Category Archives: Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul “Carrot and Stick” (S6E02)

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“You know, I was hoping you’d see our dilemma and do the right thing. But I think what we have here now is a carrot-and-stick situation.” – Mike

“Oh yeah? This the stick? Hmm? You coming here, threatening my family? Huh? ‘Cause you’re gonna need a bigger stick, old man.” – Nacho (Season 2 “Cobbler”)

“Carrot and Stick” continues the struggle of characters becoming compelled and repelled with their allies as they navigate shared goals, but also becomes a story about seeing through people or situations for who or what they truly are. It’s only appropriate that this marks the return of Betsy Kettleman because for all her looniness and delusion, she has always been a character who can see through to certain truths about people. “You’re the kind of lawyer only guilty people hire” cut through Jimmy like a rusty sword back in season 1 when he was trying to prove himself otherwise, but we all know he turned out to be the crookety-crook she always saw him as. When Saul manipulates the Kettlemans into believing they have a shot in exonerating Craig from his embezzlement beef because their past defending council was likely impaired from drug addiction, it’s interesting that her first assumption is “that awful woman with the pony tail”.  Back in season 1’s “Bingo”, Kim was on the straight and narrow trying her best to do right by the Kettlemans. Betsy of course would never see it that way, but she’s not exactly wrong about Kim being an unsaintly adversary.

The idea that the Kettle team have a chance to shop Saul’s inside information to different firms (including Cliff’s) where proof of Howard Hamlin’s “dirty dealings” will come out in discovery goes according to plan. It was important that Saul was not taken on as the lawyer on these phony accusations against Howard because that would only bring him into question for orchestrating it, which is why Saul yells to Betsy that the moment they reveal him as a source, he gets a cut of their settlement. Cliff is also compelled and repelled by the Kettleman’s absurd claims, just as planned. It’s enough for Cliff to reject them as clients based on their lack of evidence, but also enough for him to put two and two together that there may very well be truth to their claims. Davis & Main are not only the partnering firm with HHM for the Sandpiper case, but Cliff and Howard are good friends. Going forward with proceedings between them will now prove just as push-and-pull as Kim and Jimmy’s partnership or with Mike and Gus.

Whereas Cliff’s perspective has been tampered with to shed new light on Howard, the transition between Cliff and Gus’ over-the-shoulder shot invites a scene where Gus sees through Hector’s truce offering for what reality actually is. Gus has studied Hector inside and out to the point where it consumes Gus. When Juan and Gus attempt to console Don Hector for political purposes in his moment of grief, Hector offers a handshake. Hector has always been jealous of being second banana to Gus in their line of work. He knows Gus is a calculative bastard so for him to finally have the upperhand with a secret wild card of Lalo’s continued existence up his sleeve, he can’t help but reveal himself to the man he truly loathes. Gus knows Hector would never shake his hand without putting up a fight, especially with the beaming expression Hector has to go with it. Gus has now learned Lalo lives through his classic Spidey sense. This may become a lesson learned for Hector down the line, because whatever Gus does next with the knowledge of Lalo’s survival will be a large contributing factor in Gus getting the last laugh. I imagine Hector Salamanca will grow self-aware of how he gets in his own way and never look Gus in the eye again for a forseeable future. The next time he does, it better count…

Eyes are on everyone in this episode as Nacho discovers he’s being watched by a mysterious party across the motel courtyard. He can see the air conditioner is in use on a boarded up structure and after biding his time, Nacho baits the mystery man into revealing his vantage point. Upon getting the drop on this spy, it’s unclear who he works for as he describes he’s being paid by whoever’s voice is on the other end of a phone. Nacho takes action however and calls Tyrus to make him believe he’s going to bolt out of paranoia that something isn’t right. Tyrus insists he stay put but Nacho hangs up. After Tyrus tries to call Nacho again, it’s the mystery man’s phone which rings next and just like that the mystery is solved. Nacho is being set up and was likely given a gun so he can die in a gunfight while also bloodying up possible Cartel members in the process.

In the cold open, we’re shown Mike and Gus’ men taking over Nacho’s apartment. They predict one of the first procedures the Cartel will conduct is searching the apartment for any clue as to where Nacho may be. Therefore the hidden safe is the most plausible place to hide such info, being the phone number to the motel. It seems Nacho caught on just in time as an entire truck full of baddies show up looking to capture him, including the Salamanca twins. This entire scene feels like Vince Gilligan’s fantasy to direct a classic shootout at the O.K. Corral which is played to perfection, right down to the thug manhandling a damsel in distress (the motel manager) and taking a prat fall over the wooden porch when shot.  Dave Porter’s wild, heart-thumping score sets the mood for this cowboy scenario as gunslingers close in on Nacho from every odd direction. The Salamanca twins are the real threat as they’re willing to kill their own to ensure Nacho’s survival. Marco motioning “C’mere” at Nacho is icing on the cake before Nacho barrels the truck forward while firing blindly through the windshield. He may have escaped unscathed, but the twins manage to shoot out a tire which will not only slow Nacho down as he embarks Mexico’s backroads, but will make him easier to track.

As far as Mike, Gus, and Tyrus know, Nacho has long fleed before any attempt on his life had a chance to be made. It says a lot about Mike that he reluctantly went through with setting up Nacho’s demise in favor of Gus, but he at least pocketed Manuel Varga’s fake ID to make sure Nacho’s father was kept off the game’s board. Upon learning that Nacho’s death by shootout never occurred, Mike pitches to Gus that their best option is for Mike to recruit four of Gus’ men to help him rescue Nacho before the Cartel gets to him first. With Lalo on the loose, Mike also points out that Lalo won’t be able to make a move against Gus until he can obtain proof of who orchestrated the hit on him. Gus is out of his element here as none of his plans seem to be going accordingly. Between him breaking the glass and ordering Nacho’s father be brought to him ala stick over carrot, he’s losing grip of the chess board. It’s not the rashest idea to summon Nacho’s father because it would protect Manuel from being used as a stick under the threat of death by the Cartel after they capture Nacho, but Gus would be no better in kidnapping his father to use as a stick of influence for Nacho to keep his mouth shut.

Gus is a General in war and wars are unspeakably messy, so I don’t think he sees clear to any other way. When Mike refuses to allow Manuel’s involvement to happen, the tension in the room increases and before you know it he’s staring down the barrel of Tyrus’ gun. This standoff is surprising because nobody ever pulls a gun and treats Mike like a man out of line, especially coming from someone who will go on to work with Mike in the future. Gus is at the brink of desperation but after Mike’s ballsy decision to disobey the General in this moment, Gus may be willing to hear him out. Gus is likely aware of his own tunnel vision and he knows Mike is too valuable a soldier to simply do away with. When Nacho calls Mike’s phone requesting a conversation with Gus, Gus agrees to talk. How this conversation plays out and Nacho conducts himself next is irrefutably important. If he calls Gus out for attempting to kill him and comes off adversarial, Gus will only lean further towards unforgiveable methods to keep Nacho quiet. If Gus declines to use Nacho’s father as a weapon against Nacho or the Cartel, then a compromise between the two may be in order. This could be how Gus finally learns to nurture his chess pieces versus using fear as a motivator.

The final ‘carrot and stick’ play in the final season’s second installment is exercised by Jimmy and Kim. Back in season 1’s “Bingo”, Jimmy felt compelled to do the right thing by returning the bribe he took from the Kettleman’s stolen funds in order to turn them in as Kim’s client so Craig can plead guilty and take a shorter sentence. Not only did this hurt Jimmy’s pocket significantly and jeopardize his sympathy for honor among thieves due to the soft spot he felt for them, but it was all to push Kim further away from himself. By ensuring the money is properly returned and the Kettleman case gets handed over to Kim, her future at HHM becomes more cemented over the prospect of the two of them ever pursuing a partnership. Doing the right thing crushed Jimmy in that moment, but now things are different. At this point in the series, JImmy has Kim not only as romantic partner, but as a partner in crime of all things. This is the dream for Jimmy McGill in season 1.  When Jimmy’s attempt to buy the Kettlemans off ala the carrot strategy is rejected by Betsy, she threatens to let it be known far and wide of his attempt to character assassinate Howard. She also plucks the emotional chord with him, guilting Jimmy for having destroyed them in the past.

It’s then Kim, sitting in the back like a coiled snake, who strikes by threatening to report their tax crimes to the IRS, completely unsympathetic and challenging them into learning what losing everything really means. Kim is willing to truly obliterate them and Jimmy is left on the sidelines almost seeming as neutered as Craig is to Betsy. Kim even rolls her eyes as Jimmy hangs back to give them the money out of his own guilt. Jimmy finally has a life with Kim that exceeded his purest desires on every level, but it’s Kim who influences and drags him along into doing the wrong thing, which has now become just as conflicting for him as doing the right. Jimmy thought this relationship would operate the other way around but he’s fallen behind. He’s not fully Saul Goodman. It’s Kim Wexler who is the true gangster positioned to turn Jimmy out. She is on Gustavo Fring’s level right now when it comes to wielding the stick and at the moment there’s no Mike around to talk her down.

Jimmy mutters “wolves and sheep” before taking off with Kim, calling back to the flashback where the grifter took advantage of Jimmy’s father’s generosity when manning the corner store in Cicero. The grifter told young Jimmy that there are wolves and sheep in this world and suggested he figure out which one he chooses to be. Kim is no sheep and neither is he, so this vocal callback could be him coming to terms that he needs to step his game up if he wants to continue to be a member of the pack. Ironically, a mysterious vehicle tails behind them before it cuts to credits, implying that they aren’t the only predators on the prowl and that they are the ones who are hunted. My first thought was Lalo, but it doesn’t make sense for him to be there so soon. When “Wine and Roses” ended, he was heading back South to find proof. Regardless of whether this has anything to do with Kim or Jimmy, I wouldn’t expect Better Call Saul to gloss over the details of what his plan is. It’s too soon for him to have traveled up North into New Mexico, let alone pinpoint Jimmy and Kim’s unique location of wherever the Kettleman’s operation is.

I keep thinking of that transitionary over-the-shoulder shot between Cliff Main and Gustavo Fring. The former has perspective on a misguided belief of Howard having a cocaine problem while Gus is about to learn the actual truth of Lalo’s survival because of the unspoken tell Hector gives away. But what if Cliff’s concern for Howard awakens the truth (like it did for Gus) of Jimmy and Kim’s involvement through the process of connecting the dots? Cliff’s next move as a dear friend of Howard would be to confront him. Howard would rebel against these accusations but also possess the good sense that something is aloof. Between a bag of mock cocaine being planted in his country club locker and then the Kettlemans’ clunky accusation of him having a cocaine problem, Howard’s no dummy to assume that this is a coincidence. He already knows Jimmy is capable of weird behavior like throwing bowling balls at his car and siccing prostitutes on him when at a business lunch, so what other conclusions could he possibly draw from accusations he knows he’s not guilty of?

The first step he can undertake is ask around the country club of whether Jimmy was spotted there as of recent, which Kevin or the tour manager can attest to. He could also track down the Kettleman’s place of business and find out who they’ve been in contact with. Whether it’s Howard in the car or the private investigator Chuck once hired, I think them being seen at the Kettlemans is enough for Howard to know what’s going on. Jimmy has also made it known to Howard in the past that he wanted the Sandpiper case settled, which appropriately Howard called him out on. Back in the season 3 episode “Fall”, he referred to Jimmy as transparent and pathetic and acknowledged his own expectations of Jimmy attempting all kinds of trickery to accelerate the lawsuit’s settlement. Howard also has read Jimmy like a book last season as a man who’s in pain in the aftermath of Chuck’s death. Howard may have his head up his own ass sometimes, but he’s been known to see things for what they are when it matters most.

Lingering thoughts:

-The episode opens with one of Lalo’s girlfriends (who likely suffers from a mental condition) keenly eyeing the domino before allowing them all to topple. The entire episode seems to be about characters competing with one another to see how many dominoes they can forsee falling to work in their favor.  She’s fascinated by what the record may be but sadly these two can’t see passed their own abuse and lack of motivation. There may be hope for them yet though as Mike steers them from Nacho’s orbit.

-The inflatable Statue of Liberty is finally introduced at the Kettleman headquarters. How it gets to Saul Goodman’s office remains a mystery but we can already tell Saul admires it. Does Saul holding possession of it in Breaking Bad mean the Kettlemans meet their downfall? Or is it gifted over to him ala France to the U.S. like the real Statue of Liberty? Say what you want about the Kettleman’s illegal outfit, but they seem to be onto something stylistically which Saul finds alluring.  He’ll even be using that slow patriotic medley for his waiting room in the future.

What did everyone else think?

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul “Wine and Roses” (S6E01)

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“Jeeves, where’s my solid gold blimp? No, not that one. The other one.” – Kim (Season 2’s “Cobbler”)

In many interviews, Vince Gilligan goes on to express one of the greatest narrative regrets he has with Breaking Bad is opening the final season with the M60 machine gun in the trunk of Walt’s stolen car. At the point of the final season, every avenue of storytelling was ripe to explore and as the season unfolded, the writers became intrigued with the treasure trove of conclusions they can steer the ship towards.  Except what about that damn machine gun? It was a flash-forward that handcuffed the writers into having to satisfy their own trapping and while it’s safe to say they wrote themselves out of that corner successfully and delivered a thematically valid conclusion to Walt’s story, it’s still not a problem I would expect them to repeat.   Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan, and their writers seem addicted to challenge however because not only do they have the Gene story to keep in mind, and the mysterious phone call that Francesca has to answer at 3 PM on November 12th, but now they subversively dazzle us with Saul Goodman’s dream palace which seems to have existed during the Breaking Bad timeline or possibly beforehand. A stunning sanctuary we never saw Saul go home to during the former show. There’s so much to unpack here, literally.

First of all, how rock and roll is it not to show us the follow-up to Gene at the start of the season? It tricks us at first to make us think this will be the traditional black and white cold open but then splashes us in the face with a colorfully hypnotic sequence of Saul’s (and what may be some of Kim’s) ties thrown into a box. Then the reveal of this monstrosity of a mansion.  The statues, the artwork, the cathedral windows. A solid gold toilet? Stripper pole in the bedroom? What went on here?? If the season 5 finale was about not having a full scope of perspective on someone, the intro to season 6 blows that idea wide open. What’s probably the most unnerving aspect to this intro is that we are witnessing the Saul empire, not at its rise or its apex but at its collapse. There’s a feeling of how did Saul accomplish this and where is Kim? There’s so much contradiction and ambiguity here when it comes to theorizing her continued involvement, it’s exhausting.

On one hand, this is not a mansion built for one and if it is built for one, it’s very sad. We can see Saul’s blood pressure medication, a box of Minoxidil (hair loss treatment), and Viagra on the bathroom counter as well as a lot of other stuff that may imply a second person lived here but nothing that really ties directly to Kim. Even the toothbrush cup shows one toothbrush and it’s unknown if a second one is in there because a hairbrush blocks our view.  This set dressing is intentionally shot because the use of Kim and Jimmy’s toothbrushes has been a symbolic runner since season 2 on the state of their relationship. We see a bra looped around the faucet of the bathtub and there’s a separate walk-in shower but it doesn’t necessarily mean Kim’s been around. Plus did I mention the stripper pole in the bedroom? If you’re really in denial, you might argue that Kim may have had a sense of humor about it, but realistically this does not seem to be a married man’s house.

I think back to the previous episode when Kim and Jimmy are eating ice cream and fantasizing what to do with all the money they can get from Sandpiper. Kim’s dreams are to build a practice that can provide help for the little guy and give them a defense only millionaires can afford. Jimmy interjects by saying “I was thinking we get a house?” It’s not to say that Saul doesn’t sympathize with Kim’s values, but it shows you where his mind goes first. It’s strange though.  In many ways it feels like Kim has a better grasp on Saul Goodman and how to embrace the real idea behind him. Howard asked Jimmy what’s Saul Goodman about back in season 5’s “Namaste”:

“He’s the last line of defense for the little guy. You’re getting sold down the river? He’s a life raft. You’re getting stepped on? He’s a sharp stick. You got Goliath on your back, Saul’s the guy with the slingshot. He’s a righter of wrongs. He’s a friend to the friendless. That’s Saul Goodman.”

To Jimmy, Saul Goodman seems more like a character brand than a way of life. It’s a put-on. It’s not to say that he doesn’t do right by his clients for those noble reasons but it’s the money which is the main objective. He shares resentment for the upper establishment in the same way Kim does, but helping people who don’t have a chance in the game of law seems secondary. For Kim, helping a client who got set up as the getaway driver to a rich kid’s robbery and rescuing a homeless woman from MDC is one of the best days professionally from her point of view.  Something Saul mistakes as a day from hell. You have to remember, Saul spent the beginning of last season referring to his clients as assholes and suckers.  Before Lalo entered the scene, his goal was to churn through as many clients as he can no matter what their case settled on in order to get the best financial turnover. If he can convince his clients that they received the best legal representation money can buy, then what does he care whether he gave it 100%? Kim is similar in terms of being morally grey but on the flip-side he wants the best financial turnover (Sandpiper) in order to be in a better position to give her clients 100% in legal representation.

Kim seems to egg Jimmy on as to the flashier car Saul should drive and how to properly play up the colorful persona. She highly puts emphasis on flair. Who’s to say this future mansion isn’t just the two of them fulfilling some tongue-in-cheek fantasy just to prove they can. Kim and Jimmy have certainly fantasized about getting a house in the past, coincidentally in the same scene in season 2 when Kim first presents Jimmy with the World’s 2nd Best Lawyer cup. Back then, the house fantasy seemed rich but less Scrooge McDuck. They mention living in a bungalow in Corrales with a big open floor plan, expansive acreage with horses and wine and barbecue on the back patio.  Seems more Kim’s style. Maybe it means something that in the same episode we get a glimpse of Saul’s future house, the World’s 2nd Best Lawyer Again cup is thrown in the trash by Kim. Maybe the flame between them will die. As far as there is to tell, Kim is long gone from the house in the cold open and the Zafiro Enejo bottle cap being left behind seems to hint towards that. “Never say never” though seems to be one of themes to Better Call Saul’s story so is there ever any real telling?

After all, who would think Kim would go so far beyond pillow talk with sabotaging Howard to settle the Sandpiper case. Jimmy of all people seems to be more peer-pressured into it than in direct support. When Kim insists on talking further about it at dinner, Jimmy feels apprehensive and surprised Kim is still mulling the idea over which in turn makes him feel small when questioning it. Her mood shifts to disappointment upon seeing Saul’s uneasiness. There’s an innocence to him as he sips his Coke. As much as Jimmy can’t truly get behind throwing Howard professionally under the bus, he also can’t stomach leaving Kim hanging. It’s not like she’s forcing him as she repeatedly asks if he’s sure he’s okay with it, but he definitely feels compelled.  Kim has done a lot for Jimmy. One hand has always washed the other and Kim has leaned towards alternative ideas of bruising Howard’s reputation as a lawyer rather than tanking his career altogether.

Between countering Kevin Wachtell’s prejudices with anti-semitic claims in the country club, clogging the toilet to distract the clerk, and stripping naked as a means of disguise, Saul’s scheme of planting fake cocaine in Howard’s locker is brilliant. What feels off about it though is that Saul feels like a hired hand who’s not driven of his own accord or getting any genuine reward. As viewers, we’re conditioned to root for the protagonist regardless if they’re an anti-hero or not. Usually it’s because we want what they want. We’re along for their ride and if they have a goal and we understand why they strive towards that goal, then we’re on board.  In this case, not even Saul is fully on board and while we love Kim, we’re left filling in the blanks as to why she’s so adamant in getting the money in such a morally-comprising manner. There’s several reasons previously mentioned in support of her goal and we know why she strongly dislikes Howard, but it still leaves a knot in your stomach even when the groundwork for their long-term plan has gone off without a hitch. The collapse of the Saul empire shown in the beginning of the episode also casts a shadow over everything.

Kim and Jimmy’s endeavor only places them more centered in the crosshairs of danger rather than gets them out. In Nacho’s story, every ounce of energy is about dodging danger but proves just as stressful seeing as the entire south of the border serves as one giant crosshair. Nacho’s escape has intensified when his absence from Lalo’s compound massacre sets off alarm bells to Don Eladio and the Federalis. It’s confirmed by Juan Bolsa that they believe him to be a rat. On top of that, the hit on Lalo was botched which nobody is privy to, adding an extra layer of impending doom. The cartel will want Nacho alive so they can climb up the chain to who ordered the hit. It is not in Gus’ interest for Nacho to be caught so Tyrus guides Nacho towards an evacuation point at a seedy motel.

But where does Gus stand with Nacho? When Mike proposes a rescue to get Nacho home safe, Gus seems to be on a different page. Tyrus walking out of the room suggests a decision was already made and he doesn’t need to be in the room for Mike to give his peace on the subject. Mike pitches that loyalty goes both ways but Gus makes a point that Nacho was never given the choice to be loyal or not. From Gus’ perspective, Nacho was dead the moment he claimed ownership over him to be used for his bidding. Mike closes with “When all is said and done, the kid deserves your respect” after stressing that Nacho has played a tough game on the square. Gus responds that he does have respect for Nacho but it in no way seems to suggest that respect therefore saves him. It seems too late and Gus is too careful to let someone walk. Mike mistakes Gus for a man who is fair which is understandable considering Gus pushed back in Season 5’s “Dedicado a Max” when implied by Mike to be no more ethical than the Salamancas.

So what’s the play here? They provide Nacho with a gun in the motel.  Does Gus need him safe long enough before evacuating him to a controlled place in which he can safely determine Nacho’s fate? Maybe set Nacho’s death up in a way to further take suspicion off Gus? And does Mike’s input mean anything as Gus’ right hand soldier? Is there no moral value anything else other than the linear road to revenge? Mike is at a crossroads in this situation. It’s one thing for Mike to take out Werner Ziegler, another man he respected. But Nacho and Mike’s alliance was seasoned long before Gus came into the picture. It’s an attack on Mike’s world and his standards to achieve a winning war’s outcome. Mike will actively search for an alternaive play. It’s quite similar to Jimmy’s dlilemma in tearing Howard down. Jimmy may not like Howard, but Howard is his world. It’s Kim’s world too, but with Jimmy, tearing Howard down to the extent of tanking his career is not his style in the pursuit of sticking it to the upper class. “Wine and Roses” explores the follies of a goal when cooperatively pursued, the compromises make in partnership, and how it pulls both parties forward intro re-evaluating their standards which otherwise never would be considered if they went about it alone.

Then you have Lalo, the one wild card psychopath who never needs anyone’s moral approval. This is a man who will groom a long historied friendship with sweet, Christian caretakers Mateo and Sylvia on the Mexican countryside, only to murder both of them when needs the husband as a body double in the event Lalo needs to fake his own death. Handling Mateo’s dental work was only so Lalo can swap the dental records to match his own when the Federalis investigate the horribly disfigured corpse of Mateo. This is one of the most cold and sinister plays we’ve witnessed in this universe. Perhaps Lalo actually grew to like these honest, hardworking people, but like Gus’ views on Nacho, they were likely considered dead the moment Lalo decided to use them for his ulterior motive.

Raging chaos on Gus despite Juan or Don Eladio’s wishes does not present itself with a moral hurdle, but a political one. When Hector learns that Lalo’s alive and his plan to take out Gus, he urges Lalo to have proof of Gus’ involvement in his assassination attempt so that the Cartel bosses can get behind him. It takes a beat but Lalo may know where to get this proof. What’s curious however is that he declines to go North, killing the coyotes he had paid to take him there. My first thought is the chain of mistrust that connects Lalo and Nacho and how he was already suspicious of Saul as a questionable link in that chain. But why stay South? The only sensible theory to muster is Lalo deducing the Columbian gang as the ones who likely ambushed Saul. Whether Lalo can interrogate any surviving hitment or the man from the cartel stash house who helped facilitate it, perhaps he can get information as to what exactly happened. Lalo knows there’s no way Saul would survive the ambush on his own, so regardless if the Columbian gang were operating on their own volition or were hired, there must have been interference by another interested party. This may not be hard proof, but he may be building a better case before making the mistake of heading off Saul and Kim again half-cocked.

Other thoughts:

-Saul spins the table on opposing council and Detective Tim Roberts who wants to bring Parsons (the judge) in to review Lalo’s abrupt and alarming release. They are suspicious but Saul throws it in their face that the law and its agents had every resource at their disposal to stop Lalo from walking. Saul’s so caught up in his defense of detaching his responsibility and his contempt for the law’s incompetence, he reveals Lalo’s name accidentally. It would be easy to say this was a hiccup that won’t have any further narrative, but this show is too consequential and deliberate to cut the thread of suspicion so easily.

-This final season premiere is full of slow, dramatic reveals, consisting of wide and closed shots and object POV. Between the spoils of the dessert cart melting away outside Kim and Jimmy’s hotel room, the buzzing cell phone in the foreground as Gus awaits Juan Bolsa’s call regarding Lalo’s assumed demise, or Kaylee’s marble contraption running its course as Mike shares time with his granddaughter amidst the more darker plot, the tone is nail-biting as we approach the final stretch. The best pullback was from the ant on the dead hitman’s finger, followed by the Salamanca twins approaching the crime scene. That ant is representative of how tied together this universe is with itself and how we’ve arrived at the point of no return. Nobody is off the table from meeting a grisly end in this world. Not Saul, not Kim, and not even poor Mateo and Sylvia.

-The beautifully directed cold open played to an instrumental of Henry Mancini’s “Days of Wine and Roses” has a mysterious object to keep in mind. Notice the notebook that gets thrown into the box marked ‘No Value’. If you freeze-frame the book when opened, there’s an odd, coded language that fills its pages. Very bizarre and alien-like. Perhaps this is a code only Jimmy and Kim will every comprehend? Coordinates? It’s too odd an item given just enough screen time for it to amount to nothing.

-H.G. Well’ 1895 science fiction novel The Time Machine is also featured in a separate shot. It’s a story about speculative evolution and class division between two human sub-species, being the Eloi and the Morlocks. Eloi are the more down-to-earth playful entities, while the Morlocks are more brutal and monstrous. Perhaps this alludes to Jimmy and Kim’s character journeys? I might have to pick this book up!

An interesting note about MTB.com which was shown on the shoe box in Saul’s palace closet. It’s the company Masai Barefoot Technology that was brought out of bankruptcy in 2013. It was appointed to work behind the scenes under a new name developing a running shoe that utilizes rocker technology to serve up a “soft, smooth ride.” This could mean nothing but the theorist in me associated 2013 as Breaking Bad’s final aired season and as soon as I heard “working behind the scenes”, I thought perhaps Kim shares that similar role post-Breaking Bad.  Behind the scenes with a new name leading a smoother life? Alright, I’ll stop.

Source: https://www.podiumrunner.com/gear/mbt-returns-with-new-running-shoes/ ,article by Brian Metzler

What did everyone else think?

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul “Something Unforgivable” (S5E10)

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“Or…or…or…”

Better Call Saul is an interesting show in that it follows Breaking Bad’s beat by beat consequential nature but also puts more emphasis on choice in a show that’s tasked with a wider scope of storylines. It would be easy to write the hellish conclusion for every character here solely with the Lalo storm cloud hanging above in mind so that the plot pieces fit nice and snug with Breaking Bad, but this particular show breathes. It’s less chugging along to the beat of one character’s drum like the story of Walter White and more about becoming fulfilled with independent brush strokes derived from the individuality of each character. Like the opening shot of Kim peering out the apartment peephole, we only have a fixed view within a fixed point in time to get an idea where they’re coming from. Every character is integral to the overall story of Jimmy McGill, but they don’t necessarily exist in service to it. That’s not to say Breaking Bad’s supporting characters weren’t their own, but that the story was more bombastic and the characters were positioned to take cover from the explosive choices of one character.  Better Call Saul is the more proactive ensemble in which they duck and weave from the choices made by the many.  This makes the concept of a prequel much more of a higher achievement as it pushes itself closer to the end because the story of Jimmy becoming Saul Goodman is still very much important.

“Something Unforgivable” starts off with Saul and Kim in the aftermath of being cornered by the dangerous Lalo. We are shown the cold, sterile hallway of the apartment complex as Kim peers out the peephole. Almost looks like the hallway to a cell block or at least emits the feeling of one. Lalo may have departed but the lack of freedom they feel in this moment unquestionably lingers.  After Saul finally fills Kim in on the deadly details from his trip to the border, they decide to hole themselves up in a hotel.  This is a sharp swerve off the bad choice road which Saul had already knew he was on.  It’s for the rest of the episode he’s tasked with how to move forward. It’s one thing that he’s been struggling with PTSD but Kim is most definitely now involved in the world that brought that on. Is he bad for Kim? Will he prevent himself from crossing the next line? Is Kim safe so long as they stay together? These are the questions that hang in the balance and are readily addressed throughout this season finale.

Is Saul bad for Kim? From the audience’s perspective, it wouldn’t be the most unreasonable conclusion to say yes. At this point in the show, mostly every rock of what makes Jimmy McGill tick has been lifted. We know this guy very well and we have the luxury to know where he ends up so the second question of whether he can keep himself from crossing the next line is no mystery. Chuck once compared Jimmy to an alcoholic who can’t help himself. The PTSD from the desert shootout and the Lalo standoff may very well serve as a bad hangover to make him say “never again”, but give it a week and his next bender is likely underway. What’s sad is part of Jimmy deep down wants to change but he has no idea how he’d live any differently.  It’s always been the tragedy to who he is in which he accepts. What goes on inside him is immovable but what’s most intriguing in this hour is the hard external decision he is willing to make based from genuine love.  It’s hard to accept as a fan of Kim and Jimmy’s relationship, but did you pick up on what Jimmy’s next move was after getting assurance from Mike that Lalo won’t be a problem anymore?

The dread is undeniable in that hotel room as Jimmy sheepishly leans towards the notion of going home without enthusiasm.  Earlier he used the perks of the hotel’s services as bait to keep Kim in place. Being no dummy, Kim caught on to this quick which she contests because it’s not in her DNA to live in fear. It’s likely the reason she inquires about more challenging PD overflow from a fellow cohort as soon as she gets back to work.  Taking on felony cases might be a way of honing her skills, assimilating herself in a world of real hard crime, and giving herself a chance to understand the possible future of Jimmy and the company he keeps. It wouldn’t be the first time she used her choice in case work as a therapeutic endeavor. It also would bring more law enforcement in her orbit as a security measure.  Ultimately, Kim is trying to put herself in a better position both mentally and physically to ensure her future with Jimmy is more endurable. Again, genuine love on display here.

When the going gets rough, Kim’s love for Jimmy drives her to move necessary pieces around in the efforts to stick by him. Upon reassurance that the threat of Lalo has absolved, she’s gunning for a dinner date, happy as a clam, and inviting Jimmy to enjoy every splendor their wild ride has landed them amidst the settled dust. However, Jimmy’s love in this instance pushes him to take accountability for what the rest of their road has in store even when the consequences of his recent choices have seemingly subsided. This is noteworthy because usually Jimmy shares the mindset that as long as everything worked out in the end, there’s nothing to worry about.  This is growth.  As devastating as it is, Jimmy wants to go home because it will be an easier setting to end the relationship. It’s never said, but you can feel it.  For him, fun is fun, but if he’s to carry on the way he does which he knows he will, there is no happy ending for Kim so long as they’re together. Jimmy may be stubborn to change within, but it’s impressive that he’s capable of making such a selfless, heartbreaking choice to protect someone he loves.  In a parallel universe, I believe Jimmy went through with this.  Kim could have easily been on the same page, understanding how close they came to chaos and agreed to go home leading to a split but as mentioned above, this is a show brimming with independent brush strokes.

Whereas Jimmy met with Mike privately under the desperate motive to weigh what the plot’s impact (being Lalo) has on Kim’s safety, Howard met with Kim privately to weigh what Jimmy’s influence as a character has on her.  If the encounter with Lalo didn’t scare her off, Howard’s tales of bowling balls and prostitutes are laughably trivial in comparison. Despite Howard’s best intentions for Kim, she simply does not like him and they have shaky history.  Howard may be right that Jimmy is unhinged, in pain, and in a whirlwind of impending trouble, but like Chuck’s reservations, it’s how he goes about presenting these truths.  The white-knighted, politically correct delivery of his concerns that Jimmy may be responsible for her resigning from S&C and dropping Mesa Verde are one thing but the notion that Kim isn’t an adult capable of making her own decisions is what’s most insulting to her. It’s probably more irritating coming from the guy who told her off back in season 1’s “Pimento”:

“You want to know what I believe? I believe that you’re way out of your depth in this matter. So the next time you want to come in here and tell me what I’m doing wrong, you are welcome to keep it to yourself. Because I don’t care.”

– Howard

Under Chuck’s influence, Howard has always been infected with a pre-determined outlook on who Jimmy is. That’s not to say he didn’t have his own opinion of Jimmy being the go-getting Charlie Hustle who had potential to be better than what his brother made him out to be, but he was nonetheless infected.  Howard was in a tough spot with Chuck, so part of me doesn’t blame him, but how can Kim trust him? Howard will always carry that stink of judgement on Jimmy which was casted by Chuck.  It’s too late for Howard to make up for his involvement in the messy McGill wars, but as a boss to Kim, there was mental abuse at times and that’s something which could have been avoided.  It may have been few and far between but when Howard snubs Kim throughout an entire walk from the office to the boardroom or keeps her in document review as over-extended punishment or talks down to her like a little girl who’s in way over her head, that’s not something to be forgotten regardless of what he feels she may or may not deserve.  He has always rubbed her the wrong way and it’s that bias which unfortunately contributes to his concerns of Jimmy falling on deaf ears.

But maybe it’s not Jimmy we should be worried about. Jimmy has been swimming in self-reflection this hour and was arguably on the brink of breaking up with Kim for her own good. However, Kim makes her own choice born from who she is, being someone who does not need to be saved. She reels Jimmy back in, despite his struggle, and inflates him with ideas on how to continue sabotaging Howard. The more petty pranks she brainstorms, the more Jimmy perks up out of his funk. How can Jimmy leave such an unique partner who empathizes and understands him so profoundly? They are inseparable and although Jimmy was unable to bring himself to cut things off, it’s nothing to be sneezed at in that he’s gaining foresight from his own behavior.

“You know who really knew Jimmy? Chuck…”

Howard’s last sentiment to Kim lands hard as an awfully thought-provoking point in how knowing someone well or claiming to doesn’t mean you have an extensive view of all possible avenues. But for Kim, that’s life and Howard playing the Chuck card to suggest she doesn’t know what she’s talking about only drudges up memories of Howard holding the keys to the McGill castle and punishing her for ever getting involved since the beginning. What could have been a fair heeded warning, becomes a declaration of her own war with Howard, pushing her to devise a more diabolical plan against him. When Kim suggests to Jimmy that they can get Howard disbarred for misconduct by framing him to misappropriate funds or witness bribery from the Sandpiper case, it’s Jimmy who dons the moral compass thinking it’s going too far. Doing so however would grant them astronomical rewards as Jimmy would receive 20% of the common fund equating to $2 million. The Sandpiper Crossing clients would get paid a hefty sum which they can begin spending now before it’s too late. Kim argues every angle that’s it’s all in trade for one career setback for one lawyer who they don’t even like.

This plan, if followed through with, will be the worst thing Kim has ever done. It feels like we’re missing a piece of who she is in this moment which is what seems to worry Saul the most. It’s appropriate that she’s wearing her Kansas City Royals shirt in the final scene.  This shirt has always served as a curious reminder that we don’t know her full story.  There’s a mystery that surrounds her past to explain the enigma for why she’s so heavily drawn to the misbehavior of Saul. It makes you wonder who the real chimp with a machine gun actually is between the two. She seems to be an entirely different animal who’s better at masking this side to herself. Some might interpret that Kim has become fully corrupted in this episode but who’s to say she’s been suppressing her true self all along the same way Jimmy has attempted to suppress Slippin’ Jimmy. Who is the bad influence on who? Kim’s sleek whip-around slinging imaginary handguns mirrors season 4’s final scene when Jimmy’s turn to become Saul completely sideswipes her. The action here however isn’t just a mere two finger point, but she’s firing shots and blowing each barrel. Does this symbolize her being the more reckless influence in contribution to Jimmy’s transformation going forward? Perhaps she’s not so much collateral damage to Saul’s actions than he is to hers.

In an episode full of character choice exploration, the Nacho subplot complements Kim and Jimmy’s by being a story about having no choice. Nacho has been pulled in every direction this season as a pawn between Gus and Lalo. Under the threat of death for him and his father, Nacho has been forced to commit acts he otherwise would never fathom committing.  Saving the cocaine stash from a building crawling with DEA agents, burning down Fring’s restaurant, and now being ponied up to Don Eladio as the leader of the Salamanca territory north of the border, he’s fallen farther and farther down the hole he’s desperate to escape from.

When being interviewed by Eladio, Nacho takes Lalo’s advice and is honest when asked what he wants. Respect and the ability to make his own decisions without having to look over his shoulder. Can Nacho ever achieve this when his fate is so tightly sealed? Don Eladio points out that if he wants to have any of that, he’s in the wrong business.  On top of that, he’s already been guilted by his father to take responsibility for his actions. Running is cowardice. He can’t escape the business and he can’t get what he wants from the business. Regardless of where he ends up by the end of Better Call Saul, the best we can hope for is Nacho gaining the ability to make a choice greater than himself, unfazed by the criminal underworld’s storm cloud. Obviously his father is the most important factor to him here, but if Nacho is to go down, it would be cathartic if it was on his own terms. Less flight and more fight.

Nacho is appointed as the man on the inside of Lalo’s Chihuahua compound for Gus’ assassination mission. When Gus’ hired squad of assassins contact him, Nacho tries to argue for the safety of the innocent folks who reside within the compound, but he’s ignored which raises the severity of his actions by allowing them inside. Again, he’s forced to make a bold, morally-compromising choice but it’s the only way to be rid of Lalo for good. Nacho is a tool, not a person in this damning scenario. What’s interesting is when pushed into a corner, Nacho is capable of taking on incredibly daring action like starting a grease fire in the kitchen to distract Lalo. We know he’s capable of taking control of his life if ever given the chance, whether he deserves to at this point or not.

After some intense difficulty, Nacho has definitively betrayed Lalo upon opening the gate for the hitmen.  There’s no turning back from this as he disappears into the night. Gus has informed Mike that these hitmen are the best in their business.  Mike informs Jimmy that Lalo will be dead come tomorrow. Jimmy tells Kim the Lalo ordeal is over. What Gus underestimates about Lalo is that he is a ferocious wild card. It’s insane what unfolds in the compound from here and what it means for the entire Better Call Saul universe. A secret bathtub escape hatch?  This is an hour of television that stresses the idea of limited perspective both for character and plot. Even a man like Gus who has eyes on everything cannot foresee every hurdle. This bathtub is the plot equivalent of Kim’s finger guns. Something that just shockingly reveals itself. Is this hinting at our own limited perspective of the Breaking Bad universe? Is it possible for characters like Kim, Howard, Nacho or even Lalo to exist behind the scenes of Walt’s story? No…right? Nah… Maybe?

Because after Lalo subdues every assassin and forces the last survivor to call and tell Gus “mission successful”, Lalo not only holds all the cards for all of these characters’ fates (Gus being completely none-the-wiser), but he’s furious, especially after having seen his people, including Yolanda the cook, slaughtered. With Nacho nowhere to be seen, Lalo knows he’s been betrayed.  The first thing Lalo is going to do is track Nacho down and once he gets a hold of him, he’ll likely make Nacho reveal every detail that lead up to this massacre through torture.  That includes the true story of Saul Goodman’s involvement which Kim had previously vouched for at the end of “Bad Choice Road”. If it wasn’t for Kim, Lalo wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on trusting Nacho and setting up a meeting with Don Eladio to cement that trust.  This is so deeply personal now and nobody is safe. Not even Howard who will be the focus in Kim and Saul’s world before it comes crashing down.  As if blowback from the attempt on Howard’s career isn’t scary enough, the unpredictable force of nature that is Lalo Salamanca is coming.

“No it wasn’t me, it was Ignacio! He’s the one!”

One more thing to note:

Jimmy makes an effort to not have mint chocolate chip ice cream towards the end of the episode echoing the one he dropped earlier in the season which got covered in ants. That ice cream represents the point of no return brought on by his choices and the contamination of Jimmy McGill’s soul.  Perhaps choosing a different flavor can be seen as a fresh start or simply a way of putting his bad choices (past, present, and future) out of his mind.

What did you guys think?

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul “Bad Choice Road” (S5E09)

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“You don’t save me. I save me.” – Kim (Season 2’s “Gloves Off”)

You know all those great anti-hero dramas where the male protagonist must keep his secret life separate from his family or love interest?  Or even when the wife is aware of their husband’s misdeeds, they still have little to no power over combating the situation? Carmela Soprano actively turned a blind eye to Tony’s role as mob boss and struggled with the morality of standing by him.  Skyler White became an accomplice to Walter’s meth empire which turned her into a hostage in her own home.  It’s not to say they weren’t strong characters but between shows like The Sopranos, The Shield, Dexter, Mad Men, or Breaking Bad, the female supporting roles always had to duck and dodge the fallout from the misbehavior of the male lead.

To Jimmy McGill’s credit, he clues Kim in on his “extracurricular” activities to a much more alarming degree than male anti-heroes usually do.  The reason being is he absolutely values upholding a romance he finds more real and genuine than that of any conventional marriage.  Kim continues to surprise Jimmy with how willing she is to make their relationship work so he’s been willing to experiment with how translucent he can be with her.  The only pitfall that makes Jimmy no different from any other male anti-hero is his desire for Kim Wexler to fall in line as the wife who’s protected from serving as collateral damage. When the pursuit of his wrong-doings blows back in his face, he needs to keep her as far away as possible, especially after the traumatic carnage he experienced in the desert.

The penultimate episode of season 5 opens with a split-screen montage of Jimmy and Kim.  It’s a humming follow-up to Lola Marsh and Carson Park’s rendition of “Something Stupid”, a song which appropriately opened last season’s episode of the same title.  Where the montage in season 4’s “Something Stupid” aimed to express how much Jimmy and Kim were drifting apart despite still technically being together, the cold open in “Bad Choice Road” shows the difference in physical distance and turmoil between the two, while reinforcing how strongly united they are through that same hardship.  Jimmy and Mike, having overcome an attempt on their lives by a Columbian gang, wander the desert in search of any beacon of hope to their survival.  Kim, having revealed herself to Lalo to get information on Jimmy’s whereabouts and coming up with nothing, is forced to helplessly pace her apartment, blindly awaiting her husband’s return.  This cold open sets herself up as the helpless wife who has to occupy the nest, worried sick over whether Jimmy is dead or alive.  It’s a story we’ve seen play out many times in the anti-hero drama. When Jimmy finally gets a call through to her, she breaks down into tears.  This is not the state either character wishes to be in.

After delivering Lalo’s $7 million to the bail bond agency, Jimmy must get his story straight with Lalo as to why it took him so long.  He shares the half-truth of his car trouble and spins a tale of refusing to hitch-hike because of the risk of losing the precious cargo.  It’s here where he learns that Kim came to visit Lalo and becomes terrified of the very thing Mike warned him about, being that Kim is a part of the game.  When Kim draws an oatmeal bath for a battered Jimmy, he calls her out and makes her promise to stay away from people like Lalo regardless of what she feels compelled to do for his safety.  He refuses to accept that she’s in the game and sets out to push her as far away from the dangerous world he’s mistakenly got himself into.  Kim clearly sees how distraught and shaken Jimmy is, so she honors his wish.

Trying to guide Jimmy towards the lesson to be learned, Kim asks him if this was all worth it.  Jimmy counters with the ultimate answer to wash her of any worries by directing her to the dufflebag containing $100,000 in the living room, completely forgetful of the destroyed ‘World’s 2nd Best Lawyer (Again)’ mug that’s hidden beneath the money.  Kim now knows that he is withholding the entire truth from her, one that is likely owed to something more horribly violent than what he’s lead her on to believe. The next morning, Jimmy’s trauma becomes more apparent to her when he physically recoils and spills his cereal after a juicer mishap.  “It’s just my stomach’s just not ready for this yet,” Jimmy blurts out.  Kim not only has the idea that he hasn’t told her the truth, but she’s bearing witness to the strange impact of his misadventure that’s staring her in the face.

The notion of having a quiet moment at home together doesn’t sit well with Jimmy as it only leaves him to suffer from his post-traumatic stress.  When a client calls for his service, his first impulse is to post-pone but the next second he’s jumping at the idea of helping.  Jimmy is trying to accelerate his PTSD by masking it with the normalcy of his daily routine.  We’ve seen this before back in season 1 when he hustled around the courthouse doing pro bono work after his altercation with Tuco in the desert.  As horrible as watching the skater twins get their legs broken, no mass murder took place and Jimmy managed to have more control over that situation compared to the events in “Bagman”.  As he’s ready to bolt, Kim takes this opportunity to reveal her suspicions of Jimmy’s lies without making it about him not holding up his end of their deal of full disclosure or forcing him to tell the truth.  She just wants him to know that she’s here for him and wants him to feel comfortable telling her whats wrong, promising that she can handle it without judgment.  Jimmy shares the humility of having to drink his own urine as an attempted diversion that doesn’t work on Kim.  He continues to push her further away from the terror he’s endured, but by doing so Kim takes stock of what’s important and only feels more determined to close the gap.

This dictates her next big decision as she’s left pouring legal mumbo jumbo into her recording device and realizes how trivial her work is for Mesa Verde at S&C compared to her marriage to a partner she was convinced might have ended up dead.  A life she’s most happiest and fulfilled with is the one built between her and Jimmy and helping people who desperately need it.  Jimmy and her pro-bono clients go hand and hand with what matters most and she realizes this after he thankfully turned up alive yet psychologically broken.  She wants to fix him but she can only do so if she can get closer.  Although this is danced around, after Jimmy’s big score, money isn’t really a problem as she can still make enough to support them with the work she actually cares about.  Taking all of this into account, giving up Mesa Verde and resigning from S&C is a surprising yet easy choice to make which has been a long time coming.  It’s what she feels is right for her.

Season 5 began with Kim flabbergasted with a man who was fast becoming a stranger to her.  She was fully aware that this Saul Goodman guy was going down a road she had no conceivable plan to be on.  Throughout the season, she made the tough choice of recruiting Saul to help her with Mr. Acker.  Later, she arrived at the shocking decision to marry Jimmy after he went against her wishes to scam Mesa Verde and turned her, again, into a sucker.  Now, after realizing how deeply traumatized Jimmy is after an event she has no detailed knowledge of, she’s willing to commit to him as a partner even further.  The enigmatic transformation of Kim in this show has been impalpable at times, but every beat of it, when taken into consideration, has made sense.  It’s subversive to what we would expect as an audience, considering we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop in regards to why she’s not shown in Breaking Bad.  The writers have had multiple opportunities as to why she would leave Jimmy, but they keep pushing her continued involvement in his life.  You’re only left to wonder what’s the next hurdle that will out-perform itself as the reason for her off-screen exit without it resulting in her death or something against her will.

When Jimmy hears the news of her resignation and the explanation behind it, he’s just as dumbfounded as she was when he decided to change his name to Saul.  Jimmy began the season with clarity as to where the trajectory of his life was heading.  For him, it was the clear cut road from failure to success.  However, with the journey to success came danger.  He’s long reached the point of no return on the road his choices lead him down.  It brought him to a bad place where he’s in way over his head.  He knew the choices were right for him, but he did not foresee the destination those choices would take him and while we know he’ll find himself right back on the ‘bad choice road’, he needs to be rid of the psychological setbacks for the next time he inevitably is.

Kim is also blind to her destination and is now making choices that puts her on the same road as him.  By putting herself in a position that commits herself closer to Jimmy, she’s closer to ‘the game’ than she ever was.  If a guy like Fred from TravelWire can be outside the game without ever making any conscious choice in his life to be senselessly murdered, Kim’s odds of survival are worse.  Her direct association with Jimmy makes this especially true the longer Jimmy is involved with helping a monster like Lalo roam free.  Lalo is somebody who always needs to know the truth but plans to work with a deceptive Saul in the future.  Kim being attached to that world is no good and it’s here where the aforementioned hurdle that is likely to force her exit beyond her will presents itself.

It was only a matter of time before Lalo came to realize that something was fishy about Saul’s story.  Surprisingly, there was never any immediate repercussion to having learned that Saul disclosed Lalo’s true identity to Kim.  Perhaps he realized it wouldn’t matter as long as the impressive amount of bail money came through to ensure his freedom.  Perhaps as long as Saul’s story of going above and beyond for him made sense, he can swallow Kim’s argument of spousal privilege and let bygones be bygones.  After all, Saul was still looking after him by explaining how the bail money and alias Jorge de Guzman will now be investigated by law enforcement.  Still, with Saul’s conveniently obtained information to get Lalo off with bail and the idea that Saul would discuss Lalo in any context to a third party makes it enough to nag at the subconscious and deduce foul play.

Just when you think Lalo is out of the picture as Nacho gives him a ride to meet Tuco’s cousins, you wonder if his suspicions are going to sway towards Nacho or Saul. Keep in mind, there’s still the question as to how Lalo got ambushed by police when Nacho was the last person to be with him.  Jimmy’s story doesn’t add up though as his abandoned Suzuki Esteem is found nowhere in sight within the vicinity of where Jimmy told Lalo the car broke down.  When Lalo finds the car upturned in a ditch with bullet holes on the side, his incessant need to learn the truth becomes as vibrant as it did back when Werner Ziegler swiftly bit the dust.

And just like that, the horror movie plays out.  Darkness has fallen and Kim arrives home by taxi. The camera pushes in close as she approaches the stairs leading to her apartment, fueling the audience with paranoia.  When arriving, we’re shown red car keys in the bowl of the foyer, signifying danger especially since she seems thrown off at the sight of them.  She calls out to the shadowy figure who waits lying on the bed.  It’s Jimmy and from here the scene plays out to feed into Jimmy and the audience’s fear that Kim has made a wildly bad choice that will only put her into the same realm of danger he suffers in.  Watching her leave S&C prior to this could have been interpreted as the writers wrapping her character up and giving her a shred of finality on her own terms before any unfortunate act transpires against her.

Before we know it, Lalo is knocking on the door and Mike is instructing Jimmy to leave his phone on and out of sight so Mike can have access to the impending interrogation.  Lalo forces an exhausted, traumatized Jimmy to retell the story of what happened in the desert.  He makes Jimmy repeat it over and over until the truth is finally revealed.  Intermittently, Jimmy requests if Kim can leave the room as a hopeless, last ditch effort to relieve her of ‘the game’, but we know that’s not going to happen.  Everything in this episode and overall season has built up to the tension of this moment.  Mike also has the crosshairs of his sniper rifle pointed through the window of Jimmy and Kim’s apartment ala ‘deus ex machina’ depending on how the intense confrontation unfolds.

What makes the scene even more nail-biting than the notion of Kim’s survival or that the grisly assassination of Lalo might take place in their apartment, is that Mike is under Gus’ orders not to kill Lalo.  If Jimmy reveals the truth of his involvement with a third party, Lalo will have to be killed and war between the North and South side of the border will break out.  So much is at stake in this scene, but here lies the ground-breaking twist.  The closing scene turns the question of Kim’s fate on its head.  It becomes less about what happens to her in Breaking Bad and more about what would have happened to Breaking Bad without Kim.  Because by stepping up to the plate to defend Jimmy’s story and boldly pointing out the flaws in the Salamanca operation, Kim transcends the well trodden spousal role of helpless victim or proven, capable asset to the male anti-hero.  She not only becomes essential to Saul’s survival but the savior to the entire Breaking Bad universe the ‘bad choice road’ lead him down.  Without Kim, everything’s left in shambles and the story of Walter White would have played out much more differently on a grand scale.

Even Mike in last episode’s “Bagman” underestimated Kim as a frightened little bird who might go to the police.  For Mike to bear witness to her bravery and loyalty, she now has an abundance of credibility in this world.  How she proceeds from here is anyone’s guess.  Jimmy will certainly have no choice but to explain what really happened in the desert and she will reveal how she was already clued into the truth by the destroyed mug.  On the bright side, full disclosure of Jimmy’s trauma with Kim might be exactly what he needs.  He got a good pep talk with Mike, but justifying the bloodshed of those men and the unbalanced world he’s now a part of is too much for him to have a vague no-nonsense discussion with Mike over.  As Jimmy puts it, “I can’t believe there’s like over a billion people on this planet and the only person I have to talk about this to is you.”   The question now is whether Kim can truly accept what Jimmy’s been a part of without turning her back on him. She’s not out of the woods yet in terms of life or death either because now that Lalo has the idea in his head that his operation is out of order, his suspicions will fall on Nacho.

Kim made Lalo see clear as to how little he trusts his men and the hints of Nacho’s betrayal are there for him to figure out.  If Nacho reveals the entire truth when held at gunpoint, Jimmy will certainly be revealed in playing a part in the betrayal.  Mike and Gus still have limited room to work with in terms of figuring out what to do with Lalo once he learns what’s going on, but speculation on the ‘how’ is awfully hazy.  They have to do away with him but in a way that doesn’t raise any suspicion with the players down South.  It’s a big game of chess and pawns are definitely subject to take a hit.  All I know is there has never been a season finale to Better Call Saul where someone hasn’t died and we’re too far into the series for the show not to rise up to the occasion.  Nacho is the most cornered piece in the game as Gus refuses to set him free even when Mike takes it upon himself to speak on Nacho’s behalf.  Mike makes a good point that setting Nacho free will put a worthy dent in the Salamanca operation, but Gus not only values Nacho as a disciplined asset but he doesn’t trust him as a runaway.  The distrust is so strong, he’s willing to kill Nacho for it.

Other thoughts:

Despite how horrible they are, the saddest part for Lalo is how he knew full well exactly what Kim told him in regards to his men.  When Lalo visits Hector and reassures him that things will continue to run smoothly as he lays low down South, he can barely believe his own words.  Tuco will be out in eleven months but he’ll be right back to his hot-headed, drug abusing self.  Lalo knows he can’t trust anybody and the final shot of him watching Hector wheeled against his will to celebrate a senior resident’s birthday only further breaks his heart.  The Salamanca family is dwindling and he hates to see it.

Jimmy loses a softball case to Bill Oakley and is mocked for it.  The hustle in the courthouse to mask his PTSD isn’t working and Bill buzzing triumphantly in his ear doesn’t help. Interesting foreshadowing by Bill that Saul will probably have to change his name again.

Juan Bolsa was confirmed as being the one responsible for the ambush on Jimmy in the desert.  His goal was to make sure Lalo stayed in jail as a way to help Gus, not knowing the deeper intentions Gus has in trying to free Lalo.  Scary stuff.

That leap by Lalo off the cliff and onto Jimmy’s overturned car was awesomely surreal, just as much as it was when Lalo fell from the ceiling at TravelWire.   Saul Goodman’s ultimate nemesis.  Someone who has GREAT knees.

What did everyone else think? Ready for the penultimate seasons’ season finale!?

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul “Bagman” (S5E08)

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“What is it for?” – Jimmy McGill

At the end of last episode, Jimmy declared himself a God in human’s clothing who travels in worlds you can’t imagine.  In “Bagman”, Jimmy travels to a grim reality he was never prepared for; one fraught with violence, murder, and the notion of our lead character’s own susceptibility and mortality.  Jimmy wasn’t only warned by a frightened Kim not to go forth with driving near the U.S./Mexican border to collect $7 million of cartel money for Lalo’s bail, but even Jimmy knew he needed to get out of this deadly fetch quest.  Lalo of all people, relieved him of this duty when sensing his insecurity, as he remained completely satisfied with Saul Goodman’s services as a lawyer.  But it’s almost as if the Saul part of Jimmy couldn’t help but gamble with his own future by impulsively throwing a figure of $100,000 up in the air.  Money, as the episode will go on to prove, is what drives Jimmy but is it also what weighs down and confounds him?

Jimmy once tried to reject Betsy Kettleman’s bribe of $30,000 and ultimately returned it to her after taking it, because he was unwilling to accept the fact that he was the crooked man people saw him as.  By naming his price to Lalo, he’s finally willing to determine exactly what his worth is as that crooked man.  The universe always told him who he was and he ignored it in the efforts to change and improve. Chuck and higher establishment fought back to keep Jimmy in place.  They sealed his fate from ever changing by shutting him out regardless of what he did to correct his past mistakes.  Take that and Chuck’s last sentiments being “You never mattered all that much to me,” and you have a man who’s willing to embrace being a criminal lawyer to the max and rise to the top at all costs.  It’s no wonder why Jimmy is willing to transcend the law by picking up Lalo’s money, especially after selling an innocent, grieving family down the river.  At this point, he needs the right financial return to make up for that, but how far will he go to test his limits before becoming rattled to his core?

The episode opens with two young men vigorously scrubbing two front car seats which are heavily blood-stained.  It’s evocative of Breaking Bad season 2’s black-and-white teasers, particularly in the episode “Over” where two body bags were found on Walter White’s driveway.  The first question we’re intended to ask when seeing this blood is “who might it belong to?”, but then we’re shown Tuco’s cousins arriving to collect the money for Lalo’s bail.  Nothing dire has happened to our characters yet, but this is the world Saul Goodman toys with.  A world where something horrific can and will happen.  It’s not so much who’s blood is on the car seats but what does this specific shot forebode? Is it symbolic towards the end of Jimmy and Kim’s relationship? The destructive fate of Jimmy brought on by the undying and unfurled war between him and his brother?  Or of the harrowing trials and tribulations Jimmy and Mike are actually about to endure in this hour?  Something sideways is certainly about to go down as we’re shown one of the head guys of the autobody shop making a suspiciously discreet call regarding the money the cousins are about to deliver.

One of the gaps between the Saul Goodman of both shows is the Saul we meet in Breaking Bad possesses an insensitivity towards murder and violence as a viable option to his problems.  That’s not to say he’s completely desensitized, but he’s more numb to the idea of it than any pre-existing rebellious character traits can give him credit for.  When Saul gets hijacked by cartel thugs who are ready to execute him without hesitation, he’s immediately faced with something traumatic he’s never experienced.  As his captors get picked off one by one and he goes into shock, this ordeal becomes a terrifying wake-up call.  He’s not as high and mighty as he believed himself to be and in the blink of an eye, he realizes it can be all over for him.  Even when finding a handgun he can use to protect himself, he tosses it aside because being a killer is not who he is.  He has limits and this disturbs Jimmy because the inner-turmoil from his brother’s death and the trajectory of the person he’s becoming because of it, demands more from him.  The world he strives to inhabit is proving much more fierce than the battle that brews within him.

Another important achievement from “Bagman” is uniting Jimmy and Mike as characters beyond occasional business acquaintances.  In Breaking Bad, before Mike threatens to break Saul’s legs, they are introduced with a closer business arrangement than you would expect, given their mostly parallel narratives in this prequel series.  By having Mike and Jimmy weather the harshest elements of the desert together while evading the killers who hunt them, a profound history we never knew between the two has developed.  It begins to explain why Mike would serve as Saul’s P.I. despite simultaneously working as Gus’ soldier.  It’s also oddly relieving to see Mike catch Jimmy with his pants down (figuratively compared to last episode), but in a more serious, concerning manner than that of the silly antics Mike is usually accustomed to dealing with.  The last time Mike truly saw Jimmy as someone more deeply troubled than the jester act that’s usually performed, is when he learned of Chuck’s grisly passing. Up until then, Jimmy was a shallow acquaintance who from time to time proved to be someone of use, but because Jimmy carries on with an indifference towards his brother’s death, Mike is aware that there’s a more rounded, tortured human being behind Jimmy’s facade.

This is one of those episodes that plays on Jimmy’s vulnerability and while it was never necessarily expected that the writers would provide a survival story where Mike and Jimmy meet eye to eye on a more budding, spiritual level, it’s still a catharsis the audience has been unconsciously starved for.  It’s also an experiment with edge-of-your-seat tension which obviously is not derived from whether they survive the hour, but drawn out from how they survive it.  The ‘how’ factor of Better Call Saul has essentially always been the secret sauce as to why the show as a prequel is so compelling and “Bagman” dares to take that one step further by following the two main characters we know will outlive the better part of both series.  How they survive isn’t the only source of tension, but how they interact and play off one another for an extended duration.  It’s fulfilling to see them on the same page, mulling over their options to maintain their health, well-being, and will-power.  The more Jimmy slips off that page and is seemingly ready to give up or protest Mike’s guidance, their camaraderie is in jeopardy.

The Suzuki Esteem. The World’s 2nd Best Lawyer mug. The urine-filled Davis & Main bottle. The space blanket. The money. The sniper rifle.  These are the six most notable symbolic objects to the episode.  Jimmy’s old car getting tossed over the edge into a ditch is the end of an era.  It’s Jimmy being forced to leave his scrappy upstart ‘Charlie Hustle’ persona behind.  Unless Gene Takovic can prove otherwise, Jimmy is never getting back to the guy who once thought he can turn his life around from the Slippin’ Jimmy days.  If he wants to come out the other side from this desert nightmare, the Esteem is no more, but the money must go on.  The money is representative of the Saul Goodman counterpart.  A part that’s always existed and fueled Jimmy but was always concealed the best he could before his relationship with his brother got out of hand.  The better part of Jimmy, who’s fast coming to his senses, is willing to leave the money behind.  He comes up with a smart idea to bury the money and come back for it later, but Mike advises that they will lose it in the vast desert landscape regardless of how sure they are of distinguishable landmarks.  By having no choice but to carry the money, it again solidifies the idea that Saul Goodman must move forward whether Jimmy likes it or not.

When Jimmy and Mike settle down for the night, Jimmy shares that his wife is aware of what he’s doing and how him not coming home is going to make her worried sick.  Surprised that Jimmy would clue his wife (i.e. Kim) in on his dangerous pursuits, Mike states, plain and simple, that his wife is in the game now, in which Jimmy refuses to accept.  Jimmy can count his lucky stars that he turned down Kim’s insistence to join him on this deadly trip, as she surely would have been just as likely to die as he almost was.  That said, as alluded by the bullet-riddled World’s 2nd Best Lawyer mug which Jimmy hoped to save (a gift given to him by Kim in season 2’s “Cobbler”), Kim is indeed in the game and is prone to collateral damage regardless if she stays home or not.  The final salt in Jimmy’s wounds to this unfortunate epiphany is when Mike wraps himself in a space blanket, evoking memories of his older, wiser, and judgmental brother.  It’s as if Chuck has risen beyond the grave, smugly rubbing Jimmy’s nose in the validation of his screw-ups.  When Mike offers Jimmy a spare blanket to keep him warm, Jimmy refuses, because he can’t give Chuck the satisfaction of the hole he’s dug himself in.

Kim might not physically be in the thick of it with Jimmy and Mike, but she does make the grave decision to masquerade as part of Lalo’s legal team in order to meet to him face to face and get possible answers as to where Jimmy is. You can’t blame Kim for going to Lalo. She knows Jimmy is doing something awfully dangerous and he hasn’t come home in a day. If you love someone and deduce 80% the reason they are missing is because they’re in danger (possibly dead), wouldn’t you do anything you could? Even if it means making yourself known to a dangerous figure who has a better idea where your spouse is than anyone? Many might try the police but Kim can’t just reveal to law enforcement what Jimmy is doing. It was a bad decision to go to Lalo but I don’t think it was a stupid one. For her specific situation with Jimmy and because of who Kim is, she’s compelled to play the game because as Mike points out, she’s unquestionably in it.  Chuck warned Jimmy that he would hurt those around him because it’s what he does.  Now Kim is directly in harm’s way by making herself known to the most horrible person Jimmy has ever involved himself with.

Let’s not forget that Lalo is likely stewing over the strange revelation that the key witness in his murder case was manipulated to get him imprisoned and that Saul conveniently obtained this information to get him off with bail.  Lalo must have come to the conclusion that something’s aloof, regardless to how Saul ties into it, but now that Lalo has learned of Saul’s big mouth, revealing Lalo’s true identity to his wife, he has further reason to question Saul’s loyalty.  He’s now more likely to discover that Saul is just as influenced by Gus’ intentions as he is by Lalo’s and that can only lead to bad things, especially now that Kim’s life can be used as leverage.  Kim holds her own against Lalo in this scene, arguing spousal privilege and swatting down the thought that Jimmy might have run off with Lalo’s money.  She at least has made it clear that Jimmy isn’t foolish, and that her proposal to cooperate with Lalo is sincere.  Still, it’s hard to watch a scene with Kim where she’s outmatched and doesn’t come out of a negotiation with what she hoped to gain.  She’s left helpless and it’s because of Jimmy that she’s in this rut, but it’s also just as much her own doing by having married the guy she knows can’t help himself.

Jimmy’s faculties are wearing down.  He’s overheated, dehydrated, and losing grip on what’s pushing him forward.  When one of the bags of money tears, he’s left stumbling around, trying to collect the loose cash that’s fallen out.  He trips and gets his foot impaled by the barb of a cactus.  The unforgiving world he’s forced to trench onward through is too much and he melts into the sand declaring his surrender.  Jimmy is now willing for death to consume him similar to Mike’s defeated decision to take on the street gang earlier in the season.  The spite and resentment Jimmy holds for his brother does not exceed his will to survive and with that, the Saul Goodman shell crumbles and we’re shown nothing but the inner-pain and suffering Jimmy McGill is willing to put an end to. This walkabout is the long-awaited therapy he seeked to avoid and he’s ready to end the session sooner rather than later.  If the money can’t be carried, then there is no Saul Goodman to push Jimmy forward and therefore he’s left with the true form he can’t bear.

Mike explains to Jimmy what keeps him moving, being the people who wait and rely on him.  Mike is ready for death just the same but only if he’s certain he did everything he could to get his family what they need.  This seeps into Jimmy as Mike notifies that the men who aim to kill them have returned, and Jimmy’s reminded that he also has someone he cares about whose waiting for him.  Kim is the light at the end of his tunnel but if he’s to get through it, he needs to face his demons. The moment Jimmy encloses himself in the reflective space blanket, he’s not just playing bait to allow the universe to decide his fate, but he’s coming to terms with Chuck’s judgment of him, channeling his last moments with a suicide mission.  He’ll continue to carry the money even in the face of death regardless what Chuck thinks.  Jimmy is prepared to own up to the man he’s become and when he vocally tempts fate to do with him with what it will, it’s not just the men in the red truck who he’s referring to as an “asshole” and a “dickhead”.  He’s speaking to his brother.  “Yes Chuck, you’re right about me.  Let me show you how right you are to the bitter end.”

The urine in the Davis & Main bottle is equivalent to Jimmy not willing to accept the circumstances he’s brought upon himself.  Davis & Main was the straight-and-narrow opportunity that might have redeemed himself in Chuck’s eyes if he didn’t feel so hurt and betrayed by Chuck sabotaging his chances to join HHM.  Sure, there’s a lot of back and forth to be argued over the constant corners Jimmy cut in the past and would continue to cut, but the Davis & Main job was a position he pissed away nonetheless, pun intended.  By finally guzzling the urine down at the end, it’s again Jimmy coming to terms with the world that’s been thrust upon him mostly from his own doing.  He doesn’t need to rise above it like a Greek god, but he can no longer sugarcoat and pretend that this isn’t the life he’s chosen to lead.  The real baggage that was weighing Jimmy down wasn’t the money, but Chuck’s judgment of him.  The final shot of the space blanket being left behind, whisking away into the wind, shows that Jimmy can overcome Chuck no matter the odds.

And the sniper rifle? I’ve said it in past reviews but notice how Mike’s sniper rifle has never actually been used to kill anyone?  The first time it was introduced was when Nacho recruited Mike to solve the Tuco situation in season 2’s “Gloves Off” (like “Bagman”, also written by Gordon Smith).  Mike considered the assassination but quickly changed his mind, never even purchasing the gun for use.  In the season 2 finale, “Klick” (like “Bagman”, also directed by Vince Gilligan), Mike had every intention to use the sniper rifle on Hector Salamanca but never went through with it because of Gus’ protest not to.  Then in season 3’s “Sunk Costs”, Mike actually fired the sniper rifle but only to hit a shoe filled with cocaine in order to get Hector’s drug mules in trouble with the border patrol, and in turn to hurt Hector’s business.  “Bagman” is the first episode where Mike savagely eliminates his targets with this weapon.  It’s more or less the ricin that never gets used on anyone until the end of Breaking Bad’s run.  It preeminently serves to map out how far Mike has come from the guy who was willing to get pummeled in the face to land Tuco in jail rather than being the guy who pulls the trigger.  Werner Ziegler was an important character in getting Mike to this moment.

Other thoughts:

“Bagman” is more “4 Days Out” than “Fly”, but it undoubtedly joins the ranks as one of the universe’s most therapeutic examinations of two characters’ relationships and a wonderful exercise in building to a climactic sense of tension.  It’s already bubbling as one of the more controversial episodes as a vocal portion of the fanbase is already chalking it up as a slow, meandering piece with a lot of walking.  Me, personally it’s one of the greatest examples of meditative character exploration that’s filled with actual dread and well-choreographed action.  You couldn’t ask for anything better.  This will certainly go down as one of the best installments Better Call Saul or Breaking Bad ever put out.  It’s right up there with “Pimento”, “Nailed, “Chicanery”, or “Winner” in terms of masterful turning point episodes.

Lalo quickly selling Saul on how much he’s going to love his cousins, describing them as good boys is one of the funniest line deliveries in the hour. He says it as if they’re all going to share a laugh and grab a beer together.  It just goes to show how much you shouldn’t take Lalo’s word for anything.  It was also wonderfully pathetic how Jimmy botches his greeting “Yo soy abogado” (I am a lawyer) on the first attempt after practicing it repeatedly before the cousins show up to give them the money.  He is no way prepared for what’s in store for him.  You’ll also note that he wastes water to clean a dirty spot on his shoe unaware of how much he’ll cherish each drop of it later on.

The song that plays during the beautiful desert roaming montage was “I Got The…” by Labi Siffre (1975).  I too am guilty of thinking it was an orchestrated rendition of Eminem’s “My Name Is”, never having realized that Eminem sampled the beat from this pre-existing source material.  The song has become my new go-to whenever being tasked to press on with something difficult like many of us are dealing with during this COVID-19 crisis which has been growing worse and worse as Better Call Saul season 5 airs.

What did everyone else think?