Better Call Saul: The Importance of Detail

[@testoftetris]

My favorite scene from Better Call Saul is when Mike is in Mexico and his phone battery runs out - he starts trying to build a makeshift charger and the show makes it look like this will be another detailed process sequence. Barely a minute or so into the sequence, the woman he's staying with just hands him a fully functioning charger and cuts the whole thing short. It's the sort of joke that could only ever work in a show like this, and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing the first time I saw it

[@OneTakeVids]

Hahaha yes, I rediscovered that scene while pulling clips for this video and it made me laugh all over again. For such dramatic shows, Breaking Bad and BCS both have some great humor too.

[@thewitbew6042]

Where can I find this scene? I haven’t rewatched the show for a while

[@Ralphieboy]

Yeah, I was also starting to think, "how formulaic!" and they immediately burst that bubble.

[@OneTakeVids]

@@thewitbew6042 that'd be Season 5, Episode 5 "Dedicado a Max"

[@thewitbew6042]

@@OneTakeVids thank you very much

[@Scrubbles94]

These "tedious" scenes also reveal a lot from the characters, specially Jimmy. There is a scene in which he is removing tape from a recently painted wall. He is told that he has to remove it slow in order to not ruin the pattern, but just as he is about to finish, he just tears it off. One would think that he doesn't follow instructions because it takes more time, or because he doesn't want to do as much work. But when we see how persistent he can be at doing a single task, we learn that he doesn't cut corners because he is lazy, but because he hates being told what to do, and worst of all, he is kind of addicted to the feeling of outsmarting others. And those traits together are the ones that result in his exile

[@martyvsseattle9726]

Such a great and revealing small detail. It was chuck earlier in the episode who tells Jimmy to curl it off to preserve the paint in chucks house as they're taking down the foil. It's only later in the episode that Jimmy is curling the tape off in his office into a clean line, recieves news that agitates him, then tears the rest of and leaves a tattered edge.

[@thisbubblygoodness7611]

he also suddenly ripped painted line down because he realized he was imitating chuck's advice and method and of course at that time their relationship was quite strained ( i think he just found out his brother taped his confession) to say the least, so him tearing the rest of the paint was his moment of 'fuck chuck and his ways' which falls right into his mental state of hating being told what to do, the writing in this TV series is legendary tbh

[@allsmilesguy]

A somewhat related tip I learned from an art class, if you put the tape on your shirt before putting it on a wall or on paper, it’ll collect just enough lint to still allow it to stick but when you tear it off, it won’t be as likely to pull up the paper or paint.

IMO it was because this tape situation reminded him of Chuck. He did something very similar with Chuck earlier in that season.

[@TheRattytat]

Can’t remember if it’s the same bit but he then asks Francesca if it looks alright, to which she responds that the M for McGill is a little crooked. Not exactly subtle, I know, but still a fun moment.

[@JackBond1234]

One of the best uses of the slow scenes was Kim's accident. Watching her just driving a car for a long time seems perfectly normal for the show, and it lulls us into the same sense of distraction as the character is, which made the accident just as jarring to us as it did for the character.

[@zumabbar]

perfectly pictures the phrase "It all happened so fast."

[@RebelTvShka]

Ngl. I knew exactly where it was going and gasped "no!" a few moments before. Everything going well is a bad sign. When I restarted the series with my partner she was completely blindsided and had to stop our binge after that one. It was so good! It captures fatigue and driving so well. The monotony, the zoning out and fixation on looking forward, you're staring down a road you've driven hundreds of times, and suddenly youre on the side of the road or waking up in the other lane.

[@mrbleak9873]

That scene was directed wonderfully. Everything was fine, then BLAM! Chaos.

[@Swagster87]

another absolutely amazing example of this is the heist of the store in the final few episodes (JCPennies?) like they way the planned it all out just worked so well in my head. I loved it

[@LucarioredLR]

I was expecting her to get t-boned which would at least mean us seeing the other oncoming vehicle But nope Suddenly she swerved off the road

[@turldog345]

“They love to answer the question of how,” is so well put. Could you imagine Michael Mando just dropping the pills in and switching them without the practice scene?

[@veramae4098]

Recently read Melville's "Moby Dick" Intro said it was a disappointment in sales but it never quite went out of print because working men appreciated the details, and enough sold yearly. Then it "caught on" with the elite. About 20 years ago I decided I'd read at least one "classic book" each year. I've never been disappointed. Recommend.

[@snowarmth]

Exactly! The series tells you that you have to *make* success happen, with practice. All with the addition of a single scene. If Nacho wasn't realistic and practical, Hector probably wouldn't have gotten crippled. His humility changed the whole story.

[@dash4800]

The craziest thing about Better Call Saul is that they actually let them make the show the way they wanted. Normally studios get big heads about their hit shows getting a spinoff and try to control everything, but in this case they actually allow them to indulge themselves with any detail they want for as long as they want.

[@billblaski9523]

Who is they?

[@linhza501]

@@billblaski9523 The suits who oversee production, budget, marketing, etc... who else?

[@5superhombre]

@@billblaski9523 studios? He said it in the comment

[@billblaski9523]

@@5superhombre excellent

[@thezeek2745]

Actually when a show is a hit the creators gain power and therefore control

[@lizardkingsliwinski4031]

I think the major strength of Better Call Saul is how it manages to make the audience experience empathy. Empathy for Saul Goodman of all people.

[@Wolf-wc1js]

which is how everyone else save for Chuck and now Howard (also technically Mike as well) view Jimmy/Saul/Gene. In light of us knowing everything that he has done, is doing and will do in Breaking Bad, the show is written to be able for us to feel empathy and root for Jimmy because like the majority of people in his universe, he comes off as a likeable guy. Personally I think the one that best represents the audience now in Jimmy's circle is Kim. She's the one that knows nearly everything that we know and she's been there the entirety of Better Call Saul, being in his corner wanting him to succeed just as we have been watching. Just like us, she knows that Jimmy doctored the Mesa Verde documents but nonetheless tells Chuck something that is very much true: Jimmy's not perfect but he does his best, he looked up to his older brother and he worked to change who he was to earn Chuck's approval and instead of supporting him, he tries to stop him.

[@billblaski9523]

As of season 5 finale, im now feeling empathy for Lalo Salamanca of all people! Anyone else?

[@MeteorJunk]

@@Wolf-wc1js Not just because Jimmy is likeable, but because he's kind of an underdog in his story. He couldn't make it as a lawyer because his brother wouldn't let him, when he tries to cut corners to bypass his brother he is considered some rogue element even though that's what he had to do to succeed. And it's like that for a lot of things with Jimmy. When he was a public defender he had to do it. When his brother secretly controlled his chances, he had to do it. When he had to go against his own brother in law, he had to do it. Even after his brothers death, he would not be given a chance to be a lawyer ever again due to "sincerity" so he had to pull a few tricks. The stuff Jimmy does is immoral, but often in life you have to be immoral, or do things you don't wanna do to succeed and come out on top in a world of snakes, wolves, and lions. Jimmy's dad was a good example; he was too nice and gullible, a sheep. When the store went outta business, it was no surprise. Morality is touchy. The world is not a forgiving place, it gives you bad choices, sometimes its of either getting your shit kicked in for your morality or surviving a flood at the expense of your morality. Sometimes it's less black and white, and occasionally theres no way to be moral if you want to survive. Sure, maybe its selfish to do things for yourself, but is a man not entitled to his own survival and goodwill? If the world is so immoral in itself that immorality can be the only way for you, are you really so wrong for deciding working for yourself is the best way to go? Obviously not everything Jimmy did was necessary, but he did it because it's much, much more worthwhile to exploit opportunities no matter the morality than to let them pass by. No one is squeaky clean, and if dumpster diving gets you a fortune you need, so be it. At the end of the day, Jimmy is still an empathetic human being. Being a lawyer was mostly something he chose because he liked the work, but I think ever so slightly he actually does believe everyone deserves chances no matter what, especially considering many people are shut out of life opportunities without cutting corners like he did. He expresses this to the shoplifters who didn't get the scholarship, and I believe that is his true feelings. Its partial to Mike too, he sure as hell really did not want to kill Ziegler, but he had to. Unfortunately, Mike is a wolf forced to heed a lion of Gustavo. He will survive and thrive under the lion, but the lion still gets a big cut of the meat.

[@Devon.with.an.i]

@@billblaski9523 no

[@justinalbin7272]

@Joseph Wong how is Kim relatable to Walt in any way? From the very start of Breaking Bad Walt is a petty, bitter, arrogant, odious man. He never questions the morality of what he's doing, only the risk. Kim's character actually shows what Walt's arc was supposed to; a good person who's morality is compromised bit by bit. Walt starts out a piece of shit.

[@mikedawolf95]

I love how they showed how the super lab came to be. A multi-million dollar lab doesn’t pop out of nowhere especially one made with the goal if making crystal and built to be hidden from the authorities.

[@darylcatpiss]

Its like the building of the bat cave

[@MartyKorslund]

@@darylcatpiss yo wtf that’s actually a really good example, we just accept that because bruce has a shitload of money, he has a giant hidden cave full of insane tech, however a for a construction like that, even with all the money in the world, would be insanely hard to complete in secret. As better call saul perfectly shows

[@billblaski9523]

Very crazy! I always read recaps of the episode after i watch it cus these shows are so heavy on story-telling that I miss little things. Like during Better Call Saul, i realized Gus and the Salamancas are moving cocaine and Gus is now building that lab so he can move to moving meth so he doesnt have to deal with the Salamancas or the Cartel, which he finally achieves in Breaking Bad when he poisons Don Eladio and everyone at that party in Mexico!

[@nont18411]

At it also improved Walt from just a protagonist into a destructive force of nature as well. He simply destroyed everything in his path, no matter how hard it was established.

[@toamatau8785]

The lab storyline was a huge waste of time.

[@madfury3179]

You forgot the most important fact about these long scenes: you don't know what they are doing until it is later unveiled. It's like watching a How It's Made episode without knowing first what they are making.

[@holyflutterofgod]

When they showed the encasing of the ruler that Werner’s wife received from his boys, I remember remarking out loud to my wife “they shot an entire How It’s Made episode for this cold open!! what the fuck!!”

[@PlebNC]

I like how the show makes the legal process more interesting than most shows. In most shows it is at worst boring bureaucracy and at best a source of conflict/resolution through a technicality. BCS fixes that by showing how lawyers, good and bad, weave through the system and some of the loopholes it has.

[@okaminess]

Yeah they wove it in when it was important to the plot.

[@rudysantayana4252]

Hope Bob recovers quickly

[@OneTakeVids]

Same, was very glad to hear it sounds like he is ok and recovering 🙏

[@dssantiago2687]

@@OneTakeVids what happened ?

[@kimherman549]

He collapsed on set while filming season six of better call Saul. We didn’t know what happened until later the next day that he had a heart attack. 🥲. It sounds like it was a small one and he was tended to right away. Love and healing ❤️‍🩹 to Mr. Odenkirk! ✌️

[@lannisterfilth]

@@kimherman549 It's all good, man.

[@FreeOpenTruth]

@@kimherman549- Oh we know what happened! He was another victim of the vaxx!

[@kbatzler]

One of the best shows of all time...

[@OneTakeVids]

Couldn’t agree more

[@gavinrose2533]

agreed

[@Aperki2010]

@Luke P not sure I agree with that but it is good

[@ohboi9578]

@@Aperki2010 better writing than Breaking Bad

[@Aperki2010]

@@ohboi9578 true but I still don't know if I can agree that 'it's one of the shows of all time'

[@tildoyagins7931]

The scenes where Kim is trying to get out of the doghouse by securing new business is good in this way too, probably one of the better ones too.

[@OneTakeVids]

Great point, that was a fantastic scene. If I remember correctly, had a great score too with a cover of Sinatra’s “My Way”

[@suchadamilanata9955]

What episode is this??

[@tildoyagins7931]

@@suchadamilanata9955 One of the ones from season 2 I believe, cant remember precisely, but its right around when saul makes the commercial and chucks starting to come back to the office more.

[@suchadamilanata9955]

@@tildoyagins7931 Oh you mean where Kim left HHM while tried to getting Mesa Verde back for herself right? I thought by doghouse, you mean the dog house that they dinning late night on side of the street.

[@tildoyagins7931]

@@suchadamilanata9955 Nope. Its the part where shes stuck in doc review, commonly referred to as the "dog house" at hhm as its where they send paralegals and people who have messed up. Basically the paperwork gulag. The montage Im referring to is when she secures the business of mesa verde for HMM. The montage is mostly her in the stairwell and taking a break in the garage.

[@mbanerjee5889]

Better Call Saul is a perfect example of "show, don't tell". It makes the audience pay attention and piece together details until a later scene ultimately answers why.

[@schizoidares]

This show did make me feel the way the characters felt, but none of them was as powerful as the scene where nacho was swapping the pills for hector. He was anxious so was I, he was scared and I felt the same way, when he was shivering after the swap, I was really sharing the experience. The acting is top tier.

[@zumabbar]

the shootout scene in Bagman, especially in the beginning part of it, from the ambush until the shootings break out, made me feel as anxious as the swapping pill scene, and that despite knowing Jimmy was going to come out of it alive. the acting (especially Bob's, god his voice was very raw there), the score, and the front closeup of the gun's barrel (the famous Gale shot (pun intended)) and Jimmy's face, all of it worked together selling it to me.

[@JakeKoenig]

They did the same thing in El Camino with the overhead time lapse of Jesse spending hours searching all the rooms in Todd's apartment looking for his money. These scenes are never boring. The viewer gets to experience a taste of the extreme time and effort the characters are spending on various tasks, which makes the eventual payoff more fulfilling.

[@Nobody1991]

The checking of the truck at the border scene is often underrated. It comes to full circle when Mike shoots the hanging shoes. It is pure art❤

[@dude97x]

Mike tearing his car apart is probably my favorite single scene in the whole show!

[@mooselove]

The problem with these amazing shows is I can’t find other shows I get as invested in 😭

[@violinsinthevoid4579]

Barry is a good show for fans of this one, though it is quite different.

[@nevize6660]

​@@violinsinthevoid4579 no spoilers but explain to me what its like

[@RMJ1984]

The reason why Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is so good and have such good characters is, because instead of the writer telling us how great the characters are, they allow us to spend time with them, and the more time you spend with them, the more you get to know them, and not just verbally, but visually and instinctively. I know the Better Call Saul is mainly about saul, but it gives so much time to other characters as well, i freaking LOVED the episodes that heavily focused on Mike being followed, finding the tracker and trying to find out who was on his tail.

[@adrianscorch]

Great soundtrack for that whole sequence as well.

[@welshpete12]

The more a show is like a documentary , the more real it seems .

[@Sk8rGamer]

Am I crazy for liking this show more than Breaking Bad

[@OneTakeVids]

Not at all! With each season of BCS, I've found myself thinking more and more that I like it over Breaking Bad. Though, sometimes it's hard to tell if that's just "recency bias", as in... I'm watching Better Call Saul now so it feels like I'm enjoying it more than a show I finished watching almost a decade ago (side note- can't believe it's been 8 years since the finale!!). At the same time, the writers have 10+ years of additional experience now than when they started Breaking Bad so it would only make sense their craft has gotten even stronger. And with Better Call Saul, they do such a good job painting a picture of these characters, its easy to get super invested in them... and I think I've gotten more invested in Jimmy and Kim than Walt and Jessie at this point. I definitely love both shows but when all is said and done, I might lean toward Better Call Saul overall!

[@mitchgunzler3737]

@@OneTakeVids It’s a more poignant tale. I am confident of this, because I stopped watching. It became too uncomfortable because I empathize significantly more with Saul.

[@marc-antoinemarcoux697]

I believe its because the first two seasons of breaking bad are good but they were figuring out how to write it and the tone of the show. Thats why people keep saying that it begins to be sooo good after 3. Better call Saul, wqell, they already did their work and they took that experience into the show starting episode 1. Thats why its easy to love it more.

[@scott4036]

@@marc-antoinemarcoux697 I hated season 1, mainly because of chuck and how much screen time the loser got. I ended up fast forwarding through most those scenes. The only way I made it through season one without turning it off completely. The show got 10x better after he was killed off and didn’t have to put up with his bs.

[@joshuadoty4682]

@@scott4036 bruh

[@Hysteria98]

BCS is better than BB, end of. The stakes may not always be high, the premise and its characters may not be as simple, but the cinematography, mix of protagonists, and the finesse that carries it all- it's a lot maturer than Breaking Bad and it takes its time because none of these characters are on a time limit like Walt was. It's almost sort of an anthesis to the shaky-cam driven drama we started with. I actually find it difficult watching old clips of Breaking Bad because of how its shot- not a single moment isn't shot like it's a mockumentary, but the same level of detail, acting and writing are of course what keeps me coming back. I absolutely refuse to die until BCS sees itself out- lol

[@iwillheadlockyournan731]

Same here. Although I fucking love shows like Succession, BCS has made me so used to amazing cinematography that I recoil at some of the shaky cam it uses at times.

[@danielmurray3871]

I found Jimmy to be very relatable as well. Probably the most relatable character I’ve seen, at least in TV. Can’t say the same for Walt, Jesse, or even Hank.

[@loganwithlightsabers3051]

Yea but for some reason BCS doesn’t have the whole cultural impact that BB had like I remember back in the day people were having Breaking Bad parties and going as Jesse for Halloween you don’t really hear people talk about BCS like that

[@user-el9ve6kl2n]

@@loganwithlightsabers3051 Because the premise of Better Call Saul is a lot less catching than "chemistry teacher makes drugs". That doesn't lessen it in any way, however. It just makes it less approachable for that level of mass appeal.

[@Mannnnnnnn]

Its not

[@SueRosalie]

It's one of the things that makes the show so great and gives the characters so much depth and complexity

[@gavinrose2533]

Me being a fanatic of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul this video was awesome, being able to relive some of the great moments from the show was amazing. I miss the emotions these shows gave me and I would give so much to be able to go back and watch both shows like I haven’t seen them before.

[@vurrunna]

The moment Better Call Saul really floored me with its attention to detail was when Jimmy's comparing his forged document to the original, and you can actually see the difference in quality from being copied. It's a tiny element in the grand scheme of things, but reveals that this is a show that cares about the little things, and will do everything in its power to make this story and world as believable as possible.

[@CloudMountainJuror]

You’re spot on. Best summary of the show’s appeal that I’ve seen on KZbin, and it helped me better digest my own feelings on it too.

[@whatsappgaming920]

The process of explaining simple things in brief unique way, and jimmy's way with words is what makes this show an so unique!

[@Divadtube]

I relate to the characters on the show so much, and I think its those tedious details that really make them so real and easy to empathize with. I feel all the feelings of the characters right along with them, and its incredible. I am Saul Goodman, because I know just how he feels, I feel it every day.

[@Nobody1x1]

A lot of these drawn out scenes do a good job showing how everyday-like or mundane criminal work can be: It's not just action, money and drugs like other movies show it to be. It's a lot of work too.

[@billycooke6208]

Stress level at the series finale is going to be brutal

[@billblaski9523]

Lol dawg, that last 10, 15 minutes of season 5 finale had my heart racing the whole time! Like when Nacho went outside and saw Lalo sitting there, I thought Lalo found out and the people who called Nacho earlier to tell him to unlock the door at 3AM was actually Lalo's people testing Nacho!

[@nont18411]

Nacho’s dad is gonna be dead, very dead.

[@alfonsovallejo2665]

I love watching all of the characters shining in their own expertise. They all act intelligently while limited by their own skills.

[@dmytro_shum]

details makes the series more alive

[@honestadonis]

Dude, what you do, is an underappreciated art.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thanks for the support!

[@honestadonis]

@@OneTakeVids Thank YOU for the artistry

[@dianevencil]

I am never bored with Better Call Saul! The attention to detail, as you have described it, does so much to draw out suspense and apathy for the characters. Nothing comes easy.

[@hxrprxt]

Can’t wait any longer for the last season of better call saul.

[@griffydz1789]

when is that acually?

[@calmgoodfire4662]

@@griffydz1789 didn’t the actor l have a health issue on set so it might be later than expected

[@griffydz1789]

@@calmgoodfire4662 which one

[@reedhickerson6299]

@@calmgoodfire4662 yeah bob odenkirk had a heart attack so it’ll be longer than expected, he’s recovering but it’ll be a bit until they resume filming

[@hxrprxt]

I read somewhere that it could air around 1st quarter of 2022. 😕

[@vintagecherries]

Vince Gilligan is such a good director. Besides his attention to detail, his shots are so amazingly beautiful.

[@manatortv]

Perfectly put. BCS rewards patience, and lots of people are deterred away from S1 because it isn't as fast as breaking bad or anything they've ever watched. But BCS has THE best payoffs for patience I've ever seen. Season 6 of BCS is the best season of television I've ever watched and it's not particularly close. These 'slower' episodes aren't filler like they would be in breaking bad, or walking dead or whatever show you can think of. EVERY episode has purpose and payoff. It's why episodes like bagman, chicanery, breaking bad, waterworks, point and shoot, five-o etc are so damn memorable and are considered masterpieces. They only work so well because the insane level of details, foundation and character development are set up in interesting and emotional ways

[@Lord_Alimdor]

Show don't tell. The number 1 rule of storytelling. I love it.

[@boboften9952]

Show Don't Tell And Yet I Wanted More From Her .

[@randomidiotontheinternet2772]

Great video! BCS is probably one of the best shows out there

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you!

[@suchadamilanata9955]

Sure is

[@davidneely4791]

This is what I love about BCS, glad to see I'm not the only one. Epic programme

[@dani01949]

This show is the epitome of "show, don't tell". *chef's kiss

[@tavish1658]

Better Call Saul does a lot of things outside the norm, which gives it its charm. One thing that I adore the show for the most, is the writers' ability to use past characters, objects and events to tie into the future. For one thing, the Zafiro Anjero played a critical role in Breaking Bad, and was reused again in Better Call Saul years later. The viewer doesn't need to know it was used in Breaking Bad, but those who do, will acknowledge its cost and why it was used by Jimmy and Kim in the scam scene. And the show is filled with these sort of details. They do not rely on the viewer to know the references, which means nothing gets lost in context.

[@Intraj]

I’m the guy who stopped watching at episode 3-4 of better call Saul. I didn’t like it personally. But watching this video makes me want to try again. Especially after rewatching breaking bad this last month. Thanks for the vid!

[@kellyramsey5486]

Did you ever try it again? I admit I wasn’t hooked at first but It’s so good!

[@Luke101]

The term “competency porn” has been given to sequences or videos of people doing things they’re really good at. It’s just so satisfying. No Country For Old Men is full of scenes like this, especially with Anton. The sequence of him treating his gunshot wound is sort of hypnotic

[@retrieversqbd]

The first episode of BCS I caught was the document doctoring. It was pure gold to me as I had done the same thing as part of my job in the printing industry but on a legit level. I took pride in my skill in making it all look seamless in the final printed publication. Easy as pie to do in the digital world but so much more satisfying to do it by hand. The level of detail portrayed hooked me on the show immediately.

[@nicole-ls4jb]

You are absolutely right, and I never even (consciously) noticed it: There ARE no Deus Ex Machina coincidental saving graces to any of their problems! 🤯

[@billblaski9523]

Dues Ex for PS2 was a badass game!

[@AlbertaTrailCams]

Mikes montage scenes are like a criminal slice of life

[@InvaderZed]

the best Mike scenes are when he never speaks and we just watch him do every tedious thing

[@kentslocum]

The Underground Railroad on Amazon Prime takes this same approach--it lingers for a long time on every scene, trusting its viewers to figure out what's happening by showing, not telling.

[@shawnlacue8071]

Mike using that decoy money stack with the glow in the dark dye was satisfying

[@ultimatemachine457]

In my opinion Better Call Saul was very very slow paced for me for the first 2 seasons, and then starting from season 3, the show just kept on getting better and better after season. I hope season 6 will be legendary

[@WantedUniverse]

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are the best thing one can imagine

[@aSandwich.13]

I always knew Breaking Bad and BCS had incredible writers on staff. But the moment it really hit me just how attentive they are, was when Lalo was doing recon on Gus's HQ, he was writing with his left hand. Later in the episode, when he's walking up to the money wiring office, his gun is tucked in a left-handed position. That honesty amazed me. It seems insignificant, but that's what makes it so profound. I'm willing to bet most people didn't notice it their first few times watching, because I hadn't either.

[@billblaski9523]

Excellente chente

[@WayneMercy]

Perhaps the actor is left handed lol

[@idkaname7221]

Im ngl bruh being a left handed person myself it's prob bcuz the actor left handed lmao 💀

[@aSandwich.13]

@@idkaname7221 @Wayne Of course it's possible he's left handed, even probable. But we didn't see him tuck his gun in the small of his back, it was already tucked. My point being that in a world of generic copy-paste bullshit TV dramas with corporate minded drones with no concept of continuity for directors would dictate the orientation of the gun like, "The pistol grip should be facing this way." "But I'm left handed.." "Well most viewers aren't, turn it around." Maybe Occams razor is slicing the fuck out my argument, but there's been far worse and dumber mistakes made in cinema that only seem to become more frequent as time goes on. My bottom line is, we have something special here, let's cherish and appreciate it right down to the trivial details.

[@nacurity]

@@aSandwich.13 or the actor is left handed

[@atomicwendy]

BCS is perfection. and your analysis is great! thanks!

[@mr2gti]

Very well put together video, guys. Nailed on.

[@douglasbaker9663]

I think you hit on the real storytelling importance with "competent characters". The details don't matter to the viewership if it doesn't impact the characters telling the story. Showing how the characters develop their mastery, or how the technical details impact strategy and decisionmaking, is the key to telling a coherent story. Add to it that showing the details can illustrate risk, build tension and suspense. I really appreciate this aspect of Gilligan's storytelling, and things like character color theming. Every episode is a mine filled with juicy jewels to tease out.

[@Expatriate1977]

These are the best shows ever. Extremely well planned, directed and acted. If Vince makes a thousand different shows with people like Bob odenkirk, I'll watch every single one if them. It's like the shows by Dick Wolf. You don't think it's going to be that damn good until you've watched each if his shows. Then you're hooked.

[@bilkywaygalaxy]

Have you heard of the new Rhea Seehorn show he is directing? Brand new show not involved with BrBa at all

[@omdhdk]

​@@bilkywaygalaxyuhh I didn't know that. I need to watch it!

[@AndiLawson27]

The document doctoring scene is my absolute favorite. How can a scene about copying and cutting and pasting keep me on the edge of my seat?! I watch it over and over because I appreciate every detail.

[@trol68419]

Save Bob Odenkirk at all costs.

[@smucklehead89]

If you're referring to his minor heart attack, he is alive, well and fully recovered, from what I've heard

[@christiangomez320]

If you’re referring to his major heart attack, OS has passed away, from what I’ve heard

[@smucklehead89]

@@christiangomez320 who the hell is OS?

[@vinnytheplayer5500]

@@christiangomez320 wtf is os

[@joshuaoha]

That show was just so much more for grown ups. I already miss it.

[@carlesmiquel]

Maybe... you've just said all what makes this show and Breaking Bad what they are. Possibly, the best shows ever made for tv. I'm so grateful for Vince and Peter and for the team of writers, directors, grips, DOP's, prop masters, location people, designers, producers, lighting managers, makeup artists and actors (and the other 100 people I left out) for their sheer commitment to making something relevant, fresh, new, original and, above all, mesmerizing for the audience. I hope to watch something that tops these two series, seriously. The bar has been set up really high long time ago. This is a "must see" video. Cheers!

[@dgxkeyboards4535]

Fantastic Prequel. What Surprises also about this show, is even though it features many breaking bad Characters it doesn't Overly on them. Aside from Saul and Mike the characters that stood out the most were the new ones. Like Kim, nacho, Chuck and Lalo. And Kim was easily the best character of season 5

[@OneTakeVids]

Agreed! Kim especially is an incredible character

[@dgxkeyboards4535]

@@OneTakeVids Depending how her character story ends she might become even my favorite character from both breaking bad and better call saul

[@bedeccus]

Very True. I had bit of doubts at season 1 / episode 1 when Tuco just suddenly appears and maybe seeing how Mike meets Saul at the firs time. I was worried that this will be a ' witty' Fan service show but later it revealed why these were so important

[@dgxkeyboards4535]

@@bedeccus That what I was worried about too. But this show is really the best of both worlds. It has a lot of fan service to remind you that it's the same universe as breaking bad, but the new characters help give the Show it's own identity.

[@joevald3]

This is why the show was so popular ... It's fascinating

[@Merijn890]

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion but ''Better Call Saul'' is better than ''Breaking Bad''.

[@Greenpp24]

Why did you put it in quotes

[@flsupraguy]

I've been saying this proudly. I'm a hard crittic and BCS was probably the best/most enjoyed show I've ever seen..

[@dolsopolar]

the editing style of both show is polar opposite of each other. better call saul shows you everything while breaking bad barely show you anything and skip to the aftermath leaving it to your imagination.

[@dashx1103]

Both are great. I see no reason to decide which is "better." Both are simply phenomenal.

[@ladyofthemultiverse4383]

They have created such a rich world full of so much deep and amazing characters, that they can create atleast 3 more prequel series and it still won't get any boring

[@johansphoto]

Better Call Saul is a masterpiece in so many ways. Storytelling, cinematography and not least attention to detail. Good video!

[@pajasene]

The scene where Kim crashed her car made me feel bad to my stomach. I had gone through some tough times and watching Kim fight like she did but still come out hurt really had an impact on me watching the show. Great video i really agree.

[@ivoivic2448]

was just watching magnum force the other day and thought to myself that this exact importance of detail is what separates old good movies from today's cheap entertainment. Harry said in a scene that he's going for the burger at the airport. In the next scene, he did not only order a burger, but despite there being another mini plot unraveling, he continued eating the burger and the movie showed him eating/finishing the burger throughout a couple scenes that followed. At the end I got the impression that Harry really likes those burgers and that he's not going to let something on the sidelines interrupt him from doing what he enjoys, which is exactly the portrayal of the character that the movie aims for. Many movies today would show him taking a bite and leaving it just to redirect focus to something new, and that greatly takes away from character development.

[@EricRosemusic]

Incredible, probably the greatest show ever made! It's already surpassed Breaking Bad, I'm just not entirely sure it's passed the Sopranos yet. But I expect it to! Love the slow, drawn out details!

[@jamesonzentz9734]

I don’t know man, I’ll have to see better call saul’s ending before I make that judgment. Those last 3 episodes of breaking bad were so fucking good. And since we already know saul’s fate, I can’t imagine there being as much of an impactful ending. But I may be wrong.

[@callmehanson9466]

I'd still say The Wire is the best show imo, but I do like BCS much more than Breaking Bad.

[@earthstock]

Lol that’s funny because I’m right there with you- Sopranos is still clearly #1 in the greatest TV show of all time, but Better Call Saul is right there in terms of a FANTASTIC show. It’s undoubtedly better than Breaking Bad, which is also a great show in its own right.

[@depthsofabjection]

@@jamesonzentz9734 We know Jimmy's fate of becoming Saul. What we don't know is Gene's fate.

[@depthsofabjection]

@@jamesonzentz9734 Also, we still have a bunch of new characters that we don't know the fate of: Kim, Lalo, Nacho... and I guess Howard.

[@DPowered2]

I didn't notice it at first but i never found those moments boring even if it seemed mundane. It was so well done and at a proper pace i was never asking when is this part over its gone on too long.

[@gersonsaldana]

In MY opinion, BCS plays a lot on the nostalgia card. Gustavo Fring's subplot and "El Cartel" for example. We already know those Breaking Bad characters and they use them well. I think that factor influences the appreciation of the show. So for many BCS it started very slow at first and as they reintroduced these Breaking Bad characters, the show started to get more and more interesting. But that's just my opinion.

[@aaronganga187]

Breaking Bad, Attack on Titan and Better Call Saul are some of the shows I recently watched that taught me how to pay more attention to small details. I'm ever so grateful for what I've learnt from these amazing stories

[@OneTakeVids]

Love that you include AOT in that list. Most ppl wouldn’t immediately think of it when talking about BB or BCS but it tells a similarly complex story which also includes character changing over time with every decision they make.

[@aaronganga187]

@@OneTakeVids Exactly a reason why I adore it so much. Isayama sensei placed so much time and effort into ensuring all the characters had the proper motivations, goals and reasons to push them and the plot forward. Like BB and BCS, it's all so simple yet so complicated at the same time. I love it with my heart and soul and I can't wait to watch your AOT videos

[@aaronganga187]

@@nobodyspecial4676 Oh no, I believe they're on their own levels. This was just saying which stories taught me how to be a better storyteller

[@blondymonk1535]

@@nobodyspecial4676 The best of AoT is yet to come and it's already up there with the best of all time. That's why.

[@blondymonk1535]

@@nobodyspecial4676 Oh ok, you're that sort of a guy. Have a nice day bro.

[@cosmogoblin]

Absolutely agree with every word. In fact, I've often found myself finishing an episode, and *going back* to watch those long drawn-out scenes. Mike's in particular - Jonathan Banks' acting is sublime, and with the brilliant direction and cinematography, you can learn a lot about him from the subtlest of cues, like the expression on his face when something doesn't quite work, or the length of his pause when something unexpected occurs. Another studio could condense each season into maybe three episodes, and all the major beats would be there. The story need not suffer. But the experience most certainly would.

[@danielwhite1135]

This level of detail helps bring a show closer to the ability of a book to craft a world in the mind. It doesn't work with every type of show of course, but when done well and with the right show, it does up the quality!

[@Riverrockphotos]

Well done. The time they take for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is truly magnificant.

[@kzadbhat555]

You definitely came to the answer I was thinking at the start. A lot of what's so satisfying is watching the details of someone with competence (or someone developing competence, in the case of Nacho practicing the pill bottle drop). So many others that try it are boring because you can see there's no competence there. You can believe the person you see on screen in these shows really knows what they're doing.

[@kkrtlll]

I never get bored in these scenes i love them, they are changing the whole show

[@MelShibson]

For me the first two seasons took tons of patience to get through. It really pays off though bc the story that's developed is so damn good by season three. I still like to make jokes about this show though like "On the next episode of Better Call Saul Jimmy and Kim have a long conversation in the living room of their apartment." It makes the show feel so much more real.

[@Krapoutchniek]

9:05 : except the scene where Mike saves Jimmy when he carries the 7 million dollar for Lalo (even if it's a nice scene to watch). Mike pops from nowhere and snipes (almost) every guy just when Jimmy is about to be shot.

[@yooooo8600]

But regardless, that still made sense for Mike's character. It's 7 million dollars; of course someone is going to get a whiff of that and try to steal it, so Mike stayed in the shadows and followed Jimmy just in case. This is really the only Deus Ex Machina I can think of between both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul though, whereas other shows will have something like that happen every other episode.

[@angelangelov4423]

i literally came to the comments to write this :D

[@suchadamilanata9955]

I think Gus order him to, he want Lalo to exile south. If anything happen to the money, Lalo would still stay there and keep messing with his business.

[@Wolf-wc1js]

well it nonetheless kinda had to happen because unfortunately if you watch BCS first or even just on the flash-fowards where Jimmy is now Gene, you remember in hindsight that Jimmy will live and you realize a Dues Ex Machina is gonna happen because he has plot armor. Same thing with Hector although one theory I had seen in the previews prior to the episode was Hector would be crippled because Mike took the shot but it didn't actually kill him

[@GooseMcBruce]

Better Call Saul is a show where nothing happens and it's the greatest thing on television

[@SpiderBearTV]

I just finished season 4. The show is brilliant.

[@tjclarke6074]

i'm jealous you get to watch season 5 for the first time.

[@darylcatpiss]

Ooh you've got some.good stuff coming your way enjoy

[@rasmustagu]

Man.. that Primitive Technology part, it's really been a while since he last uploaded something. Hope he's alright. Great analysis!

[@erikhartley2494]

The Lalo scene in “Bad Choice Road” was one of the most tense moments of my life. It compares to Ozymandias IMO. This may be odd for some, but the Hound’s final fight with the Mountain had me clenching my cheeks pretty hard as well as holding back tears in GOT.

[@linamen2544]

Yeah! So good scenes you mentioned there. But in this case I almost felt proud of Kim for standing her ground in front of that cartel lord. And I think that moment Kim realized herself how powerful she really is. Next day at the hotel she's not afraid of going to work, that same night she's making plans to destroy Hamlin. Just, great TV!!!!

[@borris3768]

Cringe

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

I think it's interesting that you mention you know people who stopped in the middle of Season 1. Because that was me. I was that guy. I LOVED Breaking Bad, then I gave this a shot and it didn't hook me. But after I gave it another chance it did, and I think it's right on-par with Breaking Bad. But it took me hearing other people say that AFTER I had given up on it to give it another shot.

[@ianjohnson6236]

literally a master peace

[@chimericalical]

This and it’s opposite are why the Joker is an amazing character in the Dark knight, but a much more incredible character in that same movie for audiences that have seen Batman Begins. In BB, there’s a lot of showing Batman’s process and how he becomes the Batman. In the Dark knight all of Batman’s plans and ideas the viewer gets to see the process. Aaaaaand, for the criminals, a great deal of that is not seen and would be utterly terrifying and confusing. How does Batman know about this or that? Where’d he come from? Who is he? Why is he doing this? And those are questions intentionally left unanswered for the viewer about the joker. This is less jarring without Batman’s journey being shown in full to the viewer in a similar manner to the breaking bad characters.

[@billyjoel9313]

With the primitive technology section at 5:40, you can actually enable subtitles and it will occasionally explain what he's doing or what he's working with.

[@dab42bridges80]

The details illustrate the research that goes into making the stories believable. Also consider the camerawork angles chosen to illustrate the story and make it more interesting, the framing is brilliant.

[@darthcreepio]

This is a big part of why I love this show

[@timmehh89]

I love the attention to detail, it reminds me of no country for old men.

[@RB-lq5ye]

I think that scenes like these, where they show the in between moments, are what made both of these shows so addictive to watch. You get to know the characters in a very personal way and it makes them feel fleshed out and human

[@profwaggstaff]

Brilliant analysis. I found myself agreeing on all points. Details can be boring when not done right, but here, it was all done wonderfully.

[@mwoods4608]

this is what makes the show great they tell the stories, have the extra segments that nobody else will

[@zer0pulse156]

ppl who usually dont like these "tedious" series or movies usually loves tiktok and M.Bay kinda movies. These "silent" series or movies makes you really invested and think. I can't count how many times I paused a scene because I felt intense stress 😁

[@tpe54]

I was drawn to this series. Even when at times I thought I had enough BCS and thought no more, I always had to go back and watch the entire series. The noirish aspect is also seductive as mentioned in another U-Tube commentary. I never realized until you discussed about the attention to detail that this was a also an important factor in BCS's allure.

[@p0kepengin592]

That part at the end of second 5 where Lalo is asking Saul to repeat the story repeatedly had me legit shaking and when he left I had a mixed case of blue balls and relief.

[@mikeyang5091]

Thank you for the great analysis. Comparing to Breaking Bad where the pace was relatively fast, the pace of Better Call Saul is often relatively slow. But just like you said, when it is crunch times, the tension and suffocating feeling in Better Call Saul is much stronger than Breaking Bad even though we already know the fate of some of these characters. As for future analysis, it would be great if you could analyze the contributions of these very detailed scenes in terms of character building, like how actions taken by a specific characters are small in generall but actually means a lot in terms of reflecting his/her emotions or rationales. Again. thank you for the great analysis. Enjoy it!

[@gabrielpasquino4270]

I think one of the great parts of Better Call Saul, and why they linger on scenes so much, is that in a sense we know how it'll go. This show is a prequel, so we know Mike, Jimmy, Hector, Gus and others all make it to the end. If the show didn't show and instead just told us "and jimmy got out of this situation miraculously!", we wouldn't be surprised, because we already know he'll survive; we know Jimmy will weasel his way out of his scene with Lalo because we know he lives, but we don't know how he does it. To a greater extent, we know Jimmy becomes Saul, the fun of the show is seeing every painstaking detail of how he gets there. We already know where the characters are going, we just don't know how they got there, and that's reflected in the storytelling of every scene. It's a show more focused on the journey then the destination, and I think that's incredible.

[@twixsondubbi9753]

Better call Saul really builds the BB universe. There is a lot more emphasis on the characters in the world other than the core ones. Makes it feel so deep and rich. Love that these shows are shot like an old Sergio Leone western, letting scenes breathe having the actions speak louder than words. Also there is more importance to the dialogue in Saul because it is important for this character who is known for using it to get/or get out of trouble. Perfect show

[@idk-g5o4q]

one of the ways in which breaking bad and better call saul spoil its fans is by fitting every element of the story perfectly it's not very often that you find a show that neatly ties everything together into making sense while still maintaining such a high entertainment value this is the reason why after getting used to shows like these, most modern tv becomes unwatchable