S05.E03: The Guy for This

[nodorothyparker]

Airdate 2020.03.02

Quote

Kim's confidence is tested when she's faced with a legal problem only she can solve. Jimmy's business enters uncharted territory as Nacho navigates increased pressure from Gus. Mike continues to spiral.

 

[Atlanta]

Hank and Gomie! The Wonder Twins!

[Spartan Girl]

Hank and Gomie!! I was so happy to see them.

[WritinMan]

Great episode--and Hank and Gomez!

[SoMuchTV]

I kind of feel like we’ve moved into Breaking Bad territory 

[Dianaofthehunt]

I liked the detail of the *new* fence around the stubborn old guy’s house.

What was the picture that Mike wanted the bartender to take down?

[MrWhyt]

1 minute ago, Dianaofthehunt said:

I liked the detail of the *new* fence around the stubborn old guy’s house.

What was the picture that Mike wanted the bartender to take down?

a postcard of the Sydney Opera House, Werner once told Mike a story of how his dad helped build it.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I have rarely, if ever, more regretted not having super-duper audio capabilities than when Mike tore that fool's shoulder to pieces.  What a wonderfully satisfying sound!

Was Kim running a con on Mr. Acker (I love that guy!)?  The little details were just.so.perfect.  Blue toes.  He's tragically a fool, but he will be able to look at himself in a mirror.  He's a Mike who never sold out.

I was having so much fun trying to figure out when Kim re-entered his property. 1) Had he committed suicide, or 2) Would he shoot her as a trespasser?    I loved every second of anticipation.

The open with the first ant was quite something.  Whatever it was, it was amazing.

The bi-play between Hank and Saul was smart and interesting.  I was so impressed and also curious as to how and why Jimmy/Saul seemed at first to be a bit of a neophyte.  The self-assured and wise Saul as he explained the phenomenal set-up to Lalo betrayed a genius.  Kudos to everyone who executed this piece.

Ignacio's father is a Mr. Acker.  Another very nice and apt parallel is being drawn by Gilligan/Gould.  The morality of papa Ignacio is not entirely clear to me.  Would he truly be wrong to not accept a buyout from his son?  The man fairly earned his retirement.  He could choose to do many good things if given the chance.  Is it pride (a sin of itself) that is driving him?  I love this question.

Arguably, the biggest tragedy is Kim's refusal to love herself enough to accept that she can have nice things, even if she is operating in an inherently evil (the justice system) milieu.  memo to Kim:  This is the world we have been given.  No matter where you go, evil will find you and test you.  So....do what good you can.  Try to let that be enough.  And run like hell away from Senor McGill.  

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Lonesome Rhodes

[rhys]

Whose beer bottle was on the deck railing at chez Wexler/McGill?

[Irlandesa]

I was happy to see Hank and Gomie again.

And is it weird  that of all the illegal activity going on, the thing that really got under my skin was Kim and Jimmy throwing beer bottles off of the balcolny?  That's just rude to the community living there.  They're not wayward youth.  They're wayward adults who should know better than that.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Irlandesa

[LittleIggy]

Awesome episode! Who played Mr. Acker? His voice was so familiar.

Did Jimmy really think a drug dealer would have trouble paying his “all day” fee? Lalo was all here’s $8000, keep the change! 😆

The ant segment was amazing. Loved the music.

Edited March 3, 2020 by LittleIggy

[sistermagpie]

5 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Awesome episode! Who played Mr. Acker? His voice was so familiar.

Did Jimmy really think a drug dealer would have trouble paying his “all day” fee? Lalo was all here’s $8000, keep the change! 😆

The ant segment was amazing. Loved the music.

The scene with the money reminded me of that scene on The Wire where Avon's being asked for money to open a gym and has a similarly naive idea of how much "a lot" of money is to a major drug dealer.

The ant sequence was really amazing. I loved it, even while sad that anyone would not get to eat chocolate mint ice cream.

9 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

And is it weird to me that of all the illegal activity going on, the thing that really got under my skin was Kim and Jimmy throwing beer bottles off of the balcolny?  That's just rude to the community living there.  They're not wayward youth.  They're wayward adults who should know better than that.

You're not the only one. Glass all over that pavement there!

I love that Hank immediately heard Saul Goodman as S'all good, man. Love Hank and Gomie in general. Such innocent times!

So, @DevF was correct, right? About the Salamancas being the ones to bring Walt and Jesse together via Krazy 8 being a snitch? Only nwo we know his snitching was known to both Gus and Lalo?

[rhys]

10 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Awesome episode! Who played Mr. Acker? His voice was so familiar.

 

He was in Northern Exposure a 100 years ago lol & he was Brenda's dad on Major Crimes.

10 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

 

 

[Auntie Anxiety]

Hank’s anecdote about Marie obsession about throwing out food that was past its sell by date made me chuckle.

[Dev F]

Just now, rhys said:

He was in Northern Exposure a 100 years ago lol & he was Brenda's dad on Major Crimes.

Yep. Barry Corbin. He's been playing grizzled old coots for at least thirty years now.

Such a great role to move Kim's storyline forward. I love how Mr. Acker both kicks apart her attempts to romanticize her legal work and serves as an infuriating scofflaw for her to yell at instead of yelling at Jimmy.

[Quilt Fairy]

1 hour ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The morality of papa Ignacio is not entirely clear to me.  Would he truly be wrong to not accept a buyout from his son? 

If it comes from Nacho, he knows it's drug money.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

8 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

If it comes from Nacho, he knows it's drug money.

Yes.  Great things have resulted from charities taking money from gangsters throughout history.   In this case, there is no obvious advancement of evil plans in the acquisition of the shop.   My reading of the Good Book tells me that good can use evil to good purpose.  Purity is not a requirement.    Some dude named Saul comes to mind.

It's such a rich area for consideration, imo.

[thuganomics85]

Hank and Gomie!  I was already spoiled that they would be popping up this season, but I still loved the reveal.  Dean Norris in particular seems right back at home with all of Hank's overtly-macho and crass antics.  I also like how they're return is going to involve how Domingo will end up being "Krazy-8" and how he'll become their informant.  I did like that even though Lalo was the one who set it up, Jimmy went the extra mile to get Domingo more protection and benefits.  Even when he's working for a psychotic criminal, Jimmy never slacks off at doing what is best for his client!

Glad to see Kim take front and center for a lot of this, and focus again on her conflicts with balancing out Mace Verde and her pro-bono work.  It's always great seeing Barry Corbin as well, and I liked how his character had her pegged.  But Rhea Seehorn killed it as always.  Maybe those damn Emmy voters will finally give her a nomination, dammit!

All the stuff with Nacho and his father was heartbreaking and well-acted.

No surprise, Mike continues to spiral.

At least Gus knows about Lalo's next move, but for now, he really can't do anything but let it happen, or Lalo will no someone is talking.  I wonder how Gus will retaliate.  Obviously, he is someone that shouldn't be underestimated!

Of all the crime that has happened on this show, Jimmy and Kim tossing those bottles would be the one that somehow made me go "Come on, guys!  That's not right!"

[LittleIggy]

Barry Corbin! Wow, hard to believe that’s him.

Put me in the camp of those more upset about the breaking glass bottles on a parking lot than anything else. I have my limits! 

[dwmarch]

32 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Did Jimmy really think a drug dealer would have trouble paying his “all day” fee? Lalo was all here’s $8000, keep the change! 😆

The ant segment was amazing. Loved the music.

I thought Jimmy unintentionally lowballing himself was hilarious. Up to this point he's been dealing with petty criminals or seniors or clients who generally don't have lots of cash on hand. His big scores so far have either been reinvested or lost. So he's in the mindset that everyone is as broke as he is. Meanwhile the carburetor Lalo put in his muscle car is probably worth more than Saul's entire car (with a $300 hooker sitting in it). Jimmy comes up with a number he thinks is way beyond reasonable and Lalo considers it literal, actual pocket change. Comedy gold.

That ice cream cone was not that big when it hit the ground. Somehow I feel it's a metaphor for Breaking Bad. Could had a nice little ice cream cone there but you had to go and build the world's biggest damn waffle cone and in the end there was nothing left but a sticky mess.

[Bannon]

Is anyone in the BCS/BB universe ever going to have a happy life? We know the grim fates that await so many, and with the ones we are in the dark about, like Kim, it sure doesn' t  look very promising. Loved how the confrontation with Mr. Acker demonstrated, to Kim,  how the sentimental favorite, the little guy, can be every bit as much a -jerk as the big guy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gallimaufry]

This was a much better episode, chiefly because the show felt in balance again - strong Jimmy plot, strong Kim plot, good subplots for Nacho and Mike, Lalo and Gus as seasoning not substance.  No Howard, sadly, but hopefully next week.

I loved getting a little more insight into Kim's past although I really hope this isn't all we get.  I know Seehorn is already playing significantly younger so I doubt flashbacks are going to happen but I'll be disappointed if they don't get under the character's skin a lot more.  I do hope in episode 4 we see her and Jimmy clearing up those beer bottles though.  That was kind of uncomfortable.

Jimmy plays really well off Lalo.  The whole subplot worked well.  I did like seeing Hank and Gomie again and I loved the mention of Marie.

I love anything between Nacho and his dad but Nacho feels very vulnerable with his two meth-head girlfriends listening in.  I feel like that's going to come back to bite him in a bad way.

Mike remains underused but then I remembered that Jonathan Banks had an operation so I wonder if it's a conscious choice to downgrade his screentime.  The opera house was a great callback.  My only problem with the Mike plot is that it's only operating on the level of the expected.  Mike is grieving and we know how he grieves - he drinks, he fights, he's difficult to be around.  This was covered in "Five-O".  The scenes are beautifully executed.  But what these last episodes haven't done is given us anything that we didn't really know about the character before.

Not perfect by any means but the series feels like it's found its stride again.  I notice that Gennifer Hutchison has left the writing team.  I do think that's a huge loss -- as well as being on BB and BCS through the best years, she also has some of the most amazing scenes and episodes to her name ("the one who knocks", "Lantern").  Still, optimistic to see things start to knit together.

[TVFan17]

So I guess Nacho has two girlfriends?  Are the three of them technically a "thruple"?  lol The one who was obsessively trying to clean the remote control was interesting.  Are we supposed to deduce that she was on drugs and was urgently trying to keep busy (which is a thing), or was she just a bit twitchy and kooky without being tweaked out?  I don't know how another person such as Tuco or Lalo would have handled that situation with her, but it seemed like Nacho was being kind, even though she was probably annoying him and making him nervous.  He saw that she was struggling and needed to do something, and he handed her the puzzle to play with instead of snapping or yelling at her for almost ruining his remote!

 

Not enough Gus Fring in this episode for my liking. 

 

Was the bar (that Mike was in) the same bar where he punched Walt in Breaking Bad, or was it a different bar?

 

Why do I have a feeling that Lalo -- who can be very curious and nosy -- is going to start poking around to found out more info about Saul's life, and then will end up threatening Kim or something?  Throughout this entire run of Better Call Saul, I have thought that, eventually, one of Jimmy's criminal clients would get hold of Kim or threaten Kim if they thought that Jimmy failed them in court.  I figured it would be some random person we had never heard of before, and not a Salamanca, though.  But Lalo seems like he is alternately curious about, amused and annoyed by Saul -- and we know he will ask questions, show up unexpectedly and/or follow someone in his car to get answers.  So if he doesn't trust Saul, or if he wants to have something to use to threaten Saul if he needs to, he could go snooping around and then find Kim.

 

I don't know if Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould have confirmed this or not, but I suspect that the Hank and Gomie scenes may have been filmed when they innocently 'visited the set' during production of BCS a couple of years ago, just as Robert Forster filmed his BCS scene during the production of El Camino.  I think that Gilligan and Gould are mindful of the Breaking Bad actors' schedules, as well as the signs of age on their faces, and so they probably took some opportunities to get some key scenes filmed in advance, and banked them for future use.  They claim to not plan things out that far ahead of time, but I think they have to plan some things when it comes to busy actors finding time to shoot scenes.  They might not have to plan it way in advance just to get a minor, lesser known character on the show, but the major characters might require some coordination and planning.

(Speaking of which... I remember Aaron Paul coyly answering someone's question about whether or not he would ever appear on Better Call Saul -- this was way before El Camino was filmed or even rumored -- by teasing that maybe he had already filmed something.  I thought he was just joking and misleading them at the time, but with this crew of sneaky people, who knows?  And don't think I'm not suspicious of the time that Bryan Cranston conveniently "visited the set" of BCS two or three years ago too, under the guise of planning to direct a BCS episode -- which still hasn't happened.  I have my eye on you, Aaron and Bryan!)

Edited March 3, 2020 by TVFan17

[ShadowFacts]

As my grandmother used to say, now we're cooking with gas. The show is back after a slow start. I don't know what had me more tense, Nacho's father coming to call, Saul in the garage, or Kim returning to the scene of the eviction. Kim's line about if she had a home, she would never have wanted to leave it was possibly the best yet, that punch really landed on me.

6 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

Yes.  Great things have resulted from charities taking money from gangsters throughout history.   In this case, there is no obvious advancement of evil plans in the acquisition of the shop.   My reading of the Good Book tells me that good can use evil to good purpose.  Purity is not a requirement.    Some dude named Saul comes to mind.

It would be acquiescing in a way that's not acceptable in Mr. Vargas' moral code. He did not raise his son to become what he has become, and he will not give his approval in taking a buyout. He cannot be bought, especially not by his son.

[Bryce Lynch]

I enjoyed this episode more than the first 2 of the season.

The Kim story was interesting, though kind of low stakes.   When Maurice from Northern Exposure told her she would say anything to get what she wants I thought he was right about her, in a general sense, but that everything she told him about her past and her intentions to help him was true.

I loved seeing Mike break the arm of the thug who liked to prey on the elderly.  I wonder if the guy calling him "Gramps" set him off. ("It's Pop Pop, scumbag!").  Seriously, though, I think if they called him "old man" it might not have set him off as much.  Gramps reminded him of his blow-up at Kaylee, which was part of what he was drinking to forget.

It seems like they have toned down Lalo's schtick over the past 2 episodes and he is more watchable and less cartoonish.

I loved seeing Hank and Gomey, but it sort of felt like seeing a couple of ghosts.  I know we see most of the drug business characters killed in BB, but seeing them alive again didn't have the same impact.

I'm not sure the whole Lalo, Domingo and the DEA plot makes a lot of sense.

Wouldn't the DEA stake out the dead drops to catch those making the pick-ups?  When nobody shows, they would know they were double crossed.

Also, how would Domingo know about 3 dead drops with $500K without knowing who his bosses were?  I could see him knowing one drop,  if he was a lower level guy making a regular drop.  But, knowing 3 would mean he did pick-ups and passed the money on to someone higher up the chain.

The scene with Nacho's father was sad.  Again, I felt like I was looking at a ghost because he appears to be a dead man.  I can see him not taking Nacho's drug money, but either the Salamancas or Fring are probably going to kill him if he doesn't run.  He doesn't realize how trapped Nacho is.

He is probably too good and brave a man to survive this situation.

Add me to the list of people who were more offended by Kim and Saul tossing the beer bottles off the terrace than all the scams, drug dealing and murders we've seen.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Bryce Lynch

[Chaos Theory]

When Jimmy met Hank.    
 

And yeah we are creeping into Breaking Bad territory here but we were always heading there.   This wasn’t a “100 years before”.  Or “twenty years later...” story.    This was how a  con artist lawyer became the guy Walt and Jessie met and became their attorney and how he got in that position in  the first place.

I like how the two faces of Jimmy/Saul are still there and probably always are.   Even in Breaking Bad he tried to do what was right for his clients.   It was ultimately Walt and his own hubris who never took his own lawyers (or anyone’s really) advice.    But Jimmy still wants to protect his client even if he is getting paid by someone else.   
 

Dean Norris playing pre BB Hank was fun.   And yeah I can picture Marie being the type to throw out anything the day it hits expiration.  

Edited March 3, 2020 by Chaos Theory

[BeatrixK]

OK -- can ANYONE explain the ants?

 

(Please don't let it be something obvious I will feel stupid for when I learn the symbolism.  lol)

[PeterPirate]

8 hours ago, rhys said:

He was in Northern Exposure a 100 years ago lol & he was Brenda's dad on Major Crimes.

Sorry to nitpick, but Corbin was Brenda's dad in The Closer.  One of my favorite shows (a garden gnome is the murder weapon in one episode).  I wonder if we'll be seeing him again.  When this show casts guest actors with substantial resumes, it's usually for more than one episode.  

Brenda's dad was really sharp at figuring out her BS excuses and apologies for not spending time with her parents.  Makes me wonder just how truthful Kim was being when telling her story.

[nodorothyparker]

The cinematography and scene framing of this one were gorgeous.  I was really struck by the shot where Nacho's dad is outside eyeballing the house of ill-gotten gains and Nacho is inside looking appropriately miserable.  With its giant art and electronics and gray undertones, it looks like the kind of place someone like Nacho would have bought when he was finally doing well enough for himself to afford it.  It also looks like a positively miserable place to live.

There was a running motive throughout of "when you're in, you're in."  Nacho is resignedly stuck between two murderous bosses and he can't even buy his father out to safety.  Kim thought she had figured out a way to reap the benefits of having a client like Mesa Verde while handing off most of the work so she could feel like she was making a difference with her pro bono clients.  I'm inclined to think Kim was actually telling the truth in her story about skipping out on the rent as a child, but in the end it didn't matter.  In the end, she's still the big bank lawyer who's trying to strongarm one lonely old man out of his home to build a call center and he didn't care about her sad story or that she meant well.  Jimmy was hilarious in trying to nickel and dime his way out of taking on Crazy Eight's case for Lalo, and his days of writing wills for a hundred or so bucks a pop are finally over, but he ended up essentially on call for what he has a pretty good inkling are some very bad people and he's in now with those people beyond just showing up to represent them in court.  I do like that there's still enough of Jimmy left that he actually put in the effort to make sure his client was protected since it was obvious Lalo didn't really much care about him beyond solving the immediate issue.  The bottle throwing at the end was certainly childish, but Kim's frustration with where she ended up despite her good intentions was palpable.

I really hope that Mike manages to move on beyond his current funk by next episode because this one made me realize how much I enjoy not feeling like I'm watching entirely separate shows that just happen to share a time slot.

[Bannon]

21 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

The cinematography and scene framing of this one were gorgeous.  I was really struck by the shot where Nacho's dad is outside eyeballing the house of ill-gotten gains and Nacho is inside looking appropriately miserable.  With it art and electronics and gray undertones, it looks like the kind of place someone like Nacho would have bought when he was finally doing well enough for himself to afford it.  It also looks like a positively miserable place to live.

There was a running motive throughout of "when you're in, you're in."  Nacho is resignedly stuck between two murderous bosses and he can't even buy his father out to safety.  Kim thought she had figured out a way to reap the benefits of having a client like Mesa Verde while handing off most of the work so she could feel like she was making a difference with her pro bono clients.  I'm inclined to think Kim was actually telling the truth in her story about skipping out on the rent as a child, but in the end it didn't matter.  In the end, she's still the big bank lawyer who's trying to strongarm one lonely old man out of his home to build a call center and he didn't care about her sad story or that she meant well.  Jimmy was hilarious in trying to nickel and dime his way out of taking on Crazy Eight's case for Lalo, and his days of writing wills for a hundred or so bucks a pop are finally over, but he ended up essentially on call for what he has a pretty good inkling are some very bad people and he's in now with those people beyond just showing up to represent them in court.  I do like that there's still enough of Jimmy left that he actually put in the effort to make sure his client was protected since it was obvious Lalo didn't really much care about him beyond solving the immediate issue.  The bottle throwing at the end was certainly childish, but Kim's frustration with where she ended up despite her good intentions was palpable.

I really hope that Mike manages to move on beyond his current funk by next episode because this one made me realize how much I enjoy not feeling like I'm watching entirely separate shows that just happen to share a time slot.

I really appreciate how the writers never go for easy sentiment in the way so much television and movie writing does. The lazy thing to do would have been to portray the old man as a wholly sympathetic, put upon, salt of the earth type, victimized by the big, money-grubbing, bank, leading to more internal conflict for Kim. That would have been really boring and trite.

Instead, they portray the old man as kind of a self centered jackass, as people often are. He was happy to sign the contract in 1974, at a lease amount that reflected that the lessor could buy the property back if a more valuable use for the land became available. Now that it has happened, the old fart pretends that what he agreed to is irrelevant, and the party who simply wants to do what everybody agreed to do is somehow acting unethically. Hell, Mesa Verde is even willing to more than triple the 5k margin, above market value, contract terms. If the old fart had any ability to see anything beyond his self centered focus, he'd counter at 30k, and Mesa Verde would likely settle at 25k, 5 times what the lease calls for, with free service from Kim Wexler Moving included!

Nope, the old man wants what he wants, what he agreed to be damned, and he tosses Kim's graciousness back in her face with contempt. What. A. Jerk.

It makes Kim's disgusted bottle tossing later that night much more believable. Terrific writing.

[gallimaufry]

Had time for a second viewing today.  Little things I noticed.

When Nacho’s girlfriend excuses herself from her dad, Michael Mando gives a little look - not sure what it is but possibly surprise that she doesn’t cause a fuss?

I really like the actor who plays Rich.  “Get yourself down there, stat” could have felt aggressive but it really wasn’t.  That Kim is raging against the system isn’t on Rich.

Did we know Steve Gomez’s wife was called Blanca before?  It was nice to get the namedrop but I now wonder if she’s a character we might see in the post-BB phase of BCS.

“This dude.  Good idea.”  Usually, everyone is the straight man to Jimmy but I love how Lalo enjoys Saul and gets him.

In the first bottle scene, Kim is eyeing the bottle on the ledge.  At first, I felt like it was a metaphor - there’s Kim drinking, Jimmy drinking and Saul Goodman as the third party.  But after the end, I wonder if it’s more that she wants to chuck it.  With her volcano lid bubbling like this it feels like she could break badder (but for, I guess, good reasons?) than Jimmy.  I also like how happy she is at the end - the second time this season we’ve seen her mischievous side come out.

[rhys]

1 hour ago, PeterPirate said:

Sorry to nitpick, but Corbin was Brenda's dad in The Closer.  One of my favorite shows (a garden gnome is the murder weapon in one episode).  I wonder if we'll be seeing him again.  When this show casts guest actors with substantial resumes, it's usually for more than one episode.  

Brenda's dad was really sharp at figuring out her BS excuses and apologies for not spending time with her parents.  Makes me wonder just how truthful Kim was being when telling her story.

Arrgh! Thanks

[Bannon]

1 hour ago, BeatrixK said:

OK -- can ANYONE explain the ants?

 

(Please don't let it be something obvious I will feel stupid for when I learn the symbolism.  lol)

I may be dumb, but I just saw it as a way to portray how much time the meeting with Lalo took, along with symbolizing  the ruthless exploitation of whatever resources are readily available by individual in a society, be it a society of humans or ants, with the Edmund Hillary of ants summiting the cone symbolizing the drive to be atop the hierarchy. Eventually, the end of the episode, all value of the cone has been stripped, and the exploiters are left rummaging around, somewhat pointlessly. 

Or maybe I'm completely nuts.

[ShadowFacts]

5 minutes ago, Bannon said:

I really appreciate how the writers never go for easy sentiment in the way so much television and movie writing does. The lazy thing to do would have been to portray the old man as a wholly sympathetic, put upon, salt of the earth type, victimized by the big, money-grubbing, bank, leading to more internal conflict for Kim. That would have been really boring and trite.

Instead, they portray the old man as kind of a self centered jackass, as people often are. He was happy to sign the contract in 1974, at a lease amount that reflected that the lessor could buy the property back if a more valuable use for the land became available. Now that it has happened, the old fart pretends that what he agreed to is irrelevant, and the party who simply wants to do what everybody agreed to do is somehow acting unethically. Hell, Mesa Verde is even willing to more than triple the 5k margin, above market value, contract terms. If the old fart had any ability to see anything beyond his self centered focus, he'd counter at 30k, and Mesa Verde would likely settle at 25k, 5 times what the lease calls for, with free service from Kim Wexler Moving included!

Nope, the old man wants what he wants, what he agreed to be damned, and he tosses Kim's graciousness back in her face with contempt. What. A. Jerk.

It makes Kim's disgusted bottle tossing later that night much more believable. Terrific writing.

I had empathy for the guy, he knew he had lost the battle, but won't leave until the sheriff comes to evict him. Very understandable to me, and I didn't think he was a jerk. (Maybe I'm an old fart, too, and/or I have an ax to grind on account of my grandparents' farm being taken by eminent domain.) Mesa Verde suits standing en masse outside his walls elicited more contempt from me. Thirty years ago he may have only been able to afford what he signed on for. Now the big bank successor owner is offering him a little more than the old contract and he doesn't care about that. Kim was going way above and beyond, not to impress Mesa Verde with her ability to get him out, but because she identified with his plight. She didn't need to do any of what she did. In fact, neither did Mesa Verde, since the guy had already lost in court, the eviction process can just play out. I'm beginning to think that while she shows discomfort with Jimmy's quick success with his shady clients, she is even more uncomfortable with Mesa Verde. Being the enforcer for the big bank against the little guy isn't her thing. She is very involved in the details of her poor pro bono clients' lives, and seems to relish that. She doesn't want to pile misery on people. 

 

[Bryce Lynch]

18 minutes ago, gallimaufry said:

Had time for a second viewing today.  Little things I noticed.

When Nacho’s girlfriend excuses herself from her dad, Michael Mando gives a little look - not sure what it is but possibly surprise that she doesn’t cause a fuss?

I really like the actor who plays Rich.  “Get yourself down there, stat” could have felt aggressive but it really wasn’t.  That Kim is raging against the system isn’t on Rich.

Did we know Steve Gomez’s wife was called Blanca before?  It was nice to get the namedrop but I now wonder if she’s a character we might see in the post-BB phase of BCS.

“This dude.  Good idea.”  Usually, everyone is the straight man to Jimmy but I love how Lalo enjoys Saul and gets him.

In the first bottle scene, Kim is eyeing the bottle on the ledge.  At first, I felt like it was a metaphor - there’s Kim drinking, Jimmy drinking and Saul Goodman as the third party.  But after the end, I wonder if it’s more that she wants to chuck it.  With her volcano lid bubbling like this it feels like she could break badder (but for, I guess, good reasons?) than Jimmy.  I also like how happy she is at the end - the second time this season we’ve seen her mischievous side come out.

Blanca's name was mentioned at least once on BB.  I think when Hank was going through his PTSD and still obsessed with the Heisenberg case and  refused the El Paso assignment, Marie told Hank that Blanca had told her that Steve was going in his place.  

[peeayebee]

10 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

You're not the only one. Glass all over that pavement there!

I bet Kim sweeps it up in the morning. 🙂

 

11 minutes ago, Bannon said:

I may be dumb, but I just saw it as a way to portray how much time the meeting with Lalo took, along with symbolizing  the ruthless exploitation of whatever resources are readily available by individual in a society, be it a society of humans or ants, with the Edmund Hillary of ants summiting the cone symbolizing the drive to be atop the hierarchy. 

I loved the yodeling as the ants ascended the Mt Everest of ant delights. That whole sequence was amazing. The CGI was perfect. It didn't look fake at all.

Great ep. 

I was hoping to see Mike make up with Kaylee, but I guess that's for another ep. However, it was satisfying seeing him break the punk's arm.

Nacho trying to save his dad is heartwarming. I'm sorry his dad is so stubborn and won't get away from the danger. Of course he doesn't realize all the details. 

Always a pleasure watching Jimmy/Saul work. I cracked up when he was brought to the garage and finally said, "Can I speak?... Ok, I'll speak." Yup. He's a talker.

It was fun seeing Domingo become a DEA informant. Hard to tell if he'll really be an informant or just act like one.

I've always loved how well Hank and Gomey work together. 

Kim. Wow. I felt so bad for her when she told the old guy the true story of her poor childhood but he thought it was just more lawyer tricks. 

[Bryce Lynch]

Just now, ShadowFacts said:

I had empathy for the guy, he knew he had lost the battle, but won't leave until the sheriff comes to evict him. Very understandable to me, and I didn't think he was a jerk. (Maybe I'm an old fart, too, and/or I have an ax to grind on account of my grandparents' farm being taken by eminent domain.) Mesa Verde suits standing en masse outside his walls elicited more contempt from me. Thirty years ago he may have only been able to afford what he signed on for. Now the big bank successor owner is offering him a little more than the old contract and he doesn't care about that. Kim was going way above and beyond, not to impress Mesa Verde with her ability to get him out, but because she identified with his plight. She didn't need to do any of what she did. In fact, neither did Mesa Verde, since the guy had already lost in court, the eviction process can just play out. I'm beginning to think that while she shows discomfort with Jimmy's quick success with his shady clients, she is even more uncomfortable with Mesa Verde. Being the enforcer for the big bank against the little guy isn't her thing. She is very involved in the details of her poor pro bono clients' lives, and seems to relish that. She doesn't want to pile misery on people. 

 

I am kind of in between on him.  I felt bad for the guy losing his house and could understand him not wanting to give in.  Also, we don't know how much of a discount he got because of the buyback clause, and how clearly it was disclosed to him when he signed the deal 30 something years earlier.  In addition, as Kim mentioned, the $5,000 wouldn't go nearly as far as when he bought the house.  

On the other hand, a contract is a contract and he had his day in court and lost.  MV was trying to be somewhat reasonable, offering him $18,000.  I agree with Bannon that he should have counter offered, and gotten a bit more. 

Still, I get his stubbornness.  In some ways, he is a bit like Nacho's Dad.  He is stubbornly refusing to accept the reality of the situation he is in, and just make the best of it.  

 

[Bannon]

3 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

I had empathy for the guy, he knew he had lost the battle, but won't leave until the sheriff comes to evict him. Very understandable to me, and I didn't think he was a jerk. (Maybe I'm an old fart, too, and/or I have an ax to grind on account of my grandparents' farm being taken by eminent domain.) Mesa Verde suits standing en masse outside his walls elicited more contempt from me. Thirty years ago he may have only been able to afford what he signed on for. Now the big bank successor owner is offering him a little more than the old contract and he doesn't care about that. Kim was going way above and beyond, not to impress Mesa Verde with her ability to get him out, but because she identified with his plight. She didn't need to do any of what she did. In fact, neither did Mesa Verde, since the guy had already lost in court, the eviction process can just play out. I'm beginning to think that while she shows discomfort with Jimmy's quick success with his shady clients, she is even more uncomfortable with Mesa Verde. Being the enforcer for the big bank against the little guy isn't her thing. She is very involved in the details of her poor pro bono clients' lives, and seems to relish that. She doesn't want to pile misery on people. 

 

I have empathy for anyone who has to leave a home they want to stay in, but eminent domain, when the government simply arrives at your doorstep, and forces you out, at a price you didn't agree to, really is quite different from a contract that everybody voluntarily entered into, with one party wanting to exercise the provisions. I'd have to see it again, but I think the old fart was being offered market value plus 18k, instead of market value plus 5k. Meaning the value of the home and other improvements he made is part of what he is getting. That's not bad, and reasonably generous on Mesa Verde's part. I really don't see any villainy in its behavior.

[shapeshifter]

 

12 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

Was Kim running a con on Mr. Acker (I love that guy!)?  The little details were just.so.perfect.  Blue toes.  He's tragically a fool, but he will be able to look at himself in a mirror.

2 hours ago, PeterPirate said:

Brenda's dad was really sharp at figuring out her BS excuses and apologies for not spending time with her parents.  Makes me wonder just how truthful Kim was being when telling her story.

Kim seemed to be telling the truth, but the "blue toes" line just seemed a little off --but then I've never noticed if my toes were blue from cold--just blue lips--but being barefoot. . . maybe? 
This is an example of how hard it is to ever trust a con artist--I would like to know if Vince Gilligan was at least in part trying to make this point.

 

I have a slightly different take on the bottle throwing that so many have found disturbing:

11 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

And is it weird  that of all the illegal activity going on, the thing that really got under my skin was Kim and Jimmy throwing beer bottles off of the balcolny?  That's just rude to the community living there.  They're not wayward youth.  They're wayward adults who should know better than that.

11 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

You're not the only one. Glass all over that pavement there!

10 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Of all the crime that has happened on this show, Jimmy and Kim tossing those bottles would be the one that somehow made me go "Come on, guys!  That's not right!"

10 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Put me in the camp of those more upset about the breaking glass bottles on a parking lot than anything else. I have my limits! 

Even though I too do not like to see people breaking glass recklessly--I actually did do it once when I was about 20, was severely reprimanded by a young mother, and then sheepishly cleaned up every last shard, never to do it again in the next 45+ years--I wondered if maybe the place where Jimmy and Kim's bottles were landing and smashing already routinely had broken bottles from drunks.

But more importantly, I saw the bottle breaking as part of a symbolic theme of the episode that was a masterful bit of story telling and character reveal/development:

54 minutes ago, gallimaufry said:

In the first bottle scene, Kim is eyeing the bottle on the ledge. 

That got my attention because it felt like something irritating that my ex would do, and when Kim went inside and took the the bottle with her, that was something I would have done. Given that set-up, how do we interpret Kim's feelings, state of mind, and her relationship with Jimmy? The bottle breaking comes after she goes back to try to talk to the recalcitrant property owner. Assuming she, like my kids, grew up not owning a home but always intending to, I think she is maybe throwing the bottles at the home owners? Or is it at renters? Regardless, Jimmy supports her feelings rather than criticizing.

 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by shapeshifter

[monakane]

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm finding this season somewhat boring.  The episodes feel like they are meandering and the writing seems off.  I'm committed and will see the series through to the end.  I'm hoping the pace picks up.

[ShadowFacts]

2 minutes ago, Bannon said:

I have empathy for anyone who has to leave a home they want to stay in, but eminent domain, when the government simply arrives at your doorstep, and forces you out, at a price you didn't agree to, really is quite different from a contract that everybody voluntarily entered into, with one party wanting to exercise the provisions. I'd have to see it again, but I think the old fart was being offered market value plus 18k, instead of market value plus 5k. Meaning the value of the home and other improvements he made is part of what he is getting. That's not bad, and reasonably generous on Mesa Verde's part. I really don't see any villainy in its behavior.

Totally know that this is different from eminent domain. And I aced Contracts. I still feel the burn of my grandparents' situation decades later and was just recognizing the roots of my empathy for the homeowner. It's not even a matter of him getting x number of dollars, it's that he did not truly grasp that he would  have to reckon with the lease actually evaporating some day. Villainy in the bank's behavior? No, that's too strong. Insensitive/uncaring in how they sent out the cavalry. I would react negatively to that. There was no way that he was going to say, okay, I see your points, I'll just leave now.

[Bannon]

17 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I bet Kim sweeps it up in the morning. 🙂

 

I loved the yodeling as the ants ascended the Mt Everest of ant delights. That whole sequence was amazing. The CGI was perfect. It didn't look fake at all.

Great ep. 

I was hoping to see Mike make up with Kaylee, but I guess that's for another ep. However, it was satisfying seeing him break the punk's arm.

Nacho trying to save his dad is heartwarming. I'm sorry his dad is so stubborn and won't get away from the danger. Of course he doesn't realize all the details. 

Always a pleasure watching Jimmy/Saul work. I cracked up when he was brought to the garage and finally said, "Can I speak?... Ok, I'll speak." Yup. He's a talke

19 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

🙂

 

 

I was hoping to see Mike make up with Kaylee, but I guess that's for another ep. However, it was satisfying seeing him break the punk's arm.

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

Mike's fight scene was also better written than the norm in television and movie. Usually, the bad guy throws a punch, the good guy blocks it or ducks it, and then ends the fight. In reality, one of the real "OH, SHIT!" moments a fight starter sometimes encounters, when vastly underestimating the intended victim, is when the fight starter lands his best shot, right at the beginning, and the intended victim isn't even rocked. 

I chuckled a little at that, and was able to ignore that Jonathan Goodman, a terrific actor, is in his 70s.

[Bannon]

12 minutes ago, ShadowFacts said:

Totally know that this is different from eminent domain. And I aced Contracts. I still feel the burn of my grandparents' situation decades later and was just recognizing the roots of my empathy for the homeowner. It's not even a matter of him getting x number of dollars, it's that he did not truly grasp that he would  have to reckon with the lease actually evaporating some day. Villainy in the bank's behavior? No, that's too strong. Insensitive/uncaring in how they sent out the cavalry. I would react negatively to that. There was no way that he was going to say, okay, I see your points, I'll just leave now.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you didn't know the difference, or discount why the scene emotionally resonated with you. I just kind of dislike the tendency to assume that someone in the old guy's situation didn't grasp what he was getting into. I kind of think it more likely that he understood very well, and he just doesn't, understandably,  want to move 30 years later. 

[Bryce Lynch]

24 minutes ago, Bannon said:

I have empathy for anyone who has to leave a home they want to stay in, but eminent domain, when the government simply arrives at your doorstep, and forces you out, at a price you didn't agree to, really is quite different from a contract that everybody voluntarily entered into, with one party wanting to exercise the provisions. I'd have to see it again, but I think the old fart was being offered market value plus 18k, instead of market value plus 5k. Meaning the value of the home and other improvements he made is part of what he is getting. That's not bad, and reasonably generous on Mesa Verde's part. I really don't see any villainy in its behavior.

I didn't see any villainy either.  But, when someone is trying to kick a person out of their home of 30 years, however legally and justifiably, that person is going to tend to see them as villains.  

$18 was pretty close to the $5K adjusted for inflation from 1974 to 2004, so it was a pretty fair offer and clearly went well beyond MV's legal obligation of $5,000.   

I guess if you want to see villainy, you could argue that the bank could have built its call center on an undeveloped piece of land, or one that already had an industrial property that had closed.  But, nevertheless, they did nothing illegal and the homeowners' were made whole, and all but one took the deals and left.  

 

28 minutes ago, monakane said:

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm finding this season somewhat boring.  The episodes feel like they are meandering and the writing seems off.  I'm committed and will see the series through to the end.  I'm hoping the pace picks up.

I am part of your minority, though I thought episode 3 was a big improvement over 1 and 2.  

[PeterPirate]

Props to the bartender for not taking down the postcard until Mike said please.  

I know a little bit about investments, and I believe that had Mr. Acker's lease not included a buyout clause, his rent would have been higher.  I have some personal experience dealing with an older person who didn't understand the benefits and potential downside risks of call provisions.  

Nacho's dad is a wonderful person.  Which means he's probably not going to make it.  This is the World of Walter White, after all, where good people like Andrea often don't live to the end. 

For that matter, I wonder if Mr. Acker is going to survive the eviction process.  

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by PeterPirate

[Joimiaroxeu]

$7,925. Literal pocket change for Lalo. Saul sold himself cheap but he learned a lesson that will pay off in the future.

Whee, Mike basically said, "I got your gramps right here, punks." I winced to hear those bones breaking. But what kind of lame gang was that? Maybe they figured their strength was in numbers?

Not thrilled to see Hank again. I'll take solace in knowing how that cowboy egomaniac will eventually go out. (But good on Vince for giving a lot of the old crew work again.)

Obstinate Mr. Acker read Kim right proper. And then she unsheathed her claws. Great scene.

Quote

The Kim story was interesting, though kind of low stakes.   When Maurice from Northern Exposure told her she would say anything to get what she wants I thought he was right about her, in a general sense, but that everything she told him about her past and her intentions to help him was true.

I think maybe some of it was true but her delivery was too earnest. And I think the blue toes detail is what tipped Mr. Acker off. She over-embellished and it ended up sounding like, "I walked 50 miles to school in a blazing snowstorm, uphill and barefoot."

[Adiba]

I usually lurk here, but I had to say something about the Kim/Mr. Acker situation. I get that home is home, but why in the hell would he want to stay there, especially because all of his neighbors are gone? (Although I don't exactly see him as being life of the block party.) Also, couldn't MV just build around him?

I think he was being a jackass to Kim, although it was somewhat understandable. I loved when she went back at him--who was he to "read" her? He didn't know her or what her struggles were--she's just trying to do her job and live her life, too.

I'm an East-coast person, used to lots of trees and greenery, and the location of that house looked like a desolate wasteland to me (not that I wouldn't mind a little more sunshine) and well--depressing. 

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Kim seemed to be telling the truth, but the "blue toes" line just seemed a little off --but then I've never noticed if my toes were blue from cold--just blue lips--but being barefoot. . . maybe? 
This is an example of how hard it is to ever trust a con artist--I would like to know if Vince Gilligan was at least in part trying to make this point.

The way I look at it is the scene has much more meaning if she was telling the truth. If she was trying to pull one over on him and he still didn't fall for it, then so what? The fact that she opened up only to be shot down is what carries the emotion. Kim is a buttoned-up person. We hardly know anything about her, so to see her reveal something some personal and painful is significant.

43 minutes ago, Bannon said:

I chuckled a little at that, and was able to ignore that Jonathan Goodman, a terrific actor, is in his 70s.

You mean, Saul Banks? 😉

[NDW5332]

13 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

Is it pride (a sin of itself) that is driving him?  I love this question.

 

 

This quote reminded me of Barry Corbin (Acker) and his character in No Country for Old Men and a similar discussion between him and Tommy Lee Jones's character.  How he chided Tommy Lee Jones's Sheriff Bell for thinking that he was "overmatched" and the reason that that part of Texas was so violent, "That's vanity!"

That just puts another exclamation point on the effect of pride in the BB/BCS Albuquerque-verse.

[Bannon]

I'll never try to tell anyone that they should like what that they don't like, or they shouldn't like what they do, but I thought all 3 episodes have been very enjoyable. Losing the relationship between Jimmy and Chuck took some life out of the show for me, but then again I've read people on this site say that Chuck was starting to bore them, so there's no accounting for taste. The show was inevitably going to take a pretty dark turn, which means the humour of Jimmy starting his legal career was going to fade somewhat, and I've always loved the humour element. I'm anxious for Howard to be in more scenes.

On the whole, however, I'm still happy to see these writers patiently showing us how Jimmy and Kim's relationship comes to it's tragic end, and what I suspect will be Nacho's demise. Seeing Mike struggle with himself is interesting to me, to see how he rationalizes his choices, or to see how honest he'll be with himself.

Frankly, I'm a little in awe of how well these writers have sewn the BCS fabric onto the BB tapestry that was started well over a decade ago.  It easily could have been a clunky disaster, but these writers, in partnership with actors, directors, and cinematographer, have, in my opinion, pulled of something quite remarkable.