Studded Chairs, "Breaking Bad," and "Better Call Saul"

There is so many strange and interesting things that happen in the backgrounds of both "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul." The shows are truly dynamic. 

For example, characters sometimes tell stories while sitting in studded armchairs or couches in both TV shows. 

When the chair studs make a single loop at the end of each arm, and when the stories being told are about the past and its regrets, the creative teams of the shows make sure we see only one arm. Views of the other arm are blocked. "Breaking Bad" makes sure we only see the right arm (as seen from the point of view of the person sitting in the chair). In contrast, "Better Call Saul" makes sure we see only the left arm. 

Here are four examples.

Walter White tells Jesse about selling out his creation, his stake in Gray Matter Technologies, for only $5,000 ('Buyout').

 

Embattled Hank Schrader tells Walt about simpler days, when he was tagging trees for removal ('Gliding Over All').  Note the blocked view.

 

Chuck McGill tells Kim about Jimmy's role in undermining their dad's store ('Rebecca').

 

Jimmy McGill tells Kim about the alcohol and anger management problems of the cop who arrested Huell ('Something Stupid').

What is going on here? Visual messages are sent to the audiences of both of these shows by means of shapes. A single loop of studs, leaning over to the side at the end of a chair arm, forms the outline of a head bowed in prayer. So, prayerful furniture is used as a silent comment on the storyline of pain and regret. Only one arm is shown, in order to avoid the strange look of two heads bowed in prayer away from one another. 

Now, whose bowed, prayerful heads are these? I have ideas about that, but that's for another day.