The following article contains spoilers forBetter Call Saulseason 6.
AmongBreaking Bad’sbiggest achievements is the ability to rarely disappoint its fans, practically never turning in a dull episode, andBetter Call Saulsure is proud to honor that legacy as even its quieter entries feature memorable events such as this week’s boxing match with Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill in one corner and his former boss Howard Hamlin on the opposite one.
It’s not all for show though as director Melissa Bernstein and writer Alison Tatlock, both veterans of the series, ensureBetter Call Saulcontinues its smooth ride to absolute chaos with only two episodes left ahead of the mid-season cutoff. While not as packed withBreaking Badeaster eggs as last week’s episode“Black and Blue” does continue moving forward with every scheme designed by Kim and Jimmy, as well as the ongoing cartel war.
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The opening montage is not all too familiar, until the camera reveals an ornament made using the very tools of the late Werner Ziegler, engraved with a touching message in German for “his boys”, his former crew. Before the plot can address that matter there’s a lot to unpack, with the first item on the agenda being Kim and Jimmy’s growing paranoia and fear due to their ties with the cartel, however, the key moment between the couple comes when Jimmy expresses his relief over Lalo’s alleged murder.
Kim already found out the truth straight from the best source possible, Mike, so her decision to not share such crucial info with her husband will push the ongoing fan theory that Kim’s transformation will be muchworse than Saul’sBreaking Badmoment. Nevertheless, they’re not the only ones in Albuquerque feeling persecuted at the moment as Gus has fallen prey to his usual meticulous antics as a way to cope with the looming threat Lalo represents for him and his empire.
On the legal front, HHM and Davis & Main are doing their best to cool down unrest among the Sandpiper plaintiffs who are starting to grow impatient over the lawsuit, with Howard aptly saving the day using all of his charisma. However, by now that’s not nearly enough for Clifford Main to change his mind about his friend’s supposed drug habits, but the confrontation that ensues is enough for Howard to put 2 and 2 together and finally realize who’s after him, especially after Main rats on Kim meeting with him last week.
There’s a funny bit between this scene and its culmination, that being the beloved Saul Goodman hiring Francesca as his secretary for what appears to be a booming legal practice at the famous strip mall. The other sees Kim doing her part of the plan to gain further intel, though it’s possibly the only real downtime throughout the entire episode.
The main event is actually the thriller of New Mexico, a boxing match for the ages set up by Howard after luring Jimmy into a very therapeutic trap. Howard offers Jimmy the chance to beat the crap out each other in a scene that again proves whyboxing translates so well to film and games, even when used exclusively for comedic purposes, so Bernstein deserves plenty of credit for pulling it off.
The whole boxing affair is hilarious as both men struggle to keep their guard up, move inside the ring or even land a punch, but Howard comes out victorious knocking Jimmy on his back because, let’s face it,this isn’t the Bob Odenkirk fromNobody. He leaves satisfied but not convinced Jimmy’s war will stop and the private investigator he hires is an omen for what’s to come.
Not like that seems to bother Kim and Jimmy, the couple has their sights set on bringing down Howard and securing a quick payout from the Sandpiper trial. Jimmy laments falling straight into Howard’s, but for the audience it’s definitely worth it as it leads to him coming up withone of Saul Goodman’s signature catchphrases.
The episode concludes its main story points with Gus and Mike heading over to the underground lab to calm the former’s worst concerns about the cartel closing in on him (the man is even leaving extra guns lying around, just in case), however, the scene that follows proves Gus is not blocking where it’s needed.
In a departure from his more accustomed murderous tendencies,Lalo returns toBetter Call Saulfor a real stealth mission in Germany, posing as a man hailing from New Mexico at a bar where Werner’s beloved Margarethe is having a drink. “Ben” puts on the charm as Werner’s wife can’t avoid being drawn into the topic of New Mexico, although when the two finally say goodbye, she doesn’t invite him in.
It’s rare for Lalo not to choose the most violent course of action, yet Margarethe may have struck a note in him because he remains patient to sneak in the next day, and it’s here whereBetter Call Saulprovides its usual dose of tension,a trueBreaking Badmoment. The audience spends minutes thinking Lalo might just kill this innocent woman but ultimately he finds Werner’s commemorative ornament and leaves without much fuzz.
Maybe it’s the thought of being on foreign soil or it could also be genuine compassion, regardless of which, it’s unlikely next time Lalo shows up he’ll be as patient as he was in this episode. It’s quite a mysterywhat kind of cutoffBetter Call Saulcould featurebut it would seem odd for the next two episodes to continue with these slow tides and a restrained version of Lalo.
