Better Call Saul - S5E5: Dedicado a Max
BETTER CALL SAUL - AMC
The fifth season of Better Call Saul hits the halfway point by delving deeper into the significant cognitive dissonance within the characters. Dedicado a Max is not too different from the preceding chapters, as it proceeds in setting the foundations of the narratives.
Kim's (Rhea Seehorn) ruthless tug of war between her ethical and unethical sides has been a spellbinding storyline. She insists on playing by the rules; she tries to do right with others, as shown in her efforts in saving Mr Acker (Barry Corbin) from eviction after Mesa Verde bought the property the latter's home has stood. Nevertheless, she cannot help herself but keep crossing lines that should not be, most frequently with the help from Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk).
Joining forces with Mr Acker, Jimmy is busy changing address numbers, publicising a spraypainted image of Jesus and many more shenanigans to prevent the construction crew from tearing down the old man's home. He is committed to these deceptive schemes because they are part of his persona that he displays daily. He has no time for reflections nor regrets because he does not have one, not yet to be exact. In contrast, Kim's train of thought runs around these moral areas every time she is set on foot in the legal world. We may not see it obviously when Kim and Jimmy enact their latest plan in screwing over Mesa Verde's attempts to evict Mr Acker or when she plays along with him, mockingly impersonating the banking company's CEO. However, when Kim is confronted by the fact that she knowingly plans against her client's wishes and angrily denies it, Seehorn's stunning, wordless performance sees her character subtly display false rage to genuine remorse through body language and facial expressions.
Meanwhile, Mike (Jonathan Banks) gets productive while recovering with his injuries he sustained last episode. Initially against staying in the little Mexican town where Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) brought him, he eventually changes his mind, knowing that he will do nothing back home but give into his self-destructive habits of drinking and getting himself into unwinnable brawls. Deep down, he knows he needed the break to figure things out. Maybe he can find a sort of peace, in which he seemingly accomplishes as hanging around Mrs Cortazar's (Alejandra Flores) place helps him move on from all the deaths he has caused. However, whatever therapeutic time he has spent in the quiet place, Gus badly needs a soldier and he sees that in the troubled ex-cop, much to Mike's annoyance. Banks always displays that annoyance with so little effort, but it is so highly amusing.
Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan care about the characters and their personal development and struggles more than whatever tragic trajectory they are aligning for the latter. Everyone is working on their A-game and the fifth season has been well-done, considering the fact that it is still setting up the stage for riveting showdowns. Who knows what comes next?
