Monday 18 September 2017

#254 When Jimmy McGill goes straight

There was something satisfying about watching a loser dressed in a cheap suit, driving a cheaper car, going back to his cheap office and folding out a cheap sofa bed to sleep on. Jimmy went to law school. He took a mail room position at a large law firm while he studied. He passed the bar and began practicing law at a local courthouse.

Bob Odenkirk's character Jimmy McGill, from the Netflix series Better Call Saul, the prequel series to Breaking Bad, was a likeable guy. There was a part in episode two. A montage, where Jimmy did nothing but grind steadily at the courthouse for minimal pay. It must've been enough for him to live on. I wished he'd stuck at it. Jimmy was, how could I put it, a bit naughty, though. It was ingrained. We knew he'd always be a bit shady.

I liked the grinding Jimmy montage. I found all of the little details of his routine comforting. The suit, the quiet courtroom, the continuous work, the cosy living space, the sound of his coffee cup being filled from a vending machine each morning. It all felt so safe. I wanted him to stay there.

I felt that same sense of safety as I re-watched the first two episodes this evening. It'd been three days since I got back from Maidenhead. I'd spent most of that time resting, trying to shake off a cold virus. Watching the episodes had helped me feel like myself again. 

Had the weekend taken me outside my comfort zone? No. It'd all been a piece of cake but it was unfamiliar territory. It was outside my familiarity zone. It took me three days to find my way back into it afterwards. Three days and a couple of Better Call Saul episodes.

6 comments

Fizzfan said...

I loved Breaking Bad but didn't get into Better Call Saul. Maybe I should give it another go.
Any other recommendations from Netflix?

Profound Familiarity said...

I liked House of Cards, Narcos, 24 and Touch.

Fizzfan said...

Cheers. Binged on 24 a year or so ago. I'll have a look at the others :)

Running on empty said...

Get well soon, matey.

Profound Familiarity said...

Thanks Cath. I'm well again now. Wrote this a few days ago.

Running on empty said...

Glad you're better.