Yeah there are certain seeds in that cold open that seem planted to suggest that Chuck’s take on the story may be a bit more complicated than what he has perceived. Jimmy is definitely dipping into the money and even if he’s not responsible for the entire $14K, I’m sure he made a fair dent and that’s still unmistakably bad. Mr. McGill’s actor was really good casting (even had that Odenkirk voice) and I found it interesting how his character was made out to be a softee. I feel like he’s going to have a “just stamp the ticket” situation on his hands and Jimmy will continue to lose more respect for his father, leading to Jimmy feeling validated in taking more. There is more to be explored here though so I look forward to getting more perspective later on.

I did notice a trend of intended cartoon-like imagery throughout the episode where a prop is used to kind of “inflate” an expression in Jimmy’s character***. The most obvious and meaty of examples was the tube man which was brilliantly captured. I LOVE how the tube man is like a cheerleading conductor for the entire sequence haha.

For montages that just completely change the format of how the show usually presents itself, this is right up there with how varied and experimental the Marco/Jimmy scam montage was for the first season.

*** Another example of a prop being used to illustrate a point for Jimmy is the broom. Jimmy is sweeping back and forth between his legs as a half-assed way to show that he’s still working but he’s unaware of the imagery that instead only animates further what he’s really doing and what he’s really about. It’s a quick visual gag when it comes down to it but it’s a great way to show that back at his father’s store, he could be a jerkoff and not really get hassled for it. Being raised in that store definitely helped shape his behavior and define who he is. Until now At Davis & Main, he’s been forced to keep that broom or “tube man” in his pants.

I suppose I’ll just jump to the ending and work my way backwards but the final piece of imagery that’s used was the final shot. The W and M almost form that disheveled Charlie Brown expression with Jimmy’s mouth. Again, it’s working as a symbolic extension in order to express something in Jimmy and what’s ironic is that contrary to the episode’s title and the previous two examples given, that expression is deflation. He’s getting an incredibly generous offer which wouldn’t even happen if Kim wasn’t having her own crisis over what she wants and where she’s going in life. He is getting what he wanted in having Kim in the same workplace while he gets the freedom to be who he is, but it’s still a rejection and like Steve said, a more tactful and non-toxic one. That said, it’s the best and most convenient thing that will ever be proposed to him from her without compromising who either of them are and he understands that. What’s great about this direction is that there is no way he can refuse this. He’ll get a beautiful painting with a smudgy speck on it. He’ll exercise in tolerating the speck but eventually he’ll feel drawn to wipe it only to make it worse.

Kim’s interview really helped in getting her to the final moment of the episode. The question of what she wants and then her calling Schweikart “Howard” was good in showing that she may very well be repeating the same pattern she’s trying to escape. The fake-out on the rooftop was clever. Ripping up Jimmy’s card and that marvelous view of the city contrasting with her usual smoke breaks in the parking garage under HHM really had me believing that there was no way she would walk away from that.

As for Mike’s story, it was a relief to see Stacey smile and be in a happy place. I like that she addresses to Mike that she’s aware of how she’s been working him and IMO I think she’s justified in doing so. Mike understands this too. It is intriguing to see that he’s scoping the meeting place he had with Hector. Mike is a man of research and he definitely recognizes that his run-in with Hector was bad news and might require some insurance of information for the future. We’ll have to see what comes from that.

One more thing to note:

-So between Kim’s KC Royals jersey last week and this episode’s reveal that she was brought up near Omaha, is it possible to see a post-BB Kim Wexler? Or is it just a major red herring? Who knows what happened between her and Jimmy but it must be bad if we never see her again, right? But then there’s Ice Station Zebra associates? Mysterious stuff.