S02.E07: Inflatable

[RCharter]

I saw it as self-preservation. That he thought it unwise to be seen being chummy with Jimmy--which, if I am right, is a parallel for Kim later only agreeing to be Wexler AND McGill. But you may be right. Mike seemed pretty pissed off with Jimmy.

You probably heard me thinking it out loud. Heh.

 

I think Mike was pissed off that he was anything like Jimmy.  I don't think Mike likes the idea of "taking the easy way out" or the idea that Jimmy had that Mike was trying to save himself.  Not to mention, while Mike may not have pie in the sky notions of good guys and bad guys I think seeing the DAs...on the side of justice, and him, basically looking like he was scared or bribed might bother him too.  

 

What beverage did Jimmy grab from the beyotch 4th year and toss into the trash?  Is it a local New Mexico thang?  

 

LOL....it was a Hansens soda.  Not a local brand but not Coke either.  Funny fact...I used to date a Hansen's distributor and so I ended up drinking tons of their soda.  They had pretty good diet flavors.  I don't miss that guy, but I do miss free diet Hansens.

[RCharter]

Oh...and one thing that struck me this episode.  The contrast between Kim's car, and the way Kim dresses.  The car is such a sports car, and when that model came out (the Eclipse maybe?) it was all the rage in the world of being cool and sporty.  But the way Kim dresses and carries herself is so professional, and so buttoned up.  I don't know if its a clue into her past as a wild child, or if it was her one concession to not being "big law firm" Kim.  I would have expected a nice, solid midsize vehicle, maybe an Altima or a late model Accord.  I think its the Eclipse she is driving might be the model in the commercial below or maybe a slightly earlier version (which further underscores the car's "cool factor" at the time)  I'm also adding the Chappelle show skit about it -- because its classic, so I apologize to anyone offended in advance.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by RCharter

[ShadowFacts]

I have to agree with Cliff -- Jimmy was an asshole.  And apparently started young.  I was a bit saddened that Chuck was telling the truth about Jimmy pilfering from his father.  That whole opening scene was too heavy-handed, with the creep talking about sheep and wolves.  So Jimmy is on the wolf side of things, and his dad is a sheep, that was just too much for me. 

 

Mike was not at all happy to be viewed as being afraid or having been paid off.  He thinks he's better than Jimmy which is kind of funny.  Dogs-fleas.  He is watching the Salamancas to try to be in step with them, or one step ahead if he can, because they have permanent leverage on him by way of Kaylee. 

 

Kim has a secret of some sort.  She was evasive about her origins in a way that would have piqued my interest had I been interviewing her.  She should have had better answers rehearsed. Now she's proposing a half-measure which doesn't seem workable. 

[Bryce Lynch]

I have to agree with Cliff -- Jimmy was an asshole. And apparently started young. I was a bit saddened that Chuck was telling the truth about Jimmy pilfering from his father. That whole opening scene was too heavy-handed, with the creep talking about sheep and wolves. So Jimmy is on the wolf side of things, and his dad is a sheep, that was just too much for me.

Mike was not at all happy to be viewed as being afraid or having been paid off. He thinks he's better than Jimmy which is kind of funny. Dogs-fleas. He is watching the Salamancas to try to be in step with them, or one step ahead if he can, because they have permanent leverage on him by way of Kaylee.

Kim has a secret of some sort. She was evasive about her origins in a way that would have piqued my interest had I been interviewing her. She should have had better answers rehearsed. Now she's proposing a half-measure which doesn't seem workable.

I think Chuck's story is probably only part true. The flashback showed how generous and gullible their father was, so I would imagine he got conned out of a large portion of the missing $14,000, while Jimmy also took some.

Agree about Kim, she is hiding something from her home town that cannot be named. Maybe Mike should give her is half measures speech. :)

I think Hector is soon going to regret meeting Mike.

[Bryce Lynch]

YES!!!!!!

That's the way to do it! Thank you Vince!

I was dying at the clothes, not flushing, and then he came in with Bagpipes! OMG yes! Finally, an episode I can actually love, I knew they had it in them! Also loved Kim just waiting for the paperwork, she may not really leave for story, but at least she wasn't being an idiot about it.

For the first time I can remember I wanted to tell Mike to STFU. Get over yourself Dude, if you are too good to ride in an elevator with Jimmy, find yourself a new lawyer to clean up your messes.

Although what ever happened to the very big deal about not making Kim look bad for recommending you? Who cares? It was fun.

I think Mike saw himself in the mirror when Jimmy was telling him how afraid he was of the Salamancas and didn't like what he saw.

I think that is what motivated him to start his surveillance of Hector. I think Mike is going to man up and go on the offensive.

[ShadowFacts]

 

I think Chuck's story is probably only part true. The flashback showed how generous and gullible their father was, so I would imagine he got conned out of a large portion of the missing $14,000, while Jimmy also took some.

 

Yes, we saw pretty clearly what was going on.  Pops was beyond gullible, he gave the creep more than what he asked for, plus was going to give him the spark plug.  So he was responsible for a lot of the losses.  But I felt Jimmy was being almost punitive to his father for being stupid, which was something I didn't expect; I was more skeptical of Chuck's description of what went on, and I didn't like that he was right about any part of it.  

[ghoulina]

The opening was very interesting. But I feel a bit confused. At first I was like - "I knew it!" Jimmy wasn't stealing from his dad. His dad was just uber gullible and the whole town knew it. Kind of sad really. And Jimmy tried to help him, but he was just too trusting. It made me wonder if that's why Jimmy started pulling cons. He didn't want to be the one getting conned, so he felt he had to keep ahead of the game. But also, maybe that's why he always seems to target total douchebags. It's like he's been vicariously getting back at people for his dad all these years. I don't know....maybe I'm reaching with that one. 

 

But then he DID end up taking money out of the till in the end? The money that dude paid for the cigarettes. Are we to believe that this was a one time thing? Or something be began doing on the regular? I wasn't sure what to make of that part. 

 

I really really loved watching Jimmy as Mike's lawyer. I get why we're going through all of his struggles with the various law firms, but what I crave is more scenes of Jimmy as an actual lawyer lawyering! He is just so damn good. He's quick thinking and hilarious to boot. "Maybe the gun fell from a passing bird's beak"!!! I died. That is what I want more of! 

 

His attempts at getting fired were funny too, but not as much. 

 

I thought his WM business cards were super cute, but in the end I think Kim made the right choice. I'm proud of her for wanting to strike out on her own and TRULY her own. She's not going to want to do things the way Jimmy does, and that's okay. Working together, but not "together" seems to be the perfect option for both of them. Sadly we know it's not going to last. 

[Constantinople]

I do believe Kim just referenced working on the Grey Matter case.

Or something similar to troll too-attentive BB viewers.

 

She might be referencing something from BB, but it doesn't sound like Gray Matter to me.

 

From the episode

 

Schweikart (I think): Summary judgments?

 

Kim: Uh, yes. I've handled six. Actually, one recently was quite complex. It was a litigation, the result of a nasty divorce. My client was suing her former company, which she and her ex had split in their settlement. The issues involved had me chasing case law for weeks.

 

Kim's client was a woman.  The only woman involved in Gray Matter who could refer to it as her company was Gretchen.  There was never any mention of Gretchen suing Gray Matter in BB, nor can I think of why there would be since she and Elliot bought out Walt.  She may be Walt's "ex", but there was never any indication that Gretchen and Walt were married.  Plus, Kim referred to it as a nasty divorce.  I don't think Gretchen would have been so amicable with Walt at first in BB if they had a nasty divorce.

[benteen]

I didn't realize till tonight that Season 2 is only 10 episode again.   I originally thought it was 13.

 

"Dude, I'm from Michigan."

 

Really good episode.  I loved the firing scene between Jimmy and Cliff, the exchange was great.  "For what it's worth, I think you're an asshole."  The entire montage with Jimmy trying to get himself fired was funny as hell.

 

Jimmy made a good case for Kim being her old boss but I really wonder if it's a good idea for her at this time.  I agree though, I don't want to hear her complain about Jimmy anymore because she's made her own bed with this decision.

 

I can't say I felt sorry for Jimmy's father.  He was a gullible fool, especially to buy the story that he did.  I've argued over change, no way in hell would I have given that BS story a dime.

 

As the AV Club pointed out, Mike might be an (intentional) mark for DIL but not for the Salamancas.

Edited March 29, 2016 by benteen

[Knuckles]

I'm sure Rich Schweikart did a background search as soon as Kim left the office...no way did a shrewd lawyer not hear her try to glide over her past. She can account for 10 years but not more. And she didn't tie her move to New Mexico to anything specific...wonder if there is a glitch in NM laws which makes it easier to hide your past?  For a smart woman, Kim was unprepared for this interview. I think she knew it too...the overly bright smile at the hand-off, then needing a smoke afterwards. She could hear the lapses too.

 

Kaylee's mom is definitely milking Mike for all she can get...and I am sure he sees it clearly too. But his love for Kaylie trumps all. He also needs a major income stream now to support her upscale living. So, start by surveilling the Tio clan and see what opportunities present themselves.

[Ohwell]

Hah!

But Jiffy baking mixes are still around and they've been around forever.

I squeed when I saw the boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix!  

[Bryce Lynch]

She might be referencing something from BB, but it doesn't sound like Gray Matter to me.

From the episode

Kim's client was a woman. The only woman involved in Gray Matter who could refer to it as her company was Gretchen. There was never any mention of Gretchen suing Gray Matter in BB, nor can I think of why there would be since she and Elliot bought out Walt. She may be Walt's "ex", but there was never any indication that Gretchen and Walt were married. Plus, Kim referred to it as a nasty divorce. I don't think Gretchen would have been so amicable with Walt at first in BB if they had a nasty divorce.

Agree no way Kim could be talking about Gray Matter. Maybe Bogdan's ex was suing him over the car wash. :)

I was thinking the office sharing arrangement between Jimmy and Kim could allow us to see Kim represent a lot of BB characters that Saul does not seem to know in BB.

Maybe Kim will defend Marie against a shoplifting charge and handle her civil suit against the store that "falsely accused her". :)

[shapeshifter]

The opening was very interesting. But I feel a bit confused. At first I was like - "I knew it!" Jimmy wasn't stealing from his dad. His dad was just uber gullible and the whole town knew it. Kind of sad really. And Jimmy tried to help him, but he was just too trusting. It made me wonder if that's why Jimmy started pulling cons. He didn't want to be the one getting conned, so he felt he had to keep ahead of the game. But also, maybe that's why he always seems to target total douchebags. It's like he's been vicariously getting back at people for his dad all these years. I don't know....maybe I'm reaching with that one. 

 

But then he DID end up taking money out of the till in the end? The money that dude paid for the cigarettes. Are we to believe that this was a one time thing? Or something be began doing on the regular? I wasn't sure what to make of that part. 

 

I really really loved watching Jimmy as Mike's lawyer. I get why we're going through all of his struggles with the various law firms, but what I crave is more scenes of Jimmy as an actual lawyer lawyering! He is just so damn good. He's quick thinking and hilarious to boot. "Maybe the gun fell from a passing bird's beak"!!! I died. That is what I want more of! 

 

His attempts at getting fired were funny too, but not as much. 

 

I thought his WM business cards were super cute, but in the end I think Kim made the right choice. I'm proud of her for wanting to strike out on her own and TRULY her own. She's not going to want to do things the way Jimmy does, and that's okay. Working together, but not "together" seems to be the perfect option for both of them. Sadly we know it's not going to last.

Love/agree with your whole post.

About the flashback to Jimmy's dad's store:

I too thought at first Jimmy was going to be the hero--and I think he wanted to be, but Jimmy's ability to spot a con was ineffective against his father's belief that strangers might be angels in disguise coming to test his willingness to help the needy.

What bothered me most was that I thought Jimmy took $9 from the til: Equal to both the $5 given to the con and the $4 for the cigarettes.

So, of the missing $14,000, perhaps $7,000 was Jimmy. I wonder if Jimmy's rationale was that he was entitled to the same charity as the cons. I was hoping there would be a reveal that Jimmy intended to use the money to con others and then return the money to the til with interest--but, alas, we didn't see that.

[Dev F]

What bothered me most was that I thought Jimmy took $9 from the til: Equal to both the $5 given to the con and the $4 for the cigarettes.

 

I believe he took eight dollars, equal to what the customer gave him for the two cartons of cigarettes he bought.

 

I think it's a little more complicated than "Jimmy realizes his dad is a schmuck, so he starts stealing from him too." Basically, his dad is so naive that he refuses to believe that the customer might be conning him, and the only reason the store gets some of that money back in the form of a sale is because Jimmy could see what was really going on. So, at least at this early point in Jimmy's grifting career, I suspect it was more about thinking his clueless dad didn't deserve to profit from his son's perception than a general contempt for his father's business.

[Ohwell]

What bothered me most was that I thought Jimmy took $9 from the til: Equal to both the $5 given to the con and the $4 for the cigarettes.

 

I was confused about that.  I thought the grifter gave Jimmy 8$--$4 for each of the two cartons of cigarettes--and that's what Jimmy took out of the cash register.  I thought it was interesting that that was all he took, he certainly could have taken more, so maybe in his mind he was only taking the grifter's money.  

[peeayebee]

Oh...and one thing that struck me this episode.  The contrast between Kim's car, and the way Kim dresses.  The car is such a sports car, and when that model came out (the Eclipse maybe?) it was all the rage in the world of being cool and sporty.  But the way Kim dresses and carries herself is so professional, and so buttoned up.  I don't know if its a clue into her past as a wild child, or if it was her one concession to not being "big law firm" Kim.  

I think in the ep where she's making all the calls to find a new client, some of the people she called had brought up drinking together or partying or something. I got the impression that she used to be wilder, so your observation rings true to me. I didn't think about the thing with the car, but that makes sense.

 

I am really enjoying her performance. It was fun watching her after the interview being so giddy but trying to be professional.

 

 

The opening was very interesting. But I feel a bit confused. At first I was like - "I knew it!" Jimmy wasn't stealing from his dad. His dad was just uber gullible and the whole town knew it. Kind of sad really. And Jimmy tried to help him, but he was just too trusting. It made me wonder if that's why Jimmy started pulling cons. He didn't want to be the one getting conned, so he felt he had to keep ahead of the game. But also, maybe that's why he always seems to target total douchebags. It's like he's been vicariously getting back at people for his dad all these years. I don't know....maybe I'm reaching with that one.

I think there's something to what you say. I don't think it's a conscious decision on Jimmy's part. He hates con men (or anybody) taking advantage of good people. As far as that flashback goes, I think as a young boy he was kind of torn. He didn't want to be a sheep, and he was mad at his dad for being so gullible. He didn't like the grifters either, so he may have rationalized his theft by thinking he was taking the grifter's money, though of course it was his dad's at that point.

 

 

What bothered me most was that I thought Jimmy took $9 from the til: Equal to both the $5 given to the con and the $4 for the cigarettes.

 

I thought he only took what the guy had given him for the cigs.

[NoReally]

I thought it was interesting that, in the meeting with the DA, Mike recanted his testimony about the gun by saying only that it wasn't Tuco's. He and Jimmy were adamant that it wasn't Mike's gun, and he had no idea where it came from. But Mike's agreement with Hector was that he admit ownership of the gun.

 

Seems to me that if Mike had said it was definitely his gun, that would've been a much more persuasive argument than leaving it up in the air as they did (although, admittedly, the DAs probably still would've assumed Mike was pressured).

 

Just wondering if this is going to make for additional trouble between Mike and the Salamancas and maybe explain why he's keeping an eye on them. Technically, didn't the way he and Jimmy handled things break Mike's agreement with Hector?

[Bryce Lynch]

I think in the ep where she's making all the calls to find a new client, some of the people she called had brought up drinking together or partying or something. I got the impression that she used to be wilder, so your observation rings true to me. I didn't think about the thing with the car, but that makes sense.

I am really enjoying her performance. It was fun watching her after the interview being so giddy but trying to be professional.

I think there's something to what you say. I don't think it's a conscious decision on Jimmy's part. He hates con men (or anybody) taking advantage of good people. As far as that flashback goes, I think as a young boy he was kind of torn. He didn't want to be a sheep, and he was mad at his dad for being so gullible. He didn't like the grifters either, so he may have rationalized his theft by thinking he was taking the grifter's money, though of course it was his dad's at that point.

I thought he only took what the guy had given him for the cigs.

Yes, he took $8, a five and three singles that the grifter paid for the 2 cartons of cigarettes with.

[nodorothyparker]

He kept the $8 the grifter paid him for the two cartons of cigarettes.  Had he he put it back in the till, his dad would have only been down $2 since he originally gave the grifter $10.  Instead, he pocketed it, meaning his dad is now down $18 total, the $10 he gave and the price of the cigarettes.  

 

I don't think we can definitively say whether this is the point where Jimmy began stealing from the store or if it was a one-time thing or what.  It's purposely left ambiguous, but I think we can take away from it that Jimmy wasn't a complete innocent nor was he the villain Chuck made him out to be. Jimmy does tell his dad that every grifter around knows him for a mark, so it almost certainly wasn't the first or last time this had happened.  

[Dev F]

He kept the $8 the grifter paid him for the two cartons of cigarettes.  Had he he put it back in the till, his dad would have only been down $2 since he originally gave the grifter $10.  

 

Well, down two dollars plus the wholesale value of the cigarettes the guy bought. But in any event, he would've recouped a significant portion of the con.

[RustbeltWriter]

I liked this ep much better than last wk's. I haven't seen BB so all those references pass me by

and I only learn about them here. This ep was more fun and had more Jimmy - it was Odenkirk

who made me want to watch this in the first place. Loved the montage with the dancing blowup

doll man and Jimmy's awesome new warddrobe. Would like to watch that on a loop.

 

As mentioned above, amazing casting of Jimmy's dad, even down to the voice/accent.

 

I rewound that whole montage just to watch it again. The tube guy, the split screens and those wonderful, colorful suits, shirts and ties. It was all just perfect.

[Ohwell]

Speaking of grifters, Stacey is really upping the ante with the too-big house that Mike will be helping to pay for.  I can tell by the look on his face that he knows he's being conned, but he's doing it for Kaylee.  He also knows it won't stop.  He can't even confront Stacey because all she'll do is threaten to keep Kaylee away from him. 

[Hanahope]

I don't expect the firm is going to dig all that deep into Kim's past.  She passed the ethics exam for her law license, as well as the background check performed by the State.  So unless New Mexico is unusually lax, at most her past is likely just some partying and wildness.  Even a juvy record could have affected her getting a law license in NM.  I just bet that Kim is glad her past occurred before Facebook and Instagram.  But agreed that she should have been a little better prepared for the background questions.  She probably didn't have to go through it as much with HH&M, since they wouldn't have really cared all that much when they hired her for the mailroom and after 6 years, she had proven herself to them.

[preeya]

I noticed that in Jimmy's dads's store there were cans of corn on the shelf that were of a budget brand that are in Kroger stores. The product labels are white and say "Psst" and have an owl on them. They couldn't possibly have been in a corner store in the 1970s. I started seeing them only in the last couple of years.

I want Omar to be my assistant. He is so cute and sweet!

Yep, I noticed that also. Definitely a goof. "Psst" is one of Kroger's current store brands.

[benteen]

He kept the $8 the grifter paid him for the two cartons of cigarettes.  Had he he put it back in the till, his dad would have only been down $2 since he originally gave the grifter $10.  Instead, he pocketed it, meaning his dad is now down $18 total, the $10 he gave and the price of the cigarettes.  

 

I don't think we can definitively say whether this is the point where Jimmy began stealing from the store or if it was a one-time thing or what.  It's purposely left ambiguous, but I think we can take away from it that Jimmy wasn't a complete innocent nor was he the villain Chuck made him out to be. Jimmy does tell his dad that every grifter around knows him for a mark, so it almost certainly wasn't the first or last time this had happened.  

 

If also reinforces what Chuck told Kim that his father was incapable of seeing evil or the bad in people, which is ridiculous considering he grew up in Chicago.  But his father was that much of a dumbass and that's why I can't feel too sorry for him losing so much money.  I think Jimmy did take some of that money but I appreciated just how ambiguous they kept the scene.

[peeayebee]

I'm always mesmerizing by those wind dancers. The one in the montage was crazy! It looked like it was sped up in places, maybe even juttering back and forth. It looked like it was high on super-cocaine.

[ChromaKelly]

At first I thought Jimmy's dad was being played by Bob Odenkirk before he was shown. The voice was really close.

I loved seeing the Saul suits. They are tacky as all hell but they really uhh... suit him.

[Grace284]

Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't just slap a wig on Bob again and have him play 12 year old Jimmy.

[rehoboth]

I love that Jimmy took his inspiration for his exit strategy from Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Guy. The montage of the blindingly loud clothes and escalating annoying behavior had me rolling. I also like that Cliff saw what he was doing but the show didn't go the cheap maudlin route of Cliff trying to be the understanding boss helping him through it or finding something admirably spunky about it. "You're an asshole." Indeed.

If Kim goes into practice for herself how does she plan on getting out from under her school debt to HHM?

I like that the flashback of young Jimmy and his father who was an apparent mark to everyone proved Chuck both right and wrong.

 

When I saw Jimmy take the money my first thought was that he was going to put it away for his father to have later (when the business likely collapsed).  Also if there is less money in the till, then maybe dad will think twice before giving it away.  If Jimmy did mean to give the stolen money back to his dad, perhaps something happened and his dad never received it.  Perhaps I am just an old softy for Jimmy.

 

One thing we do know is that Jimmy is not responsible for the entire amount of the missing money that Chuck discovered.  There are always nuances to BCS and BB.

[shapeshifter]

When I saw Jimmy take the money my first thought was that he was going to put it away for his father to have later (when the business likely collapsed).  Also if there is less money in the till, then maybe dad will think twice before giving it away.  If Jimmy did mean to give the stolen money back to his dad, perhaps something happened and his dad never received it.  Perhaps I am just an old softy for Jimmy.

 

One thing we do know is that Jimmy is not responsible for the entire amount of the missing money that Chuck discovered.  There are always nuances to BCS and BB.

I hope Jimmy at least subconsciously figured the bolded part.

[Omega Mu]

Jimmy's number 2 non-flushing at Davis & Main had to be a shout out to Ed Begley Jr.'s environmental activism, right?

[J----av]

Should have had more of this Saul much sooner. That's the Saul I was tuning in for from the beginning. DIdn't really need two seasons to build up to it.

Also didn't really need a whole season for this arc for Kim either.

There is a remarkably similar scene in Mr Robot to the one at the beginning of this one with Jimmy and his dad. But the Mr Robot one, the kid was stealing from a customer and the dad defended him to the customer anyway. But it was the same message : are you a wolf/sheep in this world.

That is where the name came from. It's referenced somewhere, either on here or in the podcasts.

 

 Seriously? You need to lay the ground work. Vince Gilligan isn't going to rush a characters development at the cost of quality. He took 4 seasons to turn Walt into Heisenberg and he will likely take the same to turn Jimmy into Saul

[Primetimer]

The right kind of jerk, to be precise.

Read the story

[Conan Troutman]

I thought it was interesting that, in the meeting with the DA, Mike recanted his testimony about the gun by saying only that it wasn't Tuco's. He and Jimmy were adamant that it wasn't Mike's gun, and he had no idea where it came from. But Mike's agreement with Hector was that he admit ownership of the gun.

 

Seems to me that if Mike had said it was definitely his gun, that would've been a much more persuasive argument than leaving it up in the air as they did (although, admittedly, the DAs probably still would've assumed Mike was pressured).

 

Just wondering if this is going to make for additional trouble between Mike and the Salamancas and maybe explain why he's keeping an eye on them. Technically, didn't the way he and Jimmy handled things break Mike's agreement with Hector?

 

Technically maybe, but I don't think Hector cares all that much. What's important for Hector is that the gun charges against Tuco will be dropped, and it seems like Mike's efforts were good enough for that. Sure, the cops could still go to court, but they know they'll lose the case (at least the gun possession part, which is the important one) and Mike will simply say it wasn't Tuco's gun and plead the fifth when he's asked where the gun came from and how Tuco's prints ended up on it should they force him to testify.

 

Why did Mike scoop the Salamancas out then? I'm not sure. Maybe he isn't entirely sure he's off the hook. Maybe he's got something else cooking up. Scout out who's coming and going, gain some knowledge. Maybe he even doesn't know yet, either. I wouldn't be surprised if Mike ends up working for them in some capacity until Gus comes into play later, so maybe that's how he gets his foot in the door.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Conan Troutman

[Rockfish]

I'm confused about what people are saying about Mike's daughter-in-law--obviously, I've been watching the show too late because I've forgotten some details. The view seems to be that she's scamming him to pay for a beyond-her-means house, but I assumed she probably needed help with a down payment and then would be able to afford the mortgage because she's a nurse. (The R.N.s I've known made a decent salary.) However, I must be missing something.

I was feeling stressed when Kim had the phone conversation about her job offer in the bathroom because I was sure there was someone eavesdropping who'd ruin her opportunity. But I feel as if she sabotaged herself with her decision to join Jimmy. But I hope I'm wrong!

[PrincessSteel]

Whatever dirt is in Kim's past is going to tie in somehow with the back story between Kim & Howard. Mark my words. And was it just me or is Jimmy seriously hot in his colorful wardrobe?

[ShadowFacts]

I don't expect the firm is going to dig all that deep into Kim's past.  She passed the ethics exam for her law license, as well as the background check performed by the State.  So unless New Mexico is unusually lax, at most her past is likely just some partying and wildness.  Even a juvy record could have affected her getting a law license in NM.  I just bet that Kim is glad her past occurred before Facebook and Instagram.  But agreed that she should have been a little better prepared for the background questions.  She probably didn't have to go through it as much with HH&M, since they wouldn't have really cared all that much when they hired her for the mailroom and after 6 years, she had proven herself to them.

 

I don't necessarily think there's anything criminal there, but there's something.  The way she answered about even what state she came from was dodgy.  That's the kind of answer I'd give to a stranger who was getting too nosy, not people I wanted to hire me and be partners with someday.  And the answer of "more" to what she wanted from moving to New Mexico - lame at best.  She should at least have said something about living where Georgia O'Keefe lived or something, anything.  There might be something in her family she wants to keep distance from.  There could be something in her past that informs her affinity for Jimmy.

[xyzzy]

The view seems to be that she's scamming him to pay for a beyond-her-means house, but I assumed she probably needed help with a down payment and then would be able to afford the mortgage because she's a nurse. (The R.N.s I've known made a decent salary.) However, I must be missing something.

I think the implication that she will need continued help was made when she was pressing for Mike's approval and doing a hard sell on the benefits of the home and neighborhood. If he was just handing over a down payment, all of that would really be just up to her.

 

I was mesmerized by the flashback that opened the episode and the inflatable montage. I loved that Chuck was right again, but still not fully genuine. He told Kim that his dad couldn't see anything bad in anyone and that it was impossible to convince him that Jimmy'd been skimming the till. But we got to see that his dad was skimming his own till, too. I saw Jimmy's theft as rebellion and self-affirmation. He tried to help his dad and be a good guy, but his dad wouldn't listen. It embarrassed him that his dad was a well-known sheep. He wasn't going to be member of the herd.

 

I also loved the scene where Kim turns Jimmy down again. Jimmy knows who he is now, and he's finally realized that he can't just shape himself into whatever anyone else wants him to be. He'll always chew and worry that bit. It was great to see him say it out loud and even better when Kim didn't just dump him on the spot. No on the partnership, sure, but she clearly likes Jimmy for who he is just as long as he isn't impacting her own trajectory.

[Conan Troutman]

I'm confused about what people are saying about Mike's daughter-in-law--obviously, I've been watching the show too late because I've forgotten some details. The view seems to be that she's scamming him to pay for a beyond-her-means house, but I assumed she probably needed help with a down payment and then would be able to afford the mortgage because she's a nurse. (The R.N.s I've known made a decent salary.) However, I must be missing something.

I was feeling stressed when Kim had the phone conversation about her job offer in the bathroom because I was sure there was someone eavesdropping who'd ruin her opportunity. But I feel as if she sabotaged herself with her decision to join Jimmy. But I hope I'm wrong!

 

She isn't exactly scamming him. More using his guilt over his son's death and him wanting to care for his granddaughter to make him pay for stuff. She's definitely aware of that part (although the imaginary bullets from a few episodes ago might stem from a PTSD induced paranoia and probably aren't flat out made up), but is probably rationalizing it as "well, Mike's responsible for my husband's death, and if my husband were still alive, we wouldn't need Mike's money in the first place, so it's only right he helps my daughter and me".

 

There's also the implied blackmail - she dropped the "...but of course it's only a drop in the bucket" line after she learned that Mike killed the dirty cops in Five-O and asking him what to do with the dirty money she found. It was never spelled out that she might spill the beans if Mike doesn't pay up, but then again, it didn't have to be. Mike seems to be aware of all that, but is going along with it regardless because of his granddaughter.

 

As for the second part: I thought about someone possibly eavesdropping, too, but quickly dismissed it because Kim's just too smart for that. I was way more worried about Howard somehow reading the text file while she was with Jimmy.

 

 

I don't necessarily think there's anything criminal there, but there's something.  The way she answered about even what state she came from was dodgy.  That's the kind of answer I'd give to a stranger who was getting too nosy, not people I wanted to hire me and be partners with someday.  And the answer of "more" to what she wanted from moving to New Mexico - lame at best.  She should at least have said something about living where Georgia O'Keefe lived or something, anything.  There might be something in her family she wants to keep distance from.  There could be something in her past that informs her affinity for Jimmy.

 

I agree, there might be something, but it's probably more something embarrassing - simply something that you just don't mention if you don't absolutely have to, but hopefully funny enough so we get to see in a flashback *fingers crossed*.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Conan Troutman

[RCharter]

I'm always mesmerizing by those wind dancers. The one in the montage was crazy! It looked like it was sped up in places, maybe even juttering back and forth. It looked like it was high on super-cocaine.

Yes!  It was phenomenal.  Those things always look like they are sort of dancing, but this one was doing some frantic type of boogie!

 

Jimmy's number 2 non-flushing at Davis & Main had to be a shout out to Ed Begley Jr.'s environmental activism, right?

 

LOL....thats the first thing I thought!  And with a shout out to low flow toilets!

I was mesmerized by the flashback that opened the episode and the inflatable montage. I loved that Chuck was right again, but still not fully genuine. He told Kim that his dad couldn't see anything bad in anyone and that it was impossible to convince him that Jimmy'd been skimming the till. But we got to see that his dad was skimming his own till, too. I saw Jimmy's theft as rebellion and self-affirmation. He tried to help his dad and be a good guy, but his dad wouldn't listen. It embarrassed him that his dad was a well-known sheep. He wasn't going to be member of the herd.

 

I also loved the scene where Kim turns Jimmy down again. Jimmy knows who he is now, and he's finally realized that he can't just shape himself into whatever anyone else wants him to be. He'll always chew and worry that bit. It was great to see him say it out loud and even better when Kim didn't just dump him on the spot. No on the partnership, sure, but she clearly likes Jimmy for who he is just as long as he isn't impacting her own trajectory.

 

Its odd, even when Jimmy thought that Kim had fully changed her mind, he didn't seem all that into it.  Maybe he was just more surprised than anything else, but I detected the faintest note of disappointment.  I absolutely think that when he first went to Kim with the idea of a partnership he was fully, fully into it.  But perhaps realizing that he wants to be "colorful" and not ruin Kim's life in the process made him more relieved that he could just do things his own way without having to worry about anyone else.

 

I think Kim's idea was great.

 

The thing about the opening scene is now I can see why Jimmy couldn't just tell Chuck anything, because he probably did take some money, even if not all the money.  And he didn't take it with good intentions (like thinking he was owed the money, or that it represented his weekly pay or something along those lines).  Its all so grey.

 

 

 

 

I agree, there might be something, but it's probably more something embarrassing - simply something that you just don't mention if you don't absolutely have to, but hopefully funny enough so we get to see in a flashback *fingers crossed*.

It was funny, because the way Kim described her town was the way I often describe mine, because almost no one from LA has really heard of it and then I have to get into an explanation of what other cities someone may have heard of that are nearby and how far away my city is from that city.  I just normally say "you've probably passed it if you've driven to Vegas!"  and "we have three malls!  and a Nordstrom....we are on the come up!"

[Auntie Anxiety]

Jimmy's "encounter" with the inflatable wind man reminded me of a scene from Rectify, when Daniel was released from prison after serving 20 years, saw a similar wind man in front of his family's tire store and didn't quite know what to make of it since he'd never seen one before.

 

Were low-flow toilets even available in the Jimmy McGill years?  

 

I cringed when Kim called Schweikart "Howard."

[shapeshifter]

My new apartment has a low flow toilet that the landlord installed because he pays for the water. But I have to flush it twice or else the toilet paper and sometimes #2 stuff comes back up. Maybe this sometimes happened in DM bathroom, so Jimmy just stopped flushing altogether as part of his get fired campaign.

After Omar helped Jimmy with the desk swap, I wondered if Jimmy was going to offer him a partnership, but didn't when Omar said he had to get home to his 2 kids.

I cringed when Kim called Schweikart "Howard."

So did she and so did I, but it was a nice hint that she wasn't going to take the job because it was just trading in one Howard for another. Edited March 29, 2016 by shapeshifter

[Bryce Lynch]

I don't expect the firm is going to dig all that deep into Kim's past. She passed the ethics exam for her law license, as well as the background check performed by the State. So unless New Mexico is unusually lax, at most her past is likely just some partying and wildness. Even a juvy record could have affected her getting a law license in NM. I just bet that Kim is glad her past occurred before Facebook and Instagram. But agreed that she should have been a little better prepared for the background questions. She probably didn't have to go through it as much with HH&M, since they wouldn't have really cared all that much when they hired her for the mailroom and after 6 years, she had proven herself to them.

Well Slippin' Jimmy passed the same ethics exam and background check...so there's that. :)

I don't expect the firm is going to dig all that deep into Kim's past. She passed the ethics exam for her law license, as well as the background check performed by the State. So unless New Mexico is unusually lax, at most her past is likely just some partying and wildness. Even a juvy record could have affected her getting a law license in NM. I just bet that Kim is glad her past occurred before Facebook and Instagram. But agreed that she should have been a little better prepared for the background questions. She probably didn't have to go through it as much with HH&M, since they wouldn't have really cared all that much when they hired her for the mailroom and after 6 years, she had proven herself to them.

Well Slippin' Jimmy passed the same ethics exam and background check...so there's that. :)

[Hanahope]

Well Slippin' Jimmy passed the same ethics exam and background check...so there's that. :)

 

Haha so true.  I guess NM doesn't investigate (or care) all that much about their prospective attorney's prior criminal habits.  Though maybe Jimmy was never tried or convicted of anything and an arrest may not necessarily make it onto a court docket.

[CatMomma]

 Seriously? You need to lay the ground work. Vince Gilligan isn't going to rush a characters development at the cost of quality. He took 4 seasons to turn Walt into Heisenberg and he will likely take the same to turn Jimmy into Saul

 

I so agree! I get the frustration from viewers who watched BB. However, there are plenty of new viewers who never watched it, so I think it's important to start from the beginning of Jimmy's journey.  For new viewers, jumping right into Saul would be a bit jarring.  I loved BB.  I think it was the best, well written show on television, possibly ever, but BCS needs to stand on it's own. 

 

Those of us who watched BB can look back and see the genius of the show, but I think it's important to remember that Walt's metamorphosis into Heisenberg took a long time.  

 

For me, Mike is looking more like the "Breaking Bad" character of the show.  He wasn't perfect to begin with, but I have a feeling he gets deeper and deeper to support what is left of his family, and never saw himself as taking it this far.  He just seems so tired and angry about the entire situation.  Unlike Walt, Mike does not get a thrill out of any of this.  In BB, I liked him but never saw him as this great guy. Now, I just find him tragic.

 

"Dude, I'm from Michigan."

"So you don't understand a word I've been saying."

 

Love, love, LOVE that scene.  Made of awesome.

[AuntiePam]

As for the second part: I thought about someone possibly eavesdropping, too, but quickly dismissed it because Kim's just too smart for that. I was way more worried about Howard somehow reading the text file while she was with Jimmy.

 

Me too.  The firm might not have someone in IT checking up on employees' computer files, but she left it up on the screen, for anyone to see.  But if she's decided to leave, it doesn't matter.  Unless there's something in her contract to make it more difficult for her.

[revbfc]

Well I gave Jimmy the benefit of the doubt about the missing money from his father's store and was proved wrong. Oh well.

[Umbelina]

I'm sure Rich Schweikart did a background search as soon as Kim left the office...no way did a shrewd lawyer not hear her try to glide over her past. She can account for 10 years but not more. And she didn't tie her move to New Mexico to anything specific...wonder if there is a glitch in NM laws which makes it easier to hide your past?  For a smart woman, Kim was unprepared for this interview. I think she knew it too...the overly bright smile at the hand-off, then needing a smoke afterwards. She could hear the lapses too.

 

Kaylee's mom is definitely milking Mike for all she can get...and I am sure he sees it clearly too. But his love for Kaylie trumps all. He also needs a major income stream now to support her upscale living. So, start by surveilling the Tio clan and see what opportunities present themselves.

Wow, guys, I didn't even notice that..  I describe my own (current) town much as she did, not because I'm hiding anything, just because it's true.  I think you are all probably right though. Kaylee talk later.

 

I thought it was interesting that, in the meeting with the DA, Mike recanted his testimony about the gun by saying only that it wasn't Tuco's. He and Jimmy were adamant that it wasn't Mike's gun, and he had no idea where it came from. But Mike's agreement with Hector was that he admit ownership of the gun.

 

Seems to me that if Mike had said it was definitely his gun, that would've been a much more persuasive argument than leaving it up in the air as they did (although, admittedly, the DAs probably still would've assumed Mike was pressured).

 

Just wondering if this is going to make for additional trouble between Mike and the Salamancas and maybe explain why he's keeping an eye on them. Technically, didn't the way he and Jimmy handled things break Mike's agreement with Hector?

Mike figured out a way not to take the fall, or rather, JIMMY did.  I don't think Hector will care as long as the charge is dropped against Tuco.  That was the goal, if Mike got it another way.  But?  Maybe. 

 

Speaking of grifters, Stacey is really upping the ante with the too-big house that Mike will be helping to pay for.  I can tell by the look on his face that he knows he's being conned, but he's doing it for Kaylee.  He also knows it won't stop.  He can't even confront Stacey because all she'll do is threaten to keep Kaylee away from him. 

I really don't think she's grifting.  I think she's honestly scared, probably PTSD from her husband being murdered by cops he worked with, cops she probably knew!  By keeping the money, and by knowing her father-in-law is also capable of murder.  She is imagining gunshots, and not sleeping, her world is upside down.  She married a good man, had a child with him, and was planning on a life with him.  He was killed BECAUSE he was good, and now, she's facing life as a single mother.  She's got a lot on her mind.

 

Mike is saying "no problem" endlessly about the money.  There is no way she could or would know how he's getting it.  She has no idea that Mike is in any danger. 

 

As for the new place, this may just be me, but I think Mike wanted them out of the overly exposed place with the pool.  The Cousins scared him, he realized he couldn't protect them there, and probably suggested looking for a house in a nice neighborhood.  So, because that makes sense with the Mike character, I think it's how it went down.  She's looking for safety and a real home, the one she probably had or planned to have with her murdered husband.

 

You don't get over murder of a loved one, the sharp pain and grief may fade over time, or come less frequently, but she has not had nearly enough time for that.

 

At first I thought Jimmy's dad was being played by Bob Odenkirk before he was shown. The voice was really close.

I loved seeing the Saul suits. They are tacky as all hell but they really uhh... suit him.

That voice was perfection!  It sounded just like Jimmy. 

The suits and shirts and ties were a gift for us.  Practically a visual representation of coming out of the overwhelming dullness this show was becoming (aside from Mike's antics of course, and the BB crew like Hector and Tuco.)

 

Whatever dirt is in Kim's past is going to tie in somehow with the back story between Kim & Howard. Mark my words. And was it just me or is Jimmy seriously hot in his colorful wardrobe?

That is a really cool idea.  I hope you are right, because I'm tired of playing the "What is Howard's deal?" guessing game.  I don't know how their paths would have crossed though, he was apparently a rich kid who inherited daddy's business.  Maybe he rebelled at one point, or they met in college, or (and here we go playing the LOST game again.)

 

Those of us who watched BB can look back and see the genius of the show, but I think it's important to remember that Walt's metamorphosis into Heisenberg took a long time.

 

Yes, but it wasn't boring, it was fascinating from the beginning until the end, and the other characters were much more filled out and interesting to watch.  I'll take Hank, Betsy, Jesse, and Gomez and the rest over the enigma of Howard, and the total annoyance and downer of Chuck any day. 

 

I don't think BCS writing was so much about "laying groundwork" though, of course some of it was, but other characters were just there to push Jimmy into becoming Saul, and those were the real misses with the writing.  The writers themselves said they expected Saul to be on screen before now, but later realized they were enjoying Jimmy.  At that point they finally started making the other (non BB people) a bit more interesting, except for Howard.  I think they will USE that as some big shocking or at least interesting reveal about Howard pretty soon though.  Make wonderful spiked lemonade out of lemons.  Did they plan it though?  No.

 

 

So did she and so did I, but it was a nice hint that she wasn't going to take the job because it was just trading in one Howard for another.

 

Yeah, that was well done.  It wasn't really an anvil because she delivered it perfectly.  Of course Jimmy saying the same words later didn't help with the subtly she delivered, but oh well.

 

Oh and I took Mike's reaction in the police department in a much simpler way.

Mike spent his life as a cop.  It's practically in his blood to detest tricky lawyers getting guilty people off with trickery and manipulating the law (in his opinion.)  Does he detest that he's become on of those guilty people?  Probably, but I think the guts of it are that he's ALWAYS hated lawyers like Jimmy, so he automatically did while sitting in that interrogation style room.  He's been there before, on the other side.

 

Also, I really think Mike is scoping out Hector's operation because he doesn't want to deal with the veterinarian middleman anymore.  It's too dangerous, and he doesn't need him anyway.  He's there for two reasons.  Protect Kaylie, and find a way to make money from Hector, or against Hector, and knowing his enemy/future possible employer is just how Mike operates. 

Edited March 29, 2016 by Umbelina

[ElDosEquis]

40 cents a pack of ciggies? I remember when they were 35 cents.

 

All the speculation about who put their father's business under? They both did, but it was heart breaking to see Jimmy F his father under the second time.

 

One of the things about this series is not to delve too deeply into the first run. I prefer to watch on DVD and again with the commentary.

[Umbelina]

Yeah, I'm a DVD person too ElDosEquis, especially for the commentary! 

 

I remember vacationing in Virginia in the eighties and cigarettes being 1/6th the cost of California.  I bought another suitcase and loaded up cartons for me and for friends.  (No charge on the airlines back then for up to two checked bags.)

 

I think listening to Vince talk, and they WAY he talks about the fun they have, and things they go with is fantastic.  I have all of the BB DVD's but need to start picking up BCS at some point, the podcasts were helpful too, but haven't they stopped doing those?

Edited March 29, 2016 by Umbelina