Better Call Saul - S5E3: The Guy For This
BETTER CALL SAUL - AMCThe walls of Better Call Saul are closing in as the major players have gotten themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place. The Guy for This – helmed by the director, Michael Morris and writer, Ann Cherkis – is another tense, heavy-loaded hour that advances its narratives greatly without sacrificing the writers’ methodical approach of storytelling.
It is becoming less inspiring thinking of new ways to grasp how much the showrunners are able to subtly and creatively portray highly thoughtful and visual storylines in each episode. The curious decision to open the episode with a red ant colony devouring Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) fallen ice cream is enough to symbolise the growing animosity in every existing plot of this season.
Hired by Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) to take care ofKrazy-8 (Maximino Arciniega) – one of his men who got arrested in last episode’s hilarious, unfortunate incident – Jimmy finds himself involved once again in the Mexican cartel's business. Acting as the perpetrator of Lalo’s next move against Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), he pulls off the plan on Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) and Steve Gomez (Steven Michael Quezada) using his signature theatrics. However, this marks the much anticipated and well-grounded return of the Breaking Bad alums. The whole shenanigan serves as the protagonist’s one way ticket to the drug underworld, and he is forced to take the ride. ‘Once you’re in, you’re in’ says Nacho (Michael Mando) as the lawyer attempts to back out.
Speaking of Nacho, Mando’s character arc is descending towards a dangerous direction. He's inching closer and closer to a corner of the chessboard as he’s coerced to continue playing both sides of the game. His estranged father is not only against his involvement but is also unwilling to give into his wishes to run away from the clutches of Fring and the Salamancas. Going to the authorities isn’t an option, nor is quitting as his and his family’s lives are on the line. Sooner or later, he will take the fall for it. He might avoid it now as Gus decides to endure the consequences from Lalo’s attack but that does not mean Gus will keep getting defeated for the two-faced pawn.
Mike (Jonathan Banks) is still emotionally chained to his past actions. Whether it's his corruption of his own son or him going ‘full measure’ with the troublemaking Werner (Rainer Bock), both of these actions have deeply affected him. The only way he manages to cope is to take his rage out on anything and anyone, even including a postcard. While 50% Off demonstrates this towards his innocent granddaughter, this time, it’s on a group of thugs who decide to screw with the wrong old man on a bad night. It’s been a while since Mike battles an internal conflict and the development doesn’t fail to intrigue fans. Plus, who doesn’t love seeing Jonathan Banks break the arms of thugs with ease?
However, it’s Kim (Rhea Seehorn) whose future in the show has been dreaded by viewers. She enjoys the pro-bono cases she has but she remains bound and gagged by Mesa Verde, her numero uno client that keeps her afloat. If that isn’t suffocating enough, Jimmy stays as an influential presence; he is a bottle hanging on the edge, vulnerable of being tipped off the abyss. She persists in stopping that bottle from falling, but she never thinks of herself as the same. She hides a joyless past, mentioned only when she sympathises with an unhappy elderly homeowner refusing to vacate his property despite it being owned by Mesa Verde. However, none of that matters when she can’t help but keep on flinging herself in destructive paths with Jimmy.
Better Call Saul sets its characters up, ready to be crushed by their fates. They’re only given a short amount of time to pull themselves out of harm’s grip, but not without some damages along the way. Things aren’t going to be pretty, but at least Gilligan, Gould and their production team never disappoint in delivering compelling fiction with destined disasters.
