TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

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Famous Mortimer
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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Famous Mortimer »

ghostrunner wrote:The Handmaid's Tale is really good, at least two episodes in. Cinematography is amazing.

Nice change of pace on subject matter, though a little tough to buy into the premise. It's not so much the oppression of women, it's that there's a national culture that seems to have formed and taken root very quickly. It doesn't look fun for the women or the men, the powerful or the powerless. I think you're meant to think those in charge enforce this out of what they perceive as necessity, but you don't know why these customs and class structures were settled upon. Details are sometimes beside the point in an allegory like this, but the show keeps flashing back and reminding you things were different. Seems like it would be easier to accept if it started 20-25 years from whenever everything changed, and the we didn't know that the characters all have adult memories of life being different. If you can get past that though, it's worth watching.
I think there's lots of instances of cultures changing very quickly (although, not to the extent of the culture in Handmaid, which is why it's an allegory) - post revolutionary Russia, Nazi Germany, the Roman Empire when whatshisname converted to Christianity?

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Freed Roger »

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
Freed Roger wrote:
go birds wrote:
Secret Weapon wrote:
go birds wrote:BCS is gettin awful juicy
More Gus/Mike and less Jimmy/Chuck is a good trade off
the gus/mike-heavy episode was a enjoyable, but im eager to see what unfolds with jimmy/kim

I'm having trouble remembering the old BB stories they are tying into (allegiances and who works for who etc). recall of latenight binge-watch from a couple years ago must not be the best.

I try to remember the backstory, but then give up, it's just all good storytelling on it's own.
Yeah, the jimmy/chuck story is kind of...dry at this point. Obviously something is coming, but it's just dry right now. Mike/Gus/Hector is awesome.
[SHOW]
If you can't remember the highlights from BB are Mike is Gus' right hand man/enforcer type guy. Gus and Hector have a deep hatred. The hatred runs deep enough that Hector blows himself up to kill Gus as well. Hector and the Head Don Eldrio(?) kill Gus' partner way back when, even before BCS, when Gus and his partner meet to discuss meth and wanted to go into business with them. There's a lot of unknown what has happened in the interim. But obviously the gus/hector relationship is very tense. Also, at some point, Hector becomes incapacitated and is crippled and left unable to talk. Gus has a few cronies from BB around. Etc etc etc. Gus and Hector is the main storyline at this point while jimmy and chuck and kim all break apart.
Thanks - some of that I grabbed. I was trying to remember the Eladio cartel timeline. More so, the side characters like Nacho Vargas -I keep trying to remember how/if he was killed in BB. I am following, but sometimes wonder if I'm not putting it all together and missing some subtle gems -like back when Jimmy and Kim scammed the same stock"bro"ker dude that Walter White blew up his car in BB.
[SHOW]
this episode below from BB I was trying to recall while watching BCS. The cartel leader's pool party.
awesome episode BTW http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/201 ... alud_.html

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ghostrunner
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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by ghostrunner »

Famous Mortimer wrote:
ghostrunner wrote:The Handmaid's Tale is really good, at least two episodes in. Cinematography is amazing.

Nice change of pace on subject matter, though a little tough to buy into the premise. It's not so much the oppression of women, it's that there's a national culture that seems to have formed and taken root very quickly. It doesn't look fun for the women or the men, the powerful or the powerless. I think you're meant to think those in charge enforce this out of what they perceive as necessity, but you don't know why these customs and class structures were settled upon. Details are sometimes beside the point in an allegory like this, but the show keeps flashing back and reminding you things were different. Seems like it would be easier to accept if it started 20-25 years from whenever everything changed, and the we didn't know that the characters all have adult memories of life being different. If you can get past that though, it's worth watching.
I think there's lots of instances of cultures changing very quickly (although, not to the extent of the culture in Handmaid, which is why it's an allegory) - post revolutionary Russia, Nazi Germany, the Roman Empire when whatshisname converted to Christianity?
I thought about this some more and I suppose the Taliban in Afghanistan or the Iranian Revolution would be good points of reference. You've got destruction of cultural artifacts, severe dress codes, and those are male dominated cultures that also don't seem particularly "fun" for the men.

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Do we know why when the salamanca twins in are sent to kill Walt in BB and Gus calls and redirects them Hank they listen, presumably, to Gus instead of whoever sent them to kill Walt?

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by vinsanity »

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:Do we know why when the salamanca twins in are sent to kill Walt in BB and Gus calls and redirects them Hank they listen, presumably, to Gus instead of whoever sent them to kill Walt?
I got the impression they were acting of their own volition. During BCS Gus is clearly part of the Eladio Cartel. He could be at Hector's level during BB and able to "call them off".

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Freed Roger »

BCS Not a favorite episode -
[SHOW]
it goes "A Few Good Men". It's odd, BCS and BB have me ignoring plausibility and enjoying it all the time, but for some reason I had a hard time buying into disbarment proceedings/courtroom drama.

But at least the Jimmy to Saul metamorphosis is nearly complete (I think at least - he keeps his license but that whole mess loses Mesa Verde and Kim and any path to normal law practice.)

Talk about your slow builds - they could have pulled the trigger on him going Full Saul at any number of points- the billboard, Davis and Main fiasco etc
and Huell is back in the mix. Always good.

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Jocephus »

i'm new to BCS but caught up on seasons 1 and 2 on netflix and have gotten caught up on season 3 thru other means. still need to watch last nights episode all the way through but man this show is great. as good as BB is/was, it was just a little too stressful. i appreciate the level of humor in this show. love the performances but in particular odenkirk and mckean. i love that two primarily comedic actors are able to do this drama and it makes sense that they'd play brothers. good casting.

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Tim »

I am having trouble following the Gus and Mike storyline. I may need to go back and watch season 1 and 2.
[SHOW]
Can someone refresh me? Why does Mike have something out for Hector? And Mike was about to shoot Hector, but Gus stopped him. Why was Gus following Mike at that time? Why did Gus try paying Mike for messing up Hector's shipment? Mike said "We're square." Had Gus done something for Mike previously? I understand the Hector v Gus angle, even from BB.

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by Jocephus »

Tim wrote:I am having trouble following the Gus and Mike storyline. I may need to go back and watch season 1 and 2.
[SHOW]
Can someone refresh me? Why does Mike have something out for Hector? And Mike was about to shoot Hector, but Gus stopped him. Why was Gus following Mike at that time? Why did Gus try paying Mike for messing up Hector's shipment? Mike said "We're square." Had Gus done something for Mike previously? I understand the Hector v Gus angle, even from BB.
[SHOW]
hector wanted mike to take the gun charge from tuco (when mike and tuco got into fisticuffs). when mike wouldn't do that, hector sent some goons to scare him. mike took care of those guys, then the salamanca twins showed up and threatened mike and his grandkid. mike then bartered with hector for 50,000 to take the gun charge, which was agreed upon. however, he split the 50k with nacho because mike didn't finish the job (put tuco away forever). he scouts out hector and his ice cream shop front and picks up on the delivery method. he attacked the first truck, found the money, stole it and went on his way knowing he'd bested hector (and secured some $ for his daughter in law and grandchild). mike was ready to be done with hector however, when mike learns (from nacho) that hector killed the good samaritan who found the hog tied driver (that mike did) this reengages his actions as mike is guilty he got an innocent person killed; "he wasn't in the game". thats when gus wants to know what/why mike is doing this as attacking hector, on the surface, really only helps gus. (bad recap i'm working on other things and trying to spit out some plot).

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Re: TV Thread - beware, [expletive] can get spoilery

Post by vinsanity »

Tim wrote:I am having trouble following the Gus and Mike storyline. I may need to go back and watch season 1 and 2.
[SHOW]
Can someone refresh me? Why does Mike have something out for Hector? And Mike was about to shoot Hector, but Gus stopped him. Why was Gus following Mike at that time? Why did Gus try paying Mike for messing up Hector's shipment? Mike said "We're square." Had Gus done something for Mike previously? I understand the Hector v Gus angle, even from BB.
[SHOW]
Mike got wrapped up with Nacho, Nacho is part of Tuco Salamanca's crew. Tuco is Hector's nephew. Nacho wants Mike to get rid of Tuco, who frames Tuco for gun possession and Hector throws some weight around and threatens Mike. He killed the driver Mike was able to rip off, so Mike sees Hector as dangerous and we know how he feels about half measures (tho locking up Tuco was one). He also was threatening Mike's grand daughter.

I imagine Gus has an in somewhere, we've known he has an ability to know things. He probably heard of the Tuco's problems and was watching what Hector would do and was intrigued at someone able to get over on Hector. He may also know the arms dealer?

I think Gus stopped him for a few reasons but it's speculation. Right now Gus reports to Bolsa (I think he called him Don Bolsa) and he appears to be a peer with Hector, a level below Eladio so he doesn't want someone axing his 'boss' especially if it could be construed as Gus pulling the trigger. He also wants Hector to suffer, not die quickly with a bullet.

As for the payment, I imagine Hector's supply line drying up means Gus's product or distribution makes more money and makes Hector look bad, all at once. I saw the money as a play to get him on the payroll and Mike doesn't seem the type that likes to get wrapped up in anyone's business without extreme caution. He didn't want to be indebted to Gus and he'd already been paid. But I may be missing something in there.

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