I didn't say they greenlit two more seasons. I said I'd be surprised if they didn't let the BCS team go out on their own terms, which the show runner is hinting would probably be two more seasons.

I could see the next season working up to and through most of BB. Mike and his car just can't take it. Really would like to see some craziness with Gene and Omaha and maybe some cartel or Fed interaction where he gets one last hurrah as he fades out. I mean we all have a pretty idea of the whole BB era with Saul that they can fast forward through with only side snippets of historical action.

Everything in Saul is well done but they sure have stretched out what appeared to be a marginal character on the surface. The fact that the very rich source material in BB - HS teacher with family and DEA BIL becomes drug lord - only lasted 5 seasons and that a goofy shady lawyer show may go 6, just seems off.

If it were up to me,

Next season -
- Opening black and white scene - Gene (post BB)
- Picks up with Saul starting his law practice, occasionally working with criminals that have been introduced over BCS. (Guys who bought phones from him, the three that stole money from him, maybe the dentist, etc.)
- One criminal would probably be a cameo from BB. (or maybe we see Hank or Gomez cross paths with him. Maybe James Kilkelly pops up (sp?) - the guy who gets paid to "go to jail for you". One or more BB cameos like that.
- Lalo probably kills Nacho's father. Either directly or indirectly.
- Kim and Jimmy have their falling out - slow burn style with an explosive ending. Kim leaves Albuquerque.
- Lots of time jumps over the season. You see him build up from a small operation to what you eventually saw in BB - hires Francesca, Bill Burr, buys the office, etc.
- Mike eventually needs Saul's help. This is how Saul (kind of) gets in touch with the Fring/ Lalo types - "I know a guy who knows a guy".
- The finale starts with a black and white scene, one that is a cliff-hanger of sorts.
- Finale ends with Saul being kidnapped by Jesse/ Walt. May not even see their faces.

Final season -
- Each episode would start with a scene from BB timeline. Show you some important things from his perspective that were not apparent from BB. (99% sure this wouldn't happen, but I can't help it)
- The rest of each episode would be Gene/ post BB. It would be exciting to see what they were able to do with 100% freedom to go wherever they wanted with it. Does Saul have a tragic ending? Does he get to see Kim again? etc.


But this is Vince Gilligan and crew, so absolutely none of this will happen because it's way too predictable.

CoachRTM said:

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If it were up to me,

Next season -

- Lots of time jumps over the season. You see him build up from a small operation to what you eventually saw in BB - hires Francesca, Bill Burr, buys the office, etc.

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Hires her again. She was the secretary for Wexler & McGill a season or two ago before they had to close up shop.

Burdizzo said:

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I didn't know they had greenlighted two more seasons. I thought just one

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Correct. They've started publicly lobbying for a second season.

I imagine they'll have to convince AMC that they can get ratings back by easing up on the character development and advancing the timeline. Another season of will they/won't they stay together stuff would be disappointing, even though it's been very well done and the realest part of the show.

Junkhead said:

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Complete Idiot said:

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Everything in Saul is well done but they sure have stretched out what appeared to be a marginal character on the surface. The fact that the very rich source material in BB - HS teacher with family and DEA BIL becomes drug lord - only lasted 5 seasons and that a goofy shady lawyer show may go 6, just seems off.

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But BCS is way more than just the "goofy shady lawyer" as you put it.

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Just referring to what you might think about show duration just from a one sentence description of the show before it was released. I would also think most Breaking Bad fans, including myself, would not have guessed it would go more seasons than Breaking Bad itself. I don't even think the show creators thought that.

They've expanded the universe. They have great, well written, complex characters. It's done well. But it's pretty amazing to be discussing a season 6, even more so since this is a prequel done with the same actors.

ChiliBeans said:

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Burdizzo said:

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I didn't know they had greenlighted two more seasons. I thought just one

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Correct. They've started publicly lobbying for a second season.

I imagine they'll have to convince AMC that they can get ratings back by easing up on the character development and advancing the timeline. Another season of will they/won't they stay together stuff would be disappointing, even though it's been very well done and the realest part of the show.

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From a practical/business point of view - I wouldn't buy any concept of improving ratings in any dramatic way.

This is the type of show that you have to have had buyin I think from the beginning on the premise and stick with it throughout more or less. And really you almost have to have been a BB watcher to have had an interest to begin with - although not required from the plot for the most part.

i can't see new viewers suddenly jumping on board - unless it's after a final season in which it just knocks it out of the park and then they go binge watch it because they hear it is so good.

Could you recover some of the earlier S1/S2 viewers who bailed on the slow burn and come back for maybe a last season with some BB crossover of characters and timeline? Sure.

It has hemorrhaged off from 3.2 million/ep the first season to below half of that now.

S1 3.2M (although the premier 6.8 million swayed that quite a bit - it was more like 2.8 for the other 9 episodes.
S2 2.1M
S3 1.6M
S4 1.5M

Best case I think you might get back to 2M per episodes or something. Except maybe the finale which if advertised with some great BB crossovers, cameos, etc.. could draw 3.5-4 M.

Much more likely that those still on board stick it out and we see 1.5ish except the premier and finale maybe.

Anyway..... just saying you rarely see a show that has been dwindling suddenly resurge to great numbers.

I dont really have much interest in seeing Gene stay on the down low in Omaha. Maybe a scene or two like we they have done already. Or maybe I'm just not creative enough to see how that would be fun to watch.

I don't want it to end, but I DO want them to set an end date FAR in advance so they can end it exactly how they want.

I almost wouldn't be surprised if they don't go the route of BrBa and MM and do two 6 episode seasons to wrap it up. I think that is probably enough shows to do it, but man this show is the best on TV right now.

I didn't get to keep up with the discussion on this thread, so not sure what everyone's thoughts were... but I finished last night and I think the season finale had to easily be the best episode of the series. Absolutely amazing from start to finish.

Mike and the German
Lalo and Nacho
And Jimmy's speech at the end, only to see it was a complete act

Just fantastic

Did we see Nacho?

I can't remember, I watched the last three episodes over the weekend so I may be combining things. I think Nacho is always great. Just an amazing season in general.

The scene with Mike and the German and The final speech by Saul though were just so fantastic.

Lalo reminds me of Anton Chigurh:

Smart
Ruthless
Scary calm

A formidable opponent for Gus & Mike.

Duckhook said:

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Lalo reminds me of Anton Chigurh:

Smart
Ruthless
Scary calm

A formidable opponent for Gus & Mike.

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Same, friendo

Sex Panther said:

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I can't remember, I watched the last three episodes over the weekend so I may be combining things. I think Nacho is always great. Just an amazing season in general.

The scene with Mike and the German and The final speech by Saul though were just so fantastic.

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Was a fantastic episode. On par with the Chuck vs Jimmy courtroom battle in Season 3 for me

Just caught up on the last two episodes:

1. Wow ...solid work by all involved. Amazing to look back and see some folks on prior seasons threads were ******** about the series moving too slow. Well ... thats the payoff we all knew was in the works.

2. I think the point of showing Gale at the lab was not the conversation itself, but to show Mike listening in from the staircase above. I'm not sure what Mike's takeaway was supposed to be yet.

...Possibly that Gus was running the lab project independently of the cartel? This seems to fit because Lalo had no idea what the **** was going on with the construction project when he was on the phone with the lead engineer at the motel when Mike showed up. .

3. Lalo ... when i first saw this dude I has a 'who the **** is this dumbass' reaction. Now ... he's a smarter more powerful and less crazy version of Tuco. (recall that the actor that played Tuco retired from the project).

The show can't take another year and a half or whatever it is to release the next season. Also, I'm ready for a punchline. Move the story along.

Aside: It's never been a huge problem for me, but it's surprisingly nice to hear a native/fluent Spanish speaker in BCS. Used to be just Nacho's dad before Lalo.

Agreed. My Chilean wife just laughs when she remembers that Gus is supposed to be from Chile.

I haven't read several pages, so it may have been mentioned already. It's funny to see Crazy 8 as a *****.

The last two episodes, particularly the finale, were excellent. Agree with the characterization of Lalo as a fantastic villain. Thought the final scene with Jimmy and Kim had a very similar feel to the last scene of the Godfather. Kim looks at Jimmy as he's walking away the exact same way Kay looks at Michael after she realizes her were worst fears (Michael ordering Carlo's death and his general evilness) were true. Then both immediately cut to black. Brilliant.

Hotdog Hamblin said:

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The last two episodes, particularly the finale, were excellent. Agree with the characterization of Lalo as a fantastic villain. Thought the final scene with Jimmy and Kim had a very similar feel to the last scene of the Godfather. Kim looks at Jimmy as he's walking away the exact same way Kay looks at Michael after she realizes her were worst fears (Michael ordering Carlo's death and his general evilness) were true. Then both immediately cut to black. Brilliant.

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There is entire sub-reddit on Godfather references in BCS.

Was looking more at what Mike knew after this last episode.

Up until now, it's pretty clear that Mike understood the three phases off the cartel's operation and Gus's role in all of that; however, I think the last shot of Mike in the stairwell listening was when he realized for the first time that he was walking a tightrope by working for the cartel and against the cartel at the same time.

He realized that the cartel wasn't involved in Madrigal or the laundry facility lab. That was all Gus out on his own.

I think he suspected it when Lalo was asking for details on what the German engineer was working on when he got him in the phone. His suspicions were confirmed whe Gayle mouthed off about wanting to cook.

It's been too long since I saw BB to remember how all that played out.

The first time we see Mike was to clean up the Jane mess and reel Jessie back in.....?

But it seems like Mike had to have already been doing dead drops for Gus for a long time before we first saw him in screen in BB.

I see what you mean now. I misinterpreted your post.

hurleyag said:

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Agreed. My Chilean wife just laughs when she remembers that Gus is supposed to be from Chile.

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You really can't generalize nationalities like that, though. My grandfather came here from Argentina, but you never would have known that from his accent, or taste in music. Or blond hair and blue eyes.

Grampa Klaus.