Charles Lindbergh "Chuck" McGill Jr. is a fictional character who appears in the
crime drama
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
television series ''
Better Call Saul
''Better Call Saul'' is an American crime and legal drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, ''Breaking Bad'', and serves as a ...
'', a
spin-off prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term " ...
of ''
Breaking Bad
''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...
''. He is portrayed by
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' ...
and was created by
Vince Gilligan
George Vincent Gilligan Jr. (born February 10, 1967) is an American writer, producer, and director. He is known for his television work, specifically as creator, head writer, executive producer, and director of AMC's '' Breaking Bad'' (2008– ...
and
Peter Gould
Peter Gould is an American television writer, director and producer. He worked on all five seasons of the AMC drama ''Breaking Bad''. He was nominated for four Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards for his work on the series. After ''Breaking ...
.
Chuck was born in
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, United States and is the eldest son of Ruth and Charles McGill Sr. He is the older brother of fellow lawyer and titular character
Jimmy McGill ("Saul Goodman"). Chuck is a successful attorney who runs his own law firm, Hamlin, Hamlin, & McGill (HHM), with business partner and friend
Howard Hamlin
Howard Hamlin is a fictional character who appears in the crime drama television series ''Better Call Saul'', a spin-off prequel of '' Breaking Bad''. He is portrayed by Patrick Fabian and was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Hamlin i ...
. Chuck is semi-reclusive and believes that he suffers from
electromagnetic hypersensitivity
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is a claimed sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, to which negative symptoms are attributed. EHS has no scientific basis and is not a recognised medical diagnosis. Claims are characterized by a "variet ...
. He was amicably divorced from
Rebecca Bois
''Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its s ...
, who was unaware of his EHS, a few years before the events of ''Better Call Saul''.
Although in the first season it seemed that he was initially supportive of Jimmy, Chuck harbored resentful feelings toward him because of his conman past and charisma, in addition to Jimmy's approach to his career. From the second season onward, Chuck transforms into Jimmy's nemesis. His betrayal of and opposition to Jimmy and his subsequent death serve as a catalyst for Jimmy's transformation into Saul Goodman. Chuck's influence also deeply affects
Howard Hamlin
Howard Hamlin is a fictional character who appears in the crime drama television series ''Better Call Saul'', a spin-off prequel of '' Breaking Bad''. He is portrayed by Patrick Fabian and was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Hamlin i ...
and
Kim Wexler
Kimberly Kim Wexler is a fictional Character (arts), character from the television series ''Better Call Saul'', a Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Breaking Bad''. Kim is primarily portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, and was created by Vince Gilligan and P ...
.
Chuck's character development and McKean's performance throughout the first three seasons received critical acclaim, with many critics arguing that McKean gave the best performance on television throughout 2017.
Conception and development
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' ...
had previously worked with
Vince Gilligan
George Vincent Gilligan Jr. (born February 10, 1967) is an American writer, producer, and director. He is known for his television work, specifically as creator, head writer, executive producer, and director of AMC's '' Breaking Bad'' (2008– ...
as the recurring character Morris Fletcher who first appeared in ''
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation ...
'' episode "
Dreamland." The two kept in touch since about potential projects, although during that time much of McKean's work was in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
for
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
while Gilligan was in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
working in television.
When Gilligan eventually contacted McKean about acting in ''Better Call Saul,'' he accepted the role knowing only the bare minimum regarding Chuck's electromagnetic sensitivity, since he was a fan of ''Breaking Bad'' and trusted Gilligan.
When filming of ''Better Call Saul'' started in 2014, McKean had to initially split his time between playing Chuck and performing in ''
All the Way
All the Way may refer to:
Film and television
* ''All the Way'', an Australian film of 1998 directed by Marque Owen
* ''All the Way'' (2001 film), a film directed by Shi Runjiu
* ''All the Way'' (film), a 2016 adaptation of Robert Schenkkan's p ...
'', a Broadway play that coincidentally also starred
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor and director who is best known for portraying Walter White in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and Hal in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2 ...
who had played
Walter White Walter White most often refers to:
* Walter White (''Breaking Bad''), character in the television series ''Breaking Bad''
* Walter Francis White (1893–1955), American leader of the NAACP
Walter White may also refer to:
Fictional characters
...
in ''Breaking Bad''.
When McKean's casting was announced in April 2014, his character was deliberately misnamed as "Dr. Thurber," which McKean says was based on humorist
James Thurber
James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) was an American cartoonist, writer, humorist, journalist and playwright. He was best known for his cartoons and short stories, published mainly in ''The New Yorker'' and collected in ...
.
Chuck's real name, Charles Lindbergh McGill, was inspired by the aviator
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...
.
In interviews, McKean has stated that while Chuck did make efforts to foil Jimmy's attempts to get ahead as a lawyer, it wasn't always planned that Chuck would resort to underhanded tricks.
He described Chuck as a person who, until the onset of his belief that he suffered from electromagnetic sensitivity, had "followed all the rules" and who suddenly saw all he had slip away. For this reason, Chuck could not understand how, in contrast, someone like Jimmy who didn't follow the rules could be thriving.
Gilligan said that Chuck was originally planned as a
Mycroft Holmes
Mycroft Holmes is a fictional character appearing in stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from 1893 to 1908. The elder brother (by seven years) of detective Sherlock Holmes, he is a government official and a founding member of the Diogene ...
character, emotionally damaged but supportive of Jimmy's efforts, with
Howard Hamlin
Howard Hamlin is a fictional character who appears in the crime drama television series ''Better Call Saul'', a spin-off prequel of '' Breaking Bad''. He is portrayed by Patrick Fabian and was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Hamlin i ...
to serve as the antagonist. However, as they filmed the initial episodes and saw the interactions, the writing team came to the idea of making Chuck the antagonist, while Howard would be more supportive of Jimmy, belying his outward rigor.
To aid in their portrayals of the characters, McKean and Odenkirk discussed Chuck and Jimmy's relationships with their parents and the way their parents would have treated them.
McKean stated that Gilligan and Gould told actors at the start of the season where generally they would like to see the characters go. Eventually, with little notice, Gilligan and Gould would give more specific direction to actors. Despite the short notice, McKean trusted that the showrunners were doing the right thing with the character.
Around the time of filming the third season's seventh episode "
Expenses
An expense is an item requiring an outflow of money, or any form of fortune in general, to another person or group as payment for an item, service, or other category of costs. For a tenant, rent is an expense. For students or parents, tuition is a ...
," McKean received Chuck's "death call." Gilligan and Gould informed him that Chuck would die in that season's finale, the tenth episode, "
Lantern
A lantern is an often portable source of lighting, typically featuring a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle or a wick in oil, and often a battery-powered light in modern timesto make it easier to carry and h ...
." McKean had been expecting the call based on the character's arc and had no regrets or issues with it. He said, "Chuck did not belong in Jimmy’s universe by the time he becomes Saul Goodman, so I knew that it was very possible
huck would die before that"
Character biography
Chuck McGill was born in 1944, and grew up in
Cicero, Illinois
Cicero (originally known as Hawthorne) is a suburb of Chicago and an Incorporated town#Illinois, incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was ...
. At the age of 14, he graduated from Francis Xavier High School as
valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution.
The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA ...
, the youngest graduate in the school's history.
He completed his undergraduate degree at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
and later graduated ''
magna cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some So ...
'' from
Georgetown University Law Center
The Georgetown University Law Center (Georgetown Law) is the law school of Georgetown University, a private research university in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1870 and is the largest law school in the United States by enrollment and ...
.
After clerking at both the
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid a slow pace of change and possible harshness (or "inequity") of the Common law#History, common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over ...
and the
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:
* District of Colorado
* District of Kansas
* Dist ...
, Chuck joined George Hamlin's solo practice in
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
.
Over the next 23 years, the two men, later joined by George's son
Howard
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...
, built Hamlin, Hamlin and McGill into one of the largest law firms in the Southwestern United States.
Early in his career, Chuck excelled in criminal law, famously arguing and winning the precedent-setting case of ''State v. Gonzalez.''
Ten years prior to the events of "''Better Call Saul''", Chuck defended his younger brother
Jimmy after Jimmy defecated through the sunroof of a romantic rival's
BMW, unaware the man's children were in the backseat.
As a condition of helping Jimmy, Chuck demanded that Jimmy abandon his work as a
con artist
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have def ...
and take a legitimate job in HHM's mailroom.
While working in HHM's mailroom, Jimmy was inspired by Chuck's skill as an attorney and decided to become one as well. To that end, Jimmy secretly completed his college degree, attended a correspondence law school, and passed the bar exam.
He also became friendly, then romantically involved, with
Kim Wexler
Kimberly Kim Wexler is a fictional Character (arts), character from the television series ''Better Call Saul'', a Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Breaking Bad''. Kim is primarily portrayed by Rhea Seehorn, and was created by Vince Gilligan and P ...
, a law student who also worked in the mailroom and later became an associate attorney at HHM.
Unlike Kim, Jimmy was not hired by HHM as an attorney and he left the firm's mailroom in order to build his solo law practice.
Around the time of his divorce from
Rebecca Bois
''Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its s ...
, Chuck began to think that he suffered from
electromagnetic hypersensitivity
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is a claimed sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, to which negative symptoms are attributed. EHS has no scientific basis and is not a recognised medical diagnosis. Claims are characterized by a "variet ...
and took a leave of absence from HHM. During this time, Jimmy took care of Chuck by buying and delivering his groceries and newspapers every day.
Season 1
Jimmy continues to help Chuck with daily chores at his home. Although Chuck has taken a leave of absence, he maintains his position as a senior partner. Howard attempts to buy out Chuck's share of HHM with a token payment, but Jimmy makes Howard back down by demanding that Howard pay Chuck the full value.
Jimmy stages a fake rescue of a billboard worker to drum up publicity for his firm. Jimmy removes Chuck's local newspaper from his daily delivery to hide the fake rescue from Chuck. Chuck resorts to stealing the neighbor's paper (leaving $5 as payment). This leads to the police breaking into his home and
tasing him. Chuck is taken to the hospital, and the doctor proves to Jimmy that Chuck's illness is
psychosomatic
A somatic symptom disorder, formerly known as a somatoform disorder,(2013) retirement community
A retirement community is a residential community or housing complex designed for older adults who are generally able to care for themselves; however, assistance from home care agencies is allowed in some communities, and activities and socializ ...
is overcharging its residents. He collects shredded documents from the trash and starts piecing them together at Chuck's house. Chuck is impressed with Jimmy's legal instincts and steps in to help, discovering key documents that prove Jimmy is correct. Jimmy and Chuck attempt to get Sandpiper to settle the case out of court, but Sandpiper's lawyers refuse. Jimmy and Chuck begin a class action lawsuit and continue to collect evidence, which rekindles Chuck's enthusiasm for the law. While working with Jimmy, he absentmindedly goes outside to retrieve documents from Jimmy's car without his usual electromagnetic hypersensitivity precautions. Chuck suggests the case is too large for the two of them alone and that they should get HHM's help. Howard agrees to take the case and offers Jimmy a small
of counsel fee and a percentage of the judgment or settlement but cuts him out of active participation.
Jimmy discovers that Chuck secretly used Howard to get him off the case—the same way Chuck used Howard to block Jimmy from becoming an attorney at HHM. Jimmy confronts Chuck, who tells Jimmy that he doesn't consider him a "real lawyer" since he is still the same "Slippin' Jimmy" from Cicero. Jimmy cuts ties with Chuck and arranges for Howard to take over Chuck's care.
Season 2
Howard assigns Ernesto to care for Chuck. As the Sandpiper case grows, HHM brings in Davis & Main to assist. D&M hires Jimmy as an associate due to his familiarity with the case and rapport with the clients.
Chuck becomes suspicious after Jimmy uses questionable tactics to obtain new plaintiffs. Jimmy produces a television ad to reach even more potential plaintiffs and airs it without approval from Davis & Main. Jimmy decides to quit and behaves in a way that forces Davis & Main to terminate him without cause.
Kim, who knew of Jimmy's ad but did not inform the partners at HHM, is reassigned to entry-level document review work. To regain Howard's favor, she brings in a new client, Mesa Verde bank. Despite this, Howard keeps Kim in document review. Kim leaves HHM to start her own firm in an office space shared with Jimmy. She initially persuades Mesa Verde to become her client, but Howard and Chuck succeed in retaining Mesa Verde's business.
Chuck's electromagnetic hypersensitivity symptoms reappear as the result of his trip to HHM's offices to meet with Mesa Verde's president and counsel. Ernesto calls Jimmy for help and Jimmy offers to stay with Chuck overnight. Jimmy uses the opportunity to alter documents Chuck has prepared for a new Mesa Verde branch application. When the state banking board reviews the application, it discovers the errors, which result in a delay. Mesa Verde's president and counsel take the bank's business to Kim. Chuck immediately suspects Jimmy sabotaged him. Kim infers Jimmy's guilt and tells him if he left any evidence, Chuck will find it. Jimmy goes to the copy store where he altered the documents, intending to bribe the clerk for his silence. Ernesto is already there, having investigated copy stores throughout Albuquerque on Chuck's behalf. Ernesto leaves to pick up Chuck and bring him back to speak with the clerk. Jimmy bribes the clerk, then waits across the street for Chuck to arrive. Chuck attempts to question the clerk, but his electromagnetic hypersensitivity causes him to collapse and hit his head on the counter. Jimmy hesitates about whether to reveal his presence, but enters the store, administers first aid, and has the clerk summon an ambulance. At the hospital, Chuck wonders how Jimmy was on the scene so quickly, and Ernesto falsely claims to have called him out of concern for Chuck's health. Chuck later fakes a major mental breakdown, causing Jimmy to confess to the document tampering in an effort to calm Chuck down. After Jimmy leaves Chuck's home, Chuck reveals a hidden voice recorder, which he activated before Jimmy's arrival.
Season 3
Chuck promises Jimmy consequences for his Mesa Verde fraud. Chuck and Howard discuss the recording, which Howard says is not admissible in court, but Chuck arranges for Ernesto to hear it, then swears him to silence. As Chuck expected, Ernesto tells Kim, who then tells Jimmy. Unsure of Chuck's plan, Kim wants Jimmy to let Chuck make the first move, but Jimmy breaks into Chuck's house and destroys the recording in the presence of Chuck, a private investigator, and Howard, resulting in Jimmy's arrest. Chuck suggests to the assistant district attorney that Jimmy could avoid prison by confessing to the break-in and making the confession available to the state bar association. With Jimmy facing disbarment, Kim offers to help him fight the charges.
Chuck admits to Kim that he has a copy of the recording and intends to use it at Jimmy's bar disciplinary hearing, which means Jimmy and Kim will be able to cross-examine him after he authenticates it. Kim cancels the repairman Chuck had called to fix the door Jimmy destroyed during the break-in and Jimmy asks
Mike Ehrmantraut
Michael Ehrmantraut () is a fictional character in '' Breaking Bad'' and its spinoff prequel ''Better Call Saul'', portrayed by Jonathan Banks. Mike is a former Philadelphia police officer who works for Gus Fring—and, on occasion, Saul Goodm ...
to pose as a repairman; Mike fixes the door while clandestinely photographing Chuck's home to document his bizarre living conditions. The hearing room is prepared for Chuck's testimony, including turning off all electrical devices and storing cell phones outside the room. Jimmy invites Chuck's ex-wife Rebecca to the hearing, claiming Chuck is in distress and needs her help, but Chuck sees it as an attempt to rattle him before he testifies. When Jimmy cross-examines Chuck about how sensitive he is to electricity, Chuck suspects a trick and accuses Jimmy of keeping his cell phone. Jimmy then reveals that he had
Huell Babineaux
'' Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series '' Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its ...
secretly place Jimmy's cell phone battery in Chuck's pocket, and Chuck carried it for more than an hour without noticing. The suggestion that his illness is mental unnerves Chuck, who launches an extended tirade about Jimmy; he realizes too late that his outburst has shocked the entire courtroom into silence.
Jimmy is given a year's suspension, but not disbarred. Chuck shutters himself in his home, and Rebecca tries to get Jimmy to help her talk to him, but Jimmy refuses. Howard suggests Chuck consider Jimmy's suspension a victory and move on, and Chuck seems to agree. The possibility that his illness is psychosomatic leads Chuck to begin seeing Dr. Cruz, a therapist who helps him cope with his symptoms to the point where he can walk outside and perform chores such as grocery shopping.
When Jimmy meets with his malpractice insurer to obtain a refund on his premium, he finds that his policy must remain in effect during his suspension. He feigns an emotional breakdown about Chuck's condition, which prompts the insurance company's representatives to meet with Howard and Chuck. The insurers inform them that HHM's malpractice rates will rise substantially unless another attorney is assigned to constantly supervise Chuck. Chuck wants to fight, but Howard encourages him to retire. Chuck then sues HHM, hoping this will force Howard to back down. To his surprise, Howard buys out Chuck's share of the partnership, using personal funds and loans to make the first of three $3 million payments. Howard then announces that Chuck has retired, effective immediately.
When Kim is hospitalized after a car crash, Jimmy tries to make amends with Chuck but Chuck rebuffs him, saying that Jimmy was never really all that important to him. Chuck's EHS symptoms re-emerge and he becomes obsessed with finding a device that is causing his electric meter to run. He removes all his appliances, tears the walls open to remove the wiring, and finally destroys the meter. Having reached his breaking point, Chuck sits at his desk and kicks it until he knocks over a gas lantern, setting his house on fire.
Season 4
Chuck dies in the fire he set. Jimmy is shocked at Chuck's death and believes himself to be at fault because of his interaction with the insurance company. Howard believes Chuck's death was his fault because he forced Chuck to retire. Upon hearing this, Jimmy allows Howard to shoulder the blame and regains his usual upbeat demeanor. Chuck leaves most of his estate to his ex-wife, with only a $5,000 bequest to Jimmy, which is just enough to prevent him from contesting the will. When Kim picks up Jimmy's inheritance check, Howard gives her a letter Chuck wrote to Jimmy. Kim eventually gives it to Jimmy, who reads it in her presence. The letter is undated but was apparently written while Jimmy was working in the HHM mailroom. It praises Jimmy's efforts to leave his conman past behind and work an honest job but is also vaguely condescending. Jimmy dismissively calls it "nice", but Kim is visibly upset by it. Jimmy learns HHM is struggling financially because of the payments due to Chuck's estate, and because recent events caused them to lose clients.
A year later, Jimmy attends his reinstatement hearing and is surprised to learn that his suspension will be continued because he failed to address the conflict with Chuck during questioning from the panel members. Jimmy appeals, and in preparation for the hearing Kim helps him fake several public displays of grief over Chuck's death. At the appeal, Jimmy begins to read from Chuck's letter, then stops and gives an impromptu speech in which he vows to be worthy of the McGill name if reinstated. Jimmy's appeal succeeds, but he reveals to Kim that the speech was an insincere performance and he plans to practice law as Saul Goodman.
Chuck appears in two flashbacks. In the first set in 1993, the staff at HHM congratulate pre-illness Chuck after he argues obscure case law to successfully close a lucrative case for the firm. The reception Chuck receives serves as a catalyst for Jimmy's subsequent legal studies, which he carries out in secret. In the second, Chuck appears with Jimmy before the board of bar examiners during the admission of new attorneys in 1998 and provides Jimmy's ritual introduction and character reference. Following the ceremony, Chuck attends a celebration for Jimmy at a karaoke bar. After Jimmy persuades an initially reluctant Chuck to sing "
The Winner Takes It All
"The Winner Takes It All" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's seventh studio album, '' Super Trouper'' (1980), it is a ballad in the key of G-flat major, reflecting on the end of a relatio ...
" with him, Chuck takes center stage from his brother. The scene cuts to both of them at Jimmy's home, drunk and singing.
Season 5
Chuck does not appear, but his life and death continue to affect Jimmy, Howard, and Kim. Jimmy has fully embraced the Saul Goodman alias he used while selling prepaid phones, telling Kim that continuing to use it gives him an instant client base for a criminal law practice. When Kim tries to talk him out of practicing law as Saul, Jimmy indicates that it is necessary if he is to escape the shadow left by Chuck's professional legacy. Chuck becomes Kim's posthumous brother-in-law when she marries Jimmy, a tactic that enables Jimmy to tell Kim the truth about his work as Saul by attaching spousal privilege to their conversations.
Howard proposes hiring Jimmy at HHM, assuring him that the feud was between Jimmy and Chuck, not the firm. Jimmy is unsettled by the reminder of his past and refuses Howard's offer. Jimmy is so unnerved that he irritates Howard by using bowling balls to vandalize his car and prostitutes to disrupt his business lunch with
Clifford Main
'' Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series '' Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its ...
. When Howard confronts Jimmy and rescinds his offer, Jimmy responds by lambasting Howard for causing Chuck's death and angrily tells him that as Saul Goodman, he has grown too big for the constraints of a job at HHM.
When Howard sees Kim at the courthouse, she tells him she quit Schweikart and Cokely and her work for Mesa Verde so that she can concentrate on ''pro bono'' criminal defense cases. Howard assumes Jimmy is behind this decision and tells Kim about Jimmy's recent harassment campaign against him. Kim laughs at Howard, says she is insulted by the idea that she cannot decide for herself, and tells him he does not understand Jimmy. Howard angrily tells Kim that Chuck really did know Jimmy better than anyone else.
Season 6
When Cary, a new HHM employee, drops several cans of soda while preparing for the mediation session connected to the Sandpiper lawsuit, Howard shows him the trick of rotating the can several times to prevent it from exploding when it is opened, a method he says he learned from Chuck. Howard goes on to tell Cary that Chuck was the greatest legal mind he's ever known. While confronting Jimmy and Kim after their plot humiliates him and forces a settlement of the Sandpiper case, Howard reminds Jimmy and Kim of Chuck's view that Jimmy cannot stop himself from causing harm to everyone around him.
In the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
, Chuck appears in a flashback set before the events of ''Better Call Saul'', with Jimmy helping him manage his EHS symptoms by bringing him food deliveries. When Chuck asks why he does it, Jimmy states that they are brothers and that Chuck would do the same for him. This assertion seems to make Chuck briefly uncomfortable and he then insists that Jimmy stay so they could talk. Chuck asks if Jimmy ever considered a different life path, and Jimmy, uninterested in engaging with Chuck, retorts that Chuck never changed his path. Before Jimmy leaves, Chuck notes that "we always end up having the same conversation, don't we?"
Reception
![Michael McKean 1999](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Michael_McKean_1999.jpg)
McKean's portrayal of Chuck McGill has received critical acclaim. For his performances, he won a
Satellite Award
The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...
for
Best Supporting Actor in 2018 at the
22nd Satellite Awards. McKean later received a nomination for a
for his guest appearance in the fourth season.
The
first season episode "
Pimento
A pimiento or pimento (or cherry pepper) is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper (''Capsicum annuum'') that measures 3 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm) long and 2 to 3 in (5 to 7 cm) wide (medium, elongate).
Pimientos can have vario ...
" received critical acclaim, with many critics praising the performances from
Bob Odenkirk
Robert John Odenkirk (; born October 22, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker best known for his role as Saul Goodman on ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–2022). For the latter, he has re ...
and McKean. Roth Cornet of
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave the episode a 9.0 rating; concluding: "Better Call Saul revealed the betrayal that may very well be at the heart of what turns Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman, as this stunningly crafted story continues to unfold."
The
third season episode "
Chicanery
Chicanery is a form of deception involving trickery or subterfuge.
Chicanery may also refer to:
Film and TV
*''Chicanery'', 2015 film by Charles Dennis
* "Chicanery" (''Better Call Saul''), 2017 television episode
Music
* Chicanery (band), Ame ...
" received universal acclaim, with some critics considering it to be a series-best. Terri Schwartz of
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
awarded the episode a perfect 10 out of 10, describing it as "the best episode of Better Call Saul to date".
It currently holds a perfect 100% on
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
with an average score of 9.5/10 based on 12 reviews. The site consensus reads: "The war between Jimmy and Chuck comes to an unprecedented climax in the heartbreaking, sober, and defining 'Chicanery', an episode that clearly cements ''Better Call Saul'' as essential television."
TVLine
''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs.
History
In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
named McKean the "Performer of the Week" for his performance in this episode, writing it was the "finest showcase yet for his fascinatingly layered performance as Jimmy's brother Chuck McGill." Donna Bowman of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'', who gave the episode an "A" rating, praised the courtroom scene, saying "it isn’t just to give us the satisfaction of a courtroom drama, the neat ending where the truth comes out. The brilliance of this structure is to give us a slow-motion view of the heavens falling, an outcome methodically pursued by Kim and Jimmy, which nevertheless seems to give them no satisfaction."
Many critics were disappointed when McKean, who was said to have given "one of the best performances by anyone in TV all year", failed to secure an Emmy nomination in 2017 while his co-star
Jonathan Banks
Jonathan Ray Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Chillum Heights, Maryland, while attending Indiana University Bloomington Banks did theatre. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles where he be ...
did.
Matt Zoller Seitz of ''
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
'' considers him to be the ''Better Call Saul'' equivalent of ''Breaking Bad'' character
Skyler White
Skyler White ( née Lambert) is a fictional character in '' Breaking Bad'', portrayed by Anna Gunn. For her performance, Gunn received critical acclaim, with some critics even lauding her character as the template for television anti-heroines. ...
.
In 2020, ''Screen Rant'' ranked him #9 amongst main characters for likeability, only above
Hector Salamanca
''Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its s ...
. They said: "The first few seasons of the show go into a lot of detail showing how Jimmy lost his way in his career as an honest lawyer. A big part of the issue was due to his own brother, Chuck McGill. Chuck is a successful lawyer in his own right but instead of being proud of Jimmy following in his footsteps, he tried to hold him back."
See also
*
List of ''Breaking Bad'' and ''Better Call Saul'' characters
References
External links
Chuck McGill at
AMC
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGill, Chuck
American male characters in television
Better Call Saul characters
Fictional American lawyers
Fictional characters from Illinois
Fictional characters from New Mexico
Fictional characters with neurological or psychological disorders
Fictional defense attorneys
Fictional Irish American people
Fictional managers
Fictional suicides
Male villains
Television characters introduced in 2015