Howard’s death felt like a celebrity death. Or the death of a neighbor. I think part of why his death felt so unfair was because Jimmy and Kim’s plan worked. They had no repercussions. They ruined Howard’s reputation assuming that he would be able to fix it. He had received more punishment than we wanted for him through the pranks, but death is final, and now he dies with the ugly image that Jimmy and Kim painted for him.
Another perverse thing I noticed in E8 was how Jimmy and Kim not only killed Howard, but they built themselves an alibi through the weeks of work they spent, thinking they would be ruining Howard's reputation, but actually they worked to save their own image. Howard's death was framed as a drug fueled suicide post hoc which only worked because the ground work had been laid down by Jimmy and Kim.
Howard wasn't even in the game, and he got a gunshot to the head. Him being the wrong person in the wrong place, being killed and buried in an unknown location is a death for someone who's a part of the cartel, not some businessman. I think that's why his death feels so real
@@arvaakuka8568 That was the idea though. What good would have been ruining his reputation if Howard had been able to prove that it was Kim and Jimmy who lied about it?
Completely agree mate, I physically recoiled and felt a sense of panic like you’d feel If you saw a family member be involved in a tragic accident. I was really shook like I’d seen a man get shot in front of me, how they built those feelings up is absolutely phenomenal. Never felt anything like it from a show.
That’s why I totally got Kim’s guilt and her decision to leave. They were fucking around with Howard for pretty short term gain with the understanding that he would eventually get back up from it so they saw it as harmless in the long run. But now since he was drawn into their world and that got him killed, he never got the chance to do damage control and his reputation is in the gutter forever.
I feel like Better Call Saul and BrBd write death diffrently. In Breaking Bad death and murder are very much impactful but as the pile of bodies rise they sorta become just stepping stones to Walt's ladder of success and just like Walt himself you somewhat get numb to it to the point where by the time you see Walt orchestrate the assassination of nearly a dozen people and it's done so in a darkly humored way with calm music and a relaxing afternoon with tea as this immense violence is going on. BCS slower pace and more personal story reminds you that "No, these are human beings with lives, hopes, dreams and feelings". And it masterfully writes the death of a single character feel like the end of the world because no matter how desensitized both the criminal world or the audience itself is the death of another human being both should and would be this traumatic.
Absolutely. Didnt even flinch when Hank died. Not only did we have 2 episodes of buildup to his death making it pretty obvious he is dead once the nazis show up, but it felt like he made his own bed with his nastu obsession of catching heisenberg, at the end even going alone and putting himself and steve in danger. Howard on the other hand fucking shook me to my core.
Its like where the random man in the carpark killed by the cousins while having shootout with hank, his death is not even mentioned, its not a big deal. And with bcs freds death actually feels like a death
But "Ozymandias" just destroyed this view of coolness murder. Instead it shows how dirty the ways of murdering is and how destroying lives is really ugly. Above all It shows that we are all indeed guilty of rooting for the bad guy because it's cool until the ugliness comes finally to our eyes.
I randomly clicked on a video about Better Call Saul to play in the background while I play video games, my little brother just killed himself and when this video hit 8 minute mark, I could not have related to you more. One of my best buds died around a year ago. I hold all my feelings in, try to keep being positive around my family, not crying, just giving them advice. But, this video legit made me cry dude. Props to you good sir, props to you, even if you might never see this
“Art is a safe and controlled place where I can feel these emotions without them overpowering me.” That’s a hell of a quote. I’m glad you’ve found some catharsis in this show. Life hits hard sometimes but I’ve always found fiction to be a healthy place to feel these things.
I love this nuanced view. Vinceverse is quite grim, so the memes are gallows humor in a sense. I don't think these meme can ever work without the context, but then again, Breaking Bad's plot is quickly going the way of everyone knowing that Darth Vader is Luke's father given the series' reach and influence on popular media; people know why Walt was quivering by and large and they can now laugh about it.
I cant say Ive experienced Loss quite like You have, but Howards Death has made me feel so uneasy. It felt so real, its crazy to think How in a blink of an eye, you’re just gone. Made me question my own mortality. Good video, im also very sorry for all the loss you’ve had to go through. This video hit hard.
I was haunted by Chuck's tbh, perhaps because I've thought of suicide in the past and it's such a bleak representation, but I haven't seen that many people mention it as a good death before but I had to take a day or two to stop the bingefest
Howard's death hit hard because of all the characters in the Breaking Bad universe he's one of the people who probably deserved it the least. The worst thing I could say about Howard is he was perhaps a tad snobby and privileged, but he was among the more honorable and honest characters in the series and he rarely if ever had any malevolent ulterior motives despite being at-odds with Jimmy and Kim's goals from time to time due to his close association with Chuck. It's like if Walter Jr. got killed in Breaking Bad or something.
The last two big deaths of Better Call Saul really hit hard for me, because I really wanted both Howard and Nacho to live through the whole show and get good lives away from everything else. But, Chuck's death is what really hurt me, around the time of watching Chuck's death and the following episodes, I lost two people in my life due to suicide. I had no one I could actually talk about it with, but seeing Saul, Kim, and Howard deal with Chuck's death each in their own way honestly was helpful to me in learning how to move on.
I feel you 100% Howard's death felt like a total gut punch. It made me "grief" the loss of this - as you said - life like character. He felt so genuine and it felt way more like he was truly dead. Nothing has made me feel this way, and suddenly the transformation of Saul felt complete. I do however not think that any outside influence has lessened the impact of these shows anywhere. I did watch memes about these shows but never ever have I felt watching them has had any less impact. These shows are perfection of television, simple
The death of Howard Hamlin was perfectly done, perhaps too perfectly. You're not the only one who had such a strong reaction to it by a long shot. I'm so grateful Patrick Fabian who played Howard did a number of interviews after the episode; it helped ground me back in reality to remember that was a show and nothing really happened to anyone. A story was just being told. If it weren't for that, I don't know if I could have processed the final moments of that episode and gone to sleep that night. I couldn't understand why it had such an effect on me and so many others, but what you're saying sheds some light on what we went through watching that episode. Thank you for sharing this experience; this was so much more real than any other video I've watched talking about the events of this season and I hope, ultimately, all the work you're putting in to understanding yourself through understanding these scenes will pay off.
No character death in any piece of media has ever affected me in the way Howard’s did. I felt like I was genuinely watching someone I knew be shot and killed in front of me. I screamed at the TV and felt sick to my stomach for days afterwards. In an instant he was dead and nothing could be done about it. I, too, grieved for Howard in an incredibly deep way and used it to cope in my own way. Beautiful video, nothing about it is silly or stupid ❤️
Howard's death are very similar to Mike's, both confronts the main protagonist and calling out their behaviour and 'scam' activities, both eventually got shot and died tragically but the latter at least found comfort during his last 'processing' of the event, and get to tell his assailant to shut the **** up before going out. Howard's death is truly the tragic as it was soo sudden, but soo predictable yet soo begrudgingly disappointing for everyone (except Lalo) involved.
I’d argue it’s more like Hank’s death, you’re right about the similarity to Mike in that he calls him out for his BS but doesn’t get in his way (Hank tries to completely destroy Walter) but I think the way that he shares a close relationship with Jimmy and Kim, almost like family makes him more similar to Hank. The sense of betrayal he feels is the same as how Hank is betrayed by Walt. Even the way they die is the same, shot in the head mid-sentence by someone they never met as a consequence of the protagonists criminal involvement
Beautifully articulated and visualized. I’m an old lady who doesn’t follow memes so didn’t know about the comic trivialization of so many gripping moments, but appreciated your nuanced interpretations. Am subscribing and look forward to future videos.
This is by far one of the best analysis of BCS and BB I've seen on YT. Subbed and looking foward to your other videos. Howard's death made me jump from my seat. He wasnt just a character, we, the audience have come journeyed through and came to know him in the past 5 seasons, at time, we hated him but we all knew he was a good person. When he died, the way he did, it felt real personal. BCS is one of the best shows in recent times.
Got randomly recommended this video and this is probably one of the best underrated videos I’ve seen to date. Howard’s death reminded me personally of my own loss of a love one and also the loss of someone I at the time I thought I loved. I never had time to actually come to terms with and seeing it portrayed in the most visceral and realistic way has had a grip on my soul since it came out.
I empathise with you on this. I've had quite a few deaths happen around me, family members, friends, etc. However, growing up I had gotten pretty good at bottling up my feelings and coping through media. That was until I lost an acquaintance during the mid-season finale. Not that I knew this person at all, but somehow, it affected me more than I though it should. The hazy parts of the video where images are superimposed on top of each other and the voice-over veers off and fades into obscurity is the perfect portrayal of what it felt to process the death of this acquaintance. Whatever 5 to 6 days it took me to first completely accept this person is no longer alive and then grieve their demise definitely feels like what I felt watching Mike "take care" of Howard. This is one of the videos that truly touched me.
in the last 3 years I had 5 close friend/family who passed away. how i deal with it is study and work. I do full time job + master in AI. deadlines and stress keeps me not thinking about them. I constantly dream about them and wake up crying, sometimes even when I am awake I see them or hear them. But I have accepted that the core of life is grief and despair, once you accept that, nothing really matters anymore.
Art is interpretive, and always will be, regardless of the artists intentions. You can even argue that memes, to a degree, are a form of art. I don't think it makes something like Howard's death any less profound for you that people find humour in removing context from art. I don't necessarily even think the people making the memes find Howard's death a less important moment in the show just because they find humour in removing context from it. I recently lost two family members, one under tragic circumstances. While I haven't had the same experience grieving while watching Better Call Saul as you have, I have grieved through other forms of art, some of which I myself even find humour in. People are different and react to things in different ways, interpret things in different ways, process things in different ways and express themselves in different ways. That is the beauty of life, the beauty of art.
I think Point and Shoot has been the only tv show episode I’ve ever seen that’s really focused on the cold, black, nothing that is death. Jimmy and Kim have death lingering over them over the entire episode, and then the final scene was just the thesis of it all. That slow zoom out on Lalo and Howard’s lifeless expressions made me feel awful, a pit in my stomach. I’ve never felt that way before about death in media until that point. It scared me. Great analysis of this topic.
I was also pretty messed up by Howard’s death. initially I didn’t know why it got me like that. In the episode where they held his funeral I absolutely bawled my eyes out. Hearing your perspective helped me sort my own feelings out about his death. He had grown on me so much and I considered him one of my favorite characters in the show. This was a truly great video.
Never before the death of a character hit me so much, in any other show, not even in Breaking Bad, i also thought about Howard for days, and everytime i wish they replace the scene and make it diffent saving him, he wasn't my favorite character or anything, but not even Hank, Nacho, or Mike, got me like this ever before. (Maybe just Maude Flanders that one made me cry, but because i was very little and never before seen a death of a recurring character in a show)
Thanks for putting this video out there man I can seriously relate to everything your saying here. I dealt with many deaths in my family over the past three years and nothing can prepare you for it. I think Peter and Vince have done an excellent job In portraying death in such a shocking, serious and realistic manner within BCS and I do believe Howard's death is one that will stick with me no matter how many memes come of it there will always be the same feeling I had watching it the first time
What an amazing, well written, well edited, personal analysis that talks about an extremely interesting side of breaking bad and it’s viewers. Dealing with grief is one of the most difficult things, and if a tv show can help someone cope with it, then it actually shows just how high quality it is. If this is anything, this is not stupid. Amazing, thank you for making this video and I hope you are doing better.
In my experience, since both shows represent death as such fatal and impactful events, along with all the impeccable writing done before and after it, I'd be so invested and immersed in the story (even during rewatches) that I'm completely able to separate the show from its memes as they have such polar opposite purposes, despite coming from the same medium.
What a great analysis. I love the personal perspective. I love the acknowledgement of the absurdity of the meme culture. I love the music selection. It takes courage to write about personal issues. For this, you have my respect.
That was a neat thinkpiece, my man. You know, what Jimmy said to Kim in that hotel room has been said before. In Season 4 there was a conversation between Mike and his daughter in law, Stacey. In a group meeting for grieving people. She mentioned fearing to forget more and more details about Matt, Mikes son, that she noticed that she once woke up and noticed not thinking about him. And Mike was outraged about that. Probably because his guilt and by extension his grief will never leave him. He can't move on while Stacey can. Also good on you for speaking about the trivialization through memes. I like the memes (mostly) but a part of me does resent them. Because it says something about us. That there's something fucked about us. Too often we either obsess over things while forgetting the truly important ones or we disregard or even twist them into something silly, stripping away what could be important about them. Your music choice reflected what you talked about pretty well by the way. Disco Elysium is all about pain after all.
Well shoot, now I feel a little worse about the current BCS meme I'm working on. lol. Seriously though, very well made video and I really respect the honesty and emotion you shared here, good job.
I didn't know the soda can trick that Howard taught the young guy, now when I drop a soda I twist it about 10 times before opening it, and it actually works. Now I think of Howard every time I do that.
Yep! That's why I thought to use it :) I knew I wanted to have the opening set to a heavy, repetitive beat and it was originally "Measurehead" from Disco Elysium before I remembered the Fever Ray song.
I get what you feel Its not strange to grieve through media Im sorry for your loss Howard was a fantastic character that reminds a lot of us of someone we might know Fabian is a fantastic actor and dude
I absolutely loved this video. This type of content is right up my alley. To analyse something external while also sharing something so personal at the same time. Looking forward to seeing future content
Man This video, the way you talked about death and grieving and doing our best. My friend literaly died yesterday and I have no Ideia how to deal with it, he just cease to exist and I can't bring myself to accept that. Thank you for doing this video.
I clicked on this video not knowing how personal it was going to be. Good for you to be able to use your creativity and your experience with the show to channel your grief into this. I applaud your ability to speak honestly about it. Very impactful.
I appreciate you opening up brother, I feel ya. My grandma and my dog passed away within a month of each other in the spring and it was really hard for me and my family. I understand your grieving and the process it takes, much love and healing to you my friend 💙
Disco Elysium music fits perfectly here. "This is somewhere to be. This is all you have, but it's still something. Streets and sodium lights. The sky, the world. You're still alive." - Volition :)
Way back in the early 80s, some people were up in arms about the level of violence in the popular TV show Hill Street Blues. Someone involved in the production of the show stated "Our show isn't really that violent, it's just that we show how the violence affects the people around the violence." (or word to that effect) TV has been heading that way since. BCS very effectively shows the ramifications of the violence.
I watched the entirety of Breaking Bad with some friends last year. Ive seen it multiple times, but they hde never seen it but they knew about the memes and thought they would laugh when they saw them. They didn't. Not once. When they finally got the context they were utterly shocked and when it got to the point where we watched Ozymandias everyone started shouting in despair. Even after being memed into oblivion, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul still does a great job at making you emotional.
Regarding the meme thing, it's like MGSV's "WHY ARE WE STILL HERE - JUST TO SUFFER" Love that entire monologue, but it is impossible not to think of it's usage in memes
Jeez I almost didn’t click on this video cus the title felt so generic and mechanical, but I’m glad I went a ahead and clicked anyway. This was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. Such a personal take on the show and what media criticism should be about. Not what the show does, but how it makes you feel. The show recently helped me process some trauma, not related to death, but just sibling stuff. It was like my 3rd or 4th time watching the show and the chicanery monologue, probably the most memed scene from this show, just hollowed me out and I shattered. I’ve always heard that we spend our lives following the same patterns we learn as children, and that scene laid that truth bare. Both of them pursuing one of the most respected and important professions so that they don’t end up the “sucker” their father was. All of a sudden the choices I’ve made in my life came into focus as being all part of a tactic to stay safe. But despite everything Jimmy did to make his older brother love him, it was never enough. Seriously terrific video, from your words, to the choice of music, to the incredible visual editing. You really got across the feeling of the weird sticky memory caves we can find ourselves trapped in. Bravo!(Vince)
Thank you for the thoughtful words. I’m glad you ultimately connected to the video. Sorry to fixate on just one part but yeah I struggled with the title for this, titles are not my strong suit in general but I’m not sure how to make the title both compelling and accurately reflective of the material!
@@wyattjoseph dont apologize at all! That specificity is why makes the video is so strong imo! So much media criticism rn is just people applying an arbitrary rubric to what “prestige content” should be. This video is incredibly real and brave, and actually communicates why Better Call Saul is such an important piece of art. Not “serialized television content” but actual art. Good criticism is often art itself and this review is a testament to that. (Also sorry for starting off my comment by dragging your title, RUclips is a tough space and titles are hard enough as is)
I appreciate this video so much. I've started Breaking Bad few years ago and then suddenly someone very, very close to me has passed away. I've been in grief but I couldn't stop watching. It was somehow comforting. I could focus on something else, escape from the pain for a while. At some point, it was insane how similar the events from certain episodes were at the time, or at least that's what i thought to myself. I don't even know what exactly I want to say right now, I guess I'm just glad I've found this video. Better Call Saul is written beautifully. Howard's death made me speechless. It hit too close to home. His burial hurts the most. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us.
I usually would never say something like this on something as open and shut to me as a RUclips video that randomly showed up by chance. I truly understand what you said here and I applaud you for saying this is how you feel. Life is hard, and these pieces of fiction are supposed to make that life easier but often times it doesn’t feel that way. I’m genuinely sad that this coming Monday will be the last time I probably ever see these characters. This video says words I’ve only ever thought about but never said out loud. God bless and stay strong friend
Your use of haunting editing and the equally haunting score of Disco Elysium play together wonderfully, defintley one of the more unique and creative video essays I've seen in a while. You put a lot of feeling into the music choice and editing, mimicing presentation of great visual art. Great job Wyatt!
I don't know if I'll ever watch another video of yours, past or future, or if the algorithm will ever catch any of your videos ever again. But as a person, living an entirely separate life in a different country, I want you to know this video is wonderful. You've made a work that is both thoughtful and beautiful, the reflection on irony and personal experience poignant, and no matter the future success of any videos you make, know that you've made something that's genuinely contributed to this world.
I find breaking bad and especially the better call saul memes super funny, but i think that's mainly because these shows had a huge impact on me. The emotions they made me feel, the sadness, the fear, the suspense, the nostalgia, they all come out through laughter when i am reminded these series indeed existed, and where i was in life when i started watching them
I stay away from most if not all of the pop culture noise online so that I can watch these shows without these stupid memes blunting the impact of them. These shows (especially Better Call Saul) need to be watched straight without distractions so they can hit you as hard as possible.
The way better call Saul treated death was more impactful, when were talking about the subject alone. Even that travel wire guy, Fred, who Lalo killed. He was just a random cast member on the show, but he was a civilian that Lalo killed, and they didn’t just brush over it. They showed his family in court grieving, Jimmy mentioned him to Mike, and Lalo eventually got his karma.
Howard’s death felt like a celebrity death. Or the death of a neighbor. I think part of why his death felt so unfair was because Jimmy and Kim’s plan worked. They had no repercussions. They ruined Howard’s reputation assuming that he would be able to fix it. He had received more punishment than we wanted for him through the pranks, but death is final, and now he dies with the ugly image that Jimmy and Kim painted for him.
Another perverse thing I noticed in E8 was how Jimmy and Kim not only killed Howard, but they built themselves an alibi through the weeks of work they spent, thinking they would be ruining Howard's reputation, but actually they worked to save their own image. Howard's death was framed as a drug fueled suicide post hoc which only worked because the ground work had been laid down by Jimmy and Kim.
Howard wasn't even in the game, and he got a gunshot to the head.
Him being the wrong person in the wrong place, being killed and buried in an unknown location is a death for someone who's a part of the cartel, not some businessman. I think that's why his death feels so real
@@arvaakuka8568 That was the idea though. What good would have been ruining his reputation if Howard had been able to prove that it was Kim and Jimmy who lied about it?
Completely agree mate, I physically recoiled and felt a sense of panic like you’d feel If you saw a family member be involved in a tragic accident. I was really shook like I’d seen a man get shot in front of me, how they built those feelings up is absolutely phenomenal. Never felt anything like it from a show.
That’s why I totally got Kim’s guilt and her decision to leave. They were fucking around with Howard for pretty short term gain with the understanding that he would eventually get back up from it so they saw it as harmless in the long run. But now since he was drawn into their world and that got him killed, he never got the chance to do damage control and his reputation is in the gutter forever.
I feel like Better Call Saul and BrBd write death diffrently. In Breaking Bad death and murder are very much impactful but as the pile of bodies rise they sorta become just stepping stones to Walt's ladder of success and just like Walt himself you somewhat get numb to it to the point where by the time you see Walt orchestrate the assassination of nearly a dozen people and it's done so in a darkly humored way with calm music and a relaxing afternoon with tea as this immense violence is going on.
BCS slower pace and more personal story reminds you that "No, these are human beings with lives, hopes, dreams and feelings". And it masterfully writes the death of a single character feel like the end of the world because no matter how desensitized both the criminal world or the audience itself is the death of another human being both should and would be this traumatic.
Absolutely. Didnt even flinch when Hank died. Not only did we have 2 episodes of buildup to his death making it pretty obvious he is dead once the nazis show up, but it felt like he made his own bed with his nastu obsession of catching heisenberg, at the end even going alone and putting himself and steve in danger. Howard on the other hand fucking shook me to my core.
Its like where the random man in the carpark killed by the cousins while having shootout with hank, his death is not even mentioned, its not a big deal.
And with bcs freds death actually feels like a death
But "Ozymandias" just destroyed this view of coolness murder. Instead it shows how dirty the ways of murdering is and how destroying lives is really ugly. Above all It shows that we are all indeed guilty of rooting for the bad guy because it's cool until the ugliness comes finally to our eyes.
I randomly clicked on a video about Better Call Saul to play in the background while I play video games, my little brother just killed himself and when this video hit 8 minute mark, I could not have related to you more. One of my best buds died around a year ago. I hold all my feelings in, try to keep being positive around my family, not crying, just giving them advice. But, this video legit made me cry dude. Props to you good sir, props to you, even if you might never see this
“Art is a safe and controlled place where I can feel these emotions without them overpowering me.” That’s a hell of a quote. I’m glad you’ve found some catharsis in this show. Life hits hard sometimes but I’ve always found fiction to be a healthy place to feel these things.
I love this nuanced view. Vinceverse is quite grim, so the memes are gallows humor in a sense. I don't think these meme can ever work without the context, but then again, Breaking Bad's plot is quickly going the way of everyone knowing that Darth Vader is Luke's father given the series' reach and influence on popular media; people know why Walt was quivering by and large and they can now laugh about it.
imagine seeing the nuance of better call saul then have to watch game of thrones being treated like shit by two hack writers.
@@carlosrivas1629 it’s crazy cuz you go back to it and you’re simultaneously watching some of the best and then some of the worst television ever
@@Ceclickswindows season 1-4 were a masterpiece and then it’s just like D&D went ‘whatever’ and utterly destroyed it
@@gnrmetallica95 they just ran out of books to pull the actual good stuff from and it turned out that on their own they are complete hacks
One of the most creative ways to distort a graphic scene for censorship purposes
It was the next episode where Howard was buried that got me. That was no way to treat him. Really hit me hard.
Incredible writing and execution.
I cant say Ive experienced Loss quite like You have, but Howards Death has made me feel so uneasy. It felt so real, its crazy to think How in a blink of an eye, you’re just gone. Made me question my own mortality. Good video, im also very sorry for all the loss you’ve had to go through. This video hit hard.
I appreciate your words, glad you liked the video :)
“I uh think I'm in the middle of something. Uh there's really no need to-”
You mean mortality right, I hope you're not considering that you may be ok with murder
@@MediumDSpeaks yes I did mean mortality, imma change it
"You don't even hear it when it happens"
-Bobby Bacala from The Sopranos
I was haunted by Howard's death, like you. This is not stupid. It's beautiful. Thank you.
“Okay, let's talk.”
I was haunted by Chuck's tbh, perhaps because I've thought of suicide in the past and it's such a bleak representation, but I haven't seen that many people mention it as a good death before but I had to take a day or two to stop the bingefest
Bro are you ok?
I don’t think he’s okay bro
This is the quality content people use RUclips for, absolutely beautiful video
Howard's death hit hard because of all the characters in the Breaking Bad universe he's one of the people who probably deserved it the least. The worst thing I could say about Howard is he was perhaps a tad snobby and privileged, but he was among the more honorable and honest characters in the series and he rarely if ever had any malevolent ulterior motives despite being at-odds with Jimmy and Kim's goals from time to time due to his close association with Chuck. It's like if Walter Jr. got killed in Breaking Bad or something.
“I, uh, think I'm in the middle of something. Uh, there's really no need to-”
- Howard Hamlin's last words
Art helps us know the unspeakable things we feel, in tolerable doses. I’m actively grieving, despite the scant comforts of the final scenes.
dam imagine in another universe horword forces the gun out of lalos hand and says "dont mistaken my kindnes for weakness"
Better Call Saul made “a trip to Belize” meaningful
The last two big deaths of Better Call Saul really hit hard for me, because I really wanted both Howard and Nacho to live through the whole show and get good lives away from everything else. But, Chuck's death is what really hurt me, around the time of watching Chuck's death and the following episodes, I lost two people in my life due to suicide. I had no one I could actually talk about it with, but seeing Saul, Kim, and Howard deal with Chuck's death each in their own way honestly was helpful to me in learning how to move on.
I feel you 100%
Howard's death felt like a total gut punch. It made me "grief" the loss of this - as you said - life like character. He felt so genuine and it felt way more like he was truly dead. Nothing has made me feel this way, and suddenly the transformation of Saul felt complete.
I do however not think that any outside influence has lessened the impact of these shows anywhere. I did watch memes about these shows but never ever have I felt watching them has had any less impact. These shows are perfection of television, simple
Wish I'd seen your comment before leaving my own. This is spot on for me.
The death of Howard Hamlin was perfectly done, perhaps too perfectly. You're not the only one who had such a strong reaction to it by a long shot. I'm so grateful Patrick Fabian who played Howard did a number of interviews after the episode; it helped ground me back in reality to remember that was a show and nothing really happened to anyone. A story was just being told. If it weren't for that, I don't know if I could have processed the final moments of that episode and gone to sleep that night. I couldn't understand why it had such an effect on me and so many others, but what you're saying sheds some light on what we went through watching that episode.
Thank you for sharing this experience; this was so much more real than any other video I've watched talking about the events of this season and I hope, ultimately, all the work you're putting in to understanding yourself through understanding these scenes will pay off.
No character death in any piece of media has ever affected me in the way Howard’s did. I felt like I was genuinely watching someone I knew be shot and killed in front of me. I screamed at the TV and felt sick to my stomach for days afterwards. In an instant he was dead and nothing could be done about it. I, too, grieved for Howard in an incredibly deep way and used it to cope in my own way. Beautiful video, nothing about it is silly or stupid ❤️
Looks like you got a nice start to your budding new channel, keep up the great work, love the thumbnail
I was really shocked in horror when Lalo shot Howard in the head. I try to forget it, but I just can't. It still traumatized me to this day.
its all good man
not my precious jimmy:(
Hahaha was not expecting to see my meme at 1:17, but alas I spotted that watermark on the left. Fantastic video man!!!
Haha, small world. That's my favorite of the bunch
Howard's death are very similar to Mike's, both confronts the main protagonist and calling out their behaviour and 'scam' activities, both eventually got shot and died tragically but the latter at least found comfort during his last 'processing' of the event, and get to tell his assailant to shut the **** up before going out. Howard's death is truly the tragic as it was soo sudden, but soo predictable yet soo begrudgingly disappointing for everyone (except Lalo) involved.
I’d argue it’s more like Hank’s death, you’re right about the similarity to Mike in that he calls him out for his BS but doesn’t get in his way (Hank tries to completely destroy Walter) but I think the way that he shares a close relationship with Jimmy and Kim, almost like family makes him more similar to Hank. The sense of betrayal he feels is the same as how Hank is betrayed by Walt. Even the way they die is the same, shot in the head mid-sentence by someone they never met as a consequence of the protagonists criminal involvement
@@seth8580 I agree, both seems to be a nod or combination for Howard's death and it's impact.
Mike got dissolved in a barrel, not a particularly honorable death
I am very sorry for your loss. Condolences.
I love the memes for reasons you mentioned: to cope with the heavy subjects and also because I DO love the show.
great video! loved what you did at 5:53
thanks for the disco elysium music
also stay strong bro
Beautifully articulated and visualized. I’m an old lady who doesn’t follow memes so didn’t know about the comic trivialization of so many gripping moments, but appreciated your nuanced interpretations. Am subscribing and look forward to future videos.
This is by far one of the best analysis of BCS and BB I've seen on YT. Subbed and looking foward to your other videos.
Howard's death made me jump from my seat. He wasnt just a character, we, the audience have come journeyed through and came to know him in the past 5 seasons, at time, we hated him but we all knew he was a good person. When he died, the way he did, it felt real personal.
BCS is one of the best shows in recent times.
Got randomly recommended this video and this is probably one of the best underrated videos I’ve seen to date. Howard’s death reminded me personally of my own loss of a love one and also the loss of someone I at the time I thought I loved. I never had time to actually come to terms with and seeing it portrayed in the most visceral and realistic way has had a grip on my soul since it came out.
I empathise with you on this. I've had quite a few deaths happen around me, family members, friends, etc. However, growing up I had gotten pretty good at bottling up my feelings and coping through media. That was until I lost an acquaintance during the mid-season finale. Not that I knew this person at all, but somehow, it affected me more than I though it should. The hazy parts of the video where images are superimposed on top of each other and the voice-over veers off and fades into obscurity is the perfect portrayal of what it felt to process the death of this acquaintance. Whatever 5 to 6 days it took me to first completely accept this person is no longer alive and then grieve their demise definitely feels like what I felt watching Mike "take care" of Howard.
This is one of the videos that truly touched me.
This is one of the greatest video essays I have ever seen.
2:05 you sexy beast . dont think i didnt catch that whirling in rags tune
in the last 3 years I had 5 close friend/family who passed away. how i deal with it is study and work. I do full time job + master in AI. deadlines and stress keeps me not thinking about them. I constantly dream about them and wake up crying, sometimes even when I am awake I see them or hear them. But I have accepted that the core of life is grief and despair, once you accept that, nothing really matters anymore.
Art is interpretive, and always will be, regardless of the artists intentions. You can even argue that memes, to a degree, are a form of art. I don't think it makes something like Howard's death any less profound for you that people find humour in removing context from art. I don't necessarily even think the people making the memes find Howard's death a less important moment in the show just because they find humour in removing context from it.
I recently lost two family members, one under tragic circumstances. While I haven't had the same experience grieving while watching Better Call Saul as you have, I have grieved through other forms of art, some of which I myself even find humour in. People are different and react to things in different ways, interpret things in different ways, process things in different ways and express themselves in different ways. That is the beauty of life, the beauty of art.
Hearing Whilrlin in rags music got me so happy
you are very underated my dude!
You have a very sincere sounding voice and come off as relatable. Keep it up, subbed.
Wowwwww. This is kind of exactly the video I have been hoping to find since that tragic TV moment. Well done.👏
I don’t have the eloquence…
So, from one human to another (who also had to experience grief a bit much),
HUG!!
this is an insanely amazing video! keep it up
I think Point and Shoot has been the only tv show episode I’ve ever seen that’s really focused on the cold, black, nothing that is death. Jimmy and Kim have death lingering over them over the entire episode, and then the final scene was just the thesis of it all. That slow zoom out on Lalo and Howard’s lifeless expressions made me feel awful, a pit in my stomach. I’ve never felt that way before about death in media until that point. It scared me. Great analysis of this topic.
A Better Call Saul video with Disco Elysium music in the background? Oh boy oh boy!
I was also pretty messed up by Howard’s death. initially I didn’t know why it got me like that. In the episode where they held his funeral I absolutely bawled my eyes out. Hearing your perspective helped me sort my own feelings out about his death. He had grown on me so much and I considered him one of my favorite characters in the show. This was a truly great video.
Never before the death of a character hit me so much, in any other show, not even in Breaking Bad, i also thought about Howard for days, and everytime i wish they replace the scene and make it diffent saving him, he wasn't my favorite character or anything, but not even Hank, Nacho, or Mike, got me like this ever before. (Maybe just Maude Flanders that one made me cry, but because i was very little and never before seen a death of a recurring character in a show)
This is a lot like a Jacob Geller video essay. Very well made and good narrations. Was super surprised to see you had less than 50k subs
I personally couldn't imagine a nicer compliment haha, thank you!
this is one of the best video essays i've seen in a hot minute
The whirling in rags music gave me a sucker punch to the gut. Thanks.
Thanks for putting this video out there man I can seriously relate to everything your saying here. I dealt with many deaths in my family over the past three years and nothing can prepare you for it. I think Peter and Vince have done an excellent job In portraying death in such a shocking, serious and realistic manner within BCS and I do believe Howard's death is one that will stick with me no matter how many memes come of it there will always be the same feeling I had watching it the first time
SOMEONE had a bad trip
on a real note, actually a great video.
I love this as a topic of exploration. Well done and thank you for sharing your thoughts
What an amazing, well written, well edited, personal analysis that talks about an extremely interesting side of breaking bad and it’s viewers. Dealing with grief is one of the most difficult things, and if a tv show can help someone cope with it, then it actually shows just how high quality it is. If this is anything, this is not stupid. Amazing, thank you for making this video and I hope you are doing better.
In my experience, since both shows represent death as such fatal and impactful events, along with all the impeccable writing done before and after it, I'd be so invested and immersed in the story (even during rewatches) that I'm completely able to separate the show from its memes as they have such polar opposite purposes, despite coming from the same medium.
The shot of Lalo and Howard sharing an eternal resting place chills me to my core and I'm still thinking about it.
What a great analysis. I love the personal perspective. I love the acknowledgement of the absurdity of the meme culture. I love the music selection.
It takes courage to write about personal issues. For this, you have my respect.
That was a neat thinkpiece, my man.
You know, what Jimmy said to Kim in that hotel room has been said before. In Season 4 there was a conversation between Mike and his daughter in law, Stacey.
In a group meeting for grieving people. She mentioned fearing to forget more and more details about Matt, Mikes son, that she noticed that she once woke up and noticed not thinking about him. And Mike was outraged about that. Probably because his guilt and by extension his grief will never leave him. He can't move on while Stacey can.
Also good on you for speaking about the trivialization through memes. I like the memes (mostly) but a part of me does resent them. Because it says something about us.
That there's something fucked about us. Too often we either obsess over things while forgetting the truly important ones or we disregard or even twist them into something silly, stripping away what could be important about them.
Your music choice reflected what you talked about pretty well by the way. Disco Elysium is all about pain after all.
Well shoot, now I feel a little worse about the current BCS meme I'm working on. lol.
Seriously though, very well made video and I really respect the honesty and emotion you shared here, good job.
Finally. A serious video about Breaking Bad’s memes, and with Disco Elysium music no less. You sir, are based.
I didn't know the soda can trick that Howard taught the young guy, now when I drop a soda I twist it about 10 times before opening it, and it actually works. Now I think of Howard every time I do that.
I just started the Video but I gotta say the editing is great so far. Great work
You are not alone feeling like this.
Love the Disco Elysium music sprinkeled throughout, very fitting in a melancholic way.
Made some great points I haven't heard any other youtuber make. I subscribed, you deserve more subs. Looking forward to your next video.
You probably know this but the song used at the very beginning of the video was also in the scene in Breaking Bad where Jesse is go karting by himself
Yep! That's why I thought to use it :) I knew I wanted to have the opening set to a heavy, repetitive beat and it was originally "Measurehead" from Disco Elysium before I remembered the Fever Ray song.
Howard death got me really depressed, before his death I was expecting that he makes to Breaking Bad timeline.
I get what you feel
Its not strange to grieve through media
Im sorry for your loss
Howard was a fantastic character that reminds a lot of us of someone we might know
Fabian is a fantastic actor and dude
I absolutely loved this video. This type of content is right up my alley. To analyse something external while also sharing something so personal at the same time. Looking forward to seeing future content
this video is truly underrated, great work.
I've said it before, but the scene of Howard's death made my stomach violently drop as soon as Lalo entered the room.
That candle light trick (similar to Jurassic Park's glass of water) was so effective it made me shiver.
beautiful video, man
Man This video, the way you talked about death and grieving and doing our best. My friend literaly died yesterday and I have no Ideia how to deal with it, he just cease to exist and I can't bring myself to accept that. Thank you for doing this video.
I clicked on this video not knowing how personal it was going to be. Good for you to be able to use your creativity and your experience with the show to channel your grief into this. I applaud your ability to speak honestly about it. Very impactful.
I appreciate you opening up brother, I feel ya. My grandma and my dog passed away within a month of each other in the spring and it was really hard for me and my family. I understand your grieving and the process it takes, much love and healing to you my friend 💙
Disco Elysium music fits perfectly here. "This is somewhere to be. This is all you have, but it's still something. Streets and sodium lights. The sky, the world. You're still alive." - Volition :)
love the neon white and disco elysium music playing in the back loll
Way back in the early 80s, some people were up in arms about the level of violence in the popular TV show Hill Street Blues. Someone involved in the production of the show stated "Our show isn't really that violent, it's just that we show how the violence affects the people around the violence." (or word to that effect) TV has been heading that way since. BCS very effectively shows the ramifications of the violence.
I watched the entirety of Breaking Bad with some friends last year. Ive seen it multiple times, but they hde never seen it but they knew about the memes and thought they would laugh when they saw them. They didn't. Not once. When they finally got the context they were utterly shocked and when it got to the point where we watched Ozymandias everyone started shouting in despair.
Even after being memed into oblivion, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul still does a great job at making you emotional.
What a great video!!! this defintely deserves more attention.
the memes are working as a coping mechanism for how dark breaking bad ends
Regarding the meme thing, it's like MGSV's "WHY ARE WE STILL HERE - JUST TO SUFFER" Love that entire monologue, but it is impossible not to think of it's usage in memes
Jeez I almost didn’t click on this video cus the title felt so generic and mechanical, but I’m glad I went a ahead and clicked anyway. This was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. Such a personal take on the show and what media criticism should be about. Not what the show does, but how it makes you feel. The show recently helped me process some trauma, not related to death, but just sibling stuff. It was like my 3rd or 4th time watching the show and the chicanery monologue, probably the most memed scene from this show, just hollowed me out and I shattered. I’ve always heard that we spend our lives following the same patterns we learn as children, and that scene laid that truth bare. Both of them pursuing one of the most respected and important professions so that they don’t end up the “sucker” their father was. All of a sudden the choices I’ve made in my life came into focus as being all part of a tactic to stay safe. But despite everything Jimmy did to make his older brother love him, it was never enough. Seriously terrific video, from your words, to the choice of music, to the incredible visual editing. You really got across the feeling of the weird sticky memory caves we can find ourselves trapped in. Bravo!(Vince)
Thank you for the thoughtful words. I’m glad you ultimately connected to the video. Sorry to fixate on just one part but yeah I struggled with the title for this, titles are not my strong suit in general but I’m not sure how to make the title both compelling and accurately reflective of the material!
@@wyattjoseph dont apologize at all! That specificity is why makes the video is so strong imo! So much media criticism rn is just people applying an arbitrary rubric to what “prestige content” should be. This video is incredibly real and brave, and actually communicates why Better Call Saul is such an important piece of art. Not “serialized television content” but actual art. Good criticism is often art itself and this review is a testament to that. (Also sorry for starting off my comment by dragging your title, RUclips is a tough space and titles are hard enough as is)
No haha I appreciate it, and I agree the title could be better. And thank you, it means a lot :)
did'nt expect to tear up by the 8 minute mark. Good video
I appreciate this video so much.
I've started Breaking Bad few years ago and then suddenly someone very, very close to me has passed away. I've been in grief but I couldn't stop watching. It was somehow comforting. I could focus on something else, escape from the pain for a while. At some point, it was insane how similar the events from certain episodes were at the time, or at least that's what i thought to myself.
I don't even know what exactly I want to say right now, I guess I'm just glad I've found this video.
Better Call Saul is written beautifully. Howard's death made me speechless. It hit too close to home. His burial hurts the most.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us.
off topic but as soon as the disco elysium music started playing i got whiplash
I usually would never say something like this on something as open and shut to me as a RUclips video that randomly showed up by chance. I truly understand what you said here and I applaud you for saying this is how you feel. Life is hard, and these pieces of fiction are supposed to make that life easier but often times it doesn’t feel that way. I’m genuinely sad that this coming Monday will be the last time I probably ever see these characters. This video says words I’ve only ever thought about but never said out loud. God bless and stay strong friend
Your use of haunting editing and the equally haunting score of Disco Elysium play together wonderfully, defintley one of the more unique and creative video essays I've seen in a while. You put a lot of feeling into the music choice and editing, mimicing presentation of great visual art. Great job Wyatt!
Fantastic, great work.
I love this video! I’m not into memes and all that but the way you analyze the theme of death in the show is brilliant! Keep it up
Howard’s death definitely weighed on me for days too. I couldn’t stop thinking about that moment and the complete shock on Jimmy and Kim’s faces
What an excellent video. Absolutely incredible truly.
You know the video's good when they whip out the disco elysium music
This is a wonderful video, appreciate the use of Disco Elysium music as well.
I don't know if I'll ever watch another video of yours, past or future, or if the algorithm will ever catch any of your videos ever again. But as a person, living an entirely separate life in a different country, I want you to know this video is wonderful. You've made a work that is both thoughtful and beautiful, the reflection on irony and personal experience poignant, and no matter the future success of any videos you make, know that you've made something that's genuinely contributed to this world.
I literally watched the episode moments after I learned my grandma died
This is such an awesome video man! You put my exact thoughts about this show into words. Keep it up, you got great potential!
I find breaking bad and especially the better call saul memes super funny, but i think that's mainly because these shows had a huge impact on me. The emotions they made me feel, the sadness, the fear, the suspense, the nostalgia, they all come out through laughter when i am reminded these series indeed existed, and where i was in life when i started watching them
This video personally resonated with me. I too grieved my own loss through Howard’s death. You got yourself a subscriber
I stay away from most if not all of the pop culture noise online so that I can watch these shows without these stupid memes blunting the impact of them. These shows (especially Better Call Saul) need to be watched straight without distractions so they can hit you as hard as possible.
The way better call Saul treated death was more impactful, when were talking about the subject alone. Even that travel wire guy, Fred, who Lalo killed. He was just a random cast member on the show, but he was a civilian that Lalo killed, and they didn’t just brush over it. They showed his family in court grieving, Jimmy mentioned him to Mike, and Lalo eventually got his karma.
I'm glad we all felt the same way about Howard's death, i thought i was going a little crazy