Axe and Grind

AMC+ is a thing. It releases at around midnight that Monday morning on AMC+ so people can watch it before it airs on TV. I don't know about other TV stations, but mine doesn't have AMC on it so I'm forced to watch this show on AMC+. But I loved the episode and I actually watched it so that's why I'm rating it.

Do the people who call this a "straight filler" and say we should skip it, also skip the scenes in other episodes where characters are talking?

Like how do you call this a filler when the plots are moving forward? Does a mind-blowing thing have to happen for you to not consider it a filler? Does a character have to die, or a should a cameo be in here so it wouldn't be a filler to you?

You realize that you're watching a tv show right? And not only that, it's the 6th season of it. That means you've watched 5 seasons with 10 episodes each, just to come here and call this a filler. Seems like someone forgot every season before, or just doesn't know this show and considers this character-centric episode a filler.

Do you hate characterization? Do you hate build-up and want them to rush everything and get to the big plot points quickly?

I gotta admit, it is a little slow, specially with how the Lalo plot is going, but it's still going nonetheless, and this episode is in no way a filler.

If you hate characterization and the way this show works this much, you might as well just skip all the episodes and come back when the finale airs, and just skip to the part where Heisenberg has a cameo or something and get your rush and go away.

Better Call Saul isn't what it is today if it wasn't for these very episodes that are slow but necessary for the plot and their characters, and isn't what it is today with being fast and rushed and skipping important characterizations.

Rant aside, this wasn't the best episode of this show (not that it was bad, it was actually good, this show doesn't have bad episodes, it's just lower than episodes that are masterpieces like episode 3 of this season), but it was necessary and important for many characters. Skipping this episode is like skipping the first 3 seasons and missing every characterization Saul has.

Because this episode not only gives more backstory and characterization to Kim - which the actress that played her mother nailed it -, but also gives us a better look inside Howard's personal life, and also gives us little crumbs as to why Francesca is the way she is later on. We get an insightful scene with the vet too. Did I mention that Lalo is one step closer to his goal too? Which you probably can argue that his scene was short and they could've put it in the last episode and gave more scenes with him in this episode, which is a fair complaint, but this is how this show has always done things.

If you're not interested in Howard's character, or Francesca or Saul and Kim's planning of D-Day, then fair I guess, but why are you watching the show exactly? Would the scene where Nacho switches Hector's pills be still as powerful and tense as it was, if it wasn't for those scenes we see of Nacho rehearsing it? Setup and payoff people, setup and payoff!

Obviously they're not gonna reveal everything beforehand and ruin the surprise and the natural flow of things, and these scenes, especially Kim's and Howard's, are necessary and important to what's gonna come next.

Patience is a virtue, and if you've watched BB and BCS for all these years, you had to have learned to be patient and trust that the writers know what they're doing.

The only thing I didn't get, was the 60-second stargazing scene. (the short time of it didn't make sense) Like I get that they don't want to drag the scene for too long and make the episode longer, but it didn't make sense that they did all that for to look at stars only for half a minute.

This episode might be slow, but it is in no way a filler -nor is it boring, because the show never was -, it moves the plot forward and has lots of characterization.

This season has not delivered a single below great episode. This episode features great character development. Saul is getting closer to the Saul Goodman we knew in Breaking Bad and we get to see more personal and intimate moments with Kim and Mike. Those who say this is just a filler episode, what do you expect? We can't expect twists in every episode. This is a great episode with great character- and worldbuilding.

I think some of you came to see the series just because of Walter and Jesse. If you started watching the series from season 6, I must say stop right now and do not hit the series any more and do not say filler. Drama for some of you means filler. I'm a fan of the Breaking Bad series. If you really can not stand this series, do not hit. The series grew from season to season, but the content of the drama did not change and remained stable.

I absolutely loved the episode btw. A lot of people will compain about it how the show is slow (which isn't true) but it's important to establish something so that the pay off will seem reasonable and not rushed. Most of the TV shows suffer from being rushed and seriously If you want to check something fast paced check Game of thrones Season 8, where everything is fast paced but nothing makes sense.