Better Call Saul S5 Episode 8 | Full Length Reaction!
Added 2024-10-02 21:59:00 +0000 UTCheres the BAGMAN - this felt like the true beginning to Jimmy/Mike bonding and this episode definitely affected Jimmy as well as forever changed him. I believe another purpose that this episode served was to change Kim's situation... a lot... I feel like seeds were planted and that concerns me... a ton 😓😟
Comments
The space blanket flying away at the end, on top of the shot drink bottle and Jimmy's old car destroyed, metaphorically show him leaving that all behind now and embracing Saul.
Saltire
2024-12-28 02:04:11 +0000 UTCI have been dying to watch this episode with you! I got to see Bagman when it first aired live on television. This episode is by far my all time favorite in the entire series. There are some really solid ones but this one was just so different from what we were used to seeing in Better Call Saul. Bagman is such a pivotal episode in this series, and it's only fitting that Vince Gilligan directed it. It represented a monumental shift in the almost-naive young Saul Goodman, where he got everything he wanted with very little roadblocks, to the more mature Saul Goodman who had to endure trials and tribulations to move forward in his evolution. Up until this point, season 5 showed how easy it was for Saul to get what he wanted in this new charismatic persona. It took a life-threatening odyssey deep in the desert for Saul to realize that the path he is on would not be an easy/smooth one. Almost like a reality check of sorts. This is also the first time Saul has had to be okay with death as a solution to a problem. This episode is also reminiscent of the 4 Days Out Breaking Bad episode where Walt & Jesse get stranded out in the desert and have to find a way back to civilization. Another thing, the withdrawal and movement of 7 million dollars was a pretty high profile thing, even for the Cartel, that attracts a lot of attention regardless. In the very beginning of the episode, there is a guy who was watching the twins load up the bags of money into their vehicle. The man is seen on the phone with a mysterious someone as he says in spanish "I got something for him, if he's still interested." Which hints towards the fact that they were planning on having a 3rd party intercept the money. Obviously, the twins are assassins so after the Saul receives the money, it would be pretty easy for someone to ambush and take it from him. Also, RIP Jimmy's little Esteem :( truly a part of Jimmy that is now gone. The space blanket that Mike tries to give to Saul can be interpreted as Jimmy being reminded of Chuck, hence probably why he didn't accept it. Jimmy has still not dealt with the aftermath of his brother's death, and instead chose to ignore it. At the end of the episode, he is almost forced to accept the space blanket in order to move on from the situation he and Mike are trapped in (by attracting the killer and taking him out). The final shot of the episode is the space blanket leaving the frame as Jimmy and Mike walk away from it, symbolizing that he is moving on from that part of his life. I thought it was brilliant way to bring up a representation of Chuck without actually saying it. And I agree, the cinematography in the episode is especially on point. Its just on a whole other level! It's kind of good timing how the title card of this episode happened to be the one where there is a tarantula in the desert next to a tie. I was almost certain that Saul was gonna drop his tie in the desert in this episode, too bad it didn't happen. This was a very low point in Jimmy's life. But also a traumatic event that was almost needed for Saul to gain some perspective of the line of work he was starting to partake in. Only after the death of a past self can a character come out and grow into their final form. Fun facts: The showrunners said that the 7 million in cash would have weighed about 150lbs (2 75lb bags) but for the show, and in order to not hurt Bob Odenkirk too much, they only made him carry 2 50lbs bags, for a total of 100lbs. There's a cool behind the scenes video on YouTube that shows how they flipped the truck at the end. There was an actual stuntman person inside of that truck as it flipped around! The opening shot of the Cadillac was the same style of car that Saul drives in Breaking Bad, a lot of people speculated that the Cartel was gonna give him that specific Cadillac, where people probably were murdered in, as a form of payment. They wanted Bob to actually drink his pee for this episode but he wouldn't do it lol. Before season 5 aired, on social media, and probably also YouTube somewhere, the Better Call Saul team aired a 15 second 3D animation of the yellow World's 2nd Best Lawyer cup with a bullet hole through it. Kind of as a first foreshadow that season 5 was really about to get insane. Lalo tells Kim (in spanish): "A blonde? Good for him" and that Saul is "like the cucaracha, a born survivor" which means cockaroach. This may or may not be relevant later ;)
Richard Najera
2024-10-09 03:19:50 +0000 UTC"Jimmy lost himself, he's Saul now" after drinking the P. I found that really funny, like that's where the line is. All love, great reaction
Deychen
2024-10-08 21:34:01 +0000 UTCThis episode to me feels like one of those reminders where you think about the worst day you've ever had, then multiply it x100, then TRIPLE that amount. A situation like that; that's really, really gotta suck.
WarriorPoet1980
2024-10-08 04:33:51 +0000 UTCNever thought about it but that's a clever foreshadowing
Mathieu Paquin
2024-10-08 01:40:12 +0000 UTCI always chuckle at the beginning when Jimmy tips water out to clean his shoes, if only he knew
Matt
2024-10-07 04:35:06 +0000 UTCJimmy drinking pee from a bottle that say Davis & Main is pritty symbolic and cleaver, especially that particular moment after Mike's speech Jimmy realizes he's also got someone he's doing it all for
Matt
2024-10-07 04:32:41 +0000 UTCBefore you even got to the ep: "It's a tense show." Yeah, and it's also a *TEN* show (which I for half a moment thought you said)!
MertzRocks
2024-10-04 15:07:13 +0000 UTCWe don't know exactly what happened in the desert but it wasn't Lalo, it was obviously that shady guy in the beginning, the guy who called someone and told them he "had something" after the twins left that weird garage. He's probably someone that isn't loyal to the Salamancas and works as a spy or double agent.
Christophe
2024-10-03 22:21:06 +0000 UTCevery word of this
Max Hassam
2024-10-03 21:59:45 +0000 UTCDon't drink your urine like that if you can manage it. People think urine is sterile, which it is when it comes out of you, but once its out of your body there is nothing keeping it sterile anymore. It will be unsafe to drink in a day or 2. Boil it if you can manage it. That will prolong its use by a day or so. Also, important to know that urine will dehydrate you faster because your body has to use more energy to process it. So it only should be drank under dire circumstances (of course) and more for a boost of relief to keep you moving, not to keep you hydrated. Mike is so cool. Lol. For minute, I thought this was a fake setup to test Jimmy's loyalty until the first gun shot. Of course Gus knew about the pick up and sent Mike to protect him. Gus has to ensure Lalo gets bailed out. Gus is 3 steps ahead of everyone. As for who tipped off the drop in the first place, hmm, what if that was Lalo? What if Lalo is trying to see if someone stepped in to save Jimmy? Lalo is devious enough. I bet Kim's mistake at telling Lalo she was in the know is the reason we never saw her in Breaking Bad? I mean, the real reason we didn't see her is because Jimmy's back story wasn't written when Breaking Bad was airing; BUT, in the continuity of this universe, lol, I bet that is the reason. Distance himself from her to protect her. We'll find out, I am sure. Fun to try to predict, though.
Raptor
2024-10-03 17:26:36 +0000 UTCI think it's one of the few episodes where you really should watch the next immediately, so I hope that you did! The montage at the start of the next is the best of the series IMO.
AdrianF
2024-10-03 15:48:29 +0000 UTCThis was such a great episode. One of my favorites in the series. Also, note that the foil “space blanket” that Chuck used to wear made a return (hence why Jimmy/Saul refused Mike’s initial offer to use it when they were camping). Looking forward to you continuing the series!
Philip Isley
2024-10-03 02:29:11 +0000 UTCThere's a lot of great subtext in this episode. The lighting at night is so fitting for Mike and Jimmy respectively. Jimmy with the yellow glow stick, in theme with the colors of Better Call Saul, yellow and red. But Mike on the other hand, is in deep green lighting, which is the main color theme of Breaking Bad. At this point, Mike has already pretty much arrived at his path. He's in the same place as when we met him. He's working for Gus, deep undercover work, even being Gus' hit man. We're getting closer and closer to our grim future events, and Mike is already there. But Jimmy is still on his path. He's not completed his transformation, he's still in the past. Also I'm not sure if you thought about it, but I think the blanket Mike has is much more than meets the eye. I'm pretty certain Jimmy was thinking about Chuck. The way Mike wrapped himself up in the blanket is like pitch perfect with how Chuck cozyed up in his as well. And I think the final shot of them leaving the blanket behind is just super sad (Like Jimmy's entire story lmao) I feel like after the pep talk Mike gave him, after being a part of killing that guy, Jimmy is motivated again, but in the wrong direction. Him feeling guilty about Chuck, and afraid of this life of being in the game. I think the blanket being left behind is Jimmy leaving behind more of himself. More of Chucks memory, throwing himself further and further down this path of criminality. With how Chuck pushed Jimmy away the last time they spoke, Jimmy is pushing Chuck away. Of course, he's already used the name Saul Goodman, but he's still teetering back and forth, grappling with the illegal things he eventually takes part in. This feels like another part of his soul he's giving up. Also one tiny thing, Mike's speech always makes me sad. Knowing how Mike eventually dies, it just cements further how unjust his death was (Damn it Walt 😤) and how he just sat looking out over the water, thinking that he tried his best for his family, then lost it all to a man who basically had a temper tantrum 😭 Just my read on it, but man do I love this show! Can't wait for more episodes!
Lorenzo Baxter
2024-10-03 02:10:13 +0000 UTCMy favorite part of this episode is always Mike's delivery of the reason he does this. He's my favorite character in the BB universe. One of the things you realize is that he claims to do this for basically the same reason as Walt, to support his family. But there are two key difference: There is a degree of separation between Mike and his family, so he never has to lie to the extreme extent that Walt ends up doing; and Mike never develops a greed to always try and get more for himself at any point, unlike Walt and almost every other character in the BB universe.
RogMar
2024-10-03 01:49:36 +0000 UTCCredit goes to Vince Gilligan for directing this episode. Of course, it would seem natural to credit Vince Gilligan for most of what you see in the Breaking Bad universe, but truth be told, Gilligan had actually handed over show running duties to co-creator Peter Gould (who did a remarkable job keeping up the quality), early in Saul’s third season. Gilligan continued to direct an episode per season, but otherwise had limited involvement until returning to the writer’s room for season six. So Bravo Vince for directing the heck out of this episode. But Bravo Peter for managing the entire show so well that you wouldn’t know Vince had ever stepped away in the first place.
Eric Wall
2024-10-03 00:58:18 +0000 UTCApparently, according to google, he was hauling around 75 pounds per bag. so about 150 pounds in total O_O
Brent giesbrecht
2024-10-02 23:05:31 +0000 UTCTo answer your question, assuming the bags were filled with 100 dollar bills, they weighed a total of about 154 pounds!
Jacob Lunbeck
2024-10-02 23:03:48 +0000 UTC
