# Better Call Saul "Alpine Shepard Boy" 3/2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072 "2015-03-03T03:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/81 "2015-03-05T22:02:22Z")
That was pretty funny when he handed his card to Mike. He says something like “I’m into elder law now. Here’s my card if you ever need anything”. Mike glares at him and he quickly adds “uh… if you know any elders.” ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/82 "2015-03-05T23:15:43Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > I rewatched it last night and the Subaru does have a front plate, but it sure looks like one of our six-character red-on-yellow New Mexico plates. Except as someone pointed out, we don’t issue front plates here in New Mexico. I did a better job with the Pause button this time; the front plate has more than six characters and has a dark stripe along the top, like PA plates. But most of the plate looks light yellow to me and the numbers & letters look red. Anyway, I can’t believe they would have put the wrong plate on the car after putting the PA inspection stickers on, so I’m sure that’s a PA plate and my eyes are deceiving me. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/83 "2015-03-05T23:42:23Z")
PA doesn’t have front plates. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/84 "2015-03-06T00:03:01Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > PA doesn’t have front plates. Okay, now they have some 'splaining to do. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/85 "2015-03-06T00:21:48Z")
NM has lots of different plates available: [http://www.mvd.newmexico.gov/license-plates.aspx](http://www.mvd.newmexico.gov/license-plates.aspx) But as far as I know, NM doesn’t require a front plate. In fact, I think we had this conversation in an earlier thread when discussing the skateboarders targeting the wrong car. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/86 "2015-03-06T00:35:51Z")
Okay I just looked at it and paused it where the plate is visible. Regarding the possibility that the props department made a mistake and put a PA plate on the front: that doesn’t look like a PA plate to me. The more I think about it, the more it seems like the 6 month discrepancy between the two PA stickers must mean something. If they just put on two stickers at random without knowing the rules, what are the chances they would be 6 months apart? Also, if you were going to pick two months to indicate annual and semi-annual you could pick any two months that are 6 apart, but 12 and 6 are the easiest no thought numbers that would first come to mind and also the easiest for knowledgeable viewers to notice. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/87 "2015-03-06T11:24:18Z")
> [@SJL4041](#): > > I agree that this episode was probably too slowly paced if you hadn’t ready seen Breaking Bad, but it was a very important point in the series. > > Gilligan seems to love have characters do the right thing, set off on the right path, only to be dragged back to the dark side almost unwittingly. Saul has resolved to take up “elder law,” he’s even invested in the Matlock suit and fruit cup advertising. He’s concentrating his considerable charm on the nursing home residents and handing his card out to elderly parking lot attendants. It would be very Gilligan to have whatever Mike is dealing with drag Saul back to the wrong side of the law. > > Jane had gone straight, until Jesse dragged her under. Jesse went straight until Walt pulled him back in. Walt must have gone straight five times, but always backslid. I think we’ll see a similar pattern with Saul/Jimmy. Good post, nice observations. On the pace of it, I thought it was interesting to listen to the discussion in the Slate BCS podcast (it and the Insider one with Vince and the gang are both must-listens now for me). June Thomas found this the best episode thus far, while her podcast partner (forget his name) felt just the opposite. June made the case that people misremember BB as this constant action-packed show, but that it has always been Vince Gilligan’s method to work slowly and build up character moments. I think she’s right. On some board (maybe even here), someone expressed frustration with BB, saying after the third episode of the first season (“…And the Bag’s in the River”) that the show was way too slow-paced and dull. Someone responded that if you don’t like the show after that episode, it’s just not for you–and I think that’s right too. > [@rock\_party](#): > > Fun fact: > > I grew up in ABQ, just one block from the Alpine lady’s house. A school friend lived in the house growing up and I actually played there when I was a kid. > > Also, Jimmy driving and hitting the skate board twins was filmed just one block further away from the Alpine lady’s house. Oh, cool. That must be really fun. Closest I’ve come to that is that the murders of those three Muslim women recently were in the town I grew up in…but that was certainly not so fun. Please update us on if they go past Walt or Jesse’s old digs, or those of any other characters for that matter. > [@Bumbershoot](#): > > I did a better job with the Pause button this time; the front plate has more than six characters and has a dark stripe along the top, like PA plates. But most of the plate looks light yellow to me and the numbers & letters look red. > > Anyway, I can’t believe they would have put the wrong plate on the car after putting the PA inspection stickers on, so I’m sure that’s a PA plate and my eyes are deceiving me. Sorry if I’m missing something, but wouldn’t this be consistent with someone moving from PA to NM? They’d still have the old stickers, but be updated with an NM plate. That’s how I interpreted it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/88 "2015-03-06T12:57:45Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Sorry if I’m missing something, but wouldn’t this be consistent with someone moving from PA to NM? They’d still have the old stickers, but be updated with an NM plate. That’s how I interpreted it, anyway. The problem is that New Mexico doesn’t issue front plates (and apparently neither does PA). So we’re trying to figure out what kind of plate is on the front of the car, knowing Gilligan’s attention to detail. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072/89 "2015-03-06T14:20:18Z")
Not just apparently. PA most definitely does not issue front plates. I’ve lived here my whole life and they have never issued front plates. I was an adult before I even realized that some states did. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-call-saul-alpine-shepard-boy-3-2/714072.md?page=4)