# Better Call Saul 2.08 "Fifi" 4/4/16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208 "2016-04-04T23:42:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/161 "2016-04-09T22:21:12Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Whoa now, I didn’t say _that_. Let’s not get too crazy. > > My main point is that this is a show for BB fans. I’m sure they’re delighted to get other viewers who aren’t familiar with it, and while it can and does stand on its own merit, that doesn’t mean they have an obligation to fully explain any possible reference to it. But scoots’ point wasn’t really about a “possible reference” to BB. He’s wondering how they’ll explain why a Cinnabon manager is living in fear and remembering his lawyer days, which are both in this series. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/162 "2016-04-09T22:27:34Z")
> [@scoots](#): > > Doing weird and inexplicable things for no reason is bad writing. The fact that “Gene” is working in a Cinnabon in Omaha in the flash forward is not “weird and inexplicable” even just in the context of BCS. It’s obvious Gene is in hiding and jumpy about his identity being discovered. BCS is all about how Jimmy is becoming more and more unscrupulous as the show goes on. It’s quite easy to see, even at this point in BCS, that Jimmy’s future could easily involve hiding out under a new identity somewhere. Perhaps they may explain it in more detail later on, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they do, but would say they really need to. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/163 "2016-04-09T22:37:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > BCS is all about how Jimmy is becoming more and more unscrupulous as the show goes on. It’s quite easy to see, even at this point in BCS, that Jimmy’s future could easily involve hiding out under a new identity somewhere. > > Perhaps they may explain it in more detail later on, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they do, but would say they really need to. No, we’ve a ways to go before it’s not odd that he’s changed his identity and living in fear. He’s unscrupulous but he’s not knee deep in violent criminals yet. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/164 "2016-04-09T22:39:54Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > No, we’ve a ways to go before it’s not odd that he’s changed his identity and living in fear. He’s unscrupulous but he’s not knee deep in violent criminals yet. If one had been puzzled about the opening, the trajectory we’ve seen so far points in that direction, however. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/165 "2016-04-09T23:15:18Z")
I don’t think they’ve said that BCS is supposed to fit some kind of absolute ‘every piece of info must stand on its own’ standard. It’s made not to require watching BB, but that doesn’t mean that every thing from BB that gets referenced will be explained in the show. Each of the L&O Serieses and Homicide: Life On the Streets have had characters shift back and forth between each other without a full explanation of their circumstances, for example. Also, I think the set of people who are watching BCS, haven’t watched BB, don’t have a friend explaining the relevant BB backstory, can’t figure out that Gene is Jimmy in the future or that Jimmy does something bad enough to go into hiding, are bothered by not having more explanation in the show, but enamored enough by this show that they stick it out for several more seasons is so small they’re not worth worrying about. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/166 "2016-04-09T23:29:19Z")
What are you talking about? No one is expecting every character that is in both series gets a full explanation of their circumstances. Scoots was talking about the MAIN character. ---
**Author:** ![scoots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@scoots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scoots)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/167 "2016-04-09T23:46:01Z")
The character of “Gene” is introduced front and centre at the start of the series. Gene is the first character we see. He’s the main character, not Jimmy. In a way, the whole series is building up to how Jimmy becomes Gene. They can’t just forget that - it’s the main theme of the whole series. Also, remember that people may watch this series in isolation in decades to come (like in 10 years time). They can’t write a series assuming that people have watched a whole other series as well. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/168 "2016-04-09T23:54:56Z")
> [@scoots](#): > > The character of “Gene” is introduced front and centre at the start of the series. Gene is the first character we see. He’s the main character, not Jimmy. In a way, the whole series is building up to how Jimmy becomes Gene. They can’t just forget that - it’s the main theme of the whole series. > > Also, remember that people may watch this series in isolation in decades to come (like in 10 years time). They can’t write a series assuming that people have watched a whole other series as well. The face the Jimmy transcends from a white shoe attorney to a flour stirring doughnut maker is enough of a theme itself: it’s called irony. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/169 "2016-04-09T23:58:20Z")
Nitpick: “Gene” isn’t working at a donut shop in Omaha. It’s a Cinnabon store, and their specialty is cinnamon buns. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/170 "2016-04-10T00:26:24Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Nitpick: “Gene” isn’t working at a donut shop in Omaha. It’s a Cinnabon store, and their specialty is cinnamon buns. It’s a glorified doughnut shop. I’d say nice try, but it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/171 "2016-04-10T00:37:06Z")
Jimmy / Saul / Gene’s stories are all being told at the same time. I want to learn more about each one; they each have their own arc. I want to see each story through to its completion. It’s 1 actor / many characters - like Orphan Black. The way that many stories become one story, told separately but also simultaneously. It’s brilliant. It’s engaging. BB and BCS (and Orphan Black) are the best television ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/172 "2016-04-10T00:58:16Z")
> [@scoots](#): > > Also, remember that people may watch this series in isolation in decades to come (like in 10 years time). They can’t write a series assuming that people have watched a whole other series as well. You’re still dictating what they can and can’t do, and it’s balderdash. In any event, I doubt even the writers know for sure how and where the story line is going to end. I’m sure they’ve discussed it and have an _idea_ of where they want to go, but the nature of the TV biz is such that they don’t even know how many seasons they’ll get. All we know for sure at this point is that AMC has ordered a 3rd season. ---
**Author:** ![scoots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@scoots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scoots)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/173 "2016-04-10T02:02:30Z")
Yes I agree. Maybe it’s a problem with the TV industry - only giving you until the end of the current series to write your plot. So it means you have to write the series as though it’s going to end at the end of this partitcular series and yet also write it so it can continue beyond this series if necessary. A show like BCS might be able to come up with even better storylines if they were given more time - like a three series spread. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/174 "2016-04-10T04:15:02Z")
sound was a large air driven wrench, almost always used for removing tire lugnuts. It is generally too heavy a piece to use for general R&R work, though it sometimes makes sense to use it for a specific job…tight bolts on the frame, bumpers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208/175 "2016-04-10T04:41:26Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > sound was a large air driven wrench, almost always used for removing tire lugnuts. It is generally too heavy a piece to use for general R&R work, though it sometimes makes sense to use it for a specific job…tight bolts on the frame, bumpers, etc. My buddy is a pro mechanic, and has a compressor setup in his garage at home. His air wrench is no bigger than my cordless drill. He put new brakes on my Jeep 2 weeks ago, and used the wrench to remove the tires and calipers. It worked great. They don’t have to be large. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-2-08-fifi-4-4-16/751208.md?page=8)