wire and just leave it there precisely because anything can happen to it. not even meaning tampering but in a construction area things get damaged all the time. i'm no explosives expert but i would only run pristine wiring for explosives at the time I was using them (for a job this size especially, now a massive job like a building detonation obviously is different). but here you run it at the time of demolition imho. and therefore you know who ran it and can inspect it as you go.

and at least as far as we've seen the only ones down there were his team and Mike.

and i seriously doubt the team would have been ok with Mike - a non explosives expert - doing anything with the wiring or any part of that job.

therefore, yes I assume the wire was run at the time of the explosive job setup by the team and nobody else would have touched it and nobody else was down there (kinda explosives 101).

One other clue to that is - again along the lines of if he suspected a trap why go down there at all just fake it - but also he made sure to inspect every inch of the wiring from the top of the line to the charges. again if he suspected something why bother - to find the tampering you might say well sure maybe but more likely again why check just act like you checked.

And lastly....we clearly saw him find the disconnected fuse line and reconnect it - it was a legit miswiring that have happened as the charge was lowered into the drilled out tube.

I'm not angrily debating this by the way - if it was otherwise ok then - but we saw zero evidence of that and plenty of actions that speak to a unintentional malfunction and a guy getting very nervous as a result of that and the conditions they've been in plus his age, relationship, etc.

imho. just presenting my take on it.
mavsfan4ever
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Yea I know you aren't angrily debating. I just made my comment about not caring enough to argue because it seemed like everyone jumped on aTmAg when he had a similar theory as I did. So I wasn't going to be responding to 30 people telling me I was absolutely wrong

I can see both sides. As I said, I could easily be wrong, and I admit that the panic attack theory makes some sense. Your points about the timing of the wiring make sense. And it could be a mixture of both theories. Maybe Werner thought he was going to be killed at some point and this caused him to be overly paranoid (for no good reason) when dealing with the explosives.

He seemed to calm down after finding what was wrong with the wiring. So once he realized it seemed like an honest mistake, he was able to compose himself. Meaning before he found that, he may have been worried about a non-honest mistake.

I just think they could easily show us some back story next week that would make it clear he left because he knew he was a dead man. And certain things seem to have been implying that he's a dead man (and that he's realizing it) the last few episodes (certain comments, facial expressions, attitude, etc). And even with no back story, it still fits with what we saw (either theory fits with what we saw). So for everyone to completely dismiss that theory seems weird.
Tony Franklins Other Shoe
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Pretty odd they made sure to discuss the money he was going to get and never having to work again. Makes me think that bolting and going in to hiding with his wife is not a feasible option given he knows who he is working for. Maybe he's thinking Mike vouched for him once and he can just fade away. But given the audition and knowing how to find him, pretty panicky move for someone not thinking clearly.
Old Tom Morris
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And that's why it seems obvious to me that he just cracked. If he's worried about his life, then this panicky "shoot the laser at the camera, cut the locks, and run into the New Mexican desert" has no prayer. They could get to his wife in no time, who he's clearly illustrated he cares greatly about. Plus, he seems to have a strong affinity for "his boys - my boys are good boys", and if he's escaping because he's worried about being killed at the end, then he's completely hanging his good boys out to dry and left them for dead. He cracked. And I think he's underestimated the danger.

Since they initially went with this approach on housing the workers, I've been considering how I would react to this whole thing psychologically. I do think it would do a number on me.
Old Tom Morris
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And as far as what happens next, I think they catch him before he gets too far along. Then he ends up blubbering about missing his wife, the isolation has been too much, apologizing, etc. And Mike is going to be caught in the dilemma of how to handle a guy that mentally cracked under the demands of their project vs appeasing Gus and protecting the project.

Killing an escapee going against you to save his ass is easier. Killing some poor bast**d that your plan/project basically broke mentally is another level.

Go back to Mike's first interaction with Gus ar the warehouse. "You can't just keep em alive. You gotta keep em from climbing the walls". He's mostly succeeded with the boys. He's failed Werner.
Bunk Moreland
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If they catch him my guess is they bring him back in to finish the job with promises of going home and when it's done Gus makes the call to end him. Mike struggles with it but ultimately agrees.
Old Tom Morris
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There seems to be a lot of time remaining between now and when Gus starts to attempt the use of the lab with Gale. I wonder if the whole thing goes south before finishing, and takes time to resume (with another crew).
Rick Dalton
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Here's a question for those that can watch again...

When did Werner start to panic/hyper-ventilate? Was it after he spotted the problem with the wires?
Old Tom Morris
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Before. He was part-way thru checking the wires. But he had not made it to where the problem was (the disconnect was in the rock, near the explosive). So he has his attack, pep talks himself into continuing, then finds the problem when he pulls the charge out, and fixes it.

And his pep talk was "pull yourself together, you idiot". Basically like he realizes whatever happening is not rational.
Rick Dalton
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Thanks. I was thinking maybe he could see that there was "tampering" to the wires and then freaked. This thread gets me thinking loco.
Old Tom Morris
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Look at it this way - a guy who is struggling with the overall extended isolation just went into a dark hole in complete isolation. And there are explosives. Slowly grinded down by the isolation of this project which seems to he approaching a year, then there is this moment of extreme isolation (with some malfunction stress) triggers an episode.

One other consideration is that Mike is rhe one that decided Werner would live by himself while the boys would live together. Again, maybe a source of guilt (or at least realizing a mistake) for his role in comtributing to something he'll now have to deal with.
johnnyblaze36
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mavsfan4ever said:

I thought Werner was using his wife as an attempt to escape. When he initially made the request, I don't think he was ever planning on returning if it was granted. Once it was denied, I think he decided he needed another escape plan (bc he feared for his life once the job was done.)
Nobody seemed to give this much credence and I didn't think about it this way at the time while watching but I agree completely with this.

His "four or five days" would have turned into forever if Mike would have gone along with it. Of course Mike isn't that dumb but that's what he was angling for.
 
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