*Spoilers Ahead*
It’s been slowly happening this whole season but it can finally be confirmed, Kim Wexler is the heart of Better Call Saul. These last two episodes have shown us Kim’s struggles and they’ve brought us to her side.
Watching Howard disregard Kim’s contributions and shunt her back down the ladder for mistakes that weren’t her’s only brings us further onto Team Kim and it’s also why we cheer for her to take the job offer she’s given by Sandpiper’s lawyers this week. Howard may not respect Kim’s abilities but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have them and it was only a matter of time before others took notice.
In an odd way, Kim has found herself in a situation very much like Jimmy’s. The two are clearly unhappy with how things are going in their current state and both are presented a way out through Kim’s job offer. If Kim takes the new job, Jimmy is no longer beholden to staying at Davis & Main, constantly being watched and critiqued by Erin, he can finally let his inner Slippin’ Jimmy free and still get the gal.
Kim doesn’t seem opposed to the idea either, after all, if her waiting by the phone before work just to hear the song Jimmy is going to attempt to sing on her answering machine is any clue, she misses him. It’s that feeling that ultimately drives Kim to call Jimmy when she sees a person she thinks they can con. Jimmy, in the middle of going over his work with Erin, doesn’t hesitate to rush out, this is what he’s wanted since the first episode of this season. It’s clear that, try as they might, the relationship between them is doomed to fall apart eventually but as with all things in this series, it’s about the path to get there. You may think the path is clear just for a roadblock to surprise you when you least expect it.
Take Mike for example, he came up with a plan to get Tuco out of the picture that wouldn’t involve blood on his, already drenched, hands and now he’s facing down threats from Tuco’s uncle, Hector, to lessen his sentence. Mike is in a situation that he doesn’t want to be in but he knows that it’s one he put himself into, it’s why he gives Nacho half of the $50,000 he asks from Hector in return. He’s gotten them both in a bigger mess than he expected and now he has to pull them out of it. It’s also no longer just his life at stake as Hector demonstrates by sending The Cousins to give Mike, and the audience at home, a scare.
Jimmy, Kim and Mike are all looking for ways out of the situations they currently find themselves in and that struggle against your present and your future seems like it might have been at the heart of the show all along. We may know where the road ends but that doesn’t mean the path there is as easy as we once thought.
Bits ‘n Pieces
- No Chuck this week, I assume he was waiting for Kim to make him more coffee.
- Howard and Kim’s walk through the office was very telling especially how quickly Howard put on that fake smile.
- The opening scene with Jimmy’s current sleepless existence was great but him smashing the cup holder so he can finally fit Kim’s mug in his car was the most romantic gesture I’ve ever seen.
- It was pretty devastating to see Jimmy’s commercial replaced with that dull “blue swirl” ad that he wanted to avoid.
Jesse Swanson is a would-be writer, podcaster and funny guy who covers TV shows of all shapes and sizes. You can find him on Twitter @JesseSwanson