S03.E08: Slip

[ShellSeeker]

Quote

Jimmy is pushed to desperate measures; Nacho picks up a skill; Mike explores an alliance; Kim stands up to Hamlin.

[Bannon]

I really think it will be Kim severing her relationshp with Jimmy, which will be the last straw that creates Saul as full time occupation. It'll be really sad if it takes Kim's professional ruin to be the catalyst for the severance.  I hope she can get out with her reputation intact, and let Jimmy down as gently as possible, but, to it's credit, this show doesn't let anybody off easy. 

[Armchair Critic]

And the pill switch is made...

[MrWhyt]

I think we've tipped from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman

[cyberfruit]

I had my eyes partially covered during the pill switching scene. Also, I think I stopped breathing when Nacho made the switch and started breathing again once he unballed his fists. 

The tension was too much!

[mattie0808]

^^^Me too! Even though we pretty much know where this is headed. That was intense. I thought Nacho might give himself a stroke by accident, lol.

Edited June 6, 2017 by mattie0808

[Dianaofthehunt]

That pill switch was as tense as Michael Corleone untaping the pistol from behind the toilet!

[Bryce Lynch]

So, I assume the body Mike found in the desert was the Good Samaritan.  Way too fresh to be Anita's husband.

The episode was OK, but I think they are trying to juggle too many plots at the same time.  Jimmy and the commercial. Jimmy and community service.  Mike and his body search.  Nacho and Hector.  Kim and Mesa Verde   Kim and Howard.  Kim and Jimmy.  Chuck trying to overcome his illness.  Plus the flashback cold open that didn't really directly relate to the episode.  

It seems like Kim is doing well financially given that she had the money to pay back Howard.

Jimmy theatening to sue the community service guy and him buying it didn't ring true to me.

[benteen]

Very good episode.  The pill-switch scene was intense.  Thought the Kim and Howard scene was great.  Looks like this will start bringing on her professional ruin.

Was the supermarket that Chuck went into the same one where Walt stripped down naked?

I liked the beginning flashback with Marco.

[scenario]

6 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

So, I assume the body Mike found in the desert was the Good Samaritan.  Way too fresh to be Anita's husband.

The episode was OK, but I think they are trying to juggle too many plots at the same time.  Jimmy and the commercial. Jimmy and community service.  Mike and his body search.  Nacho and Hector.  Kim and Mesa Verde   Kim and Howard.  Kim and Jimmy.  Chuck trying to overcome his illness.  Plus the flashback cold open that didn't really directly relate to the episode.  

It seems like Kim is doing well financially given that she had the money to pay back Howard.

Jimmy theatening to sue the community service guy and him buying it didn't ring true to me.

Jimmy doesn't have to win the case against the community service guy. Just the act of suing could cost the guy thousands of dollars. The guy know's Jimmy's a lawyer with his licence suspended. It wouldn't cost Jimmy anywhere near as much to sue the guy as the guy would have to spend to defend himself. The community service guy knew that Jimmy probably wouldn't do it but is it worth the risk? He could lose everything and all's he had to do was not notice something which probably goes on all the time.

It was almost certainly the Good Samaritan. Why transport a guy from a remote forest to a desert to bury him? 

[rue721]

It's too bad that the community service foreman was so easily intimidated. I thought Jimmy's bullshit game was pretty weak in that scene. His license is suspended, so I don't know what he was even talking about when he was going on about how he could spend all the time he wanted arguing things in court. If I were the community service foreman, I would have been like, "I'll do what I'm paid to do, keep my job, and risk this hypothetical lawsuit. Thanks." But eh.

Appreciated the story about soft touch Mr McGill, though. Sounds like the sweetest guy in the world, but I can see how frustrating that would be. My dad is like that. Always needs someone else to do the dirty work.

I agree about the pill scene. My eyes were covered, too. NACHO BE CAREFUL!

Chuck won me back over. The way he was so gleeful he was just this side of manic when he was talking to the doctor about being well again. How hard he pushed himself in the grocery store. That he really took the battery-in-the-pocket revelation to heart. Chuck can be an asshole, but he's got some mental toughness. Gotta respect that.

I like Kim, but the shenanigans between her and Howard were a little too ridiculous and petty IMO. I mean, even petty for this show, where we've meanwhile got a forty-something guy taking his vengeance out on people by ~maliciously~ running two-bit scams against them. "Petty" in that context is saying something!

The scene between Jimmy and Kim was pretty weird IMO. What with her total lack of physical affection? What was up with his defensiveness/anger when she said she wanted to cover him financially while he got back on his feet? Such odd ducks.

[Bryce Lynch]

3 minutes ago, scenario said:

Jimmy doesn't have to win the case against the community service guy. Just the act of suing could cost the guy thousands of dollars. The guy know's Jimmy's a lawyer with his licence suspended. It wouldn't cost Jimmy anywhere near as much to sue the guy as the guy would have to spend to defend himself. The community service guy knew that Jimmy probably wouldn't do it but is it worth the risk? He could lose everything and all's he had to do was not notice something which probably goes on all the time.

It was almost certainly the Good Samaritan. Why transport a guy from a remote forest to a desert to bury him? 

I think Jimmy was bluffing and in real life the community service guy would laugh at him and dock his hours.  I'm sure he would have dealt with all sorts of threats and scams from the hoodlums he supervises.  The writing of that scene seemed ham handed and unrealistic by BCS standard, like something I would expect on a far inferior show.

[thuganomics85]

Well, if he isn't full-fledge Saul Goodman yet, he's at least pretty much Slippin Jimmy again for good.  Watching him swindle the guitar guys and threaten to sue the community service guy out of his livelihood was diabolical, but admittedly successful.  For better or worse (mainly worse), he really is good at it.  Bob Odenkirk was fantastic again.  He better get another Emmy nod at least.

I'm getting nervous with every Kim scene now, because I keep waiting for something to happen that will cause her downfall on some level. It is really only a matter of time before she is through with Jimmy, but I really hope she gets out of this somehow, and finds success elsewhere.  But I can easily see her becoming a victim of some kind due to Jimmy's eventual transformation to Saul.  And antagonizing Howard could lead to some repercussions.

Can't believe the episode actually made me.... well, not like Chuck, but be glad that he seems to be getting better.  Great seeing Clea Duvall's doctor again, and Michael McKean really sold Chuck's happiness over getting better.  Which, naturally means that it will likely all go to hell now that Jimmy's little insurance stunt from last episode come into effect soon.

All the stuff with Nacho was intense.  Glad he pulled it off and hopefully Hector won't find out when shit goes down.  I do like the brief glimpses of Nacho's dad and seeing how kind and good he is, and it makes me see why Nacho is willing to risk himself like this.  Michael Mando did great work here.

Mike and Gus "make a deal."  I know I shouldn't want this, but I am so looking forward to seeing how their relationship becomes what it was on Breaking Bad.

[scenario]

1 minute ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I think Jimmy was bluffing and in real life the community service guy would laugh at him and dock his hours.  I'm sure he would have dealt with all sorts of threats and scams from the hoodlums he supervises.  The writing of that scene seemed ham handed and unrealistic by BCS standard, like something I would expect on a far inferior show.

How many of the hoodlums were actual lawyers? I'd bet most of them were much lower on the social scale. He's used to dealing with low level drug dealers and such. Probably not many white collar criminals. Jimmy gave it a shot. It probably wouldn't have worked 8 times out of ten but he got lucky. The community service guy probably figured that it wasn't worth the aggravation. Plus, are community service guy's noted for the legal expertise? If I'm a working stiff, I just want to make my life easier. 

Slippin Jimmy is a professional at talking people out of their money. If you can talk someone into paying $300 for a $4 penny, you can probably outwit a community service guy. 

[TVFan17]

That whole scene with Nacho and Hector was full of tension, starting with Krazy 8.  Krazy 8 seems like a good kid who was taught to show respect to his elders, and he insists on addressing Hector with respect every time.  When he did that, Nacho first gave him a look as if to say, "Seriously?  Are you kidding me?  Quit while you're ahead.  Get out of here."  

But when Hector didn't even acknowledge Krazy 8 and acted as though he was invisible, Nacho slightly shook his head, as though he couldn't believe what a jerk Hector is to people, and how he doesn't even treat them as if they're human when they show him respect.

Then... the fiddling with the pills and the shaky hands, and Nacho's nervous energy... yikes!  I was on the edge of my seat.  I thought he was going to end up clumsily knocking the capsules all over the floor or something.  I thought that the menacing Cousins would suddenly appear out of nowhere and catch him in the middle of dropping the bottle into Hector's jacket.

Saul has definitely taken over now -- he just needs to start practicing law as Saul.

I really appreciated that Chuck was trying hard at the store.  He was struggling mightily, but he was trying as hard as he could.  And I smiled when he was talking about his plans to bring light back in and start entertaining, etc.

And... the Mike scene in the desert!   I honestly first thought that the hand he found was the husband of his new lady friend -- I thought that the wedding ring was supposed to clue us in to it being her husband.  But, aside from being blue, the hand looked to be in good shape.  It can't be the husband.  It's got to be the Good Samaritan.

I like the scenes with Mike and Gus together.  They have developed a mutual respect early on.

Edited June 6, 2017 by TVFan17

[peeayebee]

I think I enjoyed the scenes with Nacho most of all. I don't know why it was so interesting watching him prepare the bad capsules, but it was. And then in the restaurant watching his hands shake... Wow. So tense and terrific. I thought for certain that the cook would have seen him toss the bottle into Hector's pocket -- And YAY that was great after seeing him fail so many times. 

It was odd feeling happy and positive about Chuck. It was very touching hearing him say, "What did I do?" if the illness was all in his head. Wonderful scene. I was impressed with his getting thru his grocery shopping. I thought he was going to collapse.

As for Jimmy, I didn't really like him much in this ep. Maybe that was intentional. Of course the music store guys would realize that they didn't need to make a bunch of commercials and want out of the deal. That was pretty stupid of Jimmy, or just naive that he'd think no one would question that cost and so forth. 

His snapping at Kim was also an ugly bit, though I get why he did it -- back aching, ego bruised about Kim being the breadwinner, life sucking. 

The community service scene was ok, but Jimmy just didn't have any charm, only maliciousness. I guess we're really into a Saul Goodman Production.

I'll need to rewatch to see if that really was Bob Odenkirk falling in the music store.

Edited June 6, 2017 by peeayebee

[nodorothyparker]

I didn't find Chuck's scene with the doctor hopeful or positive.  It was manic bordering on delusional.  He thinks he can outsmart or out think mental illness.  When he was going on about wanting to throw a party to celebrate with all his friends, I actually asked the TV "And what friends would those be, Chuck?"

[rue721]

24 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

But I can easily see her becoming a victim of some kind due to Jimmy's eventual transformation to Saul.

Maybe it's naive, but I still have some hope that she won't be a victim or collateral damage of Saul's.

ETA:  Breaking Bad spoilers (I dunno how we're supposed to handle them here?)

Spoiler

Saul is the same guy who ended his run on Breaking Bad by compulsively advising Walt on how to keep a roof over Skyler's head and keep her out of trouble with the law even after Walt's inevitable capture/death. I don't think he takes collateral damage that lightly (despite causing his fair share!).

 

11 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Jimmy just didn't have any charm, only maliciousness. I guess we're really into a Saul Goodman Production.

I think Saul had some charm.

But you're right, Jimmy really didn't. Not in any scenes in this episode, really. Not even with Marco. Is that a first?

I don't even think that what he did to the music store guys or the community service foreman was that bad. It was just pathetic. Like Jimmy had reverted to being a snotty teenager.

Edited June 6, 2017 by rue721

[Bryce Lynch]

9 minutes ago, rue721 said:

Maybe it's naive, but I still have some hope that she won't be a victim or collateral damage of Saul's.

ETA:  Breaking Bad spoilers (I dunno how we're supposed to handle them here?)

  Hide contents

Saul is the same guy who ended his run on Breaking Bad by compulsively advising Walt on how to keep a roof over Skyler's head and keep her out of trouble with the law even after Walt's inevitable capture/death. I don't think he takes collateral damage that lightly (despite causing his fair share!).

 

I think Saul had some charm.

But you're right, Jimmy really didn't. Not in any scenes in this episode, really. Not even with Marco. Is that a first?

I don't even think that what he did to the music store guys or the community service foreman was that bad. It was just pathetic. Like Jimmy had reverted to being a snotty teenager.

I liked the slip and fall.  I thought the music store guys sort of deserved it.  I didn't like the lawsuit threat.  I thought it was unrealistic and lacked the creativity I have come to expect from the BCS writers. I was expecting some really clever and original ruse to get the dealer freed from trash duty.

[Cthulhudrew]

57 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

So, I assume the body Mike found in the desert was the Good Samaritan.  Way too fresh to be Anita's husband.

True. I think it was her story about not knowing what happened that touched a nerve with him, so Mike made sure that he dug up the body and reported it, so that the Good Samaritan's widow/family wouldn't suffer the same, never-ending sense of loss.

[Bryce Lynch]

29 minutes ago, scenario said:

How many of the hoodlums were actual lawyers? I'd bet most of them were much lower on the social scale. He's used to dealing with low level drug dealers and such. Probably not many white collar criminals. Jimmy gave it a shot. It probably wouldn't have worked 8 times out of ten but he got lucky. The community service guy probably figured that it wasn't worth the aggravation. Plus, are community service guy's noted for the legal expertise? If I'm a working stiff, I just want to make my life easier. 

Slippin Jimmy is a professional at talking people out of their money. If you can talk someone into paying $300 for a $4 penny, you can probably outwit a community service guy. 

I didn't think Jimmy came off as convincing in that scene.  Normally he is convincing, whether as Viktor with a K or selling the squat cobbler story to the police.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Bryce Lynch

[Irlandesa]

6 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

I didn't find Chuck's scene with the doctor hopeful or positive.  It was manic bordering on delusional.  He thinks he can outsmart or out think mental illness.  When he was going on about wanting to throw a party to celebrate with all his friends, I actually asked the TV "And what friends would those be, Chuck?"

Well I bet he does have legal friends who would be happy to do something normal.  Part of his solitude is self-induced.  As for the mental illness, he mentioned medication, I believe.  So it's not that he's trying to outsmart mental illness but rather he was meticulous in tracking the changes in his pain awareness.  And we saw him employing some coping techniques to deal with his anxiety (I'm assuming).  Many of those strategies do engage the brain to prevent worst case scenarios. 

I'm nervous and I'm wondering if it will all be too late for him.  I feel similarly about Kim.  The "that's the way things are" and "that's on you" exchange she had with Howard made me nervous. (Quoted but I don't know if they were actual quotes from the conversation.)  Howard is very controlled but would he give the tape to Mesa Verde?  He hasn't before because he knows there's nothing good for HHM that can come from it but now that he's scrambling because of what happened in court, maybe he would because "that's the way things really are."  It's much easier to ignore what's in the transcripts as Jimmy trying to placate a mentally ill man but the actual confession would sound a lot different than what they're likely imagining.

[Bryce Lynch]

2 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Well I bet he does have legal friends who would be happy to do something normal.  Part of his solitude is self-induced.  As for the mental illness, he mentioned medication, I believe.  So it's not that he's trying to outsmart mental illness but rather he was meticulous in tracking the changes in his pain awareness.  And we saw him employing some coping techniques to deal with his anxiety (I'm assuming).  Many of those strategies do engage the brain to prevent worst case scenarios. 

I'm nervous and I'm wondering if it will all be too late for him.  I feel similarly about Kim.  The "that's the way things are" and "that's on you" exchange she had with Howard made me nervous. (Quoted but I don't know if they were actual quotes from the conversation.)  Howard is very controlled but would he give the tape to Mesa Verde?  He hasn't before because he knows there's nothing good for HHM that can come from it but now that he's scrambling because of what happened in court, maybe he would because "that's the way things really are."  It's much easier to ignore what's in the transcripts as Jimmy trying to placate a mentally ill man but the actual confession would sound a lot different than what they're likely imagining.

I doubt hearing the tape would make a difference if the transcripts only made Paige think Chuck was nuts.

It seemed like when Kim told Howard it was on him for hiding Chuck's situation from their clients he gave a look acknowledging, at least to himself, that she was right.

[kieyra]

I just happened to watch the episode of BB tonight where Saul insists on calling Francesca "Honey Tits" in front of clients. Same Saul who talks about getting a massage "with completion" and sleazes about mail order brides.

Quite an interesting hurdle they've taken on.

[scenario]

3 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I liked the slip and fall.  I thought the music store guys sort of deserved it.  I didn't like the lawsuit threat.  I thought it was unrealistic and lacked the creativity I have come to expect from the BCS writers. I was expecting some really clever and original ruse to get the dealer freed from trash duty.

As I remember it, sometimes Saul is clever but sometimes he used the lawyer's version of brute force to get what he wanted. Whatever works. I liked the scene. I agree it wasn't very inventive and that Jimmy wasn't charming at all. But Jimmy/Saul wasn't trying to be charming. He was trying to look like someone who had nothing to lose. Someone who might just go through with his threat for the hell of it.

The trash guy is used to physical threats and knows what to do. Report the threat and the criminal goes to prison and the prisoners all know it. Actually following through on a threat to hurt or kill the guy could bring the state down on you. But how does he report that a lawyer threatened to sue him? If he did, it would mean filling out a bunch of papers and what could they actually do to Jimmy? 

I find it believable that a career civil servant wouldn't want to bother dealing with it.  Too much paperwork and aggravation. 

[rue721]

7 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I liked the slip and fall.  I thought the music store guys sort of deserved it.  I didn't like the lawsuit threat.  I thought it was unrealistic and lacked the creativity I have come to expect from the BCS writers. I was expecting some really clever and original ruse to get the dealer freed from trash duty.

I mostly just felt embarrassed for Jimmy. Even in the flashback, rummaging through old coins he'd hidden as a kid, like he was breaking open his piggy bank. What kind of occupation is that for a grown man? What a waste.

Jimmy worked for a LONG time to be better than this, and to actually build a life instead of wasting his on petty bullshit.

But then the second he feels powerless again, BAM. He's back to lies and pennyante scams. I think because running these scams on people, threatening or tricking them into doing what he wants, gives him the illusion of control.

Meanwhile, Chuck really is trying to take back control over his life. That does give me some more respect for Chuck.

[Quilt Fairy]

The body Mike dug up has to be the Good Samaritan.  When he first got out of the car, he had a paper with the location on it (I assume) and he had to have gotten that from Nacho.

I'm getting confused at the extent of the relationship of Kim and Mesa Verde.  I thought they retained her specifically to have a New Mexico licensed lawyer get them through the legal process of establishing branches in that state.  Now, she's suddenly their lawyer for Colorado and Utah as well.

[Irlandesa]

3 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I doubt hearing the tape would make a difference if the transcripts only made Paige think Chuck was nuts.

I don't know. On the podcast, they often talk about how an actor will read their text and put a spin on it that they never considered.  I know I've read things written that I felt seemed snarky or angry but when I heard them said, they came off as more even tempered.  Paige likes and trusts Kim.  Kim has been feeding her the information in advance and Paige probably heard the transcript in a way that met her preconceived notions.  I think Jimmy's confession sounds more real than a simple placating which is probably how Paige imagines it being said.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Quote

His license is suspended, so I don't know what he was even talking about when he was going on about how he could spend all the time he wanted arguing things in court.

Even though his license is suspended, he can still represent himself in court. So he was threatening the community service guy that he (Jimmy/Saul) could spend time every day filing motions, going to court, and basically using the legal system to squeeze the guy dry. It wouldn't cost Jimmy a penny. And it wouldn't matter if the case was bullshit. Lots of legal fees and days CSG would need to take time off from work even before it gets into a courtroom.

I thought it was a great episode. Things are falling into place. To me it feels like Jimmy is intentionally alienating Kim.

So Chuck can possibly "get better," but he cannot practice law without malpractice insurance and I'm not sure how quickly an insurance company would be willing to cover him, now that his  problems are public knowledge. They'd want assurance that he was okay, but it might be a risk they wouldn't want to take.

I don't believe Howard would do anything to harm Kim's career. We'll see.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Auntie Anxiety

[LittleIggy]

The slip and fall made me laugh out loud. Loved it!

[Jextella]

8 hours ago, kieyra said:

I just happened to watch the episode of BB tonight where Saul insists on calling Francesca "Honey Tits" in front of clients. Same Saul who talks about getting a massage "with completion" and sleazes about mail order brides.

Quite an interesting hurdle they've taken on.

Kinda gross.  I'll have to foget he said those things 'cause I wanna keep liking and rooting for Saul (and Jimmy).

9 hours ago, cyberfruit said:

I had my eyes partially covered during the pill switching scene. Also, I think I stopped breathing when Nacho made the switch and started breathing again once he unballed his fists. 

The tension was too much!

OMG.  I mute tense scenes because they are too much for me.  I had to mute this one.  I really hope we see more of Michael Mando as Nacho.  His story is becoming one of my favorites.  I like the fact that he has an honest father who he wants to watch out for.  For me, the character needs this to set him apart from the Krazy 8's and Salamancha's of the world.  A sympathetic sort (thus far).  

I am a fan of the slow pacing of scenes such as Mike dismantling the car and digging in the desert, and all of Nacho's drug-switch scenes.  I think it helps convey the mindset of the person performing the action.  All are time consuming but must be done - with care and precision.  If it were me doing these things, the scenes would capture my feelings while doing them.  If that makes any sense at all.

9 hours ago, MrWhyt said:

I think we've tipped from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman

Toe is definately in the pond.   A few more similar encounters, and likely a growing need for money, and the transormation will be complete :)

Random thoughts:

• Agree with all who suggest the body is the good Semaritan and not Anita's husband given how "fresh" it looked (ugh).   
• A few fancy coins from the till - taken for luck by a hopeful and naive 12-year old is a far cry from $14k.  I still believe this $14k theft story - and/or some major harm that comes to Kim - will be what flips Jimmy's switch completely.   Glad Marco made an appearance again.  I like the character and the actor who plays him. 

Edited June 6, 2017 by Jextella

[shapeshifter]

Jimmy doesn't want to accept any financial help from Kim because that would put her in the same category as any of his marks. Maybe this is the key to the demise of their relationship. 
Or, since she seems about to take on another big client that will be too much for her to handle, maybe Jimmy will help her and that will cause trouble? IDK, could he apply to pass the bar exam in Utah (one of the state's that I think the other client was dealing with)?

So Jimmy really hurt his back in the slip-n-fall stunt. Is that typical of that kind of scam?

Since Jonathan Banks is a "star" of the show, does that mean he and Michael Mando would not be competing for Supporting Actor Emmys? Regardless, we can assume Mando will be submitting a scene from this episode for award consideration, right?

6 MINUTES AGO, JEXTELLA SAID:

OMG. I mute tense scenes because they are too much for me. I had to mute this one. I really hope we see more of Michael Mando as Nacho… 

Doesn't that just make it even more intense? You must be a real glutton for punishment, LOL.

Edited June 6, 2017 by shapeshifter

[Dev F]

28 minutes ago, kieyra said:

I just happened to watch the episode of BB tonight where Saul insists on calling Francesca "Honey Tits" in front of clients. Same Saul who talks about getting a massage "with completion" and sleazes about mail order brides.

Quite an interesting hurdle they've taken on.

I've always thought that one interesting way around the first example would be to reveal that the nickname "HT" did not in fact stand for "Honey Tits" -- that Saul was making some sort of nonsexual reference that Francesca didn't want Jesse to know about, and when he realized he covered for it by pretending he was just being a pig.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Dev F

[Eulipian 5k]

I don't think the Salamancas knew about the Lydia part of Gus' operation and she only met Walter White thru Mike, after Gus lost face, so to speak.

Also, why does Kim have to be ruined to explain her absence from BB? She seems to be on her way to outgrowing Jimmy, HHM. and ABQ. 

[rue721]

Also, poor Chuck is dreaming of having his incredibly dreary house filled with music and people. That is so sweet that I can't help but hope he gets it, even though he probably won't. I really felt for him in that conversation with the doctor. I get why she was anxious, he was pretty edgy -- but you gotta have hope, if you're even going to embark on the journey.

Interesting that Jimmy was so dismissive of his parents' work at the store, and said that it was all for nothing in the end, so they shouldn't have even bought it in the first place. I wonder how that relates to the other storylines, in the present day.

12 minutes ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

Even though his license is suspended, he can still represent himself in court. So he was threatening the community service guy that he (Jimmy/Saul) could spend time every day filing motions, going to court, and basically using the legal system to squeeze the guy dry. It wouldn't cost Jimmy a penny. And it wouldn't matter if the case was bullshit. Lots of legal fees and days CSG would need to Tahoe off even before it gets into a courtroom.

Jimmy's threat just sounded so bullshitty to me. Like really, you are going to spend hour after hour, day after day trying to hose some random guy just because you don't like him that much, and all with basically no hope of monetary payout? Nobody has that kind of endurance.

I kind of wish the foreman had been like, "oh, that sounds like a good project for my wife. Her JD has been going to waste since she's been home with the baby." Like, shut the hell up, Jimmy, you're not the only person in the state with a law degree. And if you're going to bluff, everyone else can just bluff right back.

[rhys]

Why did Nacho wear gloves when he was filling the new empty capsules? I don't think he gloved up when he switched the pills.

[J-Man]

What was the box that Jimmy picked up off the counter right before they left in the opening scene?

[Stratego]

5 minutes ago, J-Man said:

What was the box that Jimmy picked up off the counter right before they left in the opening scene?

The Band-Aids box that held the coins.

[scenario]

4 minutes ago, rue721 said:

Also, poor Chuck is dreaming of having his incredibly dreary house filled with music and people. That is so sweet that I can't help but hope he gets it, even though he probably won't. I really felt for him in that conversation with the doctor. I get why she was anxious, he was pretty edgy -- but you gotta have hope, if you're even going to embark on the journey.

Interesting that Jimmy was so dismissive of his parents' work at the store, and said that it was all for nothing in the end, so they shouldn't have even bought it in the first place. I wonder how that relates to the other storylines, in the present day.

Jimmy's threat just sounded so bullshitty to me. Like really, you are going to spend hour after hour, day after day trying to hose some random guy just because you don't like him that much, and all with basically no hope of monetary payout? Nobody has that kind of endurance.

I kind of wish the foreman had been like, "oh, that sounds like a good project for my wife. Her JD has been going to waste since she's been home with the baby." Like, shut the hell up, Jimmy, you're not the only person in the state with a law degree. And if you're going to bluff, everyone else can just bluff right back.

Jimmy can just keep on filling out paperwork and make the guy's life miserable. He's got a nice cushy job for the state where he just has to fill out a few forms and watch other people work. As long as the work gets done, he doesn't do anything to annoy his bosses or do anything illegal, he's his own boss with no one looking over his shoulder. There probably a bunch of people doing the same job as he is and some let the prisoners get away with murder and other are more strict than he is and none of them ever get in trouble.

Jimmy could act like a jailhouse lawyer and start filling out bs complaints that use all the right buzz words so that the guy's boss just has to look into it. He's probably seen Jimmy's type before and it's just not worth his while to argue with him. He's not afraid of Jimmy. He just knows that Jimmy will be there for a few months and move on. 

And yes, there are people who will spend hour after hour, day after day trying to hose some random guy that got them angry. 

5 minutes ago, J-Man said:

What was the box that Jimmy picked up off the counter right before they left in the opening scene?

The empty bandaid box that he stored the coins in when he was a kid.

[Bannon]

The most ham handed element of the community service scene is that the city would likely be required to pay for his defense, and that's before we get to the qualified immunity element. There's a reason police officers are so seldom sued personally, and the same principle would likely apply here. The writers of this show are usually better than this, and I wish they had written something more clever.

The pill switch was terrific, and I suspect Chuck is getting better only because he knows his "illness" won't let him control Jimmy like it once did, and Chuck really wants tevenge on Jimmy

Love that they showed that slip 'n fall guys sometimes get hurt.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The flashback to Chicago was the first time I thought they went too far in slowing everything down.  We already got the family dynamics in previous eps and nothing new was added in exposition this time.  Dad was a soft touch.  Jimmy did not respect this piece of his father.  Jimmy did dishonest things whilst feeling fully justified.  

The BS he used on the douche drill sergeant supervisor was also off.  A guy like that, who saw right through the drug dealer (it was made clear he needed to be somewhere to deal, not be with his baby) and any number of slackers, would be smart enough to understand he would be covered by the government with legal representation for acting under his job.  He really did not deserve the Saul treatment as he was merely doing his job - "as agreed" - a concept which seemed to mean a lot to Jimmy when the store owners were breaking their promises.  Jimmy got hisself on that detail and he was rather fortunate he was not given even worse.

My belief is that Kim has discovered her ticket out of ABQ.  Of course, Kim being Kim, I have no idea if she will allow herself such freedom.

I am certain that Chuck instantly understood that his remaining career was on the line after the hearing.  He simply had to find a way to demonstrate core competency.  So, he calls the expert and begins to lay the foundation of a recovery.  He took meticulous notes of his "progress" (all self-reported, eh) and he is functioning in a basic manner in public.  I really wanted to hear that conversation Howard initiated with him.  Anyway, Chuck is now meeting a legalistic standard of competency/functionality.  He is winning the multi-dimensional chess game, again.

Finally, I loooooved the shot of the motion-activated lighting in the freezer cases at the store firing up when Chuck turned the corner into the aisle.  It was gorgeous and bare and powerful.  It took me back to a connecting walkway in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The overhead multi-motion shot of Mike circling as he prospected for the good samaritan was also fab.

Despite the flaws I've outlined, this ep had me tingling from beginning to end.  So wonderful.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Lonesome Rhodes

[MisterBluxom]

I was very disappointed we didn't get to hear the size of the problem that Chuck was going to have with his malpractice insurance.

I've been waiting on baited breath for far too long (I think it was actually two weeks) to find out the results of Jimmy pretending to cry to that lady he saw at the end of the previous episode.

I really want to know just  how big of a problem Jimmy has created for Chuck. Will it be big enough to force Chuck to stop practicing law for a time?

Edited June 6, 2017 by MissBluxom

[knaankos]

3 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

.

The episode was OK, but I think they are trying to juggle too many plots at the same time.  Jimmy and the commercial. Jimmy and community service.  Mike and his body search.  Nacho and Hector.  Kim and Mesa Verde   Kim and Howard.  Kim and Jimmy.  Chuck trying to overcome his illness.  Plus the flashback cold open that didn't really directly relate to the episode.  

And it seems like the stories are becoming more and more distanced as well. Chuck seems completely separate from Jimmy now. Even jimmy and Kim aren't really on the same page. 

[knaankos]

Haven't seen anyone mention this, but  I loved seeing the "Cheap Seats" twins again on TV. (The guitar store guys). They had a show on ESPN Classic called Cheap Seats in the mid 2000s where they would watch old ESPN telecasts when they showed strange things, like world women's surfing championships or roller derby and basically just make fun. Very underrated show 

[Bryce Lynch]

4 hours ago, rue721 said:

Also, poor Chuck is dreaming of having his incredibly dreary house filled with music and people. That is so sweet that I can't help but hope he gets it, even though he probably won't. I really felt for him in that conversation with the doctor. I get why she was anxious, he was pretty edgy -- but you gotta have hope, if you're even going to embark on the journey.

Interesting that Jimmy was so dismissive of his parents' work at the store, and said that it was all for nothing in the end, so they shouldn't have even bought it in the first place. I wonder how that relates to the other storylines, in the present day.

Jimmy's threat just sounded so bullshitty to me. Like really, you are going to spend hour after hour, day after day trying to hose some random guy just because you don't like him that much, and all with basically no hope of monetary payout? Nobody has that kind of endurance.

I kind of wish the foreman had been like, "oh, that sounds like a good project for my wife. Her JD has been going to waste since she's been home with the baby." Like, shut the hell up, Jimmy, you're not the only person in the state with a law degree. And if you're going to bluff, everyone else can just bluff right back.

Agree about Chuck.  His talk of wanting to fill his house with friends was touching and showed a whole different side of him.

I also agree about Jimmy with the community service supervisor.  I think the more likely outcome would have been him reporting Jimmy's lame extortion attempt to the DA and getting his PPD revoked and sending him to prison.

Even if we assume the threat would have worked, I still think it was lazy, clichéd writing.  The "I'll bury you in paperwork and legal fees!" trope had been done so many times.  The BB, BCS writing team is normally 100 times more creative in coming up with schemes that characters use to accomplish goals.

[Bannon]

3 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The flashback to Chicago was the first time I thought they went too far in slowing everything down.  We already got the family dynamics in previous eps and nothing new was added in exposition this time.  Dad was a soft touch.  Jimmy did not respect this piece of his father.  Jimmy did dishonest things whilst feeling fully justified.  

The BS he used on the douche drill sergeant supervisor was also off.  A guy like that, who saw right through the drug dealer (it was made clear he needed to be somewhere to deal, not be with his baby) and any number of slackers, would be smart enough to understand he would be covered by the government with legal representation for acting under his job.  He really did not deserve the Saul treatment as he was merely doing his job - "as agreed" - a concept which seemed to mean a lot to Jimmy when the store owners were breaking their promises.  Jimmy got hisself on that detail and he was rather fortunate he was not given even worse.

My belief is that Kim has discovered her ticket out of ABQ.  Of course, Kim being Kim, I have no idea if she will allow herself such freedom.

I am certain that Chuck instantly understood that his remaining career was on the line after the hearing.  He simply had to find a way to demonstrate core competency.  So, he calls the expert and begins to lay the foundation of a recovery.  He took meticulous notes of his "progress" (all self-reported, eh) and he is functioning in a basic manner in public.  I really wanted to hear that conversation Howard initiated with him.  Anyway, Chuck is now meeting a legalistic standard of competency/functionality.  He is winning the multi-dimensional chess game, again.

Finally, I loooooved the shot of the motion-activated lighting in the freezer cases at the store firing up when Chuck turned the corner into the aisle.  It was gorgeous and bare and powerful.  It took me back to a connecting walkway in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The overhead multi-motion shot of Mike circling as he prospected for the good samaritan was also fab.

Despite the flaws I've outlined, this ep had me tingling from beginning to end.  So wonderful.

Yeah, the scene where Kim, after conversing with guitar strumming Jimmy, decides to handle the oil field guy's regulatory issues herself, as opposed to referring it out, could go two ways. It may set the stage where she gets spread too thin, what with her handling MV's regulatory issues with expanding into multiple states, she makes a major mistake, and the whole thing comes crashing down. Or, she does a great job with MV and oil guy, and starts to be seen as a real up and comer in the regulatory compliance subset of the legal trade (which of course has always been part of Chuck's big reputation), and this becomes her ticket out of Albuquerque, maybe to a city as big as Houston, Dallas, or Phoenix.

I really think the severance between Jimmy and Kim needs to produce a feeling of betrayal within Jimmy, no matter how undeserved, in order to fully complete the transformation to Saul, so we'll see how it goes. Of course, what would make Jimmy feel most betrayed is if Kim ended up back at HHM as a partner. Could they be setting the stage for this gigantic reversal, after the acrimony between Kim and Howard in last night's episode? Perhaps!

Spoiler

The episode title in the finale, and the conversation with the doctor last night leads me to think that something awful is going to befall Chuck, perhaps involving a relapse. This may set the stage for Kim's return to HHM.

 

Jimmy, of course, would be beyond crushed, and consumed with rage. Jimmy might no longer exist, at all.

[Bannon]

Sadly, I also fear the Mike and Gus' formalized partnership is going to lead to Nacho's demise, and Mike's role in that demise is going help push Mike into being a full time participant in the violent drug trade. Morally and ethically speaking, Jimmy and Mike are dissolving before our eyes. You might say they are breaking bad.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Bannon

[Bannon]

Gosh, this oil industry client could be huge for Kim, and I just love the way it was introduced. Maybe the client gets a buyout offer from a major oil industry player. Suddenly, Kim starts working on compliance issues related to mergers and acquisitions involving major players in the oil industry. This makes her a Really Big Deal in the legal industry, one that can't afford to be associating with the likes of Jimmy McGill, suspended lawyer working as Saul Goodman.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

When Chuck was talking  to the doctor, it almost seemed as if he would explicitly acknowledge Jimmy's crucial role in leading him to the realization that his illness was in his head, as a result of having arranged to have the phone battery planted on him. I half expected  him to reach out to Jimmy as a result, only to be immediately crushed by the news regarding his malpractice insurance.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

14 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

It seems like Kim is doing well financially given that she had the money to pay back Howard.

I thought that that was why she initially agreed to look at the oil case. Even if she referred it to a colleague, there might be some compensation for her. Now that she will be keeping  the case, I don't see how she will do justice to both it and Mesa Verde. Paige knows this could be an issue. Kim already can't keep track of which day she last saw Jimmy.

Edited June 6, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse