S06.E06: Axe and Grind

[nodorothyparker]

Airdate 05.16.2022

Kim and Jimmy enlist a knowledgeable contact as Howard scrutinizes Jimmy's business practices.

[Crashcourse]

So Kim grew up with a shitty ass, grifting mother.  I would think that Kim wouldn't want to be anything like her, but she is. 

Howard is meticulous in his kitchen, and I like that.

[Cinnabon]

5 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

Howard is meticulous in his kitchen, and I like that.

So is Gus. 😆

[Constantinople]

Poor Howard!

Cheryl rejected Howard's peace offering. He even drew a peace sign in the foam of the drink.

[Crashcourse]

I hate it when people attack and don't finish the job.  That dude should have known not to lean forward, he should have axed Lalo to death.

[Dianaofthehunt]

1 minute ago, Crashcourse said:

I hate it when people attack and don't finish the job.  That dude should have known not to lean forward, he should have axed Lalo to death.

Damn half -measures!

[SoMuchTV]

That was the toilet in the dumpster, right?

[Dianaofthehunt]

Oh, the sadness on Mike’s face…simply heartbreaking.

[Crashcourse]

Call me dense, but I don't even understand what scheme Kim and Saul are pulling with the old guy with the moustache.  Does that have anything to do with Howard?

[Spartan Girl]

No half measures for Kim. She’s all in no matter what hiccups there are.

Saul’s office really did come a long way. It’s a shame that guy literally pissed all over it lmao.

It was strange how Francesca was so skittish while making her first scam call on Saul’s behalf. Guess she got over that squeamishness real fast over the years.

Sucks how after next week we’ll have to wait until July to see how it all wraps up.

[BC4ME]

19 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

That was the toilet in the dumpster, right?

Yes and it's been out there for a really long time. All I could think of is they decorated an entire office and the dumpster hasn't been emptied yet.

Edited May 17, 2022 by BC4ME

[Andre LaPlume]

Just too slow.  It seems like barely any movement.   And another week where I continue to lose any sympathy for Kim’s eventual fate.    Wonderful performance by Mike with his granddaughter but that doesn’t tell us anything new.    And we know Lalo is not in New Mexico so week 3 of surveillance just seems like overkill.   And only one more episode until a break

[NYCFree]

28 minutes ago, Andre LaPlume said:

And only one more episode until a break

Sadly, I believe this was the last episode before the break.

Update: my twenty year old son just told me I was wrong. Thank goodness! Sorry Andre LaPlume for doubting you.

Edited May 17, 2022 by NYCFree

[SoMuchTV]

I had to watch the beginning of the second airing to see if Kim had her ponytail. Bummer, she did not. 

I got a bit of whiplash with that opening scene. Kim’s in big trouble. No, Kim & mom are in on it together ala Paper Moon. No, but mom is proud of young grifter Kim. 

Also, I could have sworn that was Malcolm in the Middle’s mom but obviously the ages wouldn’t line up. 

[Sharper2002]

The only person I feel bad for is Francesca because she put her heart and soul into decorating that office. 

Oh, and the German guy. 

 

[Armchair Critic]

Kim's mother was great casting, looked and sounded like adult Kim.

[SailorGirl]

Kim, Kim, Kim -- you're on the brink of something amazing and you choose the self-destructive path. . . having done the same, I get it that the  low road side takes over, but I was hoping you'd stay on the high road to Santa Fe!!! I'm thinking all the foreshadowing we've been getting about her in jail is going to result from this U-turn back to ABQ. 

Poor Francesa. Tried so hard to make the office nice. . . she's come a long way from being nervous to call HHM for the call-in info to making the call about 

Spoiler

Marie supposedly having been in an accident to get Hank away from the trailer where Walt and Jesse were hiding.

So many more Easter eggs tonight!! 

Also, who is the German mountain man? And how did he know to run? Lalo didn't take the gun out until he ran. Mountain Man responded when Lalo said the name "Fring" so he definitely recognized the name.  None of the workers knew about Gus. Their only contact was with Mike. . . .

Edited May 17, 2022 by SailorGirl

[Armchair Critic]

Between this and 'Candy' I am going to have PTSD when I see an axe.

 

[Penman61]

Do we know if tonight's Kim flashback is before or after the only other Kim flashback we've seen, where her mother forgets to pick her up from school?

[Constantinople]

18 minutes ago, SailorGirl said:

Also, who is the German mountain man? And how did he know to run? Lalo didn't take the gun out until he ran. Mountain Man responded when Lalo said the name "Fring" so he definitely recognized the name.  None of the workers knew about Gus. Their only contact was with Mike. . . .

That was Caspar (or Casper). When Werner's boys were sent home, Casper was the one who told Mike that Werner was worth 10 or 50 of Mike.

I don't remember if Gus ever visited the workers dormitory while they were present, but Werner met Gus.

[SailorGirl]

Just now, Constantinople said:

That was Caspar (or Casper). When Werner's boys were sent home, Casper was the one who told Mike that Werner was worth 10 or 50 of Mike.

I don't remember if Gus ever visited the workers dormitory while they were present, but Werner met Gus.

Thank you! 

[Penman61]

48 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

I got a bit of whiplash with that opening scene. Kim’s in big trouble. No, Kim & mom are in on it together ala Paper Moon. No, but mom is proud of young grifter Kim. 

Wait, I thought Kim's mom WAS in on it, a la Paper Moon. So she was improvising about (under)reimbursing the cost of the jewelry?

Edited May 17, 2022 by Penman61

[Simon Boccanegra]

23 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

Do we know if tonight's Kim flashback is before or after the only other Kim flashback we've seen, where her mother forgets to pick her up from school?

I believe this one was a year after the other one, going by the pop songs they took the trouble to put in. The other one had "Affair of the Heart" by Rick Springfield (a hit from summer 1983) and this one had "The Reflex" by Duran Duran (a hit from summer 1984). 

Lil' Kim is a convincing young Rhea Seehorn too. The look, the mannerisms.

I'm enjoying the season, but the pacing of the storytelling had me thinking Waiting for Lalo. 

[PeterPirate]

Young Kim took no pleasure from participating in the scam with her mother.  Adult Kim made the U-turn onto Bad Choice Road.  That is the effect Jimmy McGill has had on her over the course of the show. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by PeterPirate

[Penman61]

6 minutes ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

I believe this one was a year after the other one, going by the pop songs they took the trouble to put in. The other one had "Affair of the Heart" by Rick Springfield (a hit from summer 1983) and this one had "The Reflex" by Duran Duran (a hit from summer 1984). 

Thank you! Such good knowledge and memories here. :)

Esposito directed this one, and, for me, it felt a bit flat. I also give him a failing grade on the Lalo-Caspar fight, where I couldn't see what was happening (and I have big screen in a dedicated totally dark room).

Edited May 17, 2022 by Penman61

[dwmarch]

1 hour ago, Crashcourse said:

Call me dense, but I don't even understand what scheme Kim and Saul are pulling with the old guy with the moustache.  Does that have anything to do with Howard?

I can't tie it together to Howard (other than that the end result will somehow make him look bad) but they seem to be trying to force an early settlement on the Sandpiper case by impersonating a judge who is involved. I hope they have something good worked up for this because I am with you in that this scheme doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now.

[Marley]

Sorry I thought this was boring. It seems like nothing is even happening. 

[Penman61]

28 minutes ago, dwmarch said:

I can't tie it together to Howard (other than that the end result will somehow make him look bad) but they seem to be trying to force an early settlement on the Sandpiper case by impersonating a judge who is involved. I hope they have something good worked up for this because I am with you in that this scheme doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now.

I think a key staged photo Jimmy showed was of the mediator-impersonator (sans broken arm, sadly) handing Saul an envelope?

Anyway, the staged photo was of the two of them, so the plan must involve giving the appearance of corruption/conflict of interest on the part of the mediator? 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Penman61

[Dev F]

16 minutes ago, PeterPirate said:

Young Kim took no pleasure from participating in the scam with her mother.  Adult Kim made the U-turn onto Bad Choice Road.  That is the effect Jimmy McGill has had on her over the course of the show. 

I think one crucial difference between the flashback and the current-day situation is that Kim's mom offered her a quick way out—extricating her from trouble and giving her what she wanted—whereas Jimmy could only offer the assurance that they could keep at it and nail Howard some other day.

It's the difference between the axe and the grind, and while Jimmy loves the grind, the seat-of-the-pants joy of scamming and scrapping through another day, that's the worst part for a high-strung, goal-oriented person like Kim. She's an axe woman (she of the sharp-edged earrings), who wants to slice through obstacles cleanly and then be done with them. She has to end it on D-day, or she'll be that little girl trapped in the back office of a department store waiting for the other shoe to drop.

13 minutes ago, dwmarch said:

I can't tie it together to Howard (other than that the end result will somehow make him look bad) but they seem to be trying to force an early settlement on the Sandpiper case by impersonating a judge who is involved. I hope they have something good worked up for this because I am with you in that this scheme doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now.

I think the idea is that they're going to convince Howard that Jimmy is bribing the mediator so he'll make a huge fuss on the client conference call, only for the mediator to confirm that he's never met Jimmy so that Howard looks deranged. (Presumably after also dilating his pupils so it looks like it's the drugs that are making him paranoid.)

[Penman61]

^Great post!

[PeterPirate]

45 minutes ago, Penman61 said:

I think a key staged photo Jimmy showed was of the mediator-impersonator (sans broken arm, sadly) handing Saul an envelope?

Anyway, the staged photo was of the two of them, so the plan must involve giving the appearance of corruption/conflict of interest on the part of the mediator? 

Yeah.  I don't pay much attention to the details of the plan, but it appears they are planning to smear the judge.  Somehow the vet is helping out as well, but I won't think about it until people start to explain it to me.  

This was another slow episode, but the payoff was Kim's U-turn.  

Edited May 17, 2022 by PeterPirate

[LittleIggy]

I hate Kim now. I hope she ends up dead or in prison. She threw away her dream for petty revenge.

[Constantinople]

I was amused when Lenny, the guy impersonating the retired judge serving as the mediator, starts giving feedback on how he sees his character ("Hey. I'm playing a man of substance, am I not...I see him as a man of means. Of style").

Then Jimmy reminds him they're only taking still photographs.

[Bannon]

I know some didn't like the episode, but I thought it was terrific at building a sense of foreboding tragedy, as Kim drives away from a noble dream, to indulge in her now senseless (given what she is risking) anger and resentment. I'm starting to think her affection for Saul has become in large measure transactional; as long as he is an effective instrument in aiding her scam to shower Howard with her wrath, she's really hot for Saul. That's some really psychologically ugly stuff, and they are starting to better flesh out where and how that ugliness was nurtured.

A few more things. The scene with Howard and his wife was so damned sad, as was Mike talking to Calleigh and DiL. Lalo really is that most tedious of characters, a sociopath with no inner conflict; he's just all superficial charm as a thin veneer, concealing a conscious-free drive to get what he wants. I'm glad that he doesn't get more scenes.

 

[PeterPirate]

1 hour ago, Dev F said:

I think one crucial difference between the flashback and the current-day situation is that Kim's mom offered her a quick way out—extricating her from trouble and giving her what she wanted—whereas Jimmy could only offer the assurance that they could keep at it and nail Howard some other day.

It's the difference between the axe and the grind, and while Jimmy loves the grind, the seat-of-the-pants joy of scamming and scrapping through another day, that's the worst part for a high-strung, goal-oriented person like Kim. She's an axe woman (she of the sharp-edged earrings), who wants to slice through obstacles cleanly and then be done with them. She has to end it on D-day, or she'll be that little girl trapped in the back office of a department store waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Excellent point.  Kim is the one who quit Schweikart and Cokely on the spur-of-the-moment.  Whereas Jimmy unleashed a litany of dumbassery so he could keep his signing bonus from Davis and Main.  

[Armchair Critic]

I am guessing Kim is going to be disbarred.

[ahmerali]

I think Kim is too smart to be disbarred. It's possible though. I'm seriously thinking that she will go far enough though to force herself to use the Disappearer at some point...maybe something like Episode 11.

The way I see it, the writers have something massive - like MASSIVE - planned for next week. Something big with the Kim/Saul/Howard deal, but not completely final, other than forcing the Sandpiper money through; but I do believe there will either be a finality for the Lalo storyline - he gets enough information from Caspar to return to Albuquerque, learn about the laundromat and then determine that the superlab is underneath; or maybe, just maybe, he ends up taking a trip to Madrigal, either learning some information from Peter Schuler in Germany or through him getting hooked up with Lydia.

I am suspect a finality to the Lalo storyline...after all, the episode is called Plan and Execution, so someone is getting executed. I've heard ideas that Howard may die but he's not going to be 'executed'. Lalo, on the other hand...

Edited May 17, 2022 by ahmerali

[Bannon]

8 minutes ago, Armchair Critic said:

I am guessing Kim is going to be disbarred.

Certainly a reasonable guess. She's reckless enough now to do something, like drugging Howard, to get herself incarcerated. I also suspect she's going to cross paths with the cartel again, which certainly could entail an even worst fate.

[Simon Boccanegra]

Katie Beth Hall (Lil' Kim) is a young-looking 17 to my eye (or a young-looking 16, assuming she shot these scenes last year), but she's about right for the age Kim was supposed to be in spring or summer 1984, suggested by "The Reflex" on the car radio and the expiration of the mother's registration sticker. Kim's date of birth of record is February 13, 1968. per the ID shown in "JMM," the episode with her marriage to Jimmy.

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, Constantinople said:

Cheryl rejected Howard's peace offering. He even drew a peace sign in the foam of the drink.

He made a peace sign with his foam.  That is a man of hidden talents.

2 hours ago, Penman61 said:

Wait, I thought Kim's mom WAS in on it, a la Paper Moon. So she was improvising about (under)reimbursing the cost of the jewelry?

I do not think Kim's mom was in on it.  Otherwise, it'd be a pretty elaborate plan just to steal $35 earrings and relied on the boss not wanting payment or calling the cops.  The money bit could have been improv or the truth. 

I think Kim stole the earrings because she likes the thrill.  Or she did it  intending to be caught and get attention from her mother--even if it's negative.

But surprise, her mother was actually proud of her and rewarded her by doing a better job of stealing the earrings. Young Kim wasn't happy about it.  I wonder if she learned this is the way to get love and attention from her mother and is repeating those patterns with Jimmy.  It's through the grift that she feels the love.

If that's the case, I could see a scenario where she recognizes the pattern and chooses to walk away from it even if it means walking away from Jimmy.

[Bannon]

1 minute ago, Irlandesa said:

He made a peace sign with his foam.  That is a man of hidden talents.

I do not think Kim's mom was in on it.  Otherwise, it'd be a pretty elaborate plan just to steal $35 earrings and relied on the boss not wanting payment or calling the cops.  The money bit could have been improv or the truth. 

I think Kim stole the earrings because she likes the thrill.  Or she did it  intending to be caught and get attention from her mother--even if it's negative.

But surprise, her mother was actually proud of her and rewarded her by doing a better job of stealing the earrings. Young Kim wasn't happy about it.  I wonder if she learned this is the way to get love and attention from her mother and is repeating those patterns with Jimmy.  It's through the grift that she feels the love.

If that's the case, I could see a scenario where she recognizes the pattern and chooses to walk away from it even if it means walking away from Jimmy.

I hope you're right, but I suspect the U-turn back to Albuquerque represents an irreversible ethical/moral descent

[Irlandesa]

1 minute ago, Bannon said:

I hope you're right, but I suspect the U-turn back to Albuquerque represents an irreversible ethical/moral descent

Oh I think she's going to hit rock bottom and will lose mightily.  Could it be death?  Sure.  But I think it's rejection that is going to send Jimmy spiraling to the Saul we knew. Kim could be disbarred or in jail when that happens. 

[Cinnabon]

4 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I hate it when people attack and don't finish the job.  That dude should have known not to lean forward, he should have axed Lalo to death.

IKR? I yelled “damn it” out loud when he let Lalo get the upper hand instead of taking him out.

[Cinnabon]

4 hours ago, Dianaofthehunt said:

Oh, the sadness on Mike’s face…simply heartbreaking.

Mike dug his own grave. He’s more likable than Walt was, but they both put their families in incredible danger under the guise of “providing “ for them.  Mike freely made the choice to work for an amoral, murderous man who makes/distributes a poison that destroys people. 

[Cinnabon]

3 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Between this and 'Candy' I am going to have PTSD when I see an axe.

 

I was thinking the same way! 

It’s once again disappointing and depressing to come here and see more judgment and hatred of Kim than for amoral killers like Lalo, Gus, Mike etc. Sigh.
 

 

[Cinnabon]

1 hour ago, Bannon said:

I know some didn't like the episode, but I thought it was terrific at building a sense of foreboding tragedy, as Kim drives away from a noble dream, to indulge in her now senseless (given what she is risking) anger and resentment. I'm starting to think her affection for Saul has become in large measure transactional; as long as he is an effective instrument in aiding her scam to shower Howard with her wrath, she's really hot for Saul. That's some really psychologically ugly stuff, and they are starting to better flesh out where and how that ugliness was nurtured.

A few more things. The scene with Howard and his wife was so damned sad, as was Mike talking to Calleigh and DiL. Lalo really is that most tedious of characters, a sociopath with no inner conflict; he's just all superficial charm as a thin veneer, concealing a conscious-free drive to get what he wants. I'm glad that he doesn't get more scenes.

 

I also enjoyed the episode. This isn’t a show for those who want lots of action, it’s a character study and that’s what I love. 

[Armchair Critic]

9 minutes ago, Cinnabon said:

It’s once again disappointing and depressing to come here and see more judgment and hatred of Kim than for amoral killers like Lalo, Gus, Mike etc. Sigh.

Maybe because she could still save herself. I know Mike is popular but I always thought he was a grump who acted like he was better when he was down in the mud with the rest of them (I do see his love for his grandaughter though).

[ahmerali]

Hold up a second....serious idea.

Jimmy has already 'impersonated' Howard once and was able to fool Cliff, right?

What if the setup is that during the call with the Sandpiper residents, we somehow see evidence of Judge Casimiro accepting a bribe not from Jimmy...but from Howard as Jimmy? With the pupil dilation and the complexion change, a blurry picture could easily allow for Jimmy to pass for Howard in Cliff's mind, right?

Howard pleads innocence, saying to Cliff that it's all Jimmy's doing....Cliff has enough and tells the people on the call that there's going to be a quick settlement now, and HHM is out of the picture due to Howard's malfeasance.

Kim and Jimmy are going to find a way to push their plan through. That's the 'plan' part.
The 'execution' will be Howard Hamlin's suicide.

I'm calling it, right here and now....

[OutOfTheQuestion]

1 hour ago, Constantinople said:

I was amused when Lenny, the guy impersonating the retired judge serving as the mediator, starts giving feedback on how he sees his character ("Hey. I'm playing a man of substance, am I not...I see him as a man of means. Of style").

Then Jimmy reminds him they're only taking still photographs.

Even better, the actor is John Ennis, one of Odenkirk's old castmates from Mr. Show

[Cinnabon]

54 minutes ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

Katie Beth Hall (Lil' Kim) is a young-looking 17 to my eye (or a young-looking 16, assuming she shot these scenes last year), but she's about right for the age Kim was supposed to be in spring or summer 1984, suggested by "The Reflex" on the car radio and the expiration of the mother's registration sticker. Kim's date of birth of record is February 13, 1968. per the ID shown in "JMM," the episode with her marriage to Jimmy.

Hey, my birthday is February 14, 1968! I was absolutely obsessed with Duran Duran in 1984 and remember sitting outside a friend’s house that summer and blaring The Reflex from a boom box, lol.