Better Call Saul ***Spoilers***

Wow, a lot of Breaking Bad callbacks in that episode. Never mind Gus or Victor, Francesca?! She looks great. She had an arc of her own in BB, albeit a small one relative to the importance of her character, but for anyone who needs their mind refreshed from BB



I liked every one of the introductions this week and how the 'new' BB characters initially weave into the current Saul universe. That said, it's great that the show isn't over-relying on these and the episode got Gus' appearance out of the way early. Yes the scene at LPHermanos was drawn out, but in the very positive style we've grown accustomed to from the BB/BCS cinematography. It looked great, from the camera panning around Jimmy as he sat in the middle of the restaurant, to the view from inside the garbage bin!

As far as Mike's introduction to Gus Fring goes, if that phone call where the episode left Mike is what leads him to Gus next week, then it was all done very well. Although secretive and then ruthless when he needs to be, Gus would have use for someone like Mike, also stealthy and ruthless when he needs be. The way Mike tracked Gus down and reversed the roles in the cat and mouse game would surely impress a drug baron on the lookout for some new muscle. Also, there's the "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" aspect with both Mike and Gus having their issues with the Salamanca cartel.

Yes, Gus and the BB crew showing up in this episode was very well done. However, the show still is very much its own beast. Kim and Jimmy, and the respective actors, were excellent. Jimmy's "He taped me?" to Kim, the heartbreak conveyed in that. Kim subsequently filling him in on some legal bright-sides regarding the tape, but Jimmy a million miles away over the emotional and familial consequences. Kim sensing some of this, but still thinking the legal upsides would be enough to soften the blow, or at least prevent a meltdown from Jimmy.

Finally, she asks Jimmy "Are you alright?", and his attempt at a reassuring "I'm fine, Kim" response were the last words he said before he clearly showed that he wasn't fine. In breaking into Chuck's house, getting violent and threatening to burn the house down, is this now the end of Jimmy McGill attorney via criminal conviction and disbarment? Is the University of American Samoa due a new mature student soon?

Other things I liked -

Howard very much out of his element trying to be stealthy himself. Climbing walls, setting off wind chimes and a dog barking, and clearly being very uncomfortable in the clandestine, under-handed nature of his journey and entrance to Chuck's house, it was amusing to watch. Also, it's little unimportant, incidental, secondary character insights like these which elevate a show like this to that level.

I didn't cop this one myself, someone on Reddit did, but in that scene where Jimmy and Kim were interviewing Francesca about the job - A lot was said about the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and how it's called something else in New Mexico (MVD) but "it will always be the DMV to me" as far as Jimmy is concerned. In Breaking Bad, Saul called the MVD just that, the DMV ("I'll send you back to the DMV so fast Francesca, you won't even...").

Vince Gilligan has previously ret-conned something from Breaking Bad (in a later episode of BB) with why there was a whole pizza on Walt's roof. Apparently many people online pointed out that never mind anything else, it was improbable because the pizza would shatter/seperate when tossed. In a later episode, Badger ordered a pizza from the same place, and was enthused about how they don't slice their pizzas and are able to pass the savings onto the customer.

If this week's DMV dialogue was an attempt to correct something from BB and polish-up Saul's continuity, it's fine with me and a bit genius in its subtle method. I've watched BB about 3 times at this stage, and until reading this point on Reddit earlier I just though that DMV conversation was part of Jimmy's charm. Whether intentional or not, the scene had me distracted and focused on Kim's uneasiness at Jimmy's eagerness and what Kim saw as ineffective interview questions.

Anyway, TLDR, but I thought that was one of the strongest episodes of the show yet. Both in terms of how it serves to connect to where these characters end up in BB, and how it moves on with its own story-lines.