McGill v. McGill: The Birth of Saul Goodman

[@OneTakeVids]

Check out the OneTake Podcast channel where we host longer-form discussions, including deep dives into each new episode of Better Call Saul! kzbin.info/door/iA1mbsgg6WhaWkB4HFS04Q

[@nont18411]

“The law is sacred.” has the same vibe as “What I do, I do for the family.” Jimmy had to witness both BS

[@TheOneTrueClovehitch]

It's funny too because law is made up by a bunch of suits in a room who will never have to worry about the consequences of their actions so...at least in some cases the law isn't right to begin with. Not to mention the fact our justice system is ineffective. What? Someone does something bad so we put them in a metal box with others who probably did something worse so they'll never learn better behavior? So they'll be worse? Our system doesn't consider redemption possible. Good behavior is irrelevant because a lot of employers don't want convicts...and if they do something bad enough or do enough bad things they just sit in a cage their whole life? That's not fair either. Redemption and time are something the law treats like toys to be played with. And that's wrong.

[@pastlife960]

@@TheOneTrueClovehitch Absolutely spot on! Chuck is the living embodiment of the American justice system, and the idea that people don’t change, redemption and rehabilitation are impossible.

[@nont18411]

@@pastlife960 You are wrong though. Chuck is not a “living” embodiment☠️

[@jackd6881]

@@TheOneTrueClovehitch Also Chuck spent the early part of his career arguing precedent and law interpretation, he would be well aware that laws change and are amended or even ignored all the fucking time. That 'law is sacred' nonsense was just bullshit.

[@setbyyah5637]

@@jackd6881 Exactly, like they said in the video; The idea of him becoming a lawyer and Jimmy not being capable of that was sacred to Chuck. He based all of his self-esteem and self-worth around that belief. His cognitive dissonance grew as Jimmy continued to exceed expectations in passing the bar, building an independent legal practice, and building a huge multi-million dollar case that got his law partner extremely excited. Not to mention Jimmy noticed an irregularity that Chuck didn't in work they both examined that led to the SandPiper case.

[@endlessjes]

When Jimmy busted into Chuck's house to destroy the tape and ends up waiting on the curb for the police, Chuck stood outside over him lecturing him without any symptoms. That's important to this evaluation.

[@qorso]

This was around the time Chuck was able to be outside though but I do think its somewhat relevant.

[@officerspooder]

i thought it was a plot hole at first but this makes sense!

[@BhBc8f8]

@@officerspooder really you thought this masterpiece had a plot hole, really?

[@KobeLoverTatum]

@@BhBc8f8 i mean chuck blames jimmy for his father losing $14k yet seems oblivious to the fact that his father is an overly generous man, did chuck not have a relationship w his father? did chuck never spend anytime around the store? If you’re talking about BCS as a whole though Gus also reused dead drop zones which even Jesse and Walt didn’t do when they were dealing on their own. They’re major plot holes.

[@BhBc8f8]

​@@KobeLoverTatum Chuck was sent to college during that time but rushed home in the middle of his clerkship to help his father with the book keeping and that's when he discovered $14K was gone. Jimmy stealing $40 every day for a year is $14K, $20 for 2 years is $14K, $13 for 3 years is 14K, $10 for 4 years is $14K and $8 for 5 years is $14K. Chuck said “Jimmy grew up in that store”, so if Jimmy worked there after school from age 13 to age 18 then it’s certainly possible now isn’t it? But like you’ve said there is room for doubt, Jimmy has his truth and Chuck has his truth but THE truth lies somewhere in the middle, with both or neither. Just because the writers intentionally left it ambiguous doesn't mean it's a plot hole. If you keep doubting the genius writing of this show I'm gonna have to enact protocol chicanery under article 1216, one after Magna Carta.

[@DenseEpiphany]

This is without a doubt one of the most complex and tragic relationships ever portrayed in fiction. No one can change my mind about this

[@pie8863]

It’s right up there with Michael and Fredo to me, truly a masterful relationship.

[@jasonvoorhees310]

Brilliant, tragic, sad brotherly relationship.

[@lordmelvin9310]

People spouting shit like this is so funny to me.

[@jacobhealy8376]

They are just brother this is how brothers be

[@DenseEpiphany]

@@jacobhealy8376 wth ur talking about. I definitely don't have a relationship like this with my brothers. If u do I'm sorry for you but the circumstances, consequences and psychological impact/effect on the characters brought about by this complex relationship between the Mcgill brothers are far away from normal.

[@lordnemo6401]

you know what's worse than Chuck?, the fact that Michael Mckean never won an emmy for his potrayal of Chuck

[@nicoffee777]

*What a sick joke*

[@Cafferdite15]

Yet

[@RinRin72769]

this chicanery!

[@systemical1]

Have some more emmys, have some more trophies. It doesn't matter if it's gold or bronze.

[@TheMinerMan]

What a sick joke!

[@sophieamandaleitontoomey9343]

The thing that pissed me off the most with Chuck is that he saw first hand how good of a person Jimmy had the potential to be when he discovered the Sandpiper Lawsuit. How Jimmy actively came to the defense of all of those people being taken advantage of and how hard he worked to ensure justice would be given to them. He even made sure to get the papers in a legal way and made sure Chuck knew that. And most of all, how much he’d changed and how driven he was. He saw that all first hand and yet it didn’t matter. But no. Jimmy can’t improve or change himself according to Chuck. Even if Chuck was right about Jimmy’s eventual fate, he pushed him in that direction by not ever giving him a chance to bask in the changes he was actively making in himself. Jimmy could have actually been a decent lawyer if Chuck had let go of his hatred and prejudice for him. And maybe it would make sense to me if Chuck didn’t do the exact same thing that he constantly is mad at Jimmy for but because it’s “in the grounds of the law” it’s fine. It pisses me off to this day how much of a hypocrite he was.

[@toxiccan175]

If you hadn’t written this, I would have. Perfect summary of my own thoughts!

[@abhijitpadhi625]

I don't think Jimmy ever would have been a straight and decent lawyer. Look what happened at Davis & Main. Chuck expected Jimmy to do the same at HHM, and he was right about that. Jimmy has a problem and Chuck knew it.

[@sophieamandaleitontoomey9343]

@@abhijitpadhi625 I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just saying Chuck is a hypocrite.

[@uyuyyhgghh8542]

@@abhijitpadhi625 Davis and Main was different. Jimmy made one mistake, and got permanently punished for it, and then they turned around and made a commercial anyways.

[@abhijitpadhi625]

@@uyuyyhgghh8542 Their issue was that Jimmy should have told them about the ad. Running unauthorised ads in such companies is a HUGE mistake. Of course he got punished for it. What are you, a child? Stop making excuses for Jimmy. It was his fault he did all that. Jimmy can never properly work for a company as he will just do his own thing. Chuck new that, hence never gave him a job. He was right for doing that. Stop making excuses for Jimmy just because you like him.

[@unclekarl5219]

I think an important aspect of this dynamic is that Jimmy was entirely unaware his brother was out to get him however, importantly, as soon as Jimmy discovered he was he was able to destroy chuck in a matter of weeks. A genius prodigy like Chuck was no match for a conman like slippin Jimmy

[@ty-qj4ms]

@samoeshit True! Being the police and trying to control everyone will make you forget yourself. Jimmy gets away every single time, sometimes the good thing to do is give up

[@henrywallacesghost5883]

A 6'5- 260 pound guy with no killer instinct is no match against a 5'0- 120 pound guy that is willing to kill.

[@listrahtes]

Well he didnt have to do much to "destroy" chuck. Chucks condition was kept tight as a secret and would always have created waves if known. Jimmy exposed Chucks mental illness to the public. First his laywer colleagues and then then insurance company. But he just showed them what was there. The work was all done by Chuck who had to big an ego to seek help for his mental illness and instead created the pathology. Jimmy was a good laywer but here Chuck handed him the win on a silver platter just by being who he is.

[@withneilw9146]

Chuck being kindest to him when he's allowed to feel superior is such a great point!

[@scottessery100]

That’s how narcissists work … they only praise you after you’ve done what they want

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

How many of us have dealt with that reality? When it hits you like freezing cold water right in your face...it changes everything for you.

[@SuzakuX]

Something I think a lot of people don't talk about is their large age difference and Chuck's schooling. It's only addressed a couple times, but like Gray Matter in BrBa, I think there's a lot of subtext there that you can read into. Chuck is about 10 years older than Jimmy if I recall correctly -- you can guess that their parents probably had fertility issues, making Jimmy not just the baby brother, but an unlikely second child. At the same time, Chuck was a child prodigy who left home in his early teens to attend university, and then to establish his law career, which is likely a source for his socialization issues. You have this distance in age and geography, which would have probably prevented Chuck from bonding with Jimmy as a sibling; the one flashback we do see has Chuck in an almost more fatherly role. And simultaneously, you have Chuck doing amazing things in school and work while his parents heap affection on his baby brother just for existing, building resentment. And yet Jimmy very much looks up to and admires his wunderkind big brother.

[@marylynnkunkel3134]

That’s what I was thinking, too. As a youngest child myself, I have experienced resentment from my oldest sibling, in our case because our parents were a lot easier on me as often happens with large-ish families: the parents are often more relaxed after having a few kids, and maybe their financial situation is better so the youngest has more privileges, etc., etc. I suspect Chuck’s resentment is even more complicated than OneTake describes. In that scene where Chuck is at their mom’s deathbed, and her last words are “Jimmy!” And then, Chuck tells Jimmy she didn’t say anything, this makes me think that Chuck’s anger and resentment may have really been against their mother and father, but he blamed Jimmy to keep the story of their perfect parents in tact. Sure, Jimmy did not suffer consequences, and he got love when he did not appear to deserve it, but who was it that fell for Jimmy’s antics and looked the other way at his transgressions? His parents. Instead, though, Chuck put all the blame on Jimmy. Anyway, that is my psych analysis for now. :-)

[@RiC_David]

@@marylynnkunkel3134 I'll second this as the youngest sibling whose brother is ten years older. The financial situation was much better when I was young (or from around 6 onwards at least) and my brother was always, always trying to play the mentor although in his case he was far more of a fuckup in his teens than I was and his attempts at controlling not only led me to want to do the opposite of whatever he pushed for, but ultimately came down to 'Don't live like a 17 year old, live like a 27 year old'. After cutting him out and just living and learning, I made it fine. I contrast this with my relationship with my nephew, 10 years my junior, which was about as close - I learned not to suffocate him with heavy handed involvement and not only have we always got along but when I have offered advice, he hasn't resented it.

[@booyahinc]

One also has to wonder how the cost of sending Chuck to school, so he could harness his gifts, played into the family financial situation. $14k is chump change compared to the cost of a BS, let alone a JD.

[@janys6502]

If you call BB BrBa do you also call BCS BeCaSa?

[@booyahinc]

@@janys6502 AbSoLu

[@SerMattzio]

There's something so cruel about Chuck's self righteousness. In the world of BCS and BB, full of murderers and drug dealers, there's something especially repulsive about the way Chuck is so professional and "righteous" on the surface, but so vindictive and petty behind the scenes. Yet at the same time, for all his likeability, seeing Jimmy's more earnest nature morph into his insincere conman lawyer persona is heartbreaking too.

[@matthewriley7826]

It’s something that these shows have touched on before. Characters who think their actions are for some “noble purpose” but done for their own petty reasons.

[@azorahigh3218]

Lawful neutral characters are the scariest.

[@wattsnottaken1]

Jimmy tried to go straight and narrow for years but all it get him was more judgment and resentment from Big brother Narcissist. When Chuck died Jimmy realized he can now fully embrace being Saul Goodman. “Sometimes you gotta play to your strengths” - Slippin Kimmy

[@chuckles3116]

I think Chuck’s belief that he knows Jimmy’s “true nature” is ultimately just a cover for the fact that he can’t find any cosmic justice in Jimmy thoroughly eclipsing him socially and doing only slightly worse career-wise even though Chuck did everything right and Jimmy did everything wrong by conventional standards. The ultimate reason he can’t reconcile with Jimmy is that in doing so he would be forgiving things he believes to be unforgivable.

[@sanchoquixote1121]

I feel like people are too harsh on Chuck. I grew up with a habitual thief/liar. People always told me I was too hard on them. Those same people would wind up living with them, and come back apologizing.

[@kolczak6964]

@@sanchoquixote1121 they aren't lol. By the time of first episode Jimmy knew Howard for a decade and in all those years he showed he changed himself by not falling into his slipping ways and actually becoming real lawyer in completely legal way. Guess what Chuck does in this case? Manipulates and sabotages his brother's career due to sheer spite and hatred he feels for Jimmy which he masks as some kind of moral duty because he sees himself as guru of righteousness due to being lawyer. Fucking joke. People can indeed change, but it isn't rule and depends on individual and their circumstances. Jimmy changed himself to become better person, but Chuck pushed him back into his evil ways.

[@cl1cka]

@@kolczak6964 Jimmy also fucks Howard over multiple times for fun and no other reason.....Even though Howard never did anything to Jimmy. So let's not talk like Jimmy was good. Jimmy also did the one thing I hate about people - does something wrong apologizes and expect people to move on. Then he makes a promise he would never do that again, knowing full well - he will.

[@katekimberly426]

@@sanchoquixote1121 I don’t know your story in full, of course, but if this person was genuinely trying to change, would you have turned down, or even sabotaged, all the attempts in right direction or helped and supported? If remember the past of Jimmy - he did all he promised to Chuck, he honestly worked in a mailroom, didn’t run any cons or schemes. But, he never promised not to pursue success in his life, and he also honestly studied, worked hard, honestly passed the bar, became a promising lawyer. His regression back to his Slippin Jimmy started only after he was first time rejected by HHM.

[@moimoimoiiiiiii32221]

His death scene was absolutely hautning to see. And in the episode "winner" that flashback of him and jimmy made me shed a tear. Chuck mcgill is an amazing character well done Peter & Vince

[@calum1495]

B R A V I N C E O

[@slyseal2091]

B R A 3 9 B U R I E D V 0 F O U N D

[@qorso]

@@calum1495 C A R P E T E R

[@thunderslug1066]

@@slyseal2091 /\ O

[@pappadarappa]

brebro brance

[@civildisorder]

A detail that got passed over: When Chuck vouches for Jimmy at the bar, he is the one person there who doesn't state any sense of pride or joy in being there to do so.

[@JESUSLIVESAMEN]

I noticed that. "Its my honor to endorse X" He just did it very matter of factly

[@BhBc8f8]

nah mans was just shy. look how happy he was when Jimmy brought him out of his shell. lol everyone's a psychologist now

[@billblaski9523]

@@BhBc8f8 lol right

[@bappojujubes981]

The dynamic and tragic relationship of the McGill brothers honestly inspired me to be a better brother and patch up any wounds with my mine to ensure that nothing like this happens to us.

[@ajordan1976]

I wish the writer's read your comment.

[@WisteriaNerium]

10:58 I need to point out a correction, it's a small detail but it starts AFTER Chuck forces Howard to reject Jimmy from HMM, not because of his wife. There are some lines on the opening for Winner where Kim mentions that Chuck needed to get out more after his wife left him, that opening is the last we see of Chuck before he developed his mental illness, and it makes sense that it's related to Chuck feeling guilty, that's why it acts up again after Chuck tells Jimmy that he never mattered all that much to him. The characters are never aware of this because no one knew what Chuck did, and that's why they speculate that it must've been because of his divorce.

[@OneTakeVids]

Great point - though I wouldn’t say it’s one or the other. I think his wife leaving him contributed to the decline and then pushing Jimmy out of HHM pushed him over the edge (the combination of guilt AND alienating himself from one of his few remaining significant relations, his wife then his brother)

[@DblTap317]

@@OneTakeVids I felt in a certain way Chuck felt that the "hinderance" of Jimmy being in his life at HHM somehow led to the circumstances of his divorce. Like he blames Jimmy indirectly for the divorce although there is no way for Chuck to verbalize this out loud. It's like you said nothing is his fault in his mind so whatever reasons his wife gave him, Chuck would blame Jimmy for causing him to be the way he was being at home. Distracted, distant, concerned etc ..

[@evangelism2]

Jimmy mentions at the BAR hearing that Chucks mental illness started shortly after his wife left him. I personally believe it was the one two punch of the divorce and Jimmy getting his law license that broke Chucks mind.

[@matthewriley7826]

That’s a good point, could also be added guilt when Jimmy was starting his career and came to Chuck for advice or connections which he used to deliberately sabotage him. Then once it became clear Jimmy wasn’t quitting anytime soon the symptoms would flare up.

[@BhBc8f8]

@@matthewriley7826 "connections which he used to deliberately sabotage him" This never happened. perhaps you're remembering a different show.

[@Teodor_Ripka]

Mike had an amazing quote which encapsulates the whole show. “I’ve met good criminals and bad cops.” Jimmy does good things in a bad way while Chuck does bad things in good ways. Nobody is inherently bad we all just have different ways of showing the devil in us.

[@MsMirror]

Underrated comment

[@xDamage69]

and then Nacho's dad say the truth to people like mike who thinkg they have the high morale, ''you gangster and your justice, you are all the same.''

[@jimmymurphy898]

I love this show and season 5 was phenomenal but my favorite part of the show was the conflict between Jimmy and Chuck. Just an incredibly nuanced, unhealthy and complicated relationship. I actually felt more sympathetic towards Chuck the second time I viewed the series whereas I hated him at first. Also, Chicanery is still my favorite episode of the show.

[@VideosGalacticos]

me too bro

[@matthewriley7826]

Yep, McGill Bowl was definitely a highlight for the earlier seasons.

[@capz3217]

Interesting, I'm rewatching for the first time (now S4) and I think I dislike Chuck even more than before, because of all the occasions where he's secretly working against Jimmy. The worst of course when he has Howard denying Jimmy a position at HHM for a second time. That fake indignation against Howard, who Chuck abuses as a scapegoat, while he's sitting next to Jimmy, is just the worst.

[@L.Reeves]

Haven't done a rewatch yet but I know I'm gonna feel differently about howard this time through.

[@joko49perez]

For me it was the opposite. The first time I was very sympathetic towards Chuck but now i despise him.

[@FaeridaeCrawford]

Its heartbreaking that he used to be so kind and patient with all those elders, and screwed it all up for a faster sandpiper settlement. Niw hes stuck with drug dealers and murderers

[@MrBell-iq3sm]

He does seem happier with these types of people, as long as they don't drag him outside of his office and the courtroom of course.

[@duhdeedee]

On top of that, Jimmy threw Howard's own feelings of guilt back in his face and insincerely blamed him for killing Chuck, when he was responsible for jacking up the malpractice insurance (is it possible the insurance company could've found out Chuck's breakdown some other way, tho'?). One detail I never see anyone point out, the episode following Chicanery, when Jimmy gets suspended and Rebecca chews him out for playing Chuck, is the first time he uses Saul Goodman publicly as an alias.

[@qorso]

I think Howard is more responsible for Chucks death than Jimmy. But no one is more responsable than Chuck.

[@matthewriley7826]

Eh the insurance company would’ve definitely found out about it eventually. It was on the record and there were more than a few witnesses. That’s why Howard was dining his clients doing damage control just in case they heard something. Jimmy just hit the gas pedal for them.

[@rusi6219]

​@@qorsoI love how Chuck apologists constantly have to point out that Jimmy is responsible for his actions but conveniently make an exception for Chuck in regards to everything he did including his self-inflicted death.

[@MysteriousTomJenkins]

@@rusi6219 People point out that Chuck helped push Jimmy into being Saul. Detractors: Jimmy is an adult, his actions are his own! Chuck constantly being a jerk and pushing people away and hating his brother so much he develops a fake allergy to electricity which his then homeless brother has to take care of him for. Detractors: *crickets*

[@AdachiSimp]

All Chuck had to do was give his brother one chance to prove himself as a Lawyer, which he did actually, but he still refused to acknowledge him

[@lonewanderer1328]

He got them sand piper… but they still spat in his face

[@jt4513]

You know it's a great show when you need a 30 min condensed lecture to explain the relationship between only two characters!

[@jonah6300]

and it could keep going

[@killer145]

Incredible synopsis of the dynamic of these two characters. This show felt personal to me because of Jimmy and Chuck and you explained them so well here. I feel like I learned something knew about their complex relationship and myself with what I'm going through watching this. Thank you so much for this and for Saul week. This show is amazing and I can't wait to see what happens in Season 6! Take care!

[@thegreatnothing3201]

0p

[@pareesgillard]

Oh my god I thought you were me because we have the same picture

[@JoshSweetvale]

Chuck was _scared_ of Jimmy, didn't dare to trust him, because according to Chuck, Jimmy could, essentially, mind-control people.

[@MisterGenesis64AK]

Just imagine how dangerously skilled the McGill brothers would be together as a team had Chuck just swallowed his pride and accepted Jimmy as a lawyer.

[@tomekstec3243]

Just remember that when Jimmy was working with Chuck and later Kim, everything went good to him, and he wasn't complaining. But when he was on his own he failed. In D&M, with Walter's case and with Marion. He failed because he couldn't do on his own. But when he was working with Chuck on Sandpiper case he succeded. And later when working with Kim - Their Plan worked. Jimmy could change if he was in HHM because there was Chuck and Kim

[@JadeEyes1]

The relationship between Chuck and Jimmy is more complex than anything on Breaking Bad.

[@hieronymusvonlipschitz]

Thats why i like BCS more

[@Pedro-ss2qr]

I think Walt's arc comes pretty close. I wish we had gotten more flashbacks from the past Walt in college and building Gray Matter

[@edislettuce4218]

Jimmy and Chuck's fallout as brothers really made me sad, because they honestly would have been a great lawyer team if Chuck wasn't selfish and decided to help Jimmy instead of ruining Jimmy, sure he was being honest, but imagine them together in HHM, alongside Kim and Howard, Jimmy would have maybe not been Slippin Jimmy anymore and that he could work hard as a rightful lawyer, there would be no Saul Goodman and Jimmy's life would have been amazing, rich and more positive unlike what happened in the events of Breaking Bad

[@Fred-ur2sr]

So there shouldn't be show

[@edislettuce4218]

@@Fred-ur2sr im seeing it from an aspect of an alternative ending

[@ZemanTheMighty]

That’d be a dream team for sure.

[@plasma9839]

@@edislettuce4218 city fan 😂

[@edislettuce4218]

@@plasma9839 damn right

[@rotcehb]

I remember when the show started, I was really desperate to see Jimmy become Saul. When eventually aired season 4 finale I was as stomped and surprised as Kim when he said S'all good man!

[@hashvendetta7226]

If they had reworked the plot and tied up loose ends, it would have been an amazing ending for the show. I loved that last 30 seconds so much

[@ObaREX]

When people hear me say I liked Chuck, they look at me like I'm crazy. They need to watch this video. Because without Chuck, this show would not be as deep as it is.

[@jpmnky]

I get the same reactions when I talk about liking the bad guy characters. The worse the character the better the story. And nobody can ever prove me wrong about that.

[@lil7725]

I mean, Chuck is a well-written character, that doesn't mean that he's a likable character. He's too snobby, and he represents everything that people hate about the 'elitist culture' when it comes to the law.

[@nycgweed]

Of course -chuck led jimmy to be that type of lawyer when they didn’t bring him into the firm where he wouldn’t need to cut corners and gotten some respect in a niche in the courtroom where he shines

[@Groxseum]

Most people who hate Chuck (including myself) don't doubt that he's a crucial part of the narrative that brings a new level of depth to the story. They don't want him gone from BCS We hate him because he's a narccistic dick and a horrible brother. Good character =/= good person

[@Sinovis]

There is a difference between liking a character, and liking the fact that the character exists in the story.

[@LittleVboh]

that multiple protagonist feeling is what makes the series so great. everyone is important, but can die as easily. It is very realistic and might seem boring, but yet again it is very exciting and adventurously at the same time.

[@baileywarren3198]

Small detail: the scene in the mailroom after Jimmy tells Chuck he passed the bar, we see a cake with the scales of justice. The piece of the cake that's cut & removed is one half of the scale, symbolizing the severance of the balance of justice in the mind of Chuck, and/or the sense of peace/equilibrium in the relationship between Chuck and Jimmy. Neat detail.

[@GrannyGamer1]

Chuck incarcerated himself. Nobody remembers when Chuck relinquished his electronics at the jail, when he went to visit Jimmy. Watch. Key fob. Phone. He punished himself for bringing Jimmy to Albuquerque.

[@jasonvoorhees310]

This is probably the best video out of all of them so far. Spot on. I left a comment saying Chuck is responsible for Saul Goodman and saying he was the moral compass of the show too. Once he left Saul was free to do whatever. But Chuck is the reason for Saul Goodman. Had he not forced Jimmy to go to Albuquerque and work in the mail room Jimmy would have never passed the bar, became a lawyer in the first place. He would have stayed small time slipping Jimmy. Instead the ladder happened, all because jimmy wanted the respect and gratitude of his brother who didn't care about him. Chuck as a character is vital to the story of Saul Goodman.

[@nont18411]

Wait, how is he a moral compass? He was so spiteful and jealous of Jimmy as hell. That’s not a good person.

[@jasonvoorhees310]

@@nont18411 inside chuck is ugly and horrible. But he is about the law and the right thing. Getting Jimmy to do the right thing constantly. As soon has he dies, the BB infested the show like a plauge and Saul Goodman is free roaming. Before his death, it was essentially a lawyer drama with Mike's orgin and beginnings in Albuquerque. His death sparked a change in not only Jimmy but this world of BCS. I don't know of it was written on purpose like that but chucks death is a turning point in the show Morally.

[@nont18411]

@@jasonvoorhees310 I get your point but still, Chuck is far from being a moral compass. I think the concept of Chuck and Jimmy is about “nature vs nurture”. Chuck believed in Jimmy’s “nature” and he refused to have “nurture” as an option to approach Jimmy. He always sees Jimmy as the ultimate bad guy in his world. That’s why he betrayed and sabotaged Jimmy a lot. And with these actions, he put Jimmy into a desperate situation that Jimmy had to bring out his own “nature” to fight back. It’s not wrong for Chuck to be skeptical about Jimmy’s ethics due to Jimmy’s track record. What is wrong is how Chuck acted on it. He chose the worst choice possible. If only he believe in “nurturing” Jimmy and guiding, supporting Jimmy the right way (like taking Jimmy to shrink to deal with Jimmy’s harmful urge to con people),they would’ve become a powerful law partners and the tragedy that was Breaking Bad wouldn’t have happened to both of their lives.

[@nont18411]

@@jasonvoorhees310 Also, many people said that Chuck did nothing wrong because Jimmy ended up as he predicted: destroying everyone around him especially Kim. Well, Chuck did a lot of wrongs though. And about Kim, why did people keep praising her as a “goddess, strong, independent woman” every time she made a smart choice or badass moment but whenever she made a dumb decisions, they blamed it all on Jimmy (albeit Jimmy was hanging around with Mike at that time and was nowhere near her)? Because from what I saw is that free will exists in this universe and Jimmy is not 100% responsible for Kim’s downfall, only 50%. She had so many chances to leave him for good so many times and Jimmy even wanted her to dump him but she decided not to. Kim is largely responsible for her downfall but fans refuse to see that.

[@jasonvoorhees310]

@@nont18411 I understand what your point is. But saying he's far from a moral compass is just wrong. He's an upstanding lawyer. Had helped countless people. In the eyes of the community hes a good person. How he treats Jimmy has no bearing on that. What he's accomplished still matters. He is moral person. Let's not forget Jimmy is far from a good person. He shouldn't be a lawyer. Now as a brother Chuck went about in the wrong way, but he was right in keeping Jimmy from being a lawyer. Jimmy is a greedy, scumbag, criminal lawyer. Chuck absolutely is the moral compass of this show. What you said was correct too, but let's not forget who these people really are.

[@hismom5600]

Does anyone else think that Jimmy crying after his car died was also him grieving Chucks death in a way? I've watched so many breakdowns on that scene and the general consensus seems to be that that moment was only about Jimmy having a realization about his life's trajectory. Not about the cars death reminding him of his brothers death and finally forcing raw emotion out of him.

[@whyohwhy9679]

I thought him crying when the car died was about Chuck too. He's Jimmy, he wouldn't cry about car trouble, he'd curse and fix it. But at that moment, he felt like he was at his lowest point in life and all of that pent-up emotion about Chuck and how they shaped each other's life, came crashing in and he finally got a "reason" to express it. Otherwise, what's the point of that scene?

[@hismom5600]

@@whyohwhy9679 Exactly! For some reason no one ever mentions that possibility. But I think it was a very profound moment of long suppressed grief.

[@TaysanGalovu]

It certainly was about Chuck, in one way or another. If you remember the conversation he has with Kristy right before the car scene, he references Chuck multiple times in it. He talks about seeking people's approval (to Jimmy, the one person whose approval he'd sought, was Chuck), he says people are gonna hate her for being successful (again, in Jimmy's life, that was Chuck), then "you don't matter all that much to them" is pretty much a direct quote from Chuck, and "the winner takes it all" is a reference to a Chuck related memory.

[@95mudshovel]

my relationship with my older sister is exactly like Jimmy and Chuck. I'm Jimmy and she's pre-EHS Chuck. this show has actually helped me understand why she doesn't like me even though I have tried everything to get her to be my friend.

[@dash_r_media]

In other words, you are making the world a worse place to live and still think of yourself as the victim

[@95mudshovel]

@@dash_r_media I mean in terms of acceptance.

[@nont18411]

@@dash_r_media Jimmy is not the only bad guy in the relationship. He is just a greater of two evils.

[@dash_r_media]

@@nont18411 But Chuck isn't evil. He's an uptight jerk, but that's not exactly evil.

[@nont18411]

@@dash_r_media Taking advantage of his brother’s feelings so many times to further his own gain is quite evil.

[@rowandunning6877]

this show is so good that i started crying after thinking about the plot

[@malayjoshi1098]

Same bro i think it's the first ever tragedy I witnessed on screen that really hurt me deep and whenever I talk about it to any cinephile I can't help myself but get emotional 🙏

[@gargoyle7863]

Chuck: "the law I sacred, but I'm too lazy to properly investigate the matter."... His prejudice against Jimmy bothers me.

[@evangelism2]

Amazing analysis. The worst thing about this though is most people find this saga of the show boring, where it really is the best the show had to offer. BCS seasons 1-3 are so different from 4-6. they are almost entirely different shows.

[@nagger8216]

It's funny, I used to be so excited to finally get closer to Breaking Bad as the show progressed, but ironically now I miss how the older seasons actually felt like their own show, compared to the rest which are just more seasons of Breaking Bad.

[@docbrown2045]

In S01E02 there is a scene when Chuck wears his space blanket, and Jimmy says "take it off, I didn't do anything wrong". So that means that Jimmy knows that Chuck's condition is related to Jimmy doing bad things, right?

[@chronodreaming]

Yes. He knows. But he chooses to play along, helping him tailoring the space blanket suit, bringing him groceries every day and so on. Jimmy knows the truth, but he thinks pleasing him he's the only way to get his approval.

[@orangesilver8]

That's in the middle of them talking about the whole procedure Chuck expects visitors to take. He didn't do anything wrong with grounding himself, putting his cell phone in the box, not bringing anything else.

[@SaiScribbles]

I watched BCS recently and I didn't think they could write a pettier, more childish, more malignant narcissist than Walter White but boy does Chuck take the cake.

[@charris000]

Those who paid attention in Sunday school might notice that this is a brilliant retelling of the Prodigal Son story -- a classic that resonates because we can all relate to the dynamic and to the questions of life it poses to us all.

[@cdogthehedgehog6923]

Sunday "school" is an absolute waste of time.

[@drysten887]

Completely missed the point but not surprised.

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

For every person that has dealt with other people standing in their way of becoming better just because of their past or said people just deemed them unsuitable for... reasons... Jimmy is the guy the audience roots for throughout. We root for the scoundrel on our side.

[@Delta_Aves]

While I know a lot of fans hate and resent him, I can never bring myself to hate or dislike Chuck despite all that he did, cause I found his turmoil all too relatable. I, too, am not particularly skilled with people and felt overshadowed by people like Jimmy, who could charm and entertain people effortlessly, and people would turn a blind eye to their faults because of that, creating that kind of silent resentment. And I think there’s this moral dilemma that circulates, “Am I really the one with the problem” or “Am I the solution” which can take one down a variety of paths. Also I honestly don’t believe Jimmy getting to be a lawyer at HHM would’ve averted him from the Saul Goodman path entirely, cause his “slipping” ways are more of a compulsion than a conscious choice. In the similar vein as a recovering drug addict, this process only works if he stays focused, and even when things go well, he still has that itching to “break the mold” or attempt a scheme for some noble cause, and relapse. So, yeah, Chuck was right to be skeptical, and had every right to deny Jimmy the position, but definitely could’ve done it in a more honest and less ‘backstabbing’ way, not just saying “you’re not a real lawyer.” It really goes to show how different things could’ve been if the two brothers were more honest and kind with each other, and themselves. Of course we would’ve gotten a sub-par show as a result, so there’s that.

[@jingalls9142]

One of my favorite things about this series is the idea that a good person can be broken by the world little by little. Sure Jimmy does things differently but chuck sees that as a departure from normalcy so much so he becomes superlawyer. Chuck wanted to be as good as Jimmy and couldn't even. So chuck became the antithesis to Jimmy. I don't see Jimmy messing up anymore than a normal person what I see is Chuck not letting go of anything ever. Jimmy would try to change but get sullied by his brother whose his mentor in a way. Think of how great they could have been if they joined forces. Holy shit. They wouldn't need Howard's limp ass...

[@bizzychoco855]

Definitely the best Chuck and Jimmy analysis I’ve seen so far. Hoping for possible closure or a flashback with Chuck in season 6.

[@abj6920]

What's truly masterful is that Jimmy is genuinely a better person than Charles. Jimmy assumes the best in his brother despite the evidence, continues to take care of him with a disease he knows he doesn't have even when he finds out Charles is the reason he isn't moving forward as a lawyer. An important aspext is that his changing of the numbers isn't for his own sake, it's revenge for Chuck taking a case away from Kim (who is struggling to establish herself); Jimmy no longer cons for himself, it is for Kim, it is for his clients. Let's face it, Jimmy doesn't want to be a lawyer, he wants his big brother to like him, he wants to impress him. Jimmy, when we see him, shows a huge capacity for selflessness. Chuck on the other hand is very petty, holds all sprts of grudges, uses his intelligence to benefit himself at the expense of others, he enjoys the admiratiin, the portraits of himself, the lights being turned off when he enters a building, they show him as having no love for anyone but himself. And he represents the sacredness of the law, he is convinced and proud of his "objective" goodness. We never see Chuck as a public defender, taking on a case pro-bono, seeing Sandpiper as anything but "a way for Jimmy to scheme his way into my castle" and not a legitimate wrong happening to vulnerable people. He is like a high ranking bishop in a medieval story about what is means to help others. Charles is blind by design; he lives in darkness, he struggles with empathy, he makes the world fold into his assumptions. He doesn't deserve what happens to him or anything, it's just a really interesting aspect of his character; so sure of his own goodness, he's a bd person, and Jimmy, so sure of hiw own badbess can't hide the fact that he's truly kind. Jimmy takes after his father: "Not my Chuck, not my precious Chuck" and has to learn his own lesson in order to grow. The irony. Fuck, the irony is so good.

[@seanmansfield4853]

Man I can't express how good this video is. I love deep dives like this and I've seen BCS up whatever its recency was close to 10 times and you're still bringing up points and angles in their relationship that I never considered seriously this video is so awesome man.

[@OMERWTF]

As this show draws to it's end, I would like to thank the creators for the most beautiful experience this show was of my life. I'm happy that this universe exists and sad that it's about to meet a conclusion. Relived it way many times than it's healthy and would hurt to say goodbye.

[@bobboblaw123]

Wow.. this detailed breakdown is exquisite. So real.

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you 🙏

[@MetalCharlo]

The worst thing you can possibly do to someone who's actively changing their bad lifestyle for something better is to remind them of how much bad they were in the past. Chuck does that almost everytime they talk so no shit Jimmy is relapsing when he gets the office in the back of a nail salon.

[@TiltBrook]

Aside from the acting and natural chemistry, the casting was phenomenal just in their physical appearance… These two men EASILY look like they could be real life brothers!

[@WalterWhite-wm4sz]

This is one of the best analysis videos of Better Call Saul I think I've ever seen. I can't wait for more when season 6 is released. I have full confidence the writers are going to knock it out of the park.

[@MechMK1]

I know people believe that 14,000 USD is too much to just "give away", but there are people with what I call a "good samaritan complex", who give away vast amounts of money to people, who they believe to be "needy". They do that, so they can feel like a "saint" to others, and it's always ramping up. They may give a homeless guy a dollar today and feel good about it, and tomorrow they give him 5 dollar, thinking "Wow, he will really be gateful for that", and next time they see him, they give him 20 bucks. "I'm sure no one has ever given him that much money. He must think I'm a saint." Also once they started giving away larger and larger sums of money, they feel like they can't justify to people why they'd give them less than someone else. So once 20 dollars have been given away to one, that has become sort of a "minimum sum". So $20 here, $20 there, $50 to the next guy, etc... The sums quickly add up, and increase. I personally know someone going to the bank and withdrawing the equivalent of ~250 USD to give to a beggar. And yes, the same person is now in incredible financial debt, in part also because he keeps gifting away money.

[@sll255]

To make two amazing, well written, well acted series is a rare talent

[@seajayhan]

I always thought that my older sister was there for me no matter what, because we are family. We used to joke about being supportive siblings like Van Gogh and Leo. When I became more successful, more educated and made more money, I paid for her vacations abroad several times and even tried to pay for her master's degree. But many years later, I found out that she was mocking me behind my back for "caring so much about money" (unlike her high moral ground of not caring about money), at the time she was accepting the vacations I paid for her. Later I also found out she was secreatly trying to sabotage my relationshiop with our mother. My world turned upside down and I had to spend literally a couple of years to process the info. I went into the contemplation mode and started to recall many incidents that happened when we were growing up, and her psychology behind them. Finally I reached the only logical conclusion that would fit all the evidence -- she had been jealous of me, particularly around high school onward, when I started to outshine her. I didn't see that earlier becuase I had ignored the signals, probably because I was too naive or I wanted her love too much to acknowledge who she is. I later distanced myself from her and stopped needing her. Now we are in a polite relationship where she can't sabotage me any more. It's a good place and I like it, although she doesn't know why. I am giving myself time to heal and space to forgive her silently (I never told her that I discoverd what she did behind me because that would probably induce shame and subsequently denial and anger out of self protection, which might irreversibly damage the relationship). I hope one day I will be able to regain closeness to her without letting her hurt me when I am wiser and stronger.

[@iarellano27]

Encouragement 👏

[@dentaldigest4517]

Nah that’s fucked, wtf you need to have a serious conversation with ur sister

[@nycgweed]

Went thru the same with my brother and the shit that came to light from flashback’s when I processed shite -not good but I’m on to his game

[@TheAwkwardSilent]

I have adored your daily essays this week, and this is easily your best. Looking forward to more!

[@michaelthomas9172]

Just wanted to say thank you for the videos, Saul Week has been the perfect build up for the last season! All of them have been great but I think this is my favourite one. The way you lay everything out, it really confirms how tragic these brothers are. It’s truly an amazing relationship they were able to craft on the show and I loved hearing you celebrate it.

[@IAmTheDoctor00]

Wow this actually started to make me tear up. I'm the oldest sibling so I had no older brother to look up to but I had a cousin and she was like my older sister and the line you said about how Jimmy was happy and thinking they were working together and Chuck disliked it and went around him. If I'd had that sort of betrayal that I was blind too I can't imagine the pain of that and that's something I would never dream of doing to my little siblings. This is a great video really really well done man.

[@cheryll3448]

This is the most intelligent and comprehensive analysis of Chuck and Jimmy's relationship. Looking at the story FROM BOTH PERSPECTIVES is the key to unlocking the brilliance of this show.

[@billyb4790]

both brothers felt the world had betrayed them and "the world" was represented by each other and their relationship to each other. Excellent video. Thank you!

[@adequatequality]

The thing Chuck was never able to realize is that Jimmy loved him more than anything and never tried "one upping" him in the situations that Chuck felt insecure him. They just needed to talk it out instead of keeping their feelings pent up. I know it sounds cheezy but that really is what had to happen.

[@carolusrex5213]

That's why the flashback scene of Jimmy's biggest regret is so gut punching, for some reason on that night Chuck was open to talk, in my opinion he was probably remembering when him and Jimmy where children, maybe even the time he read a story to him and in that moment chuck just wanted to be Jimmy's brother and not his handler

[@pixel5646]

I think something that's funny in all this is that if Chuck DIDN'T hate Jimmy and instead praised him and hired him at HHM, Saul would've just never been born. Think about it! The scam, the billboard, the embezzling case, had Chuck just accepted his brother changed his ways and turned over a new leaf we wouldn't have had Saul. He would have gone away just as Jimmy promised. It's a shame too, cause had he not let his hate over his brother get the best of him Chuck wouldn't have died.

[@jafarlute6394]

Chuck Saying : " He will never change .. He will always be slipping Jimmy " might indirectly mean : " I will never forgive him .. He has to be punished .. I cannot let Slipping Jimmy change and become something better ..

[@nowlun]

I think Vince Gilligan is excellent because in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the protagonist has an immutable flaw and an event that makes them what they eventually become. With Walt it was mainly his pride. He was so prideful in his own intelligence and underwhelmed with how life had turned out. Once diagnosed with cancer, he is able to make millions selling drugs, get a taste for power, and become Heisenberg. With Better Call Saul, the metamorphosis of Jimmy McGill is a lot of a slower crawl. While Walt is diagnosed with cancer in the first episode of BB, the triggering event of Jimmy’s change is really the entire relationship he has with his brother. And his flaw is his occasionally poor moral compass and conman tendencies. I think that’s why some people think BCS is better than BB because it takes things so slowly and meticulously. However I think the reckoning of Walter White came a lot slower as well with the slow decay of his relationship with his family through the seasons, as well as the immediate consequences of his actions in a few of the seasons (the airplane crash in season 2 felt Biblical I swear) I think Jimmy’s is gonna come hard and fast in the final season when he loses what matters to him most.

[@despacitodaniel801]

Dude I thank you for making these videos everyday for a week straight. It definitely gives this already deep show deeper meanings.

[@kathrynck]

The whole story is in the karaoke scene. It tells you everything you need to know about the whole series. When chuck stole the mic to sing solo, jimmy stands back and admire's his brother's singing. If jimmy did that, chuck would have been furious. jimmy ain't perfect, but he's human. his respect for rules is not great, but his care for people is high. chuck, not so much.

[@TaysanGalovu]

Not to mention, that was supposed to be Jimmy's moment. Chuck stole it, showed how much more talented he was and got all the attention to himself, and Jimmy didn't mind in the slightest. If the roles were reversed, it would've become one of Chuck's most hated memories.

[@kathrynck]

@@TaysanGalovu Yeah.

[@PapaWalterWhite]

14K I don't believe Jimmy stole that much, One thing is Chuck never knew that people would lie to get money from him. The reason his dad wouldn't want to hear is because his dad knew where most the money went but he never wanted Chuck to know because he knew Chuck would stop him

[@marcofavela1695]

As an older brother of 6, if Chuck woulda gave Jimmy the slightest bit of support after he got his shit together, he woulda never became Saul Goodman.

[@Jared_Wignall]

I love these Better Call Saul videos you’ve done this week. I’m both sadden and happy this show is ending. Sad because it’s my favorite show on TV that’s coming to an end, and possibly the last show we will get within the Breaking Bad universe, but glad as I wouldn’t want this show to go on more seasons than necessary and then say “that show’s still on?” It’s best when shows end on top. Breaking Bad did that and it looks like Better Call Saul will do that as well.

[@OutFreak28]

omg, that "you don't matter all that much to them" cracked me a bit, I didnt felt it the first time, but yeah, fuck Chuck

[@CliffCardi]

Jimmy: *does something right* Chuck: “And I took that personally.”

[@MinecraftMartin]

Such a tragic relationship. If Chuck's lack of forgiveness ensured Jimmy would never get a chance to redeem himself. So Jimmy became the only thing Chuck allowed, in his mind.

[@abj6920]

Ther's this saying in writing "If you want a story to be universal, go as local as you can" This relationship is so goddamned specific and intricate and somehow it feels incredibly relatable. Not the curcumstances of course, but never have I felt "family" better portrayed; the relationshios that arise from admiration on one side and envy on the other, the unwillingness to really see one another, the pils and piles of assumtions, the imbalance, the obsession, the toxic way it all builds together in a loop that no one seems to notice. Gorgeous storytelling

[@dcavazosq242]

You’re so good at taking in and analyzing what Vince and Peter and company are trying to say and putting it all together. I just found your channel this week and I’ve been watching so many videos, building hype for the premiere tonight. Great job bro. One thing I wanna mention is the whole Davis and Main commercial thing, but Clifford Main still doesn’t fire Jimmy and genuinely gives him a second chance because, as he says, “I believe in second chances”. But Jimmy keeps messing with it until he wants to leave, and gets himself fired. It just hurts thinking about it after hearing you put it all together, how Chuck believes he can never change, yet Jimmy genuinely wanted to. Jimmy puts himself through school outside of work and takes the bar like 3 times before he gets it, yet Chuck never gives him a chance, creating this self fulfilling prophecy FOR Jimmy where he will always be Slippin’ Jimmy. Kind of makes me hate Chuck, he judges Jimmy for going on a path that Chuck himself is helping be paved. When he has all the power to help him walk on a better path. Back to Davis and Main, maybe Jimmy could’ve found a way to stick with it and learn how to work in that environment doing things their way, maybe it’d be hard for him but it’s so sad to think about how he could’ve had chances outside of HHM to be really successful, but all because of Chuck, he himself believes he’ll never fit in there. At the time still thinking that it was Howard that was in his way, he probably saw Cliff as just another Howard like he tells Kim how Rich is as well. But nah, now Gene gotta worry about Taxi drivers and not passing out while making cinnamon buns and getting caught, thx for nothing Chuck. Great videos bro, just subbed.

[@HelmersHere]

This video is amazing. It brought whole new layers to their relationship I didn’t even pick up on. Great stuff

[@JBJREEL]

This is a work of genius, brother. Thank you so much for talking about this dynamic. It is crucial to the Jimmy we've been getting in 4 and 5

[@EpicFlex0r]

I've watched alot of breaking bad and better call saul analysis videos but this is by far the best and most in depth one I've ever seen well done

[@jasonjenkins8910]

Brilliant analysis dude! Watching chucks and Jimmy's relationship is 💔 2 episodes tomorrow !

[@OneTakeVids]

Thanks Jason!

[@TheTSense]

The way I see it, Chuck was an abuser who gaslighted and tortured his brother. A man who decides on first sign who is a "good guy" and who is a "bad guy". And no matter what good guys do, it is always for a greater reason. And no matter what bad guys do, it is always to sneak trust and set up a scam. And of course he put himself and Jimmy in there too. A hypocrite who could backstab his brother and be a good guy and ignore how much he was doing for him because he was bad anyway. The rare moments of brotherhood are the carrot to make sure Jimmy stays in range of the stick, and in the end? Jimmy had to rip his own name out to cut all connections, he didn't want to talk or think or anything about his brother, good or bad. He just wanted him out. Get away. But Chuck had branded himself into every aspect of his Life with a very hot iron. BB and BCS are stories about Evil. Different kinds of Evil. Chuck is Self-righteous Evil. He declared himself judge, the idea that he was on the same level as another human being doesn't cross him. He was above it all. He made the rules. And his rule was Saul was evil, end of story.

[@TaysanGalovu]

Well said. A lot of people don't see Chuck as evil because he abides by the law, but to me, he was one of the most evil characters between both of the shows. Constantly hurting and abusing his own brother, the only person who cared about him and cared for him, just because of his pride and petty jealousy, all while, like you said, still thinking of himself as the good guy. Doesn't get much more despicable than that.

[@TheTSense]

@@TaysanGalovu The Scary Thing here is most people will not see Chuck as Evil because it is common. When was the last time you came across a Meth Cook or a Cartel Druglord? On the other Hand, nobody in this world can grow up without at least coming across an Abuser. Most people are at the point that they believe it is a Personality.

[@joseluis5055]

The best analysis of a relationship between two characters I've seen ever

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you 🙏

[@nilbustos8585]

“Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.” Hegel

[@j3pelfrey]

Chuck is a hypocrite plain and simple. 1. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world that if you work hard it pays off. He then insures that all Jimmy's hard work comes to nothing at the firm. 2. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world to be a grownup and take responsibility for your decisions He then lets Howard be the fall guy for not hiring Jimmy. 3. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world to do good work and the clients will come. He than all but steals the Sandpiper case from Jimmy. (Jimmy started that case with good work and genuine outrage at Sandpiper for robbing his clients.) 4. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world that the law is sacred, He then unjustly punishes Kim for the TV add. (when her real crime in Chucks eyes is she won't see Jimmy in the same light as he does.) 5. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world that Jimmy is a conman that hurts everyone he is close to. He then uses his "ILLNES" as leverage to con Jimmy into being his caretaker. 6. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world that he accepts his brother for who and what he is and loves him despite his shortcomings. He then refuses to see Jimmy for what he has become. 7. Chuck says to Jimmy and the world that people don't change! (because he never grew and changed) He then never gets past his resentment of Jimmy. (because Jimmy did)

[@azhvanof8647]

I love your work man. You changed my whole perspective on the show. Your work is on point and always a pleasure to watch. Now I can tell my friends what is it exactly that made me watch the show 5 times. And maybe make them watch it with me for the 6th time :))) Keep it up.

[@neanderstahl]

Last video in your BCS marathon did not disappoint. Really well done

[@bencarlson4300]

They could have formed Hamlin Hamlin McGill McGill Wexler and crafted an unstoppable super team of law legends. But Chuck just couldn’t let Jimmy be a lawyer…

[@ajdominguez1002]

Which sucks, because Jimmy - not Saul - did it all the right way. Yeah, he didn't go to school physically and for the 4 years... but he did it RIGHT. And that's all he wanted to show Chuck - that he could do something RIGHT. To show that his brother was motivation for him.

[@azuraslegs]

Chuck kept saying “this’ll help you become a better man” in reference to Jimmy potentially losing his license, yet when Jimmy actually did try to become a better man by GETTING the license, Chuck eventually told him he “wasn’t a real lawyer” because he “didn’t work as hard” despite that being obviously untrue. It’s painfully obvious that Jimmy has criminal habits, but if Chuck just gave him a trial period at HHM with the price being “no funny business”, Jimmy probably wouldn’t have slipped back so hard (heh.) into his slipping Jimmy persona because the positive reinforcement would have helped satisfy him, at least for a time. Chuck truly could not actually admit that a person could change. He looked at the law completely black and white. Every time we see Jimmy not dissatisfied it’s either after everything when he’s coping as Saul, or when he believed him and Chuck were working a case together. After Chuck was revealed to have fucked him over he was never satisfied again. Even when he got Chuck to publicly admit he basically hated Jimmy, Jimmy was visibly disappointed, and after he essentially got what he wanted and started celebrating, it was all just him coping. After that, he spiraled. If only they could have just dropped the grudges, they truly would have made an awesome team. But that’s not what happened in breaking bad so it was unfortunately never gonna happen. Almost makes me wish BCS was separated from BB. Almost lmao.

[@rusi6219]

So many people do this, that they'll ruin other peoples' lives (particularly children) for their selfish enjoyment and cope by claiming they're "teaching them a lesson"

[@laserdiscisawesome1263]

4:48 I have to disagree, maybe it contributed to it but I think it was a way to coax Chuck into having fun. Jimmy saw he was leaving because he wasn’t having a good time but he wanted him to stay. He wanted Chuck to break out of his comfort zone and be apart of the celebration

[@jorrynrider2024]

You have the best videos about everything BCS and BB! I love your content!

[@OneTakeVids]

Thank you Jorryn! 🙏

[@Groypette]

The saddest thing is that Jimmy thought the world of Chuck

[@thisIsFunnyLolz]

I know it is pushed that Saul was always in Jimmy and he could never stop. However, I am still curious about how he could've turned out if Chuck loved him and was supportive of him joining the firm as an actual lawyer. Jimmy was an addict for the rush of his criminal behavior/scams and addicts NEED a support network to get better otherwise relapsing is highly likely and he never had that considering the dishonesty of Chuck.

[@chickendrawsdogs3343]

It's proof how powerful a story is where despite how much you hate Chuck, you just can't help but feel sorry for him, and wish that he and Jimmy could've made up and worked together.

[@manuelmatesanz]

In order to understand Jimmy’s personality and why does he become Saul Goodman, this is the best video i’ve ever seen on youtube. I highly recommend you to put subtitles in spanish because this video HAS to be seen by every BCS fan, and the people who doesn’t understand english can’t miss this analysis. I know it’s a pain in the ass, but this video will get the credit it deserves. Thank you for doing this, you have earned a new subscriber!

[@LostandNeededClips]

chuck was definitely the one that truly hated and had huge jealousy to jimmy causing him to go back to slippin’ jimmy

[@SuperMrHiggins]

I mean, obviously she would call out Jimmy's name as she died. He was the one who wasn't there. She was asking Chuck where the fuck his little brother was?

[@mikenayers5981]

Even though you explained this more thoroughly than I ever could, I’d like to throw in my take. I see Jimmy and Chuck as two versions of the same person, and almost to a degree where it could only happen in fiction. By this, I mean they both came into this world with the same factory settings, but each was shown a different path. Chuck never had his “wolves and sheep” moment, and early on adopted a very structured world view, where you follow the rules and will be rewarded. It could be argued he was naive in the sense that he probably DECIDED the world works this way at a young age. This now gets into his disdain for Jimmy, which I don’t think is so much sibling rivalry, as much as everything Jimmy does defies his worldview. To Chuck, Jimmy’s probably viewed as an agent of chaos, as he gets all the love, friends, and even manages to make money from his scams. If Jimmy were anyone else in Chuck’s life, he could just ignore him, but the fact Jimmy’s his brother makes that near impossible. Also, if he perceives Jimmy as the favorite, then his transgressions against him can’t be out in the open. So, to maintain his own worldview Chuck moves out to New Mexico and hundreds of miles away from Jimmy. The move to New Mexico only works for so long, because once Jimmy gets into a jam he can’t get out of, their mother calls Chuck back to Chicago, so he could lawyer Jimmy out of having a criminal/sex offense record. Ironically, it wasn’t a scam gone wrong that finally got Slippin Jimmy in jail, but his temper. Next in another attempt to keep his reality in check, Chuck brings Jimmy back to New Mexico, and gives him an entry level job in his law firm. I don’t think this was entirely to help Jimmy as much as it was to help Chuck. Now he could keep his brother on a short leash/under his thumb, as a means keep Slippin Jimmy from defying Order. Even as his brother’s keeper, Jimmy happens to get a law degree unnoticed. Chuck immediately has Howard shoot him down for a position at the firm, but he still needs to vouch for him, and this is going back to not being able to openly oppose him without upsetting friends and family. Eventually though, when the time comes, Chuck decides to use Jimmy’s temper against him in an attempt to get him disbarred, but whether subconscious or not, Jimmy realizes what I said about him and Chuck being too similar for Chuck’s good and uses Chuck’s temper against him at the bar hearing. Also, when it comes to Chuck’s story vs Jimmy’s story, Chuck’s probably embellishing recollections on himself. With the superiority complex Chuck has that Jimmy seems to lack, he looks for ways to let even his friends and peers know this. He claims that he pulled Howard’s father out from a hole in the wall practice, put HHM on the map, and tutored Howard for the bar. My question is, if Chuck was more than capable to build a prestigious law firm on his own, then would he even need partners? Also, it must’ve gotten under his skin that his other partner needed tutoring, while his “degenerate” brother passed the bar without his help.

[@themermaidstale5008]

Chuck telling Jimmy, “You’ve never mattered all that much to me.”, is such a gigantic lie that if Chuck were Pinocchio, his nose would have grown so much it would have broken out a window.

[@ZapatosVibes]

What an extremely well written series. Excellent coverage!

[@sondosoft4603]

You really hit the nail on the head. Me and my brother watch the show and have completely different opinions (ironic I know). But I think that’s the beauty, each side is very well supported. It’s nature vs. nurture. Could Jimmy have been nurtured into being a better person, or was he always destined to be Slippin’ Jimmy/Saul? And a larger question, is it anyone’s responsibility to nurture you in this world? Or is that your responsibility? Chuck didn’t have to let him into HHM, that was his choice, and Jimmy can have his own opinion of that. You have to take life as it comes, not expect everyone to do exactly what you want them to. It’s also something you come across in real life very often. People who play the blame game, their lot in life is never on them. They behave as if they can’t do anything to improve their own life. And that, to me is the fatal flaw of Jimmy’s character - he thinks he’s the underdog in every situation, which results in him taking shortcuts in every situation. I’ve always taken Chuck’s side more but I by no means totally agree with him, he didn’t need to go as far as he did in many cases. And he could’ve done some good but clearly expressing his opinions much earlier. I also think that his “I’ve never really cared about you line” is an out and out lie. He clearly proved he cared about him, (for better and worse) many times. But it’s just so equally balanced. It’s really down to your own personal bias which side you take, which is a beautiful thing.

[@pidipecan1055]

Brillant break down. Truly. However one disagreement i have is that the father could have or should have sold cigarettes and beer to the kids to get ahead. He did not need to do that to succeed. His failure was getting hosed by every grifter that came his way. I also believe Jimmy took chump change over the years, like you speculate too, he probably didn't even get close to pilfering that amount. What a battle of wits between Chuck and Jimmy, made even more intense by their working knowledge of each others triggers and weaknesses they exploit in their tragic game of chess.

[@rkak15]

Hot take: Kim dies in that plane crash that walt inadvertently caused. In all seriousness, Jimmy is going to be directly responsible for Kim’s death. And he will compartmentalize his guilt about it the same way he compartmentalizes his own involvement in Chuck’s death or even his own father’s demise. And that’s why his admin Francesca is so disgusted by him in Breaking Bad. From her prespective, Jimmy’s a monster. But the only reason Jimmy is a monster is because Chuck (ironically) turned him into one and Kim enabled it further.

[@drphilsranch6782]

Even if that did happen, which now we know it didn’t, how would that be him directly killing Kim. It’s a stretch to even say that he would’ve indirectly killed Kim if it happened.

[@momenakod6399]

One of the best video essays I've ever watched