The DEA already discovered Gus's old lab. There's a whole scene where Hank investigates the burned-out lab (after Jessie and Walt incinerated it to get rid of evidence). They don't discover Lalo and Howard's bodies (obviously because they didn't exist yet Gilligan's mind), but that's not unrealistic, since the bodies were buried beneath however many feet of concrete. I assume they'd only find the bodies if they basically demolished the whole building, which no one did in Breaking Bad at least.
I am with Chris here regarding the oddness surrounding Cliff's role. Recall the details of the final prank pulled on Howard. Cliff had set up a super important meeting for Kim to attend with persons who may bankroll the project she pitched to Cliff - an idea that Cliff also loved. She just blew that meeting off at the last moment in order to participate in the final prank. Furthermore, when Cliff is in Howard's office after the prank, Cliff seems open to the case Howard makes about being set up by Saul - Howard cited a fair bit of evidence that Cliff was at least considering and Howard was coherent in that moment.
Add to that, the people who Kim was to have met with *had to* complain to Cliff about her blowing them off. Furthermore, Cliff knows Kim runs with Saul *and* would (after being notified) also know that she blew off an important meeting coinciding in time with the final prank. And yet Cliff, a very bright guy concerned about image (he would not tolerate someone just blowing off a meeting), has NO questions for Kim about blowing off a meeting that he set up for her? And doesn't at least also consider the "coincidence" of the timing? Not buying it.
Hadn’t thought about the importance of Cliff knowing that Kim blew off the meeting on top of everything else. Nonetheless, I think where Cliff arrived at was that yes, they were doing pranks and dirty tricks but also Howard was on drugs, that Jimmy and maybe Kim helped drive him to suicide along with the coke. He had no clue about Jimmy planting the drugs at the country club, or the Kettlemans, he would see these things as independent sources of information confirming the Howard is on drugs theory. Jimmy and Kim pulling pranks on Howard and messing with his head isn’t the same as thinking they’re capable of murder. Now Kim being at the same lunch where they see “Howard” with the hooker is a bit strange. There’s definitely a lot for him to go on but from my perspective it seems like for Cliff it’s easier to believe Howard committed suicide.
I don't disagree with any of that. I just think that the writers needed to have Cliff address her blowing off the meeting *in some way* and am surprised they didn't - a bit of a "Chekov's gun" moment for me as that meeting otherwise serves no real purpose in the story line. Although maybe they still will deal with it somehow? As you guys noted we have 4 more episodes and nothing really obvious that must be "resolved".
One thing I think you guys missed is in this ep and the last one is how spectacularly bad Mike is at his job. Not only did Gus and Jimmy nearly get killed under his watch, but so did Nacho. There are excuses that could be made for all three but it was ultimately his responsibility. The fact that Lalo managed to kill four of his men before any of of them got a shot off shows that Mike isn’t great on finding talent either.
Its also pretty clear that Gus has a better security instinct than him. In an earlier episode Mike tried to calm Gus down by saying something like “he’d be here by now if he wanted to get you” but Gus stays vigilant. He also knew that he went to the laundromat in e8 and realises (too late) his point of entry. Mike, on the other hand, was busy chasing down a trap laid by Lalo at Jimmy’s apartment.
As a slight side note, I have also found Mike’s character arc to be pretty disappointing. There isn’t really much development over the whole series beyond the fact that he needs to support his family, replete with loving shots of him spending quality time with his granddaughter. Perhaps that’s why it’s rarely returned to. I’ll be curious to see how the next few episodes handle this.
Walt arranged for his family to get what remained of the one barrel of money he was allowed to keep. However, it comes in the guise of being from Gretchen & Elliot because he knew his family would refuse to accept anything from Walt. Earlier he had refused G&E's help, and also shut down Walter Jr's charity site he was funneling his own money through.
The DEA already discovered Gus's old lab. There's a whole scene where Hank investigates the burned-out lab (after Jessie and Walt incinerated it to get rid of evidence). They don't discover Lalo and Howard's bodies (obviously because they didn't exist yet Gilligan's mind), but that's not unrealistic, since the bodies were buried beneath however many feet of concrete. I assume they'd only find the bodies if they basically demolished the whole building, which no one did in Breaking Bad at least.
Also, the Breaking Bad timeline is 2008-2010 (it all takes place in 2 years) so Kim would only be 42 (though I doubt she wants kids in any case).
What?!? Amazing
Yep, the last episode is on Walt's 52nd birthday and the first on his 50th. And we know all this because of exposition via bacon.
I should’ve remembered the baby took like three seasons to be born.
I am with Chris here regarding the oddness surrounding Cliff's role. Recall the details of the final prank pulled on Howard. Cliff had set up a super important meeting for Kim to attend with persons who may bankroll the project she pitched to Cliff - an idea that Cliff also loved. She just blew that meeting off at the last moment in order to participate in the final prank. Furthermore, when Cliff is in Howard's office after the prank, Cliff seems open to the case Howard makes about being set up by Saul - Howard cited a fair bit of evidence that Cliff was at least considering and Howard was coherent in that moment.
Add to that, the people who Kim was to have met with *had to* complain to Cliff about her blowing them off. Furthermore, Cliff knows Kim runs with Saul *and* would (after being notified) also know that she blew off an important meeting coinciding in time with the final prank. And yet Cliff, a very bright guy concerned about image (he would not tolerate someone just blowing off a meeting), has NO questions for Kim about blowing off a meeting that he set up for her? And doesn't at least also consider the "coincidence" of the timing? Not buying it.
Hadn’t thought about the importance of Cliff knowing that Kim blew off the meeting on top of everything else. Nonetheless, I think where Cliff arrived at was that yes, they were doing pranks and dirty tricks but also Howard was on drugs, that Jimmy and maybe Kim helped drive him to suicide along with the coke. He had no clue about Jimmy planting the drugs at the country club, or the Kettlemans, he would see these things as independent sources of information confirming the Howard is on drugs theory. Jimmy and Kim pulling pranks on Howard and messing with his head isn’t the same as thinking they’re capable of murder. Now Kim being at the same lunch where they see “Howard” with the hooker is a bit strange. There’s definitely a lot for him to go on but from my perspective it seems like for Cliff it’s easier to believe Howard committed suicide.
I don't disagree with any of that. I just think that the writers needed to have Cliff address her blowing off the meeting *in some way* and am surprised they didn't - a bit of a "Chekov's gun" moment for me as that meeting otherwise serves no real purpose in the story line. Although maybe they still will deal with it somehow? As you guys noted we have 4 more episodes and nothing really obvious that must be "resolved".
One thing I think you guys missed is in this ep and the last one is how spectacularly bad Mike is at his job. Not only did Gus and Jimmy nearly get killed under his watch, but so did Nacho. There are excuses that could be made for all three but it was ultimately his responsibility. The fact that Lalo managed to kill four of his men before any of of them got a shot off shows that Mike isn’t great on finding talent either.
Its also pretty clear that Gus has a better security instinct than him. In an earlier episode Mike tried to calm Gus down by saying something like “he’d be here by now if he wanted to get you” but Gus stays vigilant. He also knew that he went to the laundromat in e8 and realises (too late) his point of entry. Mike, on the other hand, was busy chasing down a trap laid by Lalo at Jimmy’s apartment.
As a slight side note, I have also found Mike’s character arc to be pretty disappointing. There isn’t really much development over the whole series beyond the fact that he needs to support his family, replete with loving shots of him spending quality time with his granddaughter. Perhaps that’s why it’s rarely returned to. I’ll be curious to see how the next few episodes handle this.
Walt arranged for his family to get what remained of the one barrel of money he was allowed to keep. However, it comes in the guise of being from Gretchen & Elliot because he knew his family would refuse to accept anything from Walt. Earlier he had refused G&E's help, and also shut down Walter Jr's charity site he was funneling his own money through.