Better Call Saul: Nature vs. Nurture 

Interesting to see someone who's a big BCS fan without even watching Breaking Bad. Goes to show how great a spinoff it is.

I always read Chuck’s EHS as something that he genuinely felt and was certainly an anxiety disorder, but I thought it was a misdiagnosis of what actually causes that anxiety. Based on the timeline before the show’s events and the degree to which these symptoms manifest compared to other events in the show, I think there’s one clear cause aside from electromagnetic fields. It’s Jimmy. And perhaps it’s coincidental, but Chuck starts developing this disorder after Jimmy passes the bar, he’s brought to the hospital after being tased over having illegally purchased a newspaper that Jimmy hid from him depicting what Chuck thought was one of his scams to attract more clientele, he has a seizure and gets concussed when he deduces that Jimmy paid off the clerk at the 24-hour print shop, etc. Every time Chuck sees a scenario in which Jimmy, a force of chaos that threatens the legal system he respects so dearly, seems to have found a way to manipulate the system in his favor so that he can progress further through that system, Chuck’s symptoms seem to get worse. In contrast, Chuck seems to get more tolerant of his symptoms whenever he is in a position to reign Jimmy in a little or when Jimmy is otherwise not in a position to practice law. In season 1, Chuck begins recovering because he and Jimmy are working on a case together, and thus he has direct control over the legal actions Jimmy takes. He manages to work up the ability to go all the way to the office in order to engage with meetings and decisions that can be read as attempts to spite Jimmy. He’s well enough to operate a tape recorder when it means incriminating Jimmy, especially after putting on a show of his condition worsening. And his final phase of trying to become better before he ultimately snaps coincides with the ruling of a year of Jimmy no longer being able to practice law. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that, like you said, the harshest thing Chuck ever said to Jimmy was while he was at his healthiest. I think that kicking Jimmy while he was down was a healing process for him. But I also think that’s what killed him. I think that there was this realization of his own cruelty that did cause him to relapse into his anxiety disorder. His final act was one of desperation, to free himself of the pain and discomfort of this imperceivable electromagnetic field that he already removed entirely from his home, as well as the guilt of his own cruelty, hence the lantern motif carrying over from the cold open of that episode where he and Jimmy had shared a happy childhood memory together by lantern light into it being the tool through which he burns down his house with him in it.

One thing I adore from Jimmy's impromptu speech to the young woman outside HHM is how he ends it with "You don't matter all that much to them? So what!?" Literally echoing Chuck's final words to him, and revealing just how deeply they cut him, though he'd never admit as much. "I don't miss Chuck, I don't THINK about Chuck, he was here, and now he's gone. That's that!" Couldn't be further from the truth.

as someone with OCD that is definitely triggered by stressful emotional situations and past trauma, it resonated to me that Chuck might have OCD that manifested in his mind as EHS.Watching him chop his walls to bits at the end of his life to find what was still on gave me a horrifying feeling of recognition of how far OCD can take you into obsession. His trauma involving the wife, jealousy of Jimmy and seeming need to always be in control and "on top" really go along with this for me

One of the things I truly admire about BCS is how committed the writers are to telling the story without glossing over the slower, more mundane aspects of the characters' day-to-days, which in retrospect actually add into and reveal so much about their development, how they get from one point to another.

Oh man. It’d be super interesting to start breaking bad fresh after bcs actually finishes. You’re immediately reintroduced to characters like Tuco, Crazy 8, and Wendy, and it genuinely feels like you’re picking up in the same exact universe. It’s amazing!

i like what you said about how the mcgill brothers’s dad didn’t believe either of them. he didn’t believe jimmy’s worldview, and he didn’t believe chuck’s view of jimmy. and it got me thinking about what you said, how when we don’t get approval or validation from our parents, we seek it in others. jimmy and chuck both spend the rest of their lives trying to prove their worldview to others by imposing those views onto others. two narcissistic brothers caught up in the idea of winning.

Trying to listen to a psychological breakdown of a dramatic dance of complex characters and relationships as a desert lizard has multiple ego-death inducing psychedelic experiences

Definitely watch Breaking Bad. Although I will say, even though it is flawlessly written and paced throughout, it took me until I think the third episode to get really invested in it. From then on out it is incredible.

While I appreciate that there is a lot of thought and consideration about electro-sensitivity nowadays, I think the show made it fairly clear that it was a psychosomatic response to his divorce. Chuck felt like he would be alone forever, so his brain gave him an invisible condition that would keep him that way.

I agree with most of what you said about Chuck, although I think that the last interaction he had with Jimmy didn’t come from a place of manipulation, but from a place of desperation. He just lashed out his anger and probably said the things he did just because he was hurting and subconsciously tried to send some hurt onto his brother, before finally taking all the hurt on himself and ending his life

The way that Kims Mother openly mocked her affection was difficult to watch, it just seemed the cruellest thing possible at that moment.. She didn't do it for a reason, like you say, emotionally immature, unconscious almost, she's another product of a dysfunction further down the generations. That's a hell of a back story to even imagine, reverse engineered maybe but it's where this show scores over every show I've seen, the layers and the detail are well reasoned from a point of view. Good stuff

The fact that you haven't seen Breaking Bad before Better Call Saul actually makes me kind of jealous. It's probably one of my favorite shows of all time but I think in some ways, my perception of it does sit under the cloud of Breaking Bad. Sometimes when I'm watching a scene from BCS I'll have to catch and shame my brain for using BB as a reference point. And reminding myself of BB isn't a terrible thing to do but I feel it cheapens things slightly. As much as I love Saul as a show more there are some things I just can't unsee. So having no knowledge of BB, you must really see an entirely different show than me, in a way that I never will.

Honestly, the portrayal of Chuck's illness is so fascinating to me. It's basically the reason why I watched the show. Because of my own OCD, I felt so bad for him because his symptoms were debilitating and he had to leave his job - and Jimmy was a self-destructive knucklehead who worried his brother wouldn't get better, a worry I've had personal experience with. My impulse when I began the show was to sympathize with Chuck first because of my own experiences (whether or not you think he has OCD, his symptoms had some elements that hit very close to home for me), but slowly it becomes very clear that there's something *wrong* with their relationship and Jimmy's enabling is part of his desperation for Chuck's approval and love. I was so caught off guard by how complicated the situation became, bc both sides can be argued really well. As someone who deals with shitty brain worm ideas that get too sticky sometimes, I don't wish Chuck pain, but I do find myself hating the guy. His habit of punishing Jimmy for every fault was horrible. When Jimmy admitted to Chuck that he'd done what he did from the Mesa Verde case, it was sad to watch. I was glad that he wouldn't be gaslighting Chuck anymore, and I hoped the two of them could actually talk about it and figure shit out. But then the audience is shown that Chuck had faked his compulsions and it absolutely disgusted me. I am so mentally distressed by the compulsions I do - and, yeah, gaslighting is shitty no matter who you are and maybe Jimmy shouldn't have done what he did - but, oh my God, that's a red fucking flag. If I hate Chuck, it's because I have personal experience with obsessions/compulsions and I would never in a million fucking years decide to use that shit as leverage. (Interestingly, my impulse is to hate Chuck rather than hate the writers for doing this to a mentally ill character, which speaks volumes to how good they are at writing. In a twisted way, it makes sense of Chuck to be manipulative, and then it feels like, to me, that Jimmy has *the worst* brother.)

Oh damn lmfao, if you're actually not trolling about not watching Breaking Bad, that's such a nice and different perspective haha, I was thinking about this and wishing sometimes that I'd start with Better Call Saul and then go to Breaking Bad. Personally, once Better Call Saul is finished I'm gonna rewatch Breaking Bad now with the background of BCS. I feel like the show is gonna hit different with knowing all the stuff that goes on with Better Call Saul

hell yeah ive been waiting for this since i finished the last 3, your perspective on the show is really refreshing in my opinion and i think the lack of breaking bad info weighing down on it is at least partially a reason for that

I like the theory that chuck developed electro magnetic sensitivity as an outward expresion of him stressed and upset about his brothers success as a lawyer.

Having suffered, and been treated for, PTSD - I found it very well depicted in Chuck's suffering. Also the exposure therapy. I went through that myself... "Brown pot, green shirt, white speaker..." :D

even as someone who hates chuck a lot, i really appreciate the shows nuance when it comes to him sure he did everything he could to cut jimmys potential off, but he was still one of 2 remaining members of a family and hes _still_ a tragic loss of life, total jerk or not

You know what makes Better Call Saul so great? It holds up to rewatching. Rewatching urges and rewards viewers to analyze and further understand it. And even better, it holds up against the scrutiny of it all. Perhaps better than any other show. Great video!

I'm no medical professional, but I feel like in-patient treatment is the obvious course of action for someone with a psychiatric condition as acute as Chuck's. The entire first three seasons are Chuck getting better, then relapsing, with more and more dire consequences each time, until it ends in inevitable tragedy. If Chuck had received the psychiatric care he needed in season 1, I think it could have saved his life and possibly even his relationship with his brother.

My mom never watched breaking bad but she's all caught up on BCS with me and she loves and is super interested in it, which is insane to me because she pretty much exclusively watches cheesy Hallmark and wholesome sitcoms. This show is just on another level.

I think you missed something important about that scene in the season 4 finale where Jimmy tries to "indoctrinate" the former shoplifter. His speech is pure projection about his relationship with Chuck. Literally every line is a direct representation of an aspect of his and Chuck's relationship, closing with Chuck's final words to Jimmy that he never mattered much to him. Throughout all of season 4 Jimmy had been suppressing his thoughts and emotions regarding Chuck's death, and that speech is when the dam breaks he's finally processing all his grief. He fails at indoctrinating her because he's not his usual smooth charismatic self. He's in emotional turmoil and comes off a bit unhinged.

Easily some of the best content surrounding this show. You're essentially obligated to watch BrBa and make content about it now. It's just as good as Better Call Saul. Plus you gotta see what happens with Saul, Mike, Hector, etc.

I think Chuck also said what he did to Jimmy in order to distance himself from humiliation and regain some form of control. I've regrettibly, done the same... If you're consumed by pride, and faced by something that threatens it so drastically, it can feel like its better to be the dickhead with control than it is to be the powerless fool. You can even convince yourself you aren't a dickhead in the first place, if you're in denial enough. I see myself in Chuck and Jimmy. I find what Chuck did ireprehensible and yet, part of why, is because I know what it takes and why he did it. I've been there. Its painful, so painful you feel like you have to live a lie just to regain your footing. And just like Chuck, it'll consume you. I am... fortunate, to not have met the same fate. Its a sad thing. I understand. I am a better person now, but it feels like seeing your shadow slink in front of you. Something thats always there, in some way, but that you've accepted and learned to control.

I watched every video you made on BCS from start to finish. Some more than once. It hits me on a real personal level when you break down the show, especially with this video 'Nature VS Nurture'. I wanna say more, a lot more.... I just can't wait till you make your next one soon.

I was curious if there was someone out there who hadn’t seen BB but has seen Saul, and while you should 100% watch BB I’m curious how different your take is going to be watching the post show prequel first.

As I say with everyone else, you are in a strange position where since you watched and understand BCS very well, watching Breaking Bad afterwards is definitely a different experience. Throwaway lines from Saul and decisions from Mike make way more sense. Even when Gus seems to have telepathic abilities in Breaking Bad, BCS pretty much explains that this is his caution. There's just so much that you'll experience differently due to starting BCS first.

I love your discussion about Chuck's EHS so much. An amazing way to think about his illness and some of the factors that can contribute to it. Especially how it comes from probably the most qualified person on the internet to talk about it also. Love your channel:)

if anyone were to doubt this man is a therapist, just watch him go “ive got my computer right here- we’re adapting! we’re adapting to changing circumstances.” thats therapist right there.

Breaking Bad and BCS are very different shows. Breaking Bad is way faster paced and breakneck in terms of its story. But i would say try to watch it. It still has the great writing and attention to detail. Both the shows are few of the best i ever watched.

The wolves and sheep thing always bothered me because it's missing a category of people, the Shepard's. Those capable of defeating the wolves but with the ability to be compassionate, caring, good people.

You don't NEED to see Breaking bad, but you're missing out on like 20 easter eggs per episode, and lots of backstory that makes the BCS plot more interesting.

Something like that happened to me, I watched Better Call Saul without even realizing it was the prequel of Breaking Bad. It seemed to me like just another show, so I postponed BB. Eventually I watched a few episodes and I couldn't stop.

“… our limited conceptions of what is possible affects the way we support change and growth in our loved ones” As a trans person with an unsupportive family, that wording was impactful and succinct. The placement of mental health and medicine at the center point of the suppression of trans people is more frightening when considering the notion of involuntary hospitalization. What a horrible trap Edit; the trap being, trans people are forced to legitimize their existence through pre-existing and hostile legal/medical frameworks which can easily be closed around them. “Gender dysphoria, eh? Increased suicide rates? Guess it’s another 51-50.” The legal phase of fascism tends to start including medicine and bodily autonomy to step towards removal of undesirables. It’s kinda happened before

Breaking bad starts off as a comedy

What a great video. I liked the part about going into EHS. I never knew if that was even real or not. I am almost in the hate Chuck camp, we are told to pity him some in the show just like we are told to pity Howard before he was killed. Good writing requires characters with depth and complexity, and BCS and BB do that. The writers are amazing. Your video was an hour and I wasn't sure I'd make it thru it all. Its been great. What a unique perspective on the show! Thank you.

“BCS is the best show ever” : the guy who hasn’t watched any of the other best shows

its interesting that you seem to think that Jimmy's speech didn't land with Kristy: it seemed like it made quite the impact on her to me at least, with her simple but excellent delivery of "I do", along with the intense look of understanding she gives when Jimmy asks her if she gets it. Think of what she knows about him/who it's coming from: even though he didn't directly say it, she can probably figure out that he was likely the only one to vote for her. But he stuck up for her, and made a case for her. She could probably guess those things, even if not told or she didn't see them. But with his explanation of how to overcome odds like those, I think she understands that Jimmy was speaking from experience, and wanted to help her succeed with the best advice he had for doing so, for better or for worst. But I do think she understood all of this, and what he told her, and took it to heart. Would be cool to see a nod to her later in the future, doesn't have to be anything big, could just be simple like a billboard for Kristy Esposito's fledgling independent law practice in the background of ABQ. But I think she got it, and hoping she takes all the working parts of the advice and runs with it, same with the film crew students who hopefully got their careers off the ground before their first reference/point of experience became a fugitive lmao

I saw Chuck's statement to Jimmy as part of the way that siblings do to each other in general, because they're trapped within the same household for years with different interpretations of the world, they want to win or feel dominate in the conversation. Sibling rivalry. That's all it is. Then again, after that fiasco or "chicanery", Jimmy thought it was a good idea to head to Chucks house to see how's he's doing. Maybe he should've gave Chuck more time, like a year at least to settle things down. Because like Rebecca, Chuck's ex, said that he's mentally ill and he's being taking care of by Ernesto and Howard. Time heals wounds.

I knew going in to watching your BCS videos that you hadn't seen Breaking Bad, but I would consistently forget while watching these. The only thing glaring at me was when you were talking about Gus and Mike's "revenge" scene, since you didn't mention Gus' late boyfriend or his vendetta against the Salamancas

I would rather see the POV of someone who's only seen BCS all the way through until its last ever ep without seeing any of BB beforehand. Their perspective of Walt would be fucking insane going into BB after that.

I've been waiting for ages to see if someone who hasn't seen Breaking Bad would like Better Call Saul. I've maintained that the two shows are extremely distinct and can be enjoyed separately. Turns out you agree.

You would definitely enjoy Breaking Bad especially when you start to delve into all the instances that Walter White manipulates everyone around him.

I really like this in-depth analytical perspective, super high quality content here.

THATS SO CRAZY I LITERALLY FOUND THIS SERIES TODAY AND FINISHED WATCHING THE WHOLE THING EARLIER TODAy

I have always thought Chuck's last scene was about distancing himself from his brother- who really did a lot for him- before he took his own life. They had a very strained, dishonest relationship, Chuck's last act was to get Jimmy to stop caring about him just before he died. It's the exact kind of fucked up love you'd expect from a pair of manipulative brothers who deep down really care about each other.

out of all the bcs discussions your takes are really fresh and informative

It might be good for you to watch Breaking Bad after BCS finishes. Then, you can see the fates of all the remaining characters. If BCS builds a world, then BrBa tears that world to shreds

I love how clear and easy to follow your tone and articulation are. It's great when the videos are close to an hour!

It's funny that my dad always used a variant of "wolves and sheep", being "there are wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs who protect the herd". My dad is naturally very defensive of those who don't or can't defend themselves, and always tried to impart that sense of moral obligation on me and my siblings

don't worry about the drama of Breaking Bad, it's a dark comedy for the first three seasons. I love your videos so much. thank you for taking the time to make them. 💙

Having watched Breaking Bad, during the first season of BCS, my impression was that BB was a drama with comedic relief, and BCS was a comedy with dramatic relief. (Indeed, BCS was briefly going to be a half hour sitcom, an idea that was dropped pretty quickly.). As BCS went forward, that idea of the show didn't stick with me, but I'll say I still feel BB is a lot darker overall than BCS, in spite of all that's happened.

I think you should check out breaking bad specifically because I'd love to know the perspective of somebody who watches these shows in this order. Because unlike most viewers you're gonna go into it knowing exactly who Saul, Mike, Gus and the Salamancas are.

You'd love house just because of how funny it is whenever it tries to be.

LETSGOOOO IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG, CANT WAIT TO WATCH IT

Definitely watch Breaking Bad. Imagine it to be BCS but with more intensive and fast paced plot. But it has the same god tier character development. Water and Jesse is every bit as complex as Jimmy and Kim. Although I do think BCS characters are much more likable.

it's crazy to me you haven't seen breaking bad but i think seeing bcs first gives you a very unique perspective to watch bb from.. a perspective that pretty much no one else will get the opportunity to see from, experiencing bb after seeing the prequel first

I think, Dr. WT, your analysis is impeccable. Thanks for the time you put into this video--and, sharing your knowledge. It's very intricate.

I think breaking bad is actually a really worthwhile experience, ESPECIALLY as a fan of better call Saul. While it is definitely a little more intense and slightly less nuanced, i still have yet to find any other piece of media that captures the vibe found in pretty much EXCLUSIVELY these two shows…

As an older brother i definitely relate and empathise with Chuck to some extent but i feel like his unwillingness to give Jimmy a chance, even preventing him from working with HHM in the first season did nothing but spiral Jimmy further.

you can actually go into Breaking Bad viewing it as a sort of dark comedy (AT FIRST) the humor in BrBa is way more morbid but its there and it helps you transition into the wayyyy darker stuff later on. the actors for Hank and Marie have even gone on and stated that when they first auditioned for the roles they thought the show was a comedy. better call saul's sense of humor didnt come out of nowhere, its pretty much a staple of this universe.

We NEED a spinoff of that guy that asked for $10 dollars in that flashback

What I find really problematic about Jimmy and Chuck's father, is that he does not put others just before himself - he often puts them before his family, too, and to me out of an unhealthy desire to be seen a certain way by the community and other people. This is what, to me, Jimmy realizes but Chuck idealizes away.

I usually watch your videos on my television, and I've been watching longer than I've been subscribed (sorry about that), so I have never had the privilege of reading your viewers' commentary; which is why when I thought I had a unique perspective to share from my personal struggle with panic disorder (recently diagnosed) to talk about why Chuck's (possibly) legitimate physical issue with EMS could have become more severe due to him developing worsening psychosis based on “actual” physical symptoms he could feel, I jumped onto my laptop to contribute my insight to your comment section. Needless to say, I quickly saw that your community had already addressed what I wanted to say and had done so in ways that are far more succinct and easily digestible than I ever could (which will become self-evident if you continue reading my rambling comment). But, since I'm here, I might as well say what I was thinking, as I don't comment on videos very often (which I should, as I know how engagement supports creators like you - insightful, thoughtful people who contribute so much to my life). So, here I go …

It seems to me that when Chuck accuses Jimmy of hurting people over and over again, that may be true, but he generally doesn't do so intentionally; however Chuck does exactly the same thing. He may disguise it as 'tough love' or disciplining perceived transgressions or not wanting to lose, but that is exactly what he does - over and over again. You know, as an aside, seeing the scene again where Jimmy lays the money down on the counter to bribe the copy shop guy, made me recall that that was exactly the same way Hector lays out the money on the counter to bribe Nacho's father for use of his shop. Interesting.

"Babe, wake up, new What's Therapy video on Better Call Saul"

I’m actually shocked you haven’t seen Breaking Bad It would be interesting for you to watch it like a sequel to BCS tho

As someone who watched BCS (season 1-5) before watching Breaking Bad, and is currently re-watching BCS having now watched Breaking Bad, it is a very interesting contrast. Seeing characters like Lydia on re-watch brings an "oh hey, it's her" response. Ditto most of Mike and Gus' character development. Seeing Mike's change as a person throughout BCS without knowing what happens with him in Breaking Bad is remarkable. There are many more examples, but I really like Mike's development without context.

Brilliant video! I'm always happy to see deeper discussion with BCS. I'm from Albuquerque so I've been watching since Breaking Bad, however I prefer BCS, the writing has only improved since BB. Jimmy has probably been the most interesting characters I've seen on television and maybe in media as a whole. I'm happy I've found your channel, I've been hoping to find more content like this. I don't think BCS gets enough appreciation from BB fans so even more fun that you've never seen it.

Thank you for making content like this. This show is so fucking good and detailed, the characters are so ridiculously fleshed out in a way I've never seen in TV, including Breaking Bad. So it deserves to have videos made analyzing it like this.

It's so weird to see someone who hasn't seen bb lol I've always wonder, what it is to watch Gene's scenes without knowing why is he there? Bb is basically the midtime betweenJimmy and Gene's timelines, so I think you should watch it and give your opinion as someone who didn't watch bb first, I'm really curious to know your impressions and what is the experience like. So please, if you watch it after bcs ends, make a video about it, it'd be pretty interesting!

i regularly rewatch this series as a form of therapy ever since i turned 21 and lost medicaid 😔 so thank you for this series, wonderfully and eloquently written !! its gotten me through many late nights

I have fibromyalgia, possibly hEDS and or psoriatic arthritis. All of these conditions are invisible unless I'm having a particularly bad day due to over-exertion. The first two conditions have no litmus test, and the last can be tested for but unreliably (lots of false negatives). It's incredibly difficult to live with a condition that cannot be proven yet is so painful/debilitating. Stress makes all illness worse. Try to be compassionate to those who say they are in pain 💛 (unless they given you very, very good reason not to).

Sopranos is definitely worth a watch with therapy knowledge

Just wanna say, an analysis of a deeply psychologically complex show like BCS from the perspective of a therapist has been profoundly interesting. If you love this show, you'll LOVE Bojack Horseman. Its an incredible animated dramedy thats secretly a character study of a complicated cast of characters, particularly Bojack himself. If you love psychology, youll love Bojack.

I had a feeling you hadn't watched it. Not once had you mentioned it and some of your takes on the side characters have been......interesting. I've always thought it would be fascinating to see someone watch BCS first and see what they think.

I honestly really liked Chuck! There's a HUGE discussion to be had about mental health, disability, and so much else to be had about him. The only thing I can say that isn't said here is that, as someone who grew up in parks surrounded by electricity towers, it is ABSOLUTELY true that you can feel frequencies. I have ADHD (a condition of electric synapse connection flickering, like a half-screwed in lightbulb) and fibromyalgia (neurotransmitters becoming electrically hyperactive and sending overcharged pain signals), and I feel- in combination with long-term exposure to power lines- that I've become sensitive to certain waves. I've been able to tell every time someone in my household has a ton of tabs open or are downloading a huge file- the higher the bandwidth being used by our modem, the more I feel an odd, tickling nausea, like how it feels when you're quickly getting a fever. There's also a huge difference in tinnitus when I'm in the mountain's forest vs in the city- most of the time it sounds like the grenade screen-white sound effect in movies, but when I visit the forests, there's way less of that sound. ANYWAY- I think the thing that people don't take into account with Chuck (and maybe the show too, really only hinting at it) is parentification, and how much that process can effect how siblings view each other. Parentification gives the siblings a power imbalance, while at the same time being effected in the same way- it makes a push and pull of wanting approval, trying to be independent, blaming each other for mistakes of the parents, etc. We'd seen that Chuck and Jimmy's dad was generous to the point of naïveté, and we knew very little about the mother other than she called out for Jimmy before she died, and it's sort of implied that she was, to some extent, absent. When they're de-foiling Chuck's house, Jimmy finds a book he recalls their mother reading, but Chuck corrects him, that no, he was the one who read it to Jimmy, which we see in a flashback. You can really tell how much Chuck struggles with how to feel about Jimmy, always being so mature and a good kid but still not his parent's favorite, how he's a mentor and rival and enemy and brother and parent to him, it's all a really complex layer for Chuck that I don't think people understand. Though, to be fair, I'm also objectively glad that so few people haven't been in the position and thus don't have the experience to identify it lmao

Breaking bad is an amazing show, Ive been rewatching it every couple of years since middle school. Personally I prefer Saul, but not cause its better, theyre just differently paced shows

you'd have a field day with the sopranos, it's pretty much half character driven slapstick and half character-driven crime drama

You're probably my favourite channel on RU-vid right now, thank you so much for your content.

Can't wait for your channel to blow up, amazing content. Would be cool if you made a discord server

Finally another of these. I was checking for this to come out for weeks. Love the dedication you put into these. Also I agree. Better call Saul is the best show in quite a while. Arguably better than breaking bad.

Going from BCS to BB might be a little rough to start. The cinematography in BCS is so amazing that the mostly handheld and kinda crappy quality of the image is odd coming from the GORGEOUS shots of BCS. Other than that there is a lot to love!

I think in the face of causation that the question of nature vs. nurture is immaterial. If we haven't got freewill - and that doesn't seem to be a meaningful concept- then it doesn't matter to me if we are force by nature or nurture to do the things we do... We were going to do them regardless.

Damn I literally just watched all the episodes of these Better Call Saul analysis series. And wow man do you have a way of being able to encapsulate a lot of interesting points and particular behaviors that these characters commit and using that to create a substantial grasp on these characters and how it effects the direction of the show. Great work keep it up!

Love your videos the effort put into each is killer, and love to see more from you.

It’s interesting BCS pulled you in without seeing BB but other dramas didn’t.

Love the way you used this as an excuse to give a more substantial analysis of electromagnetic sensitivity. It is such an interesting anomaly, it deserves at least this much nuance and subtlety. Kudos!

I do think ultimately one thing you may or may not have mentioned in another video is that the underlying philosophy of better call Saul is that people ultimately don’t change and are rooted in their nature… like Mike saying we get off the road only to get back on it again through our choices..: that in itself suggests those choices are dictated by our nature and the getting off the road temporarily indicates our desire to change which ultimately is fruitless because we end up back on the main road…

I would say, yes, definitely watch Breaking Bad. At this point, however I would wait until the end of Better Call Saul. I almost envy you going into BB with the knowledge that we will have at the end of BCS. Even those of us who have already seen Breaking Bad will be looking at it with new eyes. And, trying to process BB now (right after 607) while we're still reeling with BCS would be counterproductive I think.

Crazy how in breaking bad they don’t reveal mikes actual name for a whole season. You’re going way deeper before seeing the main event of Heisenberg

I love these analyses. I don't think it's super necessary to watch Breaking Bad, and knowing that you haven't seen it makes your read of the show all the more fascinating. Especially when you talk about the pacing. I've seen both shows and found them different even though there is shared story and characters. An analytical read of Succession would be amazing! I was not a fan of Chuck, I didn't hate him, but I have been curious about why he felt the way he did about Jimmy. It felt much deeper than what we'd been shown. But the scene where Jimmy lies to Kim about whether he had gotten permission to run the commercial was the moment it clicked for me that his read of his little brother may have been right. That Jimmy would let Kim blindly swim into the tidal wave that was going to come, it's been a while since I had been that angry at a character on TV. I also read Chuck's last words for Jimmy as an effort to push him away. The isolation he always had, the loss of his gig and stature at HHM. I don't think Chuck could practice any more on his own if the malpractice insurance rates were too high for HHM to be able to carry. So that together I think he may have felt like ending it all. The illness overcame him simultaneously. I couldn't read another source of his malice at that moment. The acting and writing on this show is top notch. Thank you for this enriching content

Really the only thing you need to know about Breaking Bad to appreciate the tragedy of Better Call Saul is that things don't work out for Saul or Mike. And the season intros make it very clear how things end up for Saul without having to mention anything that happened in Breaking Bad. That there won't be any happy ending for Mike probably also isn't hard to figure out.

You should definitely watch Breaking Bad lmao. I'd love to see your analysis of Walt's character. It's about so many of the same themes, but less of the legal side. It's mainly about lying, ego, and ethics. Also, all those great shows you listed have TERRIBLE endings besides Breaking Bad. It's really the perfect show from start to finish and it gets BETTER. The last few episodes are arguably the best of the series if not in all television history. There are lots of great shows people might recommend, but it's really a different league from the rest.

I showed my dad bcs without breaking bad. Watching it with him made me realize bcs is better on it’s own. Breaking bad will be great once better call Saul finishes up though.

Great video and analysis. I find Jimmy 'feral'. His presence around people who play by the rules is dangerous. I agree with your anti-social opinion of him. His way of thinking is so left field to an adjusted person. I still don't know why he reacted to Howard that way after Howard offered him a job. The bowling balls and the working girls should have been enough of a prank on Howard. Jimmy is just a mixture of inconsistent parenting and too much freedom. He was also indulged far too much so I don't buy the insecure theory. His parents had time for him as did Marco and he loves being the centre of attention in his adverts. He was allowed to grow wild. Chuck probably had different pressures on him like being the older brother and setting an example and then there was the age gap leaving Jimmy an only child for most of his childhood. I think he is a shocking human being but as he is a character subject to different writers and an ultimate pre-ordained plot Jimmy cannot be fully understood. I will say he is street-smart. I don't buy the book-smart because so much of law is dry and heavy but he is also ignorant in the worst ways. He has no intention of getting along with society and his handling of Chuck's condition was irresponsible. It is a shame that he couldn't force Chuck to get the help he needed. I think Jimmy wanted to be needed by Chuck for a change because Chuck never needed him. His care was a selfish thing. Jimmy was so busy being selfish and self-centred he never stepped out of himself to notice Chuck or understand his situation. Jimmy should have insisted that Chuck had help but he was too ignorant and stupid to know what needed to be done.

YES I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR MORE, these videos are so good!!!

Three reasons to watch Breaking Bad: a) It's really, really good. b) It's a corner stone of modern media. c) It is second to only "Starship Troopers" when it comes to people misreading it and a big parts of that are projection, main character syndrome, and toxic masculinity. That makes it ripe for a leftist, empathic analysis - even if not shared with the world. Yet as a content creator, subjects like "Why do people hate Skyler but love Kim" will make good videos.^^

Chuck wants to change Jimmy, but he doesn't believe that he can. He feels powerless, because he defines himself so much on his ability to control everything in his life. He is defined by past painful experiences, and the crushing weight of expectations for being "gifted." He is a complete perfectionist, and when he or others don't live up to his standards, he becomes unreasonably frustrated. While some have said Gus has some form of OCD/OCPD, I think Chuck is the same way. Desperate to control his environment, and Jimmy, as someone who is kind of a screw up, yet was loved anyway, makes Chuck angry. Chuck wanted to be perfect. Chuck hates feeling powerless, and his feelings of powerlessness have been growing ever since his wife left him, and especially since Jimmy has also been successful. Chuck defines himself by self control, and control of his environment, and strict rules. Some people think that his mental illness is about repressed resentment or hatred for Jimmy. But I don't think this is true; he knows that he resents and hates Jimmy, that's no secret, he knows that full well. Why would a disease all about Jimmy start after his wife leaves him? His mental illness, really, is about control, and Jimmy reminds him that he and his rules can't control everything and everyone in his life. He's so obsessed with control, that he can't accept people that he can't control into his life, even when he loves them. When he finally lost control, he lost his life, perhaps, in a desperate, suicidal attempt to regain control through self-destruction. Jimmy doesn't define himself at all, he just kinda does things. While chuck is inflexible, this means Jimmy is too flexible, which leads him towards unethical behavior without really considering or accepting the consequences of that behavior. While Chuck could have been happy, he would have needed to let go of the illusion of control, and his own pride and egoism in order to find peace. Jimmy, on the other hand, should have accepted the consequences of his actions, instead of only ever living in the moment and doing whatever he wanted. Jimmy doesn't accept responsibility for anything. Chuck demands responsibility for everything. Both extremes lead these men down lonely paths of self destruction. (Also, as far as villains go, Gus is a foil for Chuck, and Lalo is a foil for Jimmy.)