Xan wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 10:44 am
glennds wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 10:32 am
Xan wrote: ↑Fri Jul 29, 2022 8:32 am
I think the last episode was needed to remind us that Jimmy is still Saul. It's not like he's reformed during his time as Gene.
There was a tiny bit of sincerity when he talked about his brother being dead. That was sad.
I was surprised the whole thing was black and white. Didn't we transition "sequel" things to color in the opening scene of this series?
Great to see Carol Burnet.
Do you think he pulled the scam because it's who he is, couldn't resist, moth to flame type of thing?
Or did he do it purely tactically in light of Jeff recognizing him in the mall, and the scam was only to give him the leverage he needed to keep Jeff quiet?
I'm not sure I see a difference between the two. He has a problem, and this is his solution. The only solution he knows.
Well maybe another way of asking the question - would he have gotten involved in a scam at all if it had not been for the fact that Jeff ID'd him?
At first I thought scamming is his addiction and his craft, and he was drawn to it because it's who he is Jeff problem or no problem. And maybe Jeff was only an opportunity to get into mischief that he would have found a way to get into anyway. The difference is the motivation.
But on reflection, I recall his first step was to call the vacuum guy and see if he could get vacuumed again. When the cost was prohibitive, he came up with the scam as the next best way to keep his Gene identity yet neutralize Jeff as a risk. So if it hadn't been for Jeff IDing him, he probably would have stayed on the straight and narrow.
As an aside I thought the ad hoc crying breakdown that he had in front of the security guy was a great throwback to Walt doing the same in Hank's office in BB when he planted the bug. Hank was just as uncomfortable with the crying as the security guy.
Their use of color in both shows is really good. I think the Gene scenes are all in black and white to drive home how mundane and empty his life is in comparison to how colorful it was before. Maybe if he sheds the Gene skin and become Saul again, they'll go back to color to reinforce the transformation. But I'm not sure that will happen. When he picked up the colorful clothes in the store and then puts them back, I thought that was symbolizing that he's left that life behind and he knows it.