(05-10-2017 06:45 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(05-10-2017 03:19 PM)I45owl Wrote:  The thing about that episode is that for Charles McGill to be as literate as he was about EM radiation, he should've known that he was no more at risk from a battery than he was from a fountain pen. That said, the notion of EM sensitivity is irrational to begin with, so he's clearly deranged, but chucking the battery on the floor in horror kind of ruined it for me. Sensitive tools could probably register the radiation from a cell phone sans battery, but would likely register nothing above background for the battery alone.

I wouldn't say he chucked it on the floor, and even if he did I interpreted it not as "oh wow a battery I need to throw it away because of my EHS" but as "oh s*** Jimmy got the best of me."

Phenomenal episode either way. The first two and a half seasons were all building up to last night until it reached its boiling point and spilled over. The ironic thing about it all is that even if Chuck is an a-hole, he's still right. Jimmy really is guilty of fraud and everything he talked about in his rant, it's just that the great Charles McGill got out-lawyered by Slippin' Jimmy.

Yeah...Im guessing that Chuck is done at this point since he never reared his head in BB. It is looking like Jimmy is heading for more and more shady schit from here.

(05-10-2017 03:19 PM)I45owl Wrote:  The thing about that episode is that for Charles McGill to be as literate as he was about EM radiation, he should've known that he was no more at risk from a battery than he was from a fountain pen. That said, the notion of EM sensitivity is irrational to begin with, so he's clearly deranged, but chucking the battery on the floor in horror kind of ruined it for me. Sensitive tools could probably register the radiation from a cell phone sans battery, but would likely register nothing above background for the battery alone.

I don't think I saw it the way you did. When it is revealed to Chuck (and anyone else in the room who hadn't already figured it out) that he was not suffering from a physical ailment but a mental illness, it didn't lessen his suffering. The pain, even if psychosomatic, still felt real. We already knew batteries caused him pain (earlier episode with tape recorder), so realizing the presence of that battery caused him pain, even if it also caused him a great deal of cognitive dissonance.

I love how the writing and acting are pulling our heartstrings in every direction. We root for Jimmy to beat his brother even though he was guilty of every terrible thing Chuck accused him of, while we hope that Jimmy will finally get on the right path because he can't have Kim if he doesn't. And we want Chuck to lose because he's such a dick to his brother, even though his brother did all those terrible things, while we also root for Chuck to recover and somehow have a good relationship with his brother.

And following up on Fo's point, we root for all these things knowing full well that the future brings none of those good outcomes. Great show.

(05-10-2017 06:45 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  

(05-10-2017 03:19 PM)I45owl Wrote:  The thing about that episode is that for Charles McGill to be as literate as he was about EM radiation, he should've known that he was no more at risk from a battery than he was from a fountain pen. That said, the notion of EM sensitivity is irrational to begin with, so he's clearly deranged, but chucking the battery on the floor in horror kind of ruined it for me. Sensitive tools could probably register the radiation from a cell phone sans battery, but would likely register nothing above background for the battery alone.

I wouldn't say he chucked it on the floor, and even if he did I interpreted it not as "oh wow a battery I need to throw it away because of my EHS" but as "oh s*** Jimmy got the best of me."

Phenomenal episode either way. The first two and a half seasons were all building up to last night until it reached its boiling point and spilled over. The ironic thing about it all is that even if Chuck is an a-hole, he's still right. Jimmy really is guilty of fraud and everything he talked about in his rant, it's just that the great Charles McGill got out-lawyered by Slippin' Jimmy.

I agree it was a good episode and I love the show and characters. They had layed the groundwork but it still struck me a bit sour...and this is a show built on being pretty scientifically literate, even though all shows must take liberties.

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(05-10-2017 10:14 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(05-10-2017 03:19 PM)I45owl Wrote:  The thing about that episode is that for Charles McGill to be as literate as he was about EM radiation, he should've known that he was no more at risk from a battery than he was from a fountain pen. That said, the notion of EM sensitivity is irrational to begin with, so he's clearly deranged, but chucking the battery on the floor in horror kind of ruined it for me. Sensitive tools could probably register the radiation from a cell phone sans battery, but would likely register nothing above background for the battery alone.

I don't think I saw it the way you did. When it is revealed to Chuck (and anyone else in the room who hadn't already figured it out) that he was not suffering from a physical ailment but a mental illness, it didn't lessen his suffering. The pain, even if psychosomatic, still felt real. We already knew batteries caused him pain (earlier episode with tape recorder), so realizing the presence of that battery caused him pain, even if it also caused him a great deal of cognitive dissonance.

I love how the writing and acting are pulling our heartstrings in every direction. We root for Jimmy to beat his brother even though he was guilty of every terrible thing Chuck accused him of, while we hope that Jimmy will finally get on the right path because he can't have Kim if he doesn't. And we want Chuck to lose because he's such a dick to his brother, even though his brother did all those terrible things, while we also root for Chuck to recover and somehow have a good relationship with his brother.

And following up on Fo's point, we root for all these things knowing full well that the future brings none of those good outcomes. Great show.

Nicely done.

Yes - so painful to know that Jimmy won't end up with Kim, that he will ultimately ruin that relationship. Kim is awesome!

Video Extra - Better Call Saul - Better Call Saul Talked About Scene: Season 3, Episode 5 - AMC

(05-10-2017 10:14 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(05-10-2017 03:19 PM)I45owl Wrote:  The thing about that episode is that for Charles McGill to be as literate as he was about EM radiation, he should've known that he was no more at risk from a battery than he was from a fountain pen. That said, the notion of EM sensitivity is irrational to begin with, so he's clearly deranged, but chucking the battery on the floor in horror kind of ruined it for me. Sensitive tools could probably register the radiation from a cell phone sans battery, but would likely register nothing above background for the battery alone.

I don't think I saw it the way you did. When it is revealed to Chuck (and anyone else in the room who hadn't already figured it out) that he was not suffering from a physical ailment but a mental illness, it didn't lessen his suffering. The pain, even if psychosomatic, still felt real. We already knew batteries caused him pain (earlier episode with tape recorder), so realizing the presence of that battery caused him pain, even if it also caused him a great deal of cognitive dissonance.

I love how the writing and acting are pulling our heartstrings in every direction. We root for Jimmy to beat his brother even though he was guilty of every terrible thing Chuck accused him of, while we hope that Jimmy will finally get on the right path because he can't have Kim if he doesn't. And we want Chuck to lose because he's such a dick to his brother, even though his brother did all those terrible things, while we also root for Chuck to recover and somehow have a good relationship with his brother.

And following up on Fo's point, we root for all these things knowing full well that the future brings none of those good outcomes. Great show.

I think this is a great analysis. I've known some very bright people that believe squirrely things, but my comments were pretty much limited to the fact that, for a lawyer, it's impressive that he could talk and understand inverse squared laws (that's something that seemingly eludes most folks that talk about transmission lines and elementary schools), but wouldn't realize that batteries don't draw current if the circuit is not closed.

(05-11-2017 02:33 PM)I45owl Wrote:  I've known some very bright people that believe squirrely things, but my comments were pretty much limited to the fact that, for a lawyer, it's impressive that he could talk and understand inverse squared laws (that's something that seemingly eludes most folks that talk about transmission lines and elementary schools), but wouldn't realize that batteries don't draw current if the circuit is not closed.

Yeah, that didn't occur to me but it makes sense. Apologies for going astray here, but I work with regulators. A lot. And a rule I often keep in mind in dealing with these folks: Avoid applying rational thought to irrational actors.

I think this would describe how I view Chuck.

(05-11-2017 04:16 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 02:33 PM)I45owl Wrote:  I've known some very bright people that believe squirrely things, but my comments were pretty much limited to the fact that, for a lawyer, it's impressive that he could talk and understand inverse squared laws (that's something that seemingly eludes most folks that talk about transmission lines and elementary schools), but wouldn't realize that batteries don't draw current if the circuit is not closed.

Yeah, that didn't occur to me but it makes sense. Apologies for going astray here, but I work with regulators. A lot. And a rule I often keep in mind in dealing with these folks: Avoid applying rational thought to irrational actors.

I think this would describe how I view Chuck.

I think he has an irrational belief, but that's not uncommon for anyone... it's very difficult not to. However, Chuck is at or near the top of his profession, which demands rational thought. I'm conflicted as to how the writers introduced the whole battery thing ... I have to believe that they deliberately put in something they knew to be absurd. If they established that Jimmy knew about his fear of batteries, I could accept the ploy. I wonder if they wanted to avoid actually having something that conducted current next to Chuck specifically because they didn't want to upset the electromagnetic-phobia lobby, and just hoped no-one would object? I'm sure that they didn't want to detract from the series by having to apologize to the Chucks of the world for implying that their problem was mental and not real.

Incidentally...

'Breaking Bad' adviser on TV's scientific accuracy | ZDNet

Quote:Donna Nelson wants scientists to watch television without groaning at inaccuracies. So when Nelson, a chemistry professor at the University of Oklahoma and a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, heard the AMC series Breaking Bad needed a chemist adviser, she volunteered.

(05-12-2017 02:23 PM)I45owl Wrote:  I think he has an irrational belief, but that's not uncommon for anyone... it's very difficult not to. However, Chuck is at or near the top of his profession, which demands rational thought.

Sure, but his phobia is presented as such an overwhelming driver of his decision making that it's easy for me to think of him as an irrational actor who occasionally dabbles in a rational profession. His "Colonel Jessup" moment on the stand kind of confirms that for me.

Quote:...they didn't want to upset the electromagnetic-phobia lobby...

Nice

I thought of the scene in Caine Mutiny when Captain Queeg (Bogart) goes all unhinged at the court martial hearing.

The parallel between Chuck losing it and Queeg going bonkers over how he determined geometric logic that there must be an extra key was astounding. Even to when both characters self-realize how over the top they have become.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-95QqBXLG2I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rreFXFnlKO4
starting at about 3:00

Best Part of this week's episode was Jimmy Saul and Kim drinking Shiner Bock* in the closing scene. That is a man's beer.






* Shiner Bock <--- NOT an IPA