*Spoilers Ahead*
Even the best laid plans begin to crack under pressure on this week’s Better Call Saul and what it means for our cast remains to be seen but it likely won’t be good.
As expected, Jimmy’s plan to make Chuck and HHM look bad by changing the addresses for Mesa Verde works like a charm. Chuck makes matters worse when he is so unwilling to believe he made a mistake that he suggests that Mesa Verde actually got the location wrong. It’s a small moment that showcases Chuck’s fundamental flaw, his stubborn pride.
Chuck’s pride is ultimately what leads him to believe that Jimmy sabotaged him, sure it’d be much easier to believe it was a mistake, as he is told multiple times by both Howard and Kim. Instead, Chuck chooses to believe his brother messed with him to get revenge and to woo Kim.
He’s right, of course, and when he mentions all this to Kim it’s clear that she knows he’s right but she refuses to give him the satisfaction of admitting it. Instead, she blames Chuck for all of this, Jimmy wouldn’t be half as bad as he is currently if he hadn’t tried so vehemently to get him out of being a lawyer. It’s a great speech and moment for Kim but one that is sullied because we know Chuck is ultimately right.
Jimmy attempts to play all of this off but there is no hiding the truth from Kim. Later that night, Kim convinces him to go cover his tracks, confirming any lingering doubts about the situation. Jimmy goes back to the copy place only to find Chuck’s assisstant, Ernesto, has already paid a visit and is coming back with his brother. Jimmy manages to bribe the clerk anyway and when Chuck comes in and begins to interrogate the guy he is shocked that he refuses to admit Jimmy was in there.
Chuck sheds his space blanket before going in, similar to what he’s been doing for Mesa Verde to appear normal in front of them, but this proves to be a mistake as the various electronics going off around him and the stress of trying to uncover the truth about his brother’s trick leads him to collapse, right into the side of one of the counters. Jimmy, watching from across the street is horrified but unable to intervene.
Elsewhere, Mike enacts his plan to disrupt the Salamanca’s business and ends up richer for it when he finds $250,000 hidden in one of the tires. He takes the money and leaves the driver, who he blindfolded alive. Nacho catches on, knowing that only one man would leave a witness alive and he discovers that Mike was attempting to get police onto Hector. Mike is confident that he knows what he’s doing but the show has made it clear that this is still a different Mike than the one we see in Breaking Bad. One who sees no problem in buying a round of drinks for the whole bar and messing with the cartel for kicks. I’m still not sure what Mike’s endgame is but he better hope Hector doesn’t get wind of it.
Both Mike and Jimmy have reason to be guilty for their actions, Mike indirectly got a good Samaritan, who stopped to help the man he left behind, killed and Jimmy has potentially permanently altered his brother’s well being. Regardless of if this is the path he chose or one he was thrown into by his brother, Jimmy is on it now and the only way to go is down.
Bits ‘n Pieces
- Jimmy continues his quest to make a commercial by going onto a school ground in an attempt to get a shot of him behind an American flag. It leads to some great comedy where Jimmy tries to convince the school staff that Rupert Holmes went there, despite being British.
- Howard doesn’t get a whole lot to do this week but I enjoyed him playing mediator between Mesa Verde and Chuck as they argued.
- God, that noise when Chuck hit the counter was sickening.
- “You and Mozart, you both started young.”
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