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AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Original poster
Oct 20, 2011
12,787
10,746
Austin, TX
Obviously expectations are high for the latest Vince Gilligan effort. So far, so good.

There are SPOILERS in this discussion

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I was VERY pleasantly surprised. It was great how they managed to tie in some of the Breaking Bad world (part of it was in the preview for next episode) while focussing on the main character. This show has a huge potential.
 
I've really enjoyed the first two episodes. I must be a simpleton, but I laugh every time Saul and Mike argue over parking.

This show has real potential.
 
Ok, I'll check it out. I see no episodes on AMC On Demand, although there is a folder with a 4 min trailer. Hopefully AMC will be reshowing mass repeats for catch up purposes. Two episodes aired to date?
 
Ok, I'll check it out. I see no episodes on AMC On Demand, although there is a folder with a 4 min trailer. Hopefully AMC will be reshowing mass repeats for catch up purposes. Two episodes aired to date?

Yes. Only two. Honestly, just set your DVR to tape the show and for a couple of days program it to tape reruns. You'll catch it.
 
Ok, I'll check it out. I see no episodes on AMC On Demand, although there is a folder with a 4 min trailer. Hopefully AMC will be reshowing mass repeats for catch up purposes. Two episodes aired to date?

From what I remember AMC is repeating those episodes a lot this week so you should have a chance to catch them or DVR them if you do that sort of thing.
 
Warning: spoilers ahead












I enjoyed the first two episodes, especially after I accepted that this isn't Breaking Bad - it's different. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. However, I thought that the scene in the desert was a bit unrealistic in the way that Tuco and his cronies were willing to negotiate with James/Saul over what to do to the two skateboarders. I felt like they played it a bit more for laughs than was appropriate. It's also going to be interesting to see what they do with Chuck McGill. As long as he's housebound, his interactions will be limited. But these are minor points, and I'm very pleased so far.

AMC ran the finale of Breaking Bad last night, too. I had seen it many times, but watched most of it again. I was reminded what a great show and episode it was. From the laser pointer scam to the ricin in Lydia's coffee to Walt's last conversation with Skyler to the last shot of Walt on the ground with Baby Blue playing... amazing stuff.
 
More spoilers

I'm always skeptical of sequels, origin stories, and the like. But Vince Gilligan and his crew have (so far) proved me wrong.

I think they've kept almost exactly the perfect balance with the new show. I love the hints of the future: Is Jimmy McGill's office in the same Korean nail salon that Saul Goodman later tries to get Jesse Pinkman to invest in? And who knew that Tuco Salamanca's respect for his elders was not just directed at Hector?

The pace of the show is just right too. As I noted, there are a lot of treats for the Breaking Bad fan, but someone new could wander into this show and still find it entertaining.

Big questions: Obviously something big is going to happen with his brother's law firm. And somehow I think the county treasurer's embezzled mil' and half is going to show up again.

AMC made the first episode free to download from iTunes. While you're there - also check out the music video featuring country music great Junior Brown (who first worked with Vince Gilligan on an episode of the X Files) and a TV jingle for the future/idealized Saul's legal practice. Also free to download, at least this week.
 
I've seen all of the episodes thus far. Good show! I like the prduction quality and the way the show is shot and structured. You can tell that there are some Breaking Bad influences in that regard. But yeah, so far so good!
 
Spoilers

The episode from March 2nd made me laugh, the guy wanting to secede with his own printed money, the kiddy toilet "you're so big"; "give it to me."!:)
 
I kind of agree with the AV Club review of this week's episode - great episode if you're a Breaking Bad fan, just okay if not.

I've definitely enjoyed the show so far. Looking forward to see where things go.
 
I kind of agree with the AV Club review of this week's episode - great episode if you're a Breaking Bad fan, just okay if not.

I've definitely enjoyed the show so far. Looking forward to see where things go.

I don't know if I totally agree with that. I can assume that you, I, and the reviewer have seen Breaking Bad, so we probably would resonate deeper with us because we know who Mike Ehrmantraut is.

But the way I see it, the episode was so well acted, so well shot, so well written, anyone could enjoy it. Yeah, it does lean a little heavily on some cliches, but that doesn't make it bad by default. To quote something Roger Ebert said that I totally agree with, it's not what it's about, it's how it's about it.

And this was how it was about it pretty damn good.

"You know what happened. The question is: Can you live with it?"

:cut to credits:
 
I don't know if I totally agree with that. I can assume that you, I, and the reviewer have seen Breaking Bad, so we probably would resonate deeper with us because we know who Mike Ehrmantraut is.

But the way I see it, the episode was so well acted, so well shot, so well written, anyone could enjoy it. Yeah, it does lean a little heavily on some cliches, but that doesn't make it bad by default. To quote something Roger Ebert said that I totally agree with, it's not what it's about, it's how it's about it.

And this was how it was about it pretty damn good.

"You know what happened. The question is: Can you live with it?"

:cut to credits:

AGREED! I love it. best one yet, imho.
 
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