u/Barbarus_Bloodshed

This is another thing on this show that's done in a very subtle way and that is why I did not notice it the first few times I watched it.

But this time I did.

Howard is dependant on Chuck.

First few times I watched BCS I thought Howard does Chuck's bidding cause he has so much respect for Chuck.
And maybe because of some father-son-like feelings.
Since Chuck is much older than he is and Howard's father and Chuck lead the firm before Howard even started there.

But now I've noticed that we never get any moments of "legal prowess" from Howard.

We get these moments from Chuck, from Kim, from Jimmy... where the character uses their skills as a lawyer and manipulator to bend things according to their will.

We don't see this mastery from Howard. So what is with that?

We also hear from many characters on the show (including Howard) how impressive Chuck is.

What do we hear other characters say about Howard? That he is very handsome.

I've come to realize Howard is great at managing people and being the face of HHM,
but he is not a great lawyer or at least he doesn't think of himself as a great lawyer.

We get scenes where Howard asks for Chuck's legal advice.
We get scenes where Chuck explains some legal situation and Howard is impressed, surprised and maybe even ashamed he didn't think of it.
We also get scenes where Howard wants to reap the reward of Chuck's work and making it seem like his.
There's that scene at Chuck's home before that hearing regarding Mesa Verde (where the 1216 thing happens) and Howard asks if everything is done and ready and when Chuck tells him everything's airtight Howard tells Chuck to stay home.
He makes it seem like he is just worried about Chuck's condition, but he keeps asking Chuck if there is any possible surprise or problem that causes Chuck to sit in during the hearing.
He's unsure of himself and his ability to handle things.
He only wants Chuck to stay home if he can be 100% certain everything's in order and he just has to stand (or sit) there during the hearing and do what he always does: representing HHM without actually doing much of the legal work.

So he definitely, definitely needs Chuck.
For his skills and the credibility. Having this famously great lawyer tied to the firm is important.
Howard doesn't think HHM can go on without Chuck.
On more than one level.
The credibility, as I said, but also financially. If Chuck were to demand the pay-out HHM is finished.

This explains why Howard is willing to do awful things for Chuck again and again.
Even though they're so against his nature.
Howard is a nice guy. But not very capable as a lawyer.
(or, as I said, he doesn't think he is and that is why he isn't trying)

It also fits into the character's feelings of being trapped.
Several times we get hints that he's not living the life he always wanted to live.
We get hints that he is suppressing a bunch of emotions.
Like those scenes where we get to see him "put on a smile" right before entering a room.
Or how he corrects his tie or suit before interactions with people.
Little signs he is very aware of appearances.

It also explains the huge respect Howard showed when learning how Jimmy managed to get his law degree.
Because he's thinking he could have never done that.
Maybe Howard only got where he was at the time because of the help he got from his father and Chuck.
The show certainly makes it seem that way.

We also learn that Howard would have liked to go his own path in that conversation with Kim in his office.
Where he lets his guard down for once.
In that conversation he reveals how his father made him join HHM.
And on his face we get to see a whole ton of grief and anger.
Just before he pushes it all down again and goes back to being "polished Howard".

Man, this makes the character even more tragic.
He felt trapped in his life. Bound by obligation.
Couldn't be himself.
And then the whole story with the drug addiction in the end falls right into place.
This is something that would make TOTAL sense for someone like that.

Had another epiphany now that I'm doing my fourth re-watch.

Never 100% knew why Jimmy would be this unhappy and this antagonistic at Davis & Main.

I mean, I understood one factor was him feeling like he didn't fit and that he wasn't able to be his true self.
Especially after his trip back home and his buddy Marco's death.

But I always felt like I was missing something... something less on the nose.
Now I got it:
When Jimmy hears the guitar and goes over to Clifford Main's office...
Jimmy tells him about the optional allowance thing in the Sandpiper contracts that does not seem very optional and Clifford is impressed and tells Jimmy that he has done well.
And Jimmy pauses, his face only happy at first. Then you can see some sort of bleak thought rushing over it.
That thought? That Clifford isn't Chuck. That this is not the validation he wants.
He still wants Chuck to be proud of him. And doesn't give a rat's ass about what Clifford thinks.

It's especially important since it's after the falling out with Chuck and Jimmy telling Mike that what held him back before will never hold him back again:
that was the fear of Chuck being disappointed of him.

But at Davis & Main Jimmy realizes that he still cares what Chuck thinks and that he still wants Chuck to think he's a great lawyer.

I just realized something.

Howard never asked Chuck to ask Jimmy to stop using his name.
That conversation where Chuck tells Jimmy to use a name like "Vanguard Law".

Chuck says that Howard pointed out how Jimmy using the name McGill could be misleading.

But when Jimmy starts imitating Howard with the exact same suit and hair and logo on the billboard,
Howard's reaction shows that he is truly surprised. He asks Kim what Jimmy was thinking.
And says "he's truly forcing my hand here" with deep regret in his voice.

If he had ever thought that Jimmy using the name McGill was a problem for HHM,
he would have said something to someone when the billboard thing kicked off.

Which means the whole thing was just Chuck making another attempt to distance himself from his own brother, not wanting him to use the family name while practicing law!

Which then means that the whole feud Jimmy has with Howard was kicked off by Chuck,
and that all the anger Jimmy directs toward Howard should be directed at Chuck.
It also means that Chuck put Howard on the path that ultimately lead to him being... you know... *spoiler*... >!shot dead!<.

So now I realized that all of our story, everything that happens in BCS,
was kicked off by the two brothers:

Jimmy being frustrated with how things were going, trying to just get by somehow,
and running the stunt with the two skateboarders to get the Kettlemans' business which put him into contact with Nacho and Tuco,
and Chuck being a nasty d!ck toward his brother, putting him on Howard's trail like a heat-seeking missile with the "Howard doesn't want you to use your name" lie.

Damn. This is the fourth time I'm watching the show and I'm still finding stuff that's so fundamental and so well done.
The writing is just excellent.