Better Call Saul - S5E7: JMM
BETTER CALL SAUL - AMC
Everyone tries to regain control as the fifth season of Better Call Saul continues its hot streak of tragicomic brilliance. One of the series' executive producers, Melissa Bernstein, makes her directorial debut in the season's seventh entry, and what a debut JMM is. With a tautly structured teleplay from Alison Tatlock and ingenious shot selection from cinematographer, Marshall Adams, JMM is a hugely eventful hour of television that immensely engrosses audiences. It contains plenty of thrilling narrative developments while sustaining a perfectly calculated pace.
The episode starts off with Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Bob Odenkirk) and Kimberly Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) experiencing a pivotal moment of their lives: they have decided to become husband and wife the morning after their heated battle. This decision will prevent them from testifying against one another but, in Kim's mind, this commitment is an effort to restore trust in their complicated relationship which has done more harm than good. While the wedding is surprisingly sweet and awkwardly funny – with Huell being the scene-stealing witness – it does feel like this marriage is merely pouring gasoline towards a lit match.
Kim goes to work afterwards, dealing with the fallout of Mesa Verde along with Schweikart-Cokely. They are at risk of losing the banking company after Saul's recent magic trick. She and Schweikart initially admit blame, but when chairman, Kevin Wachtell comments about her taste in men, she doesn't like the remark and makes a bold move. She switches the blame on Kevin with harsh criticism about his ignorance towards their advice. She's not wrong, but her brutally honest statements cast tension in the room. However, rather the opposite happens. Kevin unexpectedly schedules their next meeting, much to Rich's relief. Although she has just won their highly valued client back, we know losing Mesa Verde isn't a big deal for her.
Nevertheless, she couldn't leave Mesa Verde behind. She still believes that she can do right, even though she has grown tired of dedicating her time to them. She couldn't even let go of Jimmy, even if the love between them has slowly become sour. Kim thinks that she can't let go of the love and hard labour she has come to accomplish, because if she does, it's all for nothing.
Meanwhile, Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) asks for Jimmy's help after Mike (Jonathan Banks) pulled the strings on the former's arrest for the Travel Wire incident. Salamanca wants to get bailed out, but considering that he is facing murder accusations, it's highly unlikely. Jimmy considers giving up until Mike persuades him to come up with a defense to get him out when, even behind bars, Lalo remains a threat.
Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) is not happy with this as he has taken one step forward and many steps back. His associates are becoming wary of the situation in a scene that further strengthens the connection to its predecessor, but Gus insists that he still has control over the conflict. Well, that’s if you consider assisting your enemy's right-hand man to burn down your restaurant as an attempt for control, otherwise seen as him and Nacho (Michael Mando) destroying the hell out of the iconic Los Pollos Hermanos establishment. It is a strangely satisfying sequence, one that is pretty bad-ass on a spectacle level yet quite tragic underneath.
Provided with evidence about Mike's anonymous involvement, Jimmy comes to Lalo's aid while still executing a little con for additional sympathy points to Mr Jorge de Guzman. However, this does not sit well with Jimmy. It's not just the seven-million-dollar bail –decided by the judge – that Lalo tasks him to get money for. Jimmy finds himself concerned about the victim's family. He's far from the Saul we see in Breaking Bad who is someone that does not hesitate to suggest murder as a solution with his clients. Despite the con man persona clouding his daily thought processes, there's a moral conscience that prevails somewhere. It is intriguing how his two-faced mentality will change in the forthcoming events.
The past is the only thing that hinders his development; it clings to Jimmy every now and then. It is sometimes portrayed as no longer holding its power over him. He can yell at Howard (Patrick Fabian) for the pitiful job offer at HHM. He can loudly express how his past actions make him superior compared to him, but the pain is still there and acknowledged by everyone who knew him from the very beginning.
At the end of the day, Kim is an important factor that affects his evolution into Saul Goodman. She keeps him from falling off the edge as well as sometimes allowing him to. Things might have gone smoothly at first now that they're bound to spousal privilege, and their attempt at being honest seems to be currently working, but sooner or later, both will be tested and will find themselves asking: is this all worth the trouble?
