Hey, Trashies! Another season has ended and all that’s left is to curse the name Vince Gilligan because, DOOD!
Don’t be like Terence Winter, Vince.
Before we get to that, previously … Chuck sucked. Chuck sucked so bad he made me cry. Then he made me want to nut punch him and rub my cell phone on his face. I might have unresolved issues.
As for the other players, Jimmy couldn’t help himself, Kim showed questionable judgment and shared an office with him, Howard had daddy issues and a dazzling smile, Mike was Mike only he wanted to kill Tio for threatening Kaylee and Stacey and his BFF, Nacho, tried to talk him out of it.
So we start off, not where we left off, but in another blue-tinted flashback. I think it’s interesting that they use blue instead of a more traditionally warm color used in flashbacks. Blue washes them out and makes everything look hard and metallic. Probably unintentional.
Anyway, we flash back to Jimmy and Chuck in their mother’s hospital room. They’re basically waiting for her to pass which brings everyone down, so Jimmy tries to get Chuck to leave so they can go get sandwiches. Jimmy’s tone is 100% concern for Chuck who hasn’t eaten, but Chuck hears it as Jimmy just not caring for their mother. Because I’m sure Chuck never competed with baby brother for his mommy’s affections or anything.
Paging Dr. Freud
Jimmy takes another tack to lighten Chuck up and reminds him of a surprise party the family had for their mom where Jimmy brought a couple of girls. He remembers it fondly but Chuck remembers it as a fiasco that Jimmy left everyone else to clean up … even their mother. Guys, I think I’m noticing a pattern between the brothers. What do you think?
Doesn’t matter. Jimmy keeps trying to get Chuck to get a sandwich with him and Chuck keeps chucking along until Jimmy finally leaves, promising to bring something back. Almost as soon as Jimmy’s out of the room, their mother wakes up briefly. Chuck gets excited that she might be rebounding but when he tries to talk to her, she just says “Jimmy?” several times before finally passing. And since she had a DNR, that’s it. Chuck, who saw himself as the loyal son (even though he left home for college and never came back) was pushed aside for … Jimmy.
When Jimmy comes back, Chuck’s sitting in the common area outside their mother’s room. Jimmy’s confused and carrying Chuck’s sandwich. Chuck ignores him until he can’t. Jimmy’s confused and upset that their mom died and he wasn’t there and asks if she said anything. Bitter, bitter Chuck can’t even give his brother that moment of comfort that she asked for him. Have I mentioned just how much I hate Chuck? Because I’m not sure if I’ve fully expressed it.
Back to the present, and Jimmy realizes he can’t wait for Lance and Ernie to figure out what to do for Chuck. He rushes into the copy shop and takes charge. He has Ernie get some bubble wrap for Chuck’s head and Lance call 911 while he unplugs all the machines and turns off the lights. Chuck just looks at him inscrutably because he is also allergic to being considerate.
You know he’s plotting Jimmy’s demise.
Chuck’s being rushed into the ER and the doctors and nurses heroically try to see if he had a stroke or has head trauma or ear wax or a functioning heart, but Chuck starts shrieking and fighting against them so they restrain him. I believe the proper procedure would have been to shove a sock in his mouth, but whatever.
Later in his room, Dr. Clea Duvall finishes talking to Chuck and goes into the hallway to talk to Jimmy, who’s been anxiously watching her. He asks how Chuck’s doing, but Dr. Clea reminds him that to make that determination they need to run tests. Jimmy doesn’t understand why she can’t go old school and use a stethoscope. Dr. Clea shows a lot of restraint and explains that a stethoscope won’t explain why he lost consciousness, and at the very least he has a concussion so they need to make an exact diagnosis.
Then she finally directly addresses the fact that Chuck is still as bad off as he was when he came in last season. She wants Jimmy to have Chuck admitted to a mental health facility but Jimmy refuses … although he is considering doing a temporary emergency guardianship so they can at least run the tests to make sure Chuck’s faking it.
I used to be the cool alterna-chick in 90s teen movies.
Jimmy goes into Chuck’s room to explain why he requested the guardianship but Chuck’s managed to grab a couple of 2×4’s to build himself a cross and he just sneers at Jimmy that he’s Johnny on the spot and that he wants Ernie. Who has absolutely no reason to be there other than the fact that he’s a decent guy, but he’s in the hallway so he comes in. And Chuck just starts grilling him about what happened while he was unconscious.