*Spoilers Ahead*
The entire first season of Better Call Saul has been focused on crafting it’s own identity apart from Breaking Bad. While the two series share stylistic choices and visual flourishes that show they are in the same universe, Saul’s focus has almost consistently, give or take Mike Ehrmantraut, been on Jimmy McGill and what will set him on this path to becoming the criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. “Marco” finally gives us a clear direction on that path.
The finale forgoes all of it’s other plot threads and focuses solely on Jimmy and where his mind is at in the aftermath of his conversation with Chuck. He apologizes to Hamlin, who seems to be genuinely shocked at how much Jimmy did for Chuck. The scene in Hamlin’s office is a delight as it allows him to express how he really feels about Jimmy and shows that he is a much more well-rounded character than we were initially led to believe. Kim asks Jimmy if he needs to let his feelings out but he insists that he is fine. That turns out to be far from the truth in one of the episode’s best scenes.
Jimmy is once again drawing numbers at a bingo game in one of the retirement homes. All is going well until he suddenly start drawing “B’s” and struggles to find words for them that don’t reflect on his current feelings about his life. It all culminates in him breaking down and explaining the situation that brought him into the mailroom at HHM. Jimmy, seeking revenge, found the man who cheated with his ex-wife and decided to give him a “Chicago Sunroof,” which he helpfully tells us is a real thing that he did not make up. The maneuver involves relieving one’s bowels through the sunroof of someone’s car, to Jimmy’s detriment, the man’s children happened to be present in the car. As Jimmy sees it, he’s been paying for that incident ever since. No matter what he’s done or will do that incident will still be there to affirm his brother’s belief of what he is.
After the incident in the retirement home, Jimmy decides to take a week off and head to his hometown of Cicero. It’s not long before he finds his old partner in crime, Marco. Marco and Jimmy catch up and it becomes clear why Jimmy enjoyed the presence of him. Marco is a generally nice guy who inspires confidence in Jimmy. Whereas Chuck, upon looking back, always seemed resent him. It’s not long before the duo are back to their old ways. In a neon-lit montage we get to see the group try out a number of cons and it’s the most confident Jimmy has seemed in some time. He’s so confident that he manages to convince a woman that he is actually Kevin Costner (a callback to Breaking Bad.) Sadly, Jimmy must come back to reality, his elderly clients need him. Before Jimmy can leave, however, he is roped into doing one more scam with Marco. Unlike Jimmy, Marco doesn’t have any success in his life, this past week was the highlight of the past few years for him. Naturally, things go awry and Marco suffers a heart attack during the scam, ultimately passing away. The show and Mel Rodriguez, who plays Marco, manage to make his abrupt, and heavily foreshadowed, death feel earned simply by taking the time to let us get to know him, just a little.
After attending the funeral, Jimmy gets a call from Kim. The Sandpiper case is getting too big for HHM to handle alone and they are partnering with another law firm that wishes to hire Jimmy. Jimmy seems thrilled at the idea but when it comes time for him to meet them he has what appears to be an abrupt change of heart. He takes a moment to speak with Mike about how “the right thing” had stopped him from taking the Kettleman’s money and that he won’t make the mistake of doing it again.
I’m of two minds of this ending, yes, it seems abrupt and a little on the nose, but I think it’s needed to bring a close to this first chapter in Jimmy’s story. I have feeling we’ll see the full ramifications of Jimmy’s actions when season 2 opens up. The other thought is that this all makes sense with the story of Slippin’ Jimmy and Marco. Marco knows who Jimmy really is, despite all that Jimmy tries to be and his death makes Jimmy come face to face with the real version of him, or at least what he believes is the real version.
Better Call Saul has given us an incredible first season, definitely one of the greatest first seasons ever, and, before giving my season grade, I’d like to take a moment and praise the show’s conviction in taking things slow. By focusing this season around Jimmy’s attempts to be the good lawyer he envisioned himself as it gave us a clear rooting interest, especially when stacking him against HHM. We needed the focus on James McGill, Lawyer for the Elderly, to find the heart of a man who, more often than not, was the joke machine of Breaking Bad. That focus makes his inevitable fate all the more devastating. Jimmy McGill isn’t Saul Goodman, not yet, but he’s now officially on the path.
Season 1: 9.5/10
Bits ‘n Pieces
- I want to praise Mel Rodriguez one more time for his work tonight as Marco. I recognized him at first as Todd in the underrated, The Last Man on Earth but he managed to make Marco his own character.
- I’m not convinced that Hamlin is a saint but I don’t think we’re suppose to be. He still moved Kim to a crappy office because of losing the Kettlemans.
- Saul mentioned an ex-wife during his “Chicago Sunroof” rant. He has mentioned having a few in Breaking Bad so I have to wonder if/when we’ll hear about the other ones.
- Saul also mentions Belize as one of the words he uses for the “B” numbers in bingo.
- “Ever see ‘The Hills Have Eyes?’ It’s a documentary.”
- “It’s like watching Miles Davis give up the trumpet. It’s just a waste, that’s all I’m saying.”
- Thanks to all of those who have read these reviews. I’ll be back for Season 2 and hopefully you will be too!
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