It’s been a good few weeks, hasn’t it? It was ‘Saul’ good… We’ve seen some amazing television moments to savour but this week was all about finales and goodbyes.
SPOILERS AHEAD… stop reading now if you have not seen the finales of Westworld Season 4 or Better Call Saul Season 6!
Westworld… a better world
First to conclude, with the end of Season Four, was WESTWORLD. A season that many have stated was one of it’s best. Caleb was really tested throughout, and in the final episode his will power, determination, humanity and love enabled him to defy the odds and see his daughter to safety. Cookie/C/Frankie will be able to fight another day, but Caleb, well we didn’t see him die and that’s a positive, right?
The final episode, entitled ‘Que Sera, Sera’ picked up from the last episode where the humans were going all out with a bloodbath, survival of the fittest. The story arc of season 4 came to a head in a very satisfying manner, Tessa Thompson’s ‘Hale’ found redemption as she went up against an even more out of control than usual ‘Man in Black’ (Ed Harris) – I feel, this time, we may have seen the last of both, but I’ll be happy if I’m proved wrong in that assumption!
Christina returning things to how they used to be was a joy to watch, Delores returning for what could be a great Season 5 – although nothing as yet has been confirmed by HBO, a return to the wild west will be most welcomed. If this was the end, end, it would be a shame as Season 4 truly has been a return to form that produced so many memorable moments.
I think it’s almost fair to say that Season 4 has put Season 3 more into context, where before it felt like it was unsure what it was becoming – now it’s very clear that Westworld is a much bigger picture. Caleb Nichols, what can I say? His story arc during this season was the stand out, and yeah, bias and all that, but whilst I had so many questions and uncertainty about the character at the end of Season 3, I am now fully invested and really, really hope we get to see more (if there is a Season 5). How they’ll do that, who knows, but no one truly dies in Westworld, and isn’t the prospect of seeing Aaron Paul actually in Westworld, donning the cowboy attire just too good an opportunity to miss? They wouldn’t deny us that, surely?
End of an Era… and what an era!
The next night was one of mixed emotions (ok, being a brit it was more a full day later, early morning – just doesn’t sound so good!) with the series finale of BETTER CALL SAUL, an episode entitled ‘Saul Gone’.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that whilst for some the end of Better Call Saul marked the end of a 14 year relationship with this universe, for me it’s only been 2.5 years… but think about it, thats a lot of hours of amazing TV to fit into that shorter timeframe, especially when you consider how many times I may have rewatched it as well! (ahem…)
Being still so new to this world, I really wasn’t ready to see it go but at the same time I was excited at the prospect of how Better Call Saul would wrap things up – my faith, trust and admiration for the team so high, I knew it would be something special and I was not disappointed! Technically, this episode didn’t physically feature our main man, but boy were there key moments for those of us in the Jesse Pinkman camp to hold our breath!
I admit I was not happy with Saul Goodman expressing that he ‘feared’ Jesse Pinkman catching up with him. OK, fair enough, their last encounter did involve Jesse attacking Saul quite violently, but still, to name him in front of the authorities as a threat, someone he feared? That was real low, Saul! I do not approve. In fact it really did feel like a small part of this episode was determined to remind the viewer that Jesse Pinkman was in fact a proper, bona fida criminal (yo!) – the retelling by Saul a couple of times about being kidnapped, taken to the desert, open graves – not a good look for Jesse if they ever catch up with him! We’ve seen that scene a couple of times in a much lighter context, with the funny hats, Jesse and Walt being inept, the bickering but now, in the eyes of the law, it suddenly feels pretty sinister – maybe rightly so.
And then that one brief but oh so significant moment. One we never got to really see in Breaking Bad at the time, but maybe one we all wanted to see. Walter White whilst considering regrets, glancing at the watch Jesse brought him as a birthday gift. For that scene alone, I am so very happy.
Overall, Better Call Saul turned into it’s own masterpiece on a par with Breaking Bad. Whilst I’ll likely always lean more towards BrBa as my favourite of the two series (El Camino holds its own place of glory), Better Call Saul really did extremely well to win me over, with surprising twists and storylines, amazing cinematography and editing and allowing me to enjoy Mike for a few more seasons. I absolutely adore Jonathan Banks.
So what now?
Our weeks will be quieter now, that much is true. I’ve enjoyed writing these stories in reaction to what has been an amazing few weeks of outstanding television. I am fully expecting next year to include nominations all round, and will be disappointed if not.
Is this truly the end of the Breaking Bad Universe? Vince Gilligan has confirmed it to be the case, but there was an added ‘never say never’. Personally I feel with the handful of characters still living and breathing in this world, there will always be hope and opportunity – I mean wow, Marie Schrader’s determination to see Saul Goodman go down for what happened to Hank – that was both unexpected and a delight, makes me wonder if she’s like that for Saul, what would she do if Jesse was found?
Then I look at the above image, and I know it signifies that these three characters got their endings and maybe this truly is where the story ends.
And that’s where I am. Kinda… ok, there is still a dose of what if… I mean, doesn’t anyone else want to really know right now what Jesse Pinkman’s reaction is to Saul Goodman being caught? Being sentenced for as long as he has? Will he be panicking about what Saul might say? He told Saul Goodman where he would head, he told him he’d go to Alaska. Even if Saul has no intention of saying anything, would his time with Walter White cause Jesse to expect the worse… omg, my brain needs to stop! lol
So now all we can do is hope for a Westworld renewal, to see a season 5 in probably 2 years… and maybe 3-5 years down the line, maybe, if we’re lucky… a return to the Breaking Bad universe just one more time, to bring it up to modern day. To see a grown up Jesse Pinkman. We can always dream.
