S05.E07: JMM

[nodorothyparker]

Airdate 2020.03.30

Quote

Jimmy and Kim build a legal firewall with help from Huell, and Kim sets things straight with her clients as Jimmy is compromised by his. Gus calms troubled waters while Mike does damage control.

 

[Ohwell]

Huell!

[Atlanta]

Did you noticed the clerk asked for proof of previous dissolutions? I guess we have our answers about the ex wives.

[Ohwell]

Best part of the episode was Howard making Saul lose his shit at the end.

[Dianaofthehunt]

Second best part was Kim showing her balls o’ steel, and putting Kevin firmly in his place!

[Lonesome Rhodes]

This was Mike's ep.

He, at least, did find his way to some measure of real love and meaning.  He really understands who he sees in the mirror.

Saul is a nullity.  Pure hell, is he.  His ring is his talisman.  

 

  

[ShadowFacts]

Marriage.  Even Huell thinks it is lame.  Because it is lame.  And they don't have another friend between them. I can't with Kim anymore.

Gus and Lydia and Peter from Madrigal and Santiago and 'hang on, we're so close'?  Now that's intriguing.

 

 

[Ohwell]

2 minutes ago, Dianaofthehunt said:

Second best part was Kim showing her balls o’ steel, and putting Kevin firmly in his place!

Yet she married Saul.  That, for me, negates any balls she ever had. 

[tennisgurl]

Saul absolutely losing his shit at Howard, while Howard just walks away not even looking back at him, was my favorite part of the episode. Maybe one if my favorite of the season, it just said so much. 

[Sharper2002]

Although I know he’s a criminal and horrible person, watching Gus burn down Los Pollos Hermanos was pretty sad. Seeing everything that he’s gone through to achieve his goal to have one WW blown it all up.

I enjoyed that we spent a bit more time on the Mike/Gus/Saul/Nacho show this week. I don’t give a fig about Kim and never have and now that she was dumb enough to marry Saul, she can really kick rocks.

Howard, you tried man...

[Pike Ludwell]

9 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Saul absolutely losing his shit at Howard, while Howard just walks away not even looking back at him, was my favorite part of the episode. Maybe one if my favorite of the season, it just said so much. 

Seems like that hysterical, insane public behavior is so unprofessional it could be the basis for a disciplinary action, if Howard or any witness wanted to pursue it. And the fact that it comes so soon after his recent suspension and reinstatement would be an important consideration. 

How did Howard know Jimmy did those things (the bowling balls, prostitutes), I wonder? Just a very reasonable guess and he wanted to see Jimmy's reaction? I doubt he has any solid proof, but it's possible.

Edited March 31, 2020 by Pike Ludwell

[Ohwell]

16 minutes ago, Pike Ludwell said:

How did Howard know Jimmy did those things (the bowling balls, prostitutes), I wonder? Just a good guess and he wanted to see Jimmy's reaction? I doubt he has any solid proof, but it's possible.

I just think Howard knew those were just the types of things that Jimmy would do.  Also, maybe Chuck told Howard about the Squat Cobbler and that other trick I forgot about? 

[nodorothyparker]

That was the most depressing courthouse wedding I think I've ever seen, and I've had a courthouse wedding.  There's nothing wrong with not wanting to make a big fuss, but ye gods, Huell was showing more enthusiasm than either of the participants.  I'm sure that won't turn out badly at all for the third Mrs. McGill.

Jimmy losing his shit at Howard was gloriously operatic in a way this show hasn't been much of in awhile.  He was clearly feeling something over getting bail for Lalo after seeing the victim's grieving family (How great was that half face, half reflection shot though?), reeling over just what a big fish he'd snagged/how deep he's in now when Lalo acted like $7 million bail was pocket change, and now here's Howard again inadvertently picking at his unresolved grief and anger over Chuck.  Good for Howard for finally putting two and two together, but that burning of the last bridge was a long time coming.

I can't even wrap my head around how much Gus seems willing to lose to play the long game with these people.

 

 

[TVFan17]

I just want to point out that I was saying last week that Saul had at least 2 wives by the time he made the comment about his second wife with his stepdad in Breaking Bad.

Now we know for sure... there is a 3rd wife too. 

Anyway, I'm glad this wife thing was clarified now, because I felt like I was being picked at last week (in this forum) for believing Saul's comment about his second wife.  I know that he lies, but when he mentioned the second wife with the stepdad, there wasn't any advantage to him lying about it in that moment.  If there had been some sort of gain for him to make up that story, I would have thought he was lying.  I believed there was a second wife because it didn't benefit him to lie about a second wife at that point.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by TVFan17

[sistermagpie]

1 hour ago, Atlanta said:

Did you noticed the clerk asked for proof of previous dissolutions? I guess we have our answers about the ex wives.

 

5 minutes ago, TVFan17 said:

I just want to point out that I was saying last week that Saul had at least 2 wives by the time he made the comment about his second wife with his stepdad in Breaking Bad -- but he never actually said "I've had two wives," as far as I can recall.  See what I mean?  He referred to the second wife being with his stepdad, but that didn't mean that there was not a 3rd wife -- or even a 4th wife -- by the time he made the comment to Walt in BB. 

Now we know... there is a 3rd wife too.  And depending on what happens to Kim or how much of a time jump there might be between now and the start of the BB timeline... who knows?  Maybe there will be a 4th wife too!  lol

Anyway, I'm glad this wife thing was clarified now, because I felt like I was being picked at last week (in this forum) for believing Saul's comment about his second wife.  I know that he lies, but when he mentioned the second wife with the stepdad, there wasn't any advantage to him lying about it in that moment.  If there had been some sort of gain for him to make up that story, I would have thought he was lying.  I believed there was a second wife because it didn't benefit him to lie about a second wife at that point.

 

Oh good--I was about to going to try to go back and find whoever was saying this on the last episode because I didn't remember exactly what you said he said on BB. I was going to ask exactly this question--so Saul only mentioned a second wife, meaning that the Kim situation is unresolved either way (could be a fourth wife, could be 3 exes, could be still married or a widower for all we know).

I had definitely thought it was a possibility that Saul was lying in the past scene (I didn't even remember the context at all) but they wrote themselves into it and stuck with it!

[tennisgurl]

1 hour ago, Pike Ludwell said:

How did Howard know Jimmy did those things (the bowling balls, prostitutes), I wonder? Just a good guess and he wanted to see Jimmy's reaction? I doubt he has any solid proof, but it's possible.

I mean, Howard probably doesent know that many people that would throw a bowling ball into his car then pay prostitutes to yell at him during a business lunch. Howard isnt a stupid person, he could probably put two and two together. 

So much went on during that trail with Jimmy, from him seeing the family of the guy that Lola killed, to him nonchalantly saying how the several millions in bail in cash was no big deal, really realizing the scope of what he was getting involved in, both with how big time these people are (this isnt exactly getting hookers and low level drug dealers out on a quick bail) and that what they do have real actual consequences for real actual innocent people. 

Hi Huell! At least someone was happy during that sad, sad wedding. 

Edited March 31, 2020 by tennisgurl

[TVFan17]

5 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

 

Oh good--I was about to going to try to go back and find whoever was saying this on the last episode because I didn't remember exactly what you said he said on BB. I was going to ask exactly this question--so Saul only mentioned a second wife, meaning that the Kim situation is unresolved either way (could be a fourth wife, could be 3 exes, could be still married or a widower for all we know).

I had definitely thought it was a possibility that Saul was lying in the past scene (I didn't even remember the context at all) but they wrote themselves into it and stuck with it!

I didn't recall Saul ever mentioning being married 3 times -- he mentioned the second wife, but I thought that could have still meant he was married a 3rd time by the time we got to Breaking Bad and he told Walt about wife #2.

But in that video I linked above, they say that we've known that Saul was married 3 times.  So maybe the "3 times" is mentioned at some point in BB and I just missed it?  Not sure.

But we know now that he has had a few wives before the BB timeline starts.  He's been a busy guy!  lol

Edited March 31, 2020 by TVFan17

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, Sharper2002 said:

Although I know he’s a criminal and horrible person, watching Gus burn down Los Pollos Hermanos was pretty sad. Seeing everything that he’s gone through to achieve his goal to have one WW blown it all up.

I enjoyed that we spent a bit more time on the Mike/Gus/Saul/Nacho show this week. I don’t give a fig about Kim and never have and now that she was dumb enough to marry Saul, she can really kick rocks.

Howard, you tried man...

I felt bad of Lyle.  He spent hours scrubbing the fryer and Fring burns down the place.

[Bryce Lynch]

50 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

I just think Howard knew those were just the types of things that Jimmy would do.  Also, maybe Chuck told Howard about the Squat Cobbler and that other trick I forgot about? 

I am pretty sure Chuck never knew about squat cobbler.   But, both Chuck and Howard knew of many other dirty tricks by Jimmy.

[scenario]

I don't think that Howard knew for sure. Jimmy was the prime suspect. He said what he said to see how Jimmy would react and Jimmy just confessed. Not actionable in court confessed but Howard now knows for sure what Saul really is. He might not have been this bad a few years ago but he is now.

I wonder if Howard is thinking that mental illness runs in the family. Chuck certainly was ill and Jimmy's reaction certainly wasn't the reaction of a stable person. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

24 minutes ago, scenario said:

I don't think that Howard knew for sure. Jimmy was the prime suspect. He said what he said to see how Jimmy would react and Jimmy just confessed. Not actionable in court confessed but Howard now knows for sure what Saul really is. He might not have been this bad a few years ago but he is now.

I don't think he confessed to the pranks.  He just made clear how he blamed Howard for Chuck's death, and how little he respected the job offer.  That's not an admission of guilt.

[chick binewski]

Two great episodes in a row and once again my late-season disappointment is setting in because we only get 10 episodes. 

I loved everything about returning to Madrigal; Schuler dipping the potato in ketchup, Gus's corporate enthusiasm. Lydia casually inquiring about people getting murdered in prison made me laugh out loud.

Oh Kim. She actually looked happy when the judge pronounced them husband & wife. 

[dwmarch]

56 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I felt bad of Lyle.  He spent hours scrubbing the fryer and Fring burns down the place.

Two things about that scene made me laugh. First, Gus giving the fryers a look like "damn, these are clean" and second, Gus needing to get a chicken from the back involved because the fryers weren't greasy enough to ignite on their own.

I am sure Gus has good insurance and his restaurant will be back up and running in no time. In the meantime, Lyle probably appreciates that he's going to get some downtime while his hands heal.

[scenario]

10 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I don't think he confessed to the pranks.  He just made clear how he blamed Howard for Chuck's death, and how little he respected the job offer.  That's not an admission of guilt.

That's why its not actionable. There's not a shred of actionable proof that he did anything. But as soon as he talked about it, Jimmy flew into a rage and not once said that he didn't do it. If  I were Howard I'd feel he made it pretty clear he did it. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

5 minutes ago, scenario said:

That's why its not actionable. There's not a shred of actionable proof that he did anything. But as soon as he talked about it, Jimmy flew into a rage and not once said that he didn't do it. If  I were Howard I'd feel he made it pretty clear he did it. 

Ok.  I think I was stuck on your "and Jimmy just confessed."

Speaking of proof, though, I would think that Gus would want to be nowhere near the scene of the arson since he will be making an insurance claim, and the franchisee is probably the prime suspect,

[monagatuna]

Still watching this, but I had a thought. Hear me out here.

This Jimmy-Kim thing is bad, right? Like, she's going down. She's not in BB and he never mentions her, or a wife. She's either going to divorce or die during the BCS universe.

Or is she? 

Wouldn't it be very Gilligan-esque if, say, we get to the end of BCS, get a nice black and white scene of Gene the Cinnaboy relaxing on the couch and reliving his glory days via VHS tape, enjoying a post-icing Scotch, and then who goes to sit next to him on the couch but Kim herself, whose name is now officially-unofficially Giselle St. Clair, who manages the Macy's at the other end of the mall? Whose ponytail is now not so neatly curled?

Edited March 31, 2020 by monagatuna

[thuganomics85]

Man, I can think of a whole lot of television weddings that would be improved if Huell was just there, rolling his eyes and shaking his head at the proceedings!  Loved everything about how unromantic and emotionless Jimmy/Kim's wedding was.  And forget the honeymoon: they didn't even bother with having lunch after!  At least they did have a wedding night, once Jimmy finished telling her that he's now basically a Cartel lawyer now!

Because, yeah, not surprised that Jimmy is now Lalo's attorney, and is already helping him out, thanks to an assist from Mike.  It was interesting at least seeing what looked like a brief moment of doubt/guilt when he saw the victim's family, but the point of no return has clearly passed.  It's only a matter of time before the final nail is in Jimmy McGill's coffin and then it's Saul Goodman all the time.

Kim continues to likely doom herself by going all in with Jimmy, but I'll give her credit for the way she confronted/played Kevin, because that probably was the most effective way to handle him.

Seeing Mike on better terms with Kaylee and Stacey was nice... well, until we remember that's because he has accepted who he is now, and that's a solider of a Cartel boss, who is currently in the middle of a war.

Speaking of which, sometimes I almost wish we just followed Gus dealing with the Los Pollos Hermanos stuff, because you know he is giving all of that stuff just was much energy as he does the drug stuff!  Too bad he had to burn it down in order to save face, but it will be back and better than ever!  I do hope Lyle and the rest of the team gets some compensation!

More familiar faces!  Including Lydia again!

So, Howard figures out that Jimmy was behind all of those pranks, which leads to Jimmy finally letting it all out: the reason he hated Howard making that offer was because he thinks he's "bigger" than Howard and his firm, and considered it an insult of all things.  Yeah, I really hope that Howard is through with him now.  Now that Kim as hitched her wagon to Jimmy, Howard is the character I want to come out of this ahead somehow (oh, and Nacho, but I know the deck is really, really stacked against him.)

Excellent episode.

 

[LittleIggy]

I LOLed when Lalo said “I can do that” about the $7 million bail. It was like when Jimmy told him his “daily rate” and Lalo rounded it up to $8000.

I too admit to feeling bad for evil Gus when he was compelled to torch one of his restaurants in pursuit of the long game.

Someone remind me who the old German guy is. Please.

[monagatuna]

2 hours ago, Dianaofthehunt said:

Second best part was Kim showing her balls o’ steel, and putting Kevin firmly in his place!

I'm a corporate lawyer and I have had this conversation in my head MULTIPLE times. I'm not the boss of you! You can do what you want! I warned you of the risks, don't ask me for permission to ignore my advice and tell you it's all going to be okay. 
 

I imagine it's like this for all lawyers of every stripe.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

A nice, final, inspection of the fry basket, which was acceptable.  You went out good, Lyle.

4.8 million Euros!  Yowza.  And a dead German.

"I am aware."  Has Banks more enjoyed delivering a line?  

While I am sad that G/G (each given writer credit) did not deliver with Kim being completely boxed in, her going on offense was the move.  I stared at Kim's face after Kevin gave her that advice about Saul.  What a mask she fashioned!  Such anger underneath the professional veneer. To me, that was the moment she decided to double down, as Giselle, and crush Kevin.  She wasn't going to let that asshiole (her opinion, not necessarily true) think for a nanosecond he was better than her and in any position to offer her fatherly advice!!!!   Again, she was done based on the predicates to this ep.  Not cool, G/G.  Yet, all concerned deserve props for the attempt. 

Was that not among the most wonderfully-appointed room for a little girl you've ever seen?  Any significance to the purple and the type of star of lights which acted as a bed canopy?  Mike outdid himself.  Oops, I mean Pop Pop.

[ahmerali]

27 minutes ago, monagatuna said:

Wouldn't it be very Gilligan-esque if, say, we get to the end of BCS, get a nice black and white scene of Gene the Cinnaboy relaxing on the couch and reliving his glory days via VHS tape, enjoying a post-icing Scotch, and then who goes to sit next to him on the couch but Kim herself, whose name is now officially-unofficially Giselle St. Clair, who manages the Macy's at the other end of the mall? Whose ponytail is now not so neatly curled?

I think this is the perfect ending. Only thing is she wouldn't be Giselle St. Clair, she used that name a couple of times and the Disappearer would never let her use something that could even possibly be traced back to her Albuquerque days.

25 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Someone remind me who the old German guy is. Please.

He's Peter Mueller, from Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 2, head of Madrigal. The guy who electrocuted himself in the bathroom once the cops found him.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

I mean, Howard probably doesent know that many people that would throw a bowling ball into his car then pay prostitutes to yell at him during a business lunch. Howard isnt a stupid person, he could probably put two and two together. 

Right.  Plus, the prostitute thing happened in front of Cliff who had experience with Jimmy doing silly self-sabotaging types of things when things otherwise seem good.  So if Howard were to debrief that scene with anyone, Cliff would be the one person who might help him connect the dots.

I worry a bit for Howard. I'm not sure Jimmy is done with him.  Once again, Jimmy accuses Howard of killing Chuck.  I wonder if the insurance thing will ever come out.  Not even Kim knows about that, right?

The Gus scenes are so deliciously tempting---giving out just a little bit of history just like in Breaking Bad. I wonder if we'll ever get the full picture of his past.  Meticulously blowing up his restaurant also felt like more of a shift in the Gus character towards who he'd become in Breaking Bad.  He seemed to accept the sacrifices he'd have to make more calmly than he has so far in BCS.

34 minutes ago, monagatuna said:

Wouldn't it be very Gilligan-esque if, say, we get to the end of BCS, get a nice black and white scene of Gene the Cinnaboy relaxing on the couch and reliving his glory days via VHS tape, enjoying a post-icing Scotch, and then who goes to sit next to him on the couch but Kim herself, whose name is now officially-unofficially Giselle St. Clair, who manages the Macy's at the other end of the mall? Whose ponytail is now not so neatly curled?

That would be a depressing ending.  It'd mean that, even as far as she has fallen, she absolutely destroys herself to be with Saul.

[ahmerali]

26 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

So, Howard figures out that Jimmy was behind all of those pranks, which leads to Jimmy finally letting it all out: the reason he hated Howard making that offer was because he thinks he's "bigger" than Howard and his firm, and considered it an insult of all things.  Yeah, I really hope that Howard is through with him now.  Now that Kim as hitched her wagon to Jimmy, Howard is the character I want to come out of this ahead somehow (oh, and Nacho, but I know the deck is really, really stacked against him.)

Excellent episode.

 

No, see, this is the part that actually made things messy for me. 

Consider what Howard has done this season. He's basically followed Jimmy around with this job offer - it all started with him asking something along the lines of "What's Saul Goodman about?". He finds Jimmy at the courthouse multiple times - he's just there, all of a sudden when Jimmy turns around. A senior partner at a good-sized law firm, just happening to be at the courthouse...right. Senior partners barely set foot outside their offices during business hours. They have associates and juniors to go to court.

I think Howard is borderline stalking Jimmy - and he's wired. He's working for someone, maybe the equivalent of the Law Society or whatever organization polices lawyers in New Mexico. Or maybe he's just doing what Chuck did to try and entrap Jimmy into a confession back in Season 2 - just get him to say something, anything incriminating, for reasons that we don't fully understand yet. It just doesn't make sense any other way for Howard to just show up out of the blue multiple times like he has, and still keep on trying, even after the bowling balls and the hookers. G/G would not just let this be a loose end to keep Patrick Fabian on the payrool.

[ahmerali]

6 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

That would be a depressing ending.  It'd mean that, even as far as she has fallen, she absolutely destroys herself to be with Saul.

We don't know that yet. 

 

2 hours ago, Sharper2002 said:

Although I know he’s a criminal and horrible person, watching Gus burn down Los Pollos Hermanos was pretty sad. Seeing everything that he’s gone through to achieve his goal to have one WW blown it all up.

 

Seems to me like the damage is pretty reversible though. Some replacement glass and some equipment and furniture. Very Fring like - just like when he knows he has to give up the money from his dead drops, he minimizes his losses; when some guys need to be arrested to cover Nacho's tracks, he makes sure they're the small fish.

[PeterPirate]

37 minutes ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

4.8 million Euros!  Yowza.  And a dead German.

In the BB episode Box Cutter, Walt told Gus that if Gus killed both Walt and Jesse, he would be left with an 8 million dollar hole in the ground.  Given the exchange rate, that's about the right amount.  

Gus' and Herr Schuler's history goes back to Chile.  Dayum, I'll bet we're going to see a flashback with some Chilean Nazis.  

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by PeterPirate

[TVFan17]

I thought this was a very good episode. 

When Peter first appeared, I must confess that I wasn't sure if it was the same actor who played him in Breaking Bad... but I guess it was.  It looks as though he and Gus have a history that goes beyond Madrigal and Los Pollos Hermanos.  I don't think we've ever seen Gus warmly hug anyone before, have we?  (I could be forgetting a hug in BB somewhere along the line.)

When Gus perched the chicken so it would slide down into the oil, I admit to thinking "You're wasting a perfectly good chicken!!"

I think that Kim knowing about Saul's "friendship" with the Cartel, and her now being his wife, is going to be bad -- like perhaps Lalo will threaten her.  Maybe Saul and Kim will finally get a pair of wedding rings, and Lalo will spot the ring on Saul's finger and then send someone to go after Kim.  But I don't know if the writers will actually go so far as to have Kim get killed by Lalo's people.  I tend to think she will survive, but possibly just be threatened or kidnapped or something.

Did Saul actually say that lightning bolts shoot from his fingertips?  Did I hear that correctly?  He is ridiculous.  I get that he thinks that Howard is a joke.  Maybe Howard is pompous or condescending or snide, but he still didn't deserve Saul's antics.  And, as we see, Saul is suddenly on a crazy power trip -- to the point of making an ass of himself in the courthouse in front of many onlookers -- so it's not Howard who is coming off looking bad now. Saul was shouting about how Howard didn't know what he was capable of -- in front of witnesses.  So if anything happens to Howard, Saul might be in the hot seat.

I wonder if Lalo would dispose of Howard as a way of keeping Saul under his control... Saul would probably not ask him to kill Howard, but I wonder if Lalo would do it if he knew that Howard was a thorn in Saul's side, and then hold it over his head to manipulate him.

At least Nacho realizes that he can't disappear without his dad.  If he goes solo, his dad will be killed.  They have to go together.  I don't think they're going to both make it out alive, but maybe one of them will.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by TVFan17

[Dev F]

While it's possible there's some hidden plot thread yet to be revealed regarding the Jimmy/Howard showdown, what interested me the most about their final confrontation is this episode is how it sort of recapitulates in miniature Jimmy's entire arc for the series. It starts by harking back to the "breaking good" moments of season 1, where Jimmy is trying to be a self-interested shit but can't stop himself from caring about the innocent people he's hurting. Then you get two-faced mirror Jimmy, torn between those moral qualms and his sleazier ambitions, echoing season 2's arc about how Jimmy is forever stuck pinging back and forth between the two. And along come Howard, scoffing at Jimmy's insistence that he's taking time to think over his job offer when he actually lashed out recklessly, bringing us to season 3's arc about how Jimmy is both blessed and cursed by his impulsive nature. And then Howard tells Jimmy, "I'm sorry you're in pain," and Jimmy spits back that Howard killed his brother, reflecting season 4's story about Jimmy using heedlessness and projection as a mask for his own guilt.

Which brings us to where we are now -- a season about the characters finally coming to terms with who they've become: "I know who you are. You know who you are. Let's just get past that." And here Jimmy is unconsciously expressing everything he's ever been. The episode is called "JMM," and a lot of it seems to be playing on the question of which phrase it stands for, "Justice Matters Most" or "Just Make Money." But it doesn't stand for either of them; they're both a way of hiding what the monogram actually means: James M. McGill. What really drives Jimmy is that he's Jimmy.

[Irlandesa]

19 minutes ago, ahmerali said:

We don't know that yet. 

The only way I think she ends up "disappearing" with Saul is if she destroys herself, in my opinion.  She has already compromised herself so much but this would be a whole other level.

35 minutes ago, ahmerali said:

Consider what Howard has done this season. He's basically followed Jimmy around with this job offer - it all started with him asking something along the lines of "What's Saul Goodman about?". He finds Jimmy at the courthouse multiple times - he's just there, all of a sudden when Jimmy turns around. A senior partner at a good-sized law firm, just happening to be at the courthouse...right.

He ran into Jimmy twice at the courthouse which could be the two times he has been in that building for all we know.  We do know that Jimmy is there quite a lot with his type of clientele. We've seen Howard in court before for special clients.  He did it for Mesa Verde. I don't think it's a stretch that they ran into one another twice.

Other than that, he arranged a lunch and then followed up on his job offer. 

I don't understand the marriage plot.  Couldn't they protect one another by being each other's lawyer?

 

[Bannon]

Just a tremedously written episode. Jimmy's repressed grief and rage boils over, and thus ends the chance he has to live a normally successful life. Kim marries Jim so Jimmy can't any longer have an excuse to keep Kim in the dark. Kim once again makes herself a hugely valuable asset in Schweikert's eyes, with her masterful control of a lucrative client. Which just drives home how she's about to wreck what could be a spectacular career. As I've written before, Gus could easily be a fast food chicken multimillionaire, if inflicting revenge on the cartel was not what he really cares about, really the only thing he cares about. Mike has made peace with being a button man for a drug kingpin. His peace with that decision will eventually amount to nothing, in terms of obtaining the only real goal he has, which is to make amends for his son's death.

Howard's the only character at this point who is coming out on top. He's gained self knowlwdge, which gives him insight into others. Everybody else, with the possible exception of Nacho, is just lying to themselves. 

And the humor! Those of you who have been to Roswell, NM; did you laugh out loud at.Huell's suggestion of B&B there, for a honeymoon? As well as Gus checking the cleanlines of the fryer basket? HA!

Edited March 31, 2020 by Bannon

[TVFan17]

20 minutes ago, Bannon said:

 

And the humor! Those of you who have been to Roswell, NM; did you laugh out loud at.Huell's suggestion of B&B there, for a honeymoon? As well as Gus checking the cleanlines of the fryer basket? HA!

I haven't been to Roswell, but I definitely laughed at Huell's Roswell B&B idea because I always associate it with aliens and UFOs and all of that! 

I also chuckled at Gus proudly talking about the curly fries (or whatever they're called) to his peers, competitors and associates in the restaurant business. 

I laughed at Lydia asking about murders in prison. 

I laughed at Lalo's instant "family" in the courtroom. 

I laughed at Saul trying to avoid talking to Mike on the phone by pretending he was going through a tunnel, only to find Mike standing outside of his door. 

I laughed when Saul said he had lightning shooting from his fingertips. 

I laughed when Huell was questioning Saul/Jimmy about the marriage.

I even enjoyed the reference to the bathroom having a heated floor (in the room where Gus was staying), as it reminded me of Ted's heated bathroom floor in Breaking Bad.

Lots of good stuff in this episode!

Edited March 31, 2020 by TVFan17

[ruby24]

I see they were determined to make that throwaway joke line from Saul about the ex-wives be accurate! Well, good for sticking with continuity.

Now Kim is his third wife. And now that they've done this I'm leaning much more towards her somehow being hidden in the background throughout the entirety of Breaking Bad, and figuring in somehow in the present day Gene timeline as well, at some point. 

[gallimaufry]

Another great episode, if a hard one to watch.  We're into the tailspin now.

One particular strength of the episode is the directing - and I love to see that it's producer Melissa Bernstein behind the camera.  BCS has always been one of the most beautiful shows on TV but this year it doesn't feel like it's always had quite the same flair -- it's often looked quite murky which, granted, fits the show thematically.  But the beautiful location of the Nacho/Mike meet and the incredible shot of two-face Jimmy in the courthouse really captured the flair of the series at its best.

Mike -- I loved the scenes with Kayleigh and Stacey and I think they make sense of a fundamental problem with Mike which is why such an essentially decent person would stoop so low.  But it's clear that every time Mike steps away from picking fights with the Salamancas he explodes.  Like all the best BCS/BB characters, it's completely internally motivated.  I enjoyed him with Nacho -- Nacho/Mike scenes are actually fast becoming my favourite combination -- and I like the hint that he has a play to get Nacho's dad to safety.

Gus -- The stuff with Madrigal was interesting and very different and I guess it's good to see how Schuler was involved.  I really want them to get to this Santiago business.  Gus only had 2 and a half seasons of BB (longer seasons granted) -- he's now coming up on his third in BCS and we've learnt a tiny fraction about him.  We need his "Five-O" sooner rather than later although I feel like it's being saved for the final season.  The scene of he and Nacho destroying the restaurant was surprisingly moving and really paid off the scene with Lyle.  I did wonder whether there was a message meant in using a chicken -- granted, it is a chicken restaurant.

Kim -- Sigh.  The wedding scene was just awkward as hell and her accepting that Jimmy is representing cartel clients, while it came at a perfect moment in terms of both their vulnerability, really does feel like the screw turning on her morality.  The scenes with Kevin were great and I particularly enjoyed how unsettled Rich was by the whole thing.  And Kim's face when he gave her advice on Jimmy!  Comparing the judgment of Kim's world with Gus's "I am what I am"... I don't know how or why or when but it feels like at some point Kim is going to end up as Gus's lawyer.

Howard -- Thank goodness they've finally moved his plot along.  It's amazing that Howard has probably averaged less than a scene an episode for two seasons now and yet his character has changed as quickly and as dramatically as any of them.  He was right to call Jimmy on... well, everything.  The accusation that Howard killed Chuck was shocking both in that it's unfair and that Jimmy knows it must speak to Howard's own guilt but also that I wonder if this is how starkly he feels about his role in Chuck's death.  There's so much here and I really want to see the Howard plot become a very major part of the show again.

Lalo -- I felt he'd taken over the show a bit too much in the first two episodes but I enjoy his role here a lot more -- very tied into the Jimmy/Mike plotlines, not quite as prominent but incredibly dangerous.  I also love that the real human cost of his actions are followed through -- often with the cartel people, the victims of the violence is almost an afterthought.  Did we ever know anything about the guys the Cousins killed in 404?  But the death of the clerk really has power and the effect on Jimmy is particularly excellent.  Lalo's cavalier attitude towards $7 million is expected but brilliantly played.  I also liked how he's incapable of softening himself in court.  I did think that by using "Dave" to discredit the witness, Mike has really opened himself up.  I'm also confused by what exactly Mike's play is here -- why put Lalo behind bars only to find a way to get him out again?

As for Jimmy... oh man.  The meltdown was an absolute masterclass from Odenkirk.  So much going through his face and his body at once.  Talk about an Emmy reel. 

The JMM motif was effective with its three meanings but much more prosaically, it felt like Lalo asking about "James M McGill".  It's no secret he couldn't have found out on his own but it's the first direct sign of the danger that seems to be hurtling towards Kim and Jimmy.

There's not much that Jimmy can do to shock me these days but how seemingly tempted he was by "just make money" surprised me.  He and Kim live such simple lifestyles that I don't see why Jimmy would be attracted to money; however, it's clear that Saul sees money as an emblem of his power, including his power over the Hamlins of the world.  Of course, we know that Saul was incredibly money-hungry so this is a transition I hope they play out carefully.

Also great to see Huell.  I expected to see more of Huell and Francesca by now.

It was brilliant to see Mike and Jimmy share a scene at last.  Phone call notwithstanding, I think it's been about 13 episodes since they were in the same plot.  In that time, both characters have completely changed.  Last time, Mike seemed genuinely sympathetic for Jimmy's loss and wouldn't indulge in even a basically victimless crime.  Now they're in much deeper, darker waters.  I really hope we get more of the two of them to explore how that change affects their relationship. 

And I literally can't wait now for the first Kim/Mike scene.

[ruby24]

Jimmy and Kim have never said they love each other, have they? It seems like they do, but I don't think we've ever heard either of them say it.

[JudyObscure]

2 hours ago, Bannon said:

As well as Gus checking the cleanlines of the fryer basket? HA!

I was watching for that!  Poor Gus having to sacrifice the tidiest chicken restaurant in the southwest.

 

2 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

 

 

I don't understand the marriage plot.  Couldn't they protect one another by being each other's lawyer?

 

I think they just used that as an excuse in their own silly heads.  I may be a sappy romantic but I think they love each other.  You could see it in their faces when they said their vows. Jimmy is not a fool and knows, as Kevin said, that Kim could do a lot better, and Kim just has a big,  unconditional, soft spot for Jimmy.  

[ShadowFacts]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I don't understand the marriage plot.  Couldn't they protect one another by being each other's lawyer?

They can protect each other by lying.  They are both very good at it.  There doesn't need to be a marriage.  Speaking of being a good liar, I really cannot give accolades to Kim's handling of Kevin. She just committed huge malpractice against him, and now she's got him all bowled over by her powers of persuasion.  Not the kind of lawyer I'm impressed with.  She and Jimmy are actually made for each other.

7 hours ago, scenario said:

I wonder if Howard is thinking that mental illness runs in the family. Chuck certainly was ill and Jimmy's reaction certainly wasn't the reaction of a stable person. 

It was the reaction that in real life would have Jimmy removed from the building, and maybe taken in on a mental health hold. 

[Pike Ludwell]

Still no smart, suspicious, committed opponent, which I had been hoping would emerge. Howard is close, but he has no solid proof of Jimmy's actions, and in this episode we saw no evidence he plans to *follow through* on anything.  (Maybe he will, but still the show could go either way on that - it's left open.) At the very least, Jimmy's public eruption with hurling of insults could merit disciplinary action. Kim and Jimmy have outsmarted the bank clients (Paige had been presented as super sharp and tough!), Schweikart and his firm- a whole bunch of people who are supposed to be quite smart and tough. I don't like seeing them made into easy pushovers or patsies. Let's see someone come forth whose suspicions have been aroused and isn't easily fooled! Last couple episodes we saw glimmers that maybe Schweikart would not be hoodwinked. But now he seems to be back in line. Disappointing, but this season still has 3 episodes left.

Edited March 31, 2020 by Pike Ludwell

[gallimaufry]

Some more things on a second watch:

The episode is even more gorgeous than I thought.  The reflection of Kevin in the photo of his parents, Gus sitting in the car while the flames glitter in the glass behind him - these are iconic shots.

Kim refers to "Everything we talked about" as the reason why they're marrying.  But we saw absolutely none of that conversation.  It feels like a missed opportunity -- or perhaps it's setting up a flashback scene later in the season.

Poignant that Mike's story with Kayleigh included a discussion about the word "ephemeral"...

Mike says it better that Saul doesn't know who Lalo's opponent is.  Kim will never stand for that.  I'm going to be surprised if Kim isn't in a room with at least one of Gus or Lalo by the season finale.  Moreover, if Kim does get involved with the cartel, I can see her rationale ironically being a mirror of the one Acker claimed she had in visiting him: wanting to do her bit for charity to make up for the bad she's done.  On Fring's wages, she could do an awful lot of good.

I'm not sure Howard is trying to prosecute Jimmy so much as save him -- almost to make up for the fact that he couldn't save Chuck.  Assuming he's not yet done, and if this is his mission then Jimmy's meltdown may only have strengthened his feeling that Jimmy needs saving, presumably his next port of call would be Kim... who is as negligent in tolerating Jimmy's flaws for her own benefit as Howard was in tolerating Chuck's for the same reason...  It also kind of paints Howard as trying to be the heroic saviour Saul proclaims to be.

Seven episodes and no Chuck.  I hope Michael McKean has at least one flashback this year.  He's still so much a part of the DNA of this show.

[monagatuna]

7 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

That would be a depressing ending.  It'd mean that, even as far as she has fallen, she absolutely destroys herself to be with Saul.

It sure would. That's kinda why it fits so perfectly in my mind.

Kim has SUCH potential, she could be anything she wants. She has the work ethic, the intelligence, and the savvy to get where she wants to be. What she wants to be is Slippin' Jimmy's bad girl, but only a little bit, to the point where she will endanger her own livelihood to play a trick on her biggest--only--client and make herself and Schweikert look foolish. Among other things! Conning bottles of expensive tequila are no longer enough of a hit for her. I could see her quietly behind the scenes in BB running things, and going into hiding when shit gets real. Francesca, too.

[BonnieD]

I thought this was to be the final season. Am I wrong? Because it doesn't seem they can wrap it up in the time left. 

[PeterPirate]

4 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

4 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Jimmy and Kim have never said they love each other, have they? It seems like they do, but I don't think we've ever heard either of them say it.

I think they just used that as an excuse in their own silly heads.  I may be a sappy romantic but I think they love each other.  You could see it in their faces when they said their vows. Jimmy is not a fool and knows, as Kevin said, that Kim could do a lot better, and Kim just has a big,  unconditional, soft spot for Jimmy.  

I think so too.  The whole wedding scene was set up to be as non-romantic as humanly possible, but in the end they only had eyes for each other.  And those were a couple of solid kisses.

Jimmy not only has two ex-wives, but he also has a lecherous step-father as well.  Jimmy and Chuck's real father died when he was pretty young, so it's not hard to see their mother falling for some creep who knew hoe to pretend to be a good person.  Imo the McGill parents are villains just as much as either of the sons.  

That's an interesting theory that Kim will work for Gus.  In BB Saul doesn't know Gus' identity.  "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows another guy...."  So Mike will enlist Kim as Gus' mob attorney, but Jimmy will never know?  My head spins.  

Edited March 31, 2020 by PeterPirate