Kim Wexler's Fatal Flaw
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
- Kim Wexler is one of Better Call Saul’s best and most surprising characters. Throughout the series, she’s shocked us by becoming Giselle, marrying Jimmy, and vowing to destroy Howard Hamlin. The one consistency is her ability to surprise us.
In this video, we deep dive into her history and transformation to understand her character and some of her most surprising decisions. I’ve timestamped each part of the video below but I highly recommend watching it from beginning to end as each part builds on the previous ones.
After watching, make sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments! Do you agree with my analysis? What do you think I missed? And what are your predictions for where Kim heads next?
0:00 Introduction
1:51 The Morals of Kim Wexler
Kim often objects to Jimmy’s antics but on the other hand, she often partakes in them. What, if any, are her morals? This section is short for a reason.
3:59 What Does Kim Want?
Jimmy wants to prove he is a wolf in a world of sheep. Mike wants to provide for his family and atone for destroying his son. What does Kim want?
13:59 Kim Wexler, Meet Giselle Saint Claire
We first heard the name “Giselle” in season 2’s premiere but we actually met her much earlier. Where does Giselle come from and what draws Kim to her?
19:39 Kim Wexler v. Saul Goodman
Kim loves Jimmy McGill but so often he has betrayed her trust. What is it that keeps the two of them together?
25:47 Kim Wexler v. Howard Hamlin
In season 5’s finale “Something Unforgivable”, Kim makes the shocking decision to enact a plan that will destroy Howard Hamlin. What brought Kim to this decision?
28:24 The Fate of Kim Wexler
How will things end for Kim in the next and final season of Better Call Saul?
We’ll be doing more character deep dives and other Better Call Saul content like this leading up to the final season so you won’t want to miss any of it! Make sure you're subscribed:
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A lot of female characters are really strong and independent. However, they feel more like an attempt at creating a strong and independent character, rather than a real human. Kim just feels real.
Especially in this time period!
@@EPMTUNES However, on the other hand, where would we be without the strong independent black transvestite viking women of colonial times.
Yeah, I really like how at first she seems like that classic "minority" character, cast to be the most competent and moral. But we slowly get glimpses of some real complexity and destructiveness. The actress absolutely smashes the part though, she was an intriging character from the start, often without being given a huge amount to do plot wise.
Kim is such a well-written character honestly. Smart, loyal, reliable, wise, and overall complex. Need to see more female characters like this. Hero-esq who save the main character instead.
You would've seen old Anatolian women. They could raise kids, work, cooking, cleaning, farming and the other heavy labor things in a day while their husbands kill time.
The saddest thing about better call saul is none of these actors have yet to earn the emmy they deserve.
Kim wexler is the greatest thing we have ever been gifted from television.
tony soprano?
@@ncxbox4379 The sopranos is literally the most over rated show in existence. It deserves it but when you compare it to a masterpiece like BCS where barely a million people tune in per episode, yet it's the best show on television, it's sad it doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
@@eddiethealbatross5734 BCS stands on the shoulders of giants. Would there even be a BCS without The Sopranos?
The Emmys are bought.
@@erikdk321 yes there would, because bcs is a spin off of breaking bad, smartass
There's not enough people on UA-cam talking about Better Call Saul.
Agreed! One of my favorite shows
Ological is a great channel about Better Call Saul. Check it out.
imo its because BTS is a slow moving realistic show with nothing too visually impressive or flashy.
this would only benifit the amazing writing on this show tho
cuz the newest season is not on netflix, but then again that's no excuse for such a good show
I just watched it and can’t believe I waited so long
Give. Rhea. Seehorn. An. Emmy. She deserves it more than any other actress I can think of.
Yes, hope she can snag one in the final season. Gotta think they’ll give her some great scenes to work with as they wind the show down and the Emmys will have no excuse
Even. More. Than. Skylar. Yes
@@dante666jt dude Anna Gunn is a brilliant actress she deserved the Emmy her acting in Ozymandias and especially Crawl Space was breathtaking 🔥🔥
Agreeee!!!
She's to white.
I think your comment is racist.
Kim is an example of how to write a love interest properly. A lot of love interests, especially female ones, can come off as flat or uninspired, or only existing to be the romantic partner of the main character. Kim is independent, has goals, flaws, and agency, which is something a surprising number of characters lack.
compare kim to skylar, its really amazing how much the writers improved.
@@alexandrul.9910 but let’s compare her to a LOT of female characters in male-centric casts. She had a character arc.
Nothing like Kim to be sure but she wasn’t one-dimensional.
Kim's traits were also integral to the plot, just like with Saul.
Slippin' Kimmy
love it!
Sleepin' with Jimmy
Hahaha Season 6 here we come.
You win comment of the year
It breaks my heart that she's turning into slippin' kimmy. I'd rather she died accidentally
Best woman in the Breaking Bad universe, maybe even in all of television right now.
Gonna have to agree with you!
maybe in the entire television history
Y’all forgot bout Kimmy Schmidt ?
love both Kimmys tho 💕💕💕
What Kate said !
@@OneTakeVids the best woman in television of all time has to be Darlene Alderson from Mr. Robot in my opinion. But Kim is either close two or even tied.
I just do not want her to die. That's all.
Yo tampoco, pero puede que le suceda algo que pese a no morir nos haga sentir muy mal, como dijo otro comentario, en Breaking Bad y Better Call Saul no edulcoran las cosas, nos hicieron amar a Kim, y por eso es seguro que nos van a destrozar con lo que le pase, sea que la maten o capaz algo peor, como que nos hagan odiarla.
@@veralynn8334
¿Y si nos hacen odiar a Kim? Eso es interesante porque no era fan de ella al final de la temporada 5.
@@ZenShroud1 no entendí
She won’t die. It would be really dumb and cliche if they killed her off
@@Thomasgermaine Also, I think it would break Jimmy irreperably; I highly doubt he'd be the character shown in Breaking Bad after something like that
Jimmy feels like he can't move up in this world without his scams and wants to do the right thing. Kim feels she can't move up in this world without doing the right thing and wants to run scams.
Yeah that starts to change in season 5 were she lies to her clients are realizes Jimmy's methods are so much more effective.
The funny thing to me is how they successfully pulled off a twist on her character that I didn't see coming, yet fits perfectly. I, like many I think, assumed her character was basically there to serve as the moral anchor for Slippin' Jimmy, and that when she ultimately leaves him is what would cause him to go full "Saul Goodman". Instead, she's been breaking bad right with him. If anything, they both egg on each other's worst instincts. It was a change that happened so naturally that I didn't even notice it.
Which puts it in stark contrast with that whole Danaerys suddenly burning down a village thing. I'm not sure what unforgivable thing Kim is plotting, but it'll be better set up than that was...
Oh no, Kim is gonna burn down Pollos Hermanos :'(
Based on the end of Season 5, they are leading us to believe she might get in trouble for sabotaging Hamlin's career in order to leverage a Sandpiper settlement for her and Jimmy. But knowing this show, thats probably a misdirect and she will actually probably get in trouble because of Jimmy's involvement with the cartel
"Instead, she's been breaking bad right with him." How will it end?
@@willk4783 I read another interesting theory that she may double cross Jimmy with the whole sand piper thing. Think about it, Jimmy has blindsided her once or twice so far and she hates looking like the sucker. She only enjoys the scams when it’s not at her expense. So she may try to get him back for her benefit.
So given that they are married, after Jimmy gets his Sandpiper share, she may just divorce him and get 50% of it by law. Might just be using him from here on out. A bit farfetched but plausible.
@@Last_Respecter Wow, that's crazy and I hate it but it'd be so epic if they pull it off properly
The entire character of Kim and the relationship with Saul (Jimmy) are so unconventionally written, I like that.
For me it's the best written love story ever
*That's why I think its the absolute best relationship I've ever seen in any piece of media ever*
And purposely so. This is not a cheesy hollywood show, and to be honest, most of society's idea of what a 'good' relationship looks like, stems from fiction, from ideas sold to us by movies. Most relationships in real life are messy. I guess this is the main reason why people loved Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and especially the character of Kim - the realism of it all is palpable.
It's unconventional because of how it doesn't try to sell them as the perfect couple, or have overdramatic tension between them. They're very realistic which is ironically rare to see in fiction. I honestly aspire to be someone like Kim who responds to Jimmy's mistakes with a patient "okay" and question someone when it's really needed for me to do so.
You're right. The conventional writing is "Kim realises Jimmy is turning into this weird sleazy Saul character and she realises she's out of his league and exits the series, as just another painful blow on his path to becoming who we knew". But no. She's attracted to him for a reason. I wonder if she's a surprising Jesse-like character, or they planned this all along??
Kim's car accident was a total surprise... But I guess that's the way accidents happen in real life. Out of the blue.
Watching it the night it premiered and my wife looks at me and said “car crash” a split second before it happened. But I’m with you.
Im pretty sure thats how you actually experience a crash from dozing off behind the wheel.
Ever fell asleep while watching tv, and snapping awake? It feels as if the sound had been muted while you were out, and suddenly turned back on. While having no idea how long you were out.
So true. Much more plausible and realistic than the plane crash in BB.
@@Svoorhout85
Yeah... Totally.
I was in a pretty severe car crash was I was in my 20s... I'm 60 now.....I was a passenger in the front seat and we were driving home from a nightclub at 4am on the parkway. There was suddenly a stalled, out of gas car in the our lane, as we were coming around a bend. The only thing I remember after that was standing on the side of the road, covered in blood. Nothing between that. Thank God, all I needed was stitches. 30 of them, to be exact...... But you're right. It's like suddenly waking up....
Due to the true element of surprise it might have been my fav scene in the whole show the way it just happens, very realistic.
Kim is so complex and unusual. She’s my favorite character because I cannot figure her out. She obviously had childhood trauma and has had to be fiercely independent. We never see her having real women friends. She’s so guarded because she probably had to be. I think there is going to be more about her past that will explain more about her. I think her mother will possibly make a reappearance.
A character that, at first, seemed like just another love interest for the protagonist, but lowkey she has become one of the most fascinating and intriguing female characters ever shown on tv. Rhea Seehorn is brilliant. What a wonderful show.
Amen!
The whole Howard prediction was scarily accurate.
kim hooks up with lalo
@@DirtyDoctorDan kid named finger live reaction:
The only so called “strong smart independent female character” that is *actually* strong smart and independent
i actually disagree, i think there are other strong smart and independent female protagonists in films and shows but the difference is that they are often attempting to appeal to progressive political people.
thats why they come across as under written, they are about the political message.
of course kim is the stark contrast of that as she is written amazingly well and without a thought of political message.
i dont want to hate on any set of political beliefs i just want people to know what happens when a writer thinks political message is more important than character development
@@syv6173 Precisely
Only Hollywood seems to care about that. You know what you call a strong male character in a story?
Just a character. Nobody cares what type of person it is as long as it fits the story.
im so tired of female characters written to so obviously pander to the liberal crowd. females that beat up men and then say some girl power line. im not against strong female characters, far from it. its just annoying when its so blatant and unrealistic. characters like kim and maya from zero dark thirty are examples of badass female characters that are still grounded in reality
@@flectz Perfect description. Blatant. In serious dramatic films, men didn't dropkick evil female characters sending them flying into the kitchen then saying _"It's where you belong anyways"_ in a serious resolved tone. The way these strong female characters are written are as if a child wanted to direct a movie about how stupid grown-ups are.. it comes off very "in-your-face" and kinda insecure. It sends the totally wrong message and it doesn't come off as empowering.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, what's really annoying is that when a character is written to be a political mouth-piece there usually isn't that much effort done to make them complex, human and relatable.. cause that effort was already exerted somewhere else.
If you want to write a strong female character... just... make her... strong... It is.. that simple. Just like strong male characters... no need to attach a damn political message to it.
that accident scene at 6:35 is the best way I've ever seen an accident portrayed. ever
Couldn't agree more - perfectly captures the sudden jolt where you don't even know you've fallen asleep and lost awareness. They also did a great job planting the seeds for it earlier; Kim sits in her car and sets a 5min timer for a quick nap. The camera similarly jump cuts to her waking up and I remember thinking it so perfectly captures how quickly naps go by haha.
i got legit scared there but I knew something was coming
Thanks for this breakdown of Kim, she's one of my favorites.
One of my favorite's too! Glad you enjoyed it!
Kim’s character arc mirrors Walter White’s to a far greater extent than Jimmy’s. Kim & Walt were both people who wanted more out of life, the only thing holding them back was fear, not morals. With the right stimulus, they overcame their fear and unleashed their true potential; for Walt it took a cancer diagnosis, for Kim it was being inspired to take action by Jimmy.
I think her character has parallels with Skylar even though she's far more intellectual. Both women love flawed men who have been duped in life by people and circumstances. Both are caught up in Walter and Jimmy's spiraling lives and both adapt to stay in the game.
@@1963Elton but somehow the fandom hates Skyler and loves Kim. Annoying because they are so incredibly similar in their character arcs and positions in the plot lines revolving around the main character.
@Alex Miller I never understood the hatred for Skyler to be honest. I started out liking Kim but have largely come to dislike her as I’ve learned more about her and watched her destroy Howard’s life for a laugh. By contrast, the worst thing Skyler did was reluctantly launder money for Walt.
how about that IFT thing ?
that bugs me about her ngl
@@alexmiller6960 Hatred for Skylar seems to come from people looking at her through Walter's perspective, whilst ignoring the immense amount of stress that she is undergoing in a failing marriage with a drug king-pin.
This might be pointing out Kim's fate. She finally "gets caught" and ends up in jail. I don't believe Kim dies. Jimmy is kinda too happy in BB , but he also looks completely detatched from any kind of romance. However , we never catch a glimpse of Saul's personal life during BB. We only see him in his workplace and dealing with Walter and Jesse, we dont even know where he lives...
i dont think she gets caught... or not in jail at least... whats if she has too buy the hoover extra ultra mk12 model?
@@antaresblazewar9083more likely that's for nacho imo
in breaking bad saul tells walter he only used the vacuum guy once for someone else, i bet that person is kim and she’s hiding somewhere.
I thought of that, since we know nothing about Saul's personal life in Breaking Bad she could be alive and around. Just not seen or talked about. For the sake of drama I hope she's back & forth to, Mexico working for Lalo as top cartel attorney liaison to the US.
she can't end up in jail Saul will get her out as he can as possible I think she is just alive and round in the breaking bad events but there is no mention of her simply because she has nothing to do with walt and his drama. exactly like Lydia who is a very important person in Gus's business but she never appeared in bb until season 5 after his death. I think when Saul said he used the vacuum guy once it was for Nacho.
28:46 - after watching season 6, damn. Perfect prediction of Howard’s fate and Kim’s character arc. Bravo!
I was always very confused about her, and in an odd way that makes her more real. She sometimes seemed to not have the time of day for jimmy, and other times seemed to want to stick with him through thick and thin. It was like she was ready to fly the coupe any day but was really in love with him. Hard read. I’m finished season 4...
So what do you think now?
As someone who just binged the series and got to the last episode for Season 6 part 1... this video and how Kim's hubris turned out for Howard Hamlin is RIGHT. ON. THE. MONEY.
exactly what I was thinking
Legendary
Impressive character study. IMO Kim is one of the hardest characters to read in the history of film. Very elusive and mysterious character. The writers are extremely intelligent. And so are you for being able to read her.
Kim is one of the best written female leads ever. A stellar actor choice too.
Couldn’t agree more
Actress*
Great vid. Kim Wexler became such an interesting character because like you said, it's harder to understand how she ticks and what she wants.
Thanks Justin! And agreed, it's tough to pull off because it's easy to make something surprising but difficult to make something surprising AND believable at the same time. With Kim, they totally pull it off time and time again.
Watching this with season 6 being halfway done it's pretty spot-on
Same
Saul and Kim's dynamic is kind of a reverse to Walt's and Skyler's, Skyler is the one who does illegal things, but in a calculated way, minimizing risk, whereas Walt by the end is just all ego. Kim however, as pointed out is addicted to the high, whereas Saul just integrates that kind of behaviour into his life. Just something I noticed
Now I just realized that Jim’s grifting is simply his means of getting by, which is parallel to Skyler helping Walt launder his money to keep him off the tracks. Meanwhile, Kim’s grifting is her means of feeding her ego, which is parallel to Walt’s (or Heisenberg’s) famous “I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. I felt alive.” Kim felt the need to con to the point that she could jeopardize her career, so that her ego’s needs are met.
I can see the contrast of the downfall between Kim and Jim. Kim’s downfall will most likely be due to her own hubris (hence being similar to Walt). Jim’s downfall will most likely be due to being trapped in an unfixable mess that he got into (like Skyler).
@@kylereyes2337 She even says the exact same words just in past tense.
You psychologically understand her character brilliantly, although I wish you would’ve pointed out the fear of abandonment stemming from her mother driving off from being drunk, and not just “Kim’s decision to cut ties”. She was just a child in the cold open, so based on that scene, it showed her only way to literally survive was to accept being abandoned and walk alone despite how dangerous it is. So it follows that now - with Jimmy - Kim doesn’t a) want to abandon Him or b) doesn’t want to accept being abandoned because she doesn’t trust Jimmy (the same reason she didn’t get in the car with her mum) despite how dangerous it is. I think this was an important, strong motive for Kim staying with Jimmy that is missing in the video. Otherwise, excellent presentation that hits (almost) every mark.
Oh my God! That was meant to be Kim, I was really confused about how out of nowhere that scene seemed.
I think her mother represents her reckless side and the child represents her fear of risk. I don’t think the scene is trying to tell us Kim has a fear of abandonment but rather it shows the conflict between both sides of her character.
@@creamking3569 I think it does both. One thing that this video could have explored is the concept of trauma bonding, and how that plays a huge role on Kim being and staying with Saul. So her fear of abandonment that stems from attachment issues, that stems (as far as we know) from her relationship with her mother, shaped her into what we see unveil throughout the show.
I think Kim's motivation for staying with Jimmy is that he makes her feel free. She can show her dark side, she can be scheming openly and has someone who accepts her. Everyone thought she kept him from going full on Saul. when in actuality its pushing him into it
@@mwoods4608 It's both, Kim definitely finds being with Saul freeing amd I think creators confirmed Kim had guilt for abandoning her mother when she was young, she also has a need for control, the combination of these 3 traits influenced her decision to marry Saul (marrying Saul allows her to control him more, atleast that's what she thinks).
Kim is one of the best female characters in history, number one for me.
When I saw the relationship with her mother, speaking AS the child of an alcoholic parent...it affects your relationships later in life. As much as I love her relationship with Jimmy, it’s obviously codependent and unhealthy, he is her addiction as much as the grifting. Not that I don’t believe they’re soulmates because I do, but that doesn’t mean your relationship with your parents and how you grew up can’t complicate it. So, in my opinion, and from my own experience, I don’t think it’s just that she drew a hard line with her mom. Growing up with an alcoholic parent often causes you to gravitate towards that same kind of person/relationship later. Not that I’m judging, like I said, because I can see that in my own life. (I’m working on it). Just my take! Great review she is maybe my favorite character ever!
I second this -- an alcoholic parent makes turbulence and instability the norm, and so it makes sense that Kim would gravitate towards Jimmy who, due to his own trauma and personality quirks, is inherently turbulent and unstable. I also think it's interesting that Kim and Jimmy only **really** (especially after Chuck dies, though also to some extent prior) have one another -- neither of them really have any other friends or confidantes, and so they are co-dependent on one another. Kim's near-death experience and arm injury, and how Jimmy was affected by his brother's death, intensified that ultimately unstable bond -- they both experienced something intimate and almost sacred, and had to contend with each's ramifications -- i.e. Kim not being able to dress herself and so increased vulnerability and dependence on Jimmy, and Jimmy's atypical (but certainly justified given their relationship)'s response to his brother's suicide. And now, of course, Jimmy's near-death experience in the desert and their interactions with the cartel. They've created an impenetrable bubble for their unhealthy relationship that will be pretty hard to break, which makes me super pumped for season 6. I don't think either of them would end the relationship willingly; really, I still hold out hope that Kim is just waiting at home for Saul each night during the events of Breaking Bad. Anyway, this is all to say, ditto!
One of the best series around. And rather than just Kim, I find their whole relationship amongst one of the most interesting I've seen in any movie or tv series. The evolution of the characters is really engaging. And somehow it feels "real". Mostly based on complicity and understanding, more than drama or sex.
This video interesting, thorough, concise, plausible, eloquent and well-edited. It should have so many more views.
Thanks for the kind words M K!
Kim might as well be the most complex character in the Breaking Bad universe. Great breakdown by the way.
Dude, cmon. It's Wendy. But not even close in my opinin.
@@melancholymartialarts7095 I’d love a Wendy origin story. Honestly this whole team could make a 6-series spin-off about every minor character and there’d be a devoted audience for it. They’re just so good
She could be. Howard COULD be, if the writers would flesh him out a bit more, which I think we're seeing in season 6.
@@broadcasttttable oh he was fleshed out alright
Kim is probably one of my favourite female characters in any series. It isnt just "i am woman i do anything" like a bunch of other series do, she just is brilliantly written
Gotta feeling season 6 will be epic
Agreed, so hyped for the final season
@@OneTakeVids hope it's not really the "final" season tho. There's much more story they can cover. At LEAST two more season worth.
@@AtTheSourceStudios I think it is confirmed that season 6 will be the final season.
@@AtTheSourceStudios season 6 will be the last 13 episodes of the breaking bad universe
@@sydr570 hope they change their mind. Too good!
Every time I think of Kim I get a sinking feeling that something bad is gonna happen to her and I hate it, I hope they don’t kill her
I thought for sure Lalo was going to kill her at the end of S5 E9, thankfully not
After listening to this episode and with the benefit of the first half of 6, i think saul is going to use the sandpiper money to get her vaccumed away. It hadn't occured to me until listening to this that Saul obviously doesn't have the sandpiper money in Breaking Bad, and in my head it fits for her disappearing and the money being gone.
Bro actually guessed what happens to Howard, good job
Also, I am consistently impressed by the fact that I am still unable to dislike Kim even though that mixture of pro bono work to stroke her own ego and stimulate that 'good' image of herself versus her running scams and tearing down people (like Howard Hamlin) has long passed the border of hypocrisy. It's both Rhea Seehorn's impeccable performance and the great characterization of Kim we've gotten so far that made this possible
Yes ! I feel like I should hate her but I don't, too good
I started disliking her when she asked Jimmy if he wants to be a rat or a friend of the cartel
5:00 "More" was also Walt's first real answer when Jesse would ask him what he wanted.
In season 2, Kim was shocked about Jimmy creating the cobbler scheme to save Pryce from jail and told Jimmy she wanted nothing to do with it. In season 4, she actually devised herself the plan to save Huell from being arrested. Jimmy awoke something inside Kim as if she were an apprentice in the arts of manipulating the law. It's like, deep inside, Kim wants to be like Jimmy. She knows that the legal system is not always fair and she craves the thrill of being able to mess with it to her favor, like Jimmy does. I think season 6 will be about Kim's hubris. She will try to fly too close to the sun and will suffer the consequences, being arrested or killed in the process.
Greatest moment was when Saul was throwing bottles and she didn’t join in, I knew she wanted to and she did many episodes later
But did clean the mess up though, the following morning
I like the idea of Kim going off to chase bigger and bigger highs (like drug cartel highs, similar to Walter becoming Heisenburg).
yes, we might find out that actually BCS is really all about Kim Wexlar
Good grief, why? Why would you want to watch someone damn herself? And, help exploit, addict and murder people?
She's going to get caught and be disbarred, which is her greatest fear realized.
@@kell_checks_in because that's what the show is about
This aged like a fine wine, bravo!
I feel like Kim's development in season 5 is in service of Jimmy ultimately becoming Saul Goodman proper. If the first five seasons were about Jimmy being the catalyst for Kim reconciling the conning part of herself, I very much get the sense the shoe will be on the other foot in the final season. The way the Saul Goodman of Breaking Bad emerges is by Kim encouraging him in taking pleasure in manipulating the law for a living as opposed to having remorse and shame.
Actually I think differently.
Kim’s development wouldn’t be only for a service for Jimmy because I think each main character in BCS is some kind of a mirror image of characters in BB.
Nacho represents Jesse.
Nacho’s dad represents Andrea.
Lalo represents Gus.
Gus, Mike and Jimmy represent themselves.
Howard represents Skyler
and Kim represents Walt.
Kim will go in the same trajectory as Walt and it will be destructive for her.
@@nont18411 how can lalo represent Gus but then Gus also represents himself
Yes, agreed
9 minutes in and the attention to detail is just out of this world. This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much!
Wow, appreciate the kind words!!
Love Kim, my fav character on the show. I did not interpret her car crash as falling asleep though, I saw it as she was so focused on work she lost touch with reality for a moment, it genuinely sent a chill down my spine and had to pause it for a few minutes.
I feel like I've always had a hard time understanding Kim, but this is a great analysis of her character. Great Video.
On the Wrexler vs McGill take, I agree that she doesn't wanna lose him like she did her mother. But I think, more importantly, Jimmy is an addiction for her. She does love him but he also brings out that side of her that you described earlier. I have always thought that she was always in a lot of ways, like him. That's why, though the season 5 ending was surprising, it wasn't shocking. Deep down, I think we all knew she had this in her. She always did. I also noticed that she was always most physical with him after a con. In a way, I still believe that Jimmy doesn't really know Kim. He loves her, but he doesn't know her. I can't wait for season 6
I actually feel gleeful when she’s on the screen because you know something interesting is about to take place. My family calls her my girl crush, but it’s mostly because I go crazy when I see her because I adore her character. And she looks like half the women in my family!
Kim is one of the most complicated characters ever and you did a great job exploring what makes her tick.
I highly believe Kim will start a double life being a cartel lawyer and a pro bono attorney as a means to fund for herself and for Jimmy's eventual rise as Saul Goodman. I'd still be taken by surprise whether I'm right or wrong either way.
THIS
My love and respect for this character and what she reveals is more than a woman’s perspective, it’s a human perspective of the results of childhood abandonment, and a a wounded adult traversing a complex world. Emmy deserved
Kim stayed with Jimmy because Jimmy is a loyal bulldog. He's never left Kim standing out in the cold and is always willing to run to her aid, even if she turns it away.
She married Jimmy purely for risk management after she realizes his nature makes him completely unpredictable.
She simply needed to mitigate the risks involved with continuing their relationship.
This show is so good most of the time i forget it's a spin-off.
Rhea Seehorn can deliver an amazing performance without even speaking. She really needs an award or fifteen.
This explains so much. I always knew something was fishy with Kim. She must be about 40 at the start of the series and implies she left the small town young, but they don't say what she was doing with 20 years of adult life. she must have graduated from university and then law school but yes, she never embraced the status and ruling class she technically entered. Men like Howard Hamlin are usually all married, and for a long time, by that age. But it was telling she never looked for a high status, well-off man LIKE him, in her younger years and is now interested in the exact opposite - Jimmy. If she tries to take Howard down, she's probably going to succeed because he'll be blindsided. He'd never think she or anybody else would resent success or not want to have it for themselves - heck, I was confused too!
It was mentioned a couple of times that she worked for several years in the mailroom of HHM (or whatever it's called, I keep forgetting) but I don't know exactly how many, I think it's upwards of five years though. So if she's 40 at the beginning of the show, and she left her town at 20, and she went to college and finished at maybe 24, and she worked for several years in the mailroom, I think it's safe to say that 10 or less years are unaccounted for in the show.
@@katejames2633 or she went to college/uni later than the traditional years. Would she be working in the mailroom if she had a bachelor's degree or more at the time? Maybe she went to school in her 30's, leaving her 20's unaccounted for.
@@victoriaa9933 yeah maybe, you're right anything is possible. also, which ever statement is true it doesn't matter because the show still leaves a lot of things unaccounted for
She's about 44 and jimmy is about 50 i think.
@@arinb.9176 i always thought they were supposed to be in their 30s even though the actors are much older
5:00 Kim answers "more" exactly like Walt answered "more" when Jesse asked him how much money he needs... In the last episode of first season of BB
Your analysis is really great! It’s like I have to watch the whole series again with her as the lead
Thanks Diego!
28:53 "perhaps fatally" wow....
Brilliant analysis.
I, like many, was left perplexed about Kim's true motivations after hearing of her malicious plans towards Howard - this really helps me make sense of it all.
Subscribed! Keep making more great content.
Thanks for the kind words!! Glad I could help make sense of it all!
Great analysis! But is kim really ashamed of success in general ? I think she’s only ashamed of getting success by tearing others down for a big corporation, that’s what acker criticises her for
Such a great video. I enjoyed every moment of it. Deep, well-studied, and comprehensive. It reflects the discipline of Better Call Saul.
Thanks! Appreciate the kind words! I love the level of discourse Better Call Saul allows for!
You ever want something and then when you get it. You realize you don't actually want it. That's the feeling I get from Slippin' Kimmy
Yes, my entire life has been like that!
Jimmy suggested Kim to grift one of her pro bono clients to accept a deal. She was very reluctant. But then she did it anyway. What's up with that? At that time I have a hard time explaining that scene. But after this video, the explanation that conning and grifting is her drug, that scene made soo much sense. Like drugs, Kim was embarrassed to be transparent with her addiction.
Glad I was able to help ultimate the scene a bit!
Now that you brought this up, I realized how estastic she was the first time she went as Giselle!
Thank you, this is the best video analysis on Better Call Saul. Kim and Jimmy's relationship is my favorite love story ever.
initially, I wasn't a fan of Kim, but as the seasons have progressed, ive been increasingly charmed by her. she currently resides firmly in my personal crush zone.
I relate to her character very much. Similar childhood, similar disposition, similar fears and fiercely independent, unwilling to let anyone “carry” her. Sort of a loner, but fearing abandonment.
I have such a big crush on Kim... Best female character on TV nowadays for sure!
The scene with Kim as a child shows she regrets leaving her mom (chaos) and when given the opportunity to choose between order and chaos again, she will choose chaos (saul)
Kim is such an amazing character, the scene with the letter from the teenager reminds me of all the women who have supported me without stopping, including my high school counselor and mother, who shares the same name as the actress for Kim
this video is just even better after tonights episode (plan and execution)
Kim Wexler is an unbelievably remarkable character. I think most of us relate to her in some form or fashion, whether it's her relentless work ethic or her need for thrill seeking to give her life excitement. Better Call Saul has multi-faceted character arcs; one end a drug mafia and on the other, justice. Somewhere in the midst of that combo, you get Kim, Saul, Nacho--and I just can't imagine how difficult and rewarding it must be for them to produce this show.
This analysis is absolutely wonderful. Great video!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Season 6 cannot come fast enough. I’ve watched too many theory videos and I am driving myself crazy.
What I love about Kim, is the way she love's Jimmy. Even though Jimmy keep crossing her boundaires. Jimmy is very lucky
Kim is very unlucky. She’s in an abusive relationship
@@Charles-pf7zy it’s not abusive, but it’s definitely not the best relationship for her
Kim has unconditional love for Jimmy. Jimmy just is who he is. She loves the fun and danger. And Kim doesn’t appreciate anyone trying to tell her who she is, or trying to place limits on her.
@@Charles-pf7zy Not abusive, but toxic.
I feel like she sticks with him because he crosses boundaries which she herself subconsciously wanted to cross. The grifting and danger, the kick, Jimmy brings that into her life
i would argue that walt dying was not actually an example of justice, he died satisfied and happy with everything going the way he wanted it to. so it’s very possible that bcs ends in a similar way for kim.
Jimmy learned, very early, that in life there are wolves and there are sheep. I think he knows Kim's true nature is to be a wolf. But he plays her game and let's her pretend to be moral when he knows what she is capable of. What ever breaks them apart in season 6 I'm willing to bet, Kim will try to blame her behavior on Jimmy and he will remind her that she was always a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Beautifully said
Wowwww ok! I cannot tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this video and deep dive about kim. You answered so many of my questions and I was able to stop going down the rabbit hole so to speak in regards to Kim’s fate. I think your conclusions were absolutely brilliant and your theories were thought provoking. Thanks again and please continue the wonderful work! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words!! What a great comment to end the year on 😃
One thing thats very important to note about Kims character is that she is a nurturing individual. She LOVES to help those that have been robbed by a society she truly hates, which explains all her pro bono work. She absolutely loves the underdogs of the world, and that perfectly defines who Jimmy McGill is, he is a man who has suffered from those hands, and in a way, Kim may be attracted to him because of the fact that he is an underdog. Jimmy himself is a man who looks up to Kim and wants to make her proud and make her happy, the same way he previously wanted to make Chuck happy. Its this infentile part of him that does this. What he needs is someone to look up to and that is what happens, nearly always. So as Jimmy turns into the leading, master of everything Saul Goodman, Kim Wexler will begin to drift away as Saul Goodman is not an underdog himself. Hes something entirely different. You mentioned Kims addiction to these sinful tactics, I get what you mean by that, but I think the whole shows theme is about winning, and the means to reach that win. For Chuck it was the traditional law abiding route, for Jimmy it was winning through practical yet immoral means, and for Kim winning is, winning is about power.
Really liked this take on Kim! I don't remember hearing the morality vs fear angle explained so clearly anywhere else, and I've probably watched all the BCS analyses available on UA-cam :)
I remember the first times I saw this video, it had very few visits, it's good that now it's receiving so many views, it's one of the best videos on the platform
Your presentation on Kim's character is spot on. Though I found her to be an attractive personality, I mistakenly thought that she was just a foil to Jimmy. You acquainted me to her growing proactive animosity and mischief which is ominous of a downfall parallel to Walter White and Jimmy. Your crafted and reasoned exposition reminded me of My very influential JHS English teacher who took me into the depths of a novel which I didn't know existed. Deeper into levels that I never guessed at.
Thank you for kind words Mel! Glad I was able to help show another perspective on her character. Also, really appreciate the comparison to your English teacher haha, I’ve always thought I would enjoy being a teacher so that’s gratifying to hear!
@@OneTakeVids as a high school English teacher, i can officially certify you as one of us. This video is amazing - I’m happy to be a new subscriber!
Kim is an amazing character played by an amazing actress written by amazing writers who actually care about their art. Love the show.
also, when Jimmy calls Kim out for wanting to keep Jimmy at arms length, wanting to have fun with Slippin' Jimmy without any of the risk, she says
"oh is it fun? like bailing your friend out?" like that was an exhausting chore.
what she neglects to mention is the fact that RIGHT AFTER they did that she said "let's do it again".
This is a great breakdown of Kim, and your analysis has aged really well halfway into season 6. I remember on my first watching feeling like the marriage proposal and many of Kim's actions felt forced and out of left field. But that's because (just as you suggest) i was it through the lens of her being a one dimensional moral anchor. On a second rewatch, your analysis is so spot on. The story beats and clues are there, but this series is so "show don't tell" that one's initial impressions can be hard to shake. Great work.
11:51 "when you tell Kim a truth she doesn't want to hear, she fights back" I think this also applies to the time she went off on Howard for implying that Chuck might have killed himself. Back then, she put her outburst on how bad Jimmy might feel because of that implication -i but later in the same episode, when Jimmy nonchalantly reads out the personal letter Chuck wrote to him (without it having any visible impact on him, as he's completely cut his emotional ties to Chuck), Kim walks off on the verge of tears. So in reality, I think she was (also) blaming herself for Chuck's potential (and, as we know, actual) suicide. This 'softer' side of Kim seems to be gone now, as she has proven to be the actual 'wolf' between her and Jimmy a few times now. Even Mike attested her a thicker skin and better suitability for the life of a person in the dark grey area between legality and illegality. But especially after the mid-season finale, I am extremely curious to see who's gonna be more affected by Howard's death (Kim or Jimmy??) and who's gonna draw which conlusions/consequences from it. Somehow, everything seems possible here - Jimmy being the remorseful one, Kim being the ignorant one/in denial about it, and vice versa. It truly is a testimony to the brilliant storytelling of this show.
What a great video! Loved every second!
Thanks Vito!!
I'm sure the writers will have a perfectly good reason as to why she isn't mentioned in breaking bad. I'd say when they were writing this and included the character of Kim, they knew this would be one of the biggest questions being asked during its run.
Her acting is top notch, she conveys lot of her emotion being silent than speaking about it.
This was so fun to watch. You did a great job on summarizing everything.
Saul told Walt he only used the vacuum escape once for someone else. What if that was for Kim? So she's out there somewhere. This would still leave things in the air but what if they show "Gene" meeting up with Kim? Perhaps a happy ending lol
That would be a dream for me, I would love it but unfortunately I don't think it will happen, in the BrBa universe they destroy us with all the characters, and with one as loved as Kim I think they will destroy us even more
My favorite con had to be when they were trying to get Huel out of going to jail that was downright brilliant especially the scene with Jimmy and the film students who are also great on the show. I also really liked the one where they tricked the lady into switching the plans. I actually thought he was playing her husband I didn’t realize it was her brother but omg Bob Odenkirk nailed that scene as he does with all the conning scenes.
Its FANTASTIC!!!!! Your character analysis is superb and the predictions.. wow! Now I see her in totally new light. Awesome man!
Love the thought you put in your character study. Love the painstaking effort you put compiling the video. This gives The Take's BCS videos a run for their money.
Bro, what a thoughtful video. Not a second of it felt wasted or prolonged
Wow thanks Simon!
Excellent, excellent video! This is about as close to understanding Kim as I reckon we will get before the series finale.
This may be kinda random, but I wouldnt mind an arc focused completely on the cartel, don eladio, the salamanca family (how about all of them on screen at the same time?) I'm saying like a 2 to 3 episode arc centered on them.
I personally would. To be honest, I couldn't care much less about the cartel in BCS; I'm much more enthralled by the Jimmy/Kim storyline. I do, however, want the cartel and Jimmy/Kim to become more involved together since the show has essentially been split in two the entire time, with little connecting the two storylines.
I honestly feel opposite. I find myself skipping almost all the cartel scenes in the show 😳 BCS just has such a different vibe than BB and sometimes it just doesn’t feel like the scenes fit
I think a separate movie about the cartel(s) development could add to the BB/BCS universe, like the El Camino movie did.
You know, I’ve always wondered why Kim hated Howard THAT much! And I’ve watched many videos trying to explain it and they always say how she resents him for sticking her doc-review or taking her case or whatever.. but I just didn’t get it! I finally get it when talked about what Acker said and I think there is a name for when you attack people who represent your inner self! + loved the analogy of “getting a high” in what Kim does and comparing it to why Jimmy does it.
Same. through all these seasons I couldn't figure out why she wasn't sucking up to him, wanting to have his same power, wealth and status. Plus he seems to respect her professionally and has helped her career a lot. Even more so, I was surprised she didn't want a husband LIKE him starting in her 20's. Jimmy is the exact opposite of the power, status, and wealth a that a woman like her (or at least, how she presents to the audience at first) would want.
@@victoriaa9933 Exactly! Howard was professionally fair and I respect him for that! I brushed off her disrespect to him throughout the show but I couldn’t let it go after the season finale when she made it her quest to destroy his life!
On another note, I think she might end up in prison and blaming Jimmy for it and refusing his visits. Most importantly, I don’t think she’s gonna die. Saul wouldn’t survive, and it would explain something about Gene later, having some hope and attachment to his past life etc..
@@victoriaa9933 or maybe just maaaaybe she might give in and marry Howard someway for some reason! That would be a bit too dramatic/soap opera-ey, but it would scar Jimmy enough without destroying him like her death would, + I can always see some hope in Gene’s eyes like he’s waiting for something, and it could be her.
@@noorahalkh.7515 They haven't hinted at Howard's personal life but IRL there's no way a guy like that isn't married. And Jimmy says in breaking bad he has 2 ex wives, not 3. So if they are consistent, jimmy and Kim can't be divorced?
@@noorahalkh.7515 I like Howard's character too. He's been more than helpful to her career while asking nothing in return. I was confused as to why she was biting the hand that feeds her, so to speak, but it makes sense now
I was thinking about this while binging the series. Obviously the writing is excellent, but something that really struck me is that female characters are as fleshed out as the male ones, and feel like actual real human beings instead of some sexist stereotype in a man's head. The fact that they were written by two men is very impressive. Incredibly rare for women to get human roles written by men, and I as a female viewer I appreciate getting realistic female characters. Really speaks to these men's talent.