*Spoilers ahead*
One of my biggest fears going into the premiere last week was that the show, due to it’s prequel nature, wouldn’t be able to surprise me as much as Breaking Bad did. While we haven’t reached those levels yet, “Nacho” shows us just how full of surprises Jimmy McGill’s journey into Saul Goodman is.
We’re treated to an opening flashback to a younger Chuck speaking with Jimmy in jail. It’s not clear to us what Jimmy has done yet although it’s severe enough that he can be labeled a sex offender. Initially, Jimmy jokes about the whole situation but changes his tone when Chuck gets ready to leave. In the end, Chuck agrees to help him if he cleans up his act. Right out of the gate the show shows us there’s more to this man than we ever imagined, something the episode continues to play with.
When we head back to the present, Jimmy is unsure what to do with the knowledge of Nacho’s plan to take money from the Kettlemans. Nervous and just a little tipsy, he calls up Kim, a friend of his from Hamblin Hamblin and McGill. Their relationship still isn’t completely clear but I imagine we’ll find out soon enough just what has gone on between them. Nervous about the situation, Jimmy mentions the possibility of something bad happening to the Kettlemans, which raises Kim’s suspicions.
Eventually, Jimmy drives to a nearby payphone and, in a hilarious scene, attempts to warn the Kettlemans using a cardboard tube with paper on the end to try and hide his voice (something we later hear being called his “robot sex voice.”) It doesn’t work so he has to hurriedly tell them using his actual voice but it’s enough to spook the family and by the next day, they’ve disappeared.
Jimmy discovers the entire family has gone missing and repeatedly calls Nacho but is apprehended by police before hearing from him. At the precinct, Jimmy learns he has been requested as Nacho’s lawyer. Nacho is convinced that Jimmy set him up and admits to staking the place but had nothing to do with the kidnapping. He threatens Jimmy to prove his innocence but the cops aren’t willing to believe any of it.
He manages to get some unexpected help from Kim when she allows him to look at the crime scene, presumably to stir up feelings and make him turn on Nacho, but Jimmy notices a missing girl’s doll from the room and begins to believe that the family kidnapped themselves. The cops are less than convinced and even if Jimmy is correct, he has no idea where to begin looking for them.
He eventually gets into an altercation with Mike Ehrmentraut, who has been repeatedly impeding Jimmy due to his lack of proper stickers on his parking tickets. Jimmy drove off on him on the way to the Kettleman house and the situation escalates from there until Jimmy is on the ground, subdued by Mike.
The police officers attempt to get Mike to press charges unless Jimmy will turn on Nacho but after hearing Jimmy’s theory on the kidnapping Mike believes him and decides against pressing charges. Mike mentions a similar case from his cop days about a man who faked his disappearance but was only a few blocks from his house.
The gears begin to turn for Jimmy and he walks through a trail near the Kettleman house and eventually finds the family in a tent singing songs together. Jimmy interrupts and in his attempt to get them to head back to their house stumbles upon their stolen money.
Better Call Saul has surprised me so far by showing us a different side to Saul Goodman than we previously knew and while we have an idea where this all ends up the ride there will hopefully remain this thrilling and unexpected.
Bits ‘n Pieces
- I’m glad we got more Mike in this episode and I look forward to seeing his growing relationship with Jimmy.
- Speaking of Mike, I loved his slight snarl when one of the police officers put his hand on his shoulder. Jonathan Banks is great at expressing pure disdain.
- I feel so bad for the Kettleman’s son, who really looked like he’d rather be doing ANYTHING else other than being stuck in a tent with his goofy ass parents.
- Flashback Jimmy mentions a “Chicago Sunroof” which Urban Dictionary states is the act of “laying your penis on a sleeping person’s face.” That might explain the possible sex offender charge.
- “I’ll take an Edible Arrangement as a sorry, heavy on the pineapple.”
- “Here’s Johnny!”
If you’d like to give me feedback or just chat about Better Call Saul you can email me at theSuperAlbino@gmail.com or hit me up on Twitter @JesseSwanson