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.

Kaylee is probably the only plot hole they can't control between BCS and BB. Her age fluctuates HUGELY

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.)

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.

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

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

I’d definitely recommend watching the Sopranos seeing how therapy and the pychology of the main character is a major part of the plot. they somehow make Tony Soprano look like a helpless and pitiful victim despite him being a ruthless, violent, sociopathic mobster. definitely worth looking into and making a video on it if that sounds interesting to you.

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 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.

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

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.

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

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'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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:)

“… 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

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

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

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

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.

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

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 can’t wait to share this with everyone I know! This is so well done and thought out!

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

Hell yeah i was waiting for this one! I was looking at your channel yesterday thinking its been a month since the last video, hoping you'd post part 4 soon and here it is :))

I definitely highly recommend watching Breaking Bad eventually, it's just as good as Better Call Saul and the 2 shows really complete each other imo

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.

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

I mean, I would really love to get into discussions with you my friend, but just listening to your reasoning and analysis makes me happy enough. love your videos. just wish you keep doing the good work.

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.

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 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 could sit here and listen to you talk alllll dayyyy. Love these videos so much, instantly my favorite channel

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

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.

I love these psychological break downs and deep dives! So interesting, great job and thank you!

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.

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.

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.

I love watching your videos! I kinda apply many concepts to my own life and I find them not only entertaining but also very constructive, thanks for such great content!

Great job on this video! I really enjoyed it.

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. 💙

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 didn't realize you'd be discussing season 6 when I started this. Loved the first 3 videos! Will be back when I've completed the series!

Ive been waiting for this video

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 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.

Such a well made video, I've never seen BCS broken down this much, very interesting!

Hey hey! Hyped to listen, thanks for uploading fella

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.

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.

thank goodman ive been waiting for this video!

As someone who's studying characters in terms of story, in hopes of making my own story, I've really been enjoying your videos! Plus they're entertaining. Thank you, man!

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.

Hang on. This channel is fire All your videos look hype. Gonna watch all of them

You're awesome! Love hearing your analysis. :)

It’s kind of sad that people see chuck as the villain. Sure, he might be too prideful; you can see that in the “Slippin’ Jimmy” and the “Chicanery” speech, he is jealous sure but he also says the Law is “too important” and “sacred” to him, he believes jimmy is going face the consequence of his actions, and he will be better man for it (it might be not sincere, but there are some truths to it). Of course, many of Chuck’s action seems immature and pathological at time, like never accepting that he made mistakes, and being spiteful. The show mentions that the issues with his brother stems from their childhood, Michael Mckean (Chuck’s actor) said once in an interview that Chuck made his mom proud but Jimmy made her laugh. Jimmy didn’t have an effect on most of Chuck’s life, like education/career/marriage, which is most of his life, so why we feel chuck is the bad guy? I think it mostly comes form the EHS. EHS seems to be more like an OCDish/delusional disorder, the show makes it clear that it is more of a mental origin than a biological one. Even Chuck says to the doctor that “to me it is real as that chair” even after it was proven to him that it is all in his head. There is a moment of sadness when he gains insight of his disorder while talking to the doctor, he questions his sanity and mind, he says “what’ve I done”. The doctor warns him to take things slow, as this might relapse which eventually leads to his suicide. The story from Chuck’s POV, is a story of a man with mental/psychotic disorder, too smart for his own good, alienating everyone from his life before relapsing and committing suicide.

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…

awesome! ive been binging all youre videos, i love the way you talk.

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

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

I really enjoy your insightful breakdown videos.

your videos are so good man

thank you so much for not saying that chucks illness is "fake". the amount of people that cant differentiate a psycological responce to stress that causes crippling pain and "a fake illness" is incredibly worrying

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.

so glad i found this channel

I love your BCS content so much!!

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.

Sopranos is definitely worth a watch with therapy knowledge

i love the visuals in your videos

Great video!