Summary: A flashback shows Jimmy having dinner with Chuck and his wife Rebecca. Jimmy is now being monitored by Erin. Jimmy continues trying to help Kim but she wants to save herself without any help. Kim works very hard and gets Howard a good deal but still isn't taken out of doc review. Chuck talks with her regarding Jimmy's past and says he will try to get Kim back to her former position. Mike is met by Hector who wants him to take Tuco's gun charge to reduce his jail time.
The Good: Better Call Saul kills it with another great episode. This was cool down from the big climax in the last episode, but this was just as good as that episode in a lot of ways, and in some ways it was even better. There was fantastic character work all the way through and I was totally engaged by the depth, detail and exploration of all of these characters. Every scene provided some characterization or development which just added on to make this episode excellent. Even the minor characters like Howard and Erin were given motives and personality. I'll tackle every storyline individually. First of all, the flashback sequence that opened up the episode. It was an interesting twist to show us that Chuck has an ex-wife and it raises a few questions (see: The Unknown). But I thought this scene was awesome. It helped show us the difference between Jimmy and Chuck and also helped us understand why Chuck has such a big distaste of Jimmy. Here we get to see some jealousy in Chuck. Chuck does all the hard work and yet Jimmy still gets along better with people despite his flaws. Chuck's jealousy and incapability to be charming in the way Jimmy is, is shown excellently through the use of lawyer jokes. This scene was so brilliantly written and expertly introduced a new element in the ever-growing complexity of Jimmy and Chuck's relationship. Next up are the Jimmy/Erin scenes. These scenes were probably the weakest of the episode but there was still a lot to love about them. Obviously, there was a hilarious humour to everything as Jimmy kept being exposed by Erin over his illegal shenanigans that he always tries to pull. I really do like that the show still makes Jimmy relatable even though he is doing so many illegal things. This is where season pays off as we know the hardships Jimmy had to endure to get to where he is, so we instinctively want to defend his actions. The writers have done an excellent job of creating a morally grey world. And of course any scene where Jimmy cross paths with Mike will be hilariously awesome. This was no exception. Jimmy was also very enjoyable as he tried to work things out with Kim. Suing HHM seems like just the kind of illogical decision Jimmy would make that would make perfect sense to him but nobody else. The scene with Kim was terrific and really brought out Kim's angry side that is disappointed in what Jimmy did. We got to see a lot of likeable fire in Kim which makes us support her and root for her. Her declaration of "I save me" was also a great way to buck the trend of males saving females. The show followed through very well with Kim wanting to save herself. She absolutely stole the show this episode and her plot line carried the story in such a magnificent way. The montages were lengthy, but beautifully crafted and they were also extremely necessary. We really got to see Kim's determination and by having the montages go on maybe a minute longer than they needed to actually paid off in making the moment Kim finally gets a good deal feel very special. We were cheering right alongside her when she did a quick high-energy dance in the parking lot. And then our hearts were broken alongside hers when Howard broke the news to her that she will remain in doc review. To a casual viewer the scene means nothing, but for people who regularly follow the show and are engaged by it, it is a heartbreaking scene and Rhea Seehorn did a tremendous job of portraying Kim throughout the scene. Her change in mannerisms when she learns that she is still in doc review was so expertly done and helped deliver on the emotion of the scene. And then of course there was the scene between Chuck and Kim. Wow was that one good. Their awkward interactions were excellent throughout, and I really loved seeing Chuck actually helping Kim. Again it shows that both Chuck and Jimmy have positive elements and neither one is completely in the right in their conflict. Chuck relating to Kim for being manipulated by Jimmy feels like a logical character move and their subsequent conversation as a real wonder. Chuck's story about Jimmy stealing the money from their father was a real highlight of the episode for me. It goes to highlight how far back Chuck's dislike for Jimmy goes as he clearly blames him for the death of their father. It's sad to hear about and yet it makes perfect sense and fits right in with the show by adding more details to the Chuck/Jimmy relationship. Lastly, there was the Mike stuff. His conversations with Stacey were the usual expected stuff, but the real highlight here was the ending. Namely the return of Hector Salamanca, prior to his time in a wheelchair (see: The Unknown). I was pleasantly surprised by his return and I absolutely loved the touch that the scene opened with the ringing of a bell. His deal with Mike makes sense and it provides a very organic way to introduce him into the plot. The excitement slowed down this episode after last episode was filled with it, but the ending cliff-hanger absolutely builds up some excitement for later episodes this season. The Bad: Nothing as such. The Unknown: Why did Chuck and Rebecca split up? Will that story be explored later on? I sure hope so. What puts Hector in the wheelchair then? Was it really or stroke or something more deadly? We never got it confirmed in breaking Bad about what it is that puts Hector in the chair. so could it have been something more dramatic than we all expected? And of course if Hector has returned, may we be seeing a certain fried chicken businessman soon? Best Moment: Chuck's story about Jimmy and their father takes it for me. There are many scenes to choose from though which is one of the reasons this episode was so good. Character of the Episode: Kim. Her character is coming far this season. Conclusion: This was just as good as the last episode by just providing consistently amazing characterization, character developments and storyline progression. If the rest of the season is filled with episodes like this with an exciting finale, I will be more than satisfied. Score: 74
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
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