"Better Call Saul" Season Three Reviews (Spoilers)

[matt_zimmer]

Better Call Saul "Mabel"

I don't think we're resolving that teaser flashforward cliffhanger anytime soon.

Ernesto seems to hate Chuck. For good reason. Chuck treats him like shit.

Regardless of the fact that Chuck didn't make a mistake in the case, Paige was right to be insulted that he was all "You're muddying the waters." Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, the thing she took most from that bad day is how utterly disrespectful Chuck was to her. Chuck wonders why people like Jimmy more than him? THAT'S why.

Mike is doing a lot of tech stuff but since he isn't telling a second person precisely what he's doing or what his plans with the tracker are it's probably not as compelling as it could be. And you know what? I'm okay with that. Real-life people don't go around explaining their actions clearly to unseen viewers. If Mike's actions are narratively frustrating, they are also entirely realistic, which is the far more important thing and the better trade-off. I am totally fine with that.

Vince Gilligan cowrote this and directed it. I hope he's more involved going forward. ***1/2.

Better Call Saul "Witness"

Chuck can ACT like he's won, but right before Jimmy barged in he was like, "I know my brother," and Jimmy did the exact OPPOSITE thing he predicted. He's won nothing. Not really.

Gus Fring shuffling from the background of the restaurant to the foreground was delight. Well played.

Weird Jimmy didn't question where the watch strap in the garbage came from. That is a part of the story that would have definitely interested Mike.

I don't think Jimmy is as bad off as Chuck and Howard think he is. This specific thing will NOT make their firm look good. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

We find out Rebecca left. And I don't blame her one bit.

Chuck is really starting to annoy me. But Gus Fring! ****.

Better Call Saul "Sunk Costs"

Boom. And just like that Giancarlo Esposito is a series regular! How did THAT happen?

I honestly think the prosecution's case is quite weak. If it were ANYBODY but Chuck pressing the charges, Jimmy might be jammed up, but Goddam, the court is gonna have to spend TIME with that asshole, and will probably nominate Jimmy for Sainthood for not actually knocking the bastard off. Likability in court actually matters.

Mike misses the shoes on the telephone wire the first couple of times because the show is realistic / not written by totally incompetent idiots.

I liked it. ***1/2.

Better Call Saul "Sabrosito"

Jimmy and Kim WANT the tape played. Smart ending. Because Chuck is too stupid to understand that Jimmy comes off incredibly sympathetic in it and him like an insensitive asshole. It would never occur to Chuck that people would hear that and think HE'S the bad guy. But that's what I've always thought about the tape. It's nowhere NEAR as damning of Jimmy as Chuck thinks it is and it FAR more damning of Chuck.

Big moment between Gus and Mike at the end. When Gus said a bullet in the head was too quick and painless for Hector, Breaking Bad proves he sincerely meant that. And I agree with him. In the Gus and Hector war, Walter White landed on the wrong side of it. Story of Walt's life.

Things are getting interesting. My highest compliment. ****.

Better Call Saul "Chicanery"

It's a lawyer show so you'd figure they'd be doing more courtroom scenes. And they really should. That was fabulous and put Law & Order to shame.

What dynamite drama. And Chuck is exposed as the fraud he is. Goddam Jimmy and Kim played that fucking perfectly. And yeah, with that context, the recording sounds entirely different. Well done.

Amazing episode. *****.

Better Call Saul "Off Brand"

Proper Genesis of Saul Goodman.

Lydia showed up.

Rebecca is furious at Jimmy, but after all that, washing his hands of Chuck is the only rational thing Jimmy could do. His brother is currently toxic. And he owes him nothing.

Hector isn't just crazy, he's stupid. He's putting everybody's interests in jeopardy because he doesn't understand the proper way to do this and not get caught. And he's surprised Tuca went psycho in prison? I'd be more surprised if he didn't.

Pretty good. ***1/2.

Better Call Saul "Expenses"

Depressing episode and no fun to watch.

I don't believe Jimmy's last scene was convincing enough for the audience. I kind of wish I had half-believed he was crying instead of scamming. But for some reason there was very little nuance in how Bob Odenkirk chose to play the scene.

Also, fuck Chuck. I understand Kim's leeriness over Paige making fun of the guy, but the truth is Jimmy is right that he earned every bad thing that happened to him. And considering what an ineffective lawyer he currently is, it's not right his insurance doesn't reflect that while Jimmy is being penalized solely for something Chuck did. Some payback is due Jimmy and he's the bitch.

The one scene in the episode I really liked was Mike's scene with Nacho. The thing I like about Mike, is that no matter WHO he is dealing with, he always offers wise advise. It's a VERY interesting character quirk that even if Mike has a beef with someone, he always seems to be doing the people he deals with a favor somehow. It's very interesting.

But the rest of the episode was dour as hell and not my jam. **.

Better Call Saul "Slip"

The beginning of a beautiful friendship for Mike and Gus.

Slippin' Jimmy rocking it over those asshole twin brothers at the guitar store. Also used his smarmy lawyer superpowers to fuck up the Community service guy.

Howard seems pissed at Kim, but considering not only how he's treated her in the past, but that he supported Chuck during the dumbass trial, he has no moral leg to stand on.

Speaking of which, Chuck worries about what he's done if it isn't real. The right thing to worry about is all that JIMMY has done for him. The battery trick proves Jimmy never ONCE thought it was real and still did all those things for him anyways. That's the real thing Chuck needs to feel bad about.

Decent episode. ***1/2.

Better Call Saul "Fall"

Oof. What the hell happened to Kim?

Usually when Jimmy scams people you smile. It's different with Irene. She's kind and innocent and is very good to Jimmy. I think this is the first thing on the series Jimmy has done that is unforgivable.

Howard seems shocked Chuck is suing the firm, but the truth is Chuck has loyalty to no one, and after what he did to Jimmy, Howard should know that. He saw it first-hand. Chuck is the leopard, Howard's the face. No matter how much he sobs, it's actually no surprise.

Nacho's problems with his father are kind of heartbreaking.

Mike asks the right questions of Lydia.

I'm mad at Jimmy. **1/2.

Better Call Saul "Lantern"

The episode title was a red flag.

If Chuck is dead, I won't miss him. Him telling Jimmy he doesn't matter to him is just unforgivable after what he's done for him. And he was so shocked Howard paid the buy-out out of his own savings. Doing something for the good of the firm is entirely outside of his nature.

It's not fair Francesca had to be let go. She was amazing and always went above and beyond.

I mentioned Jimmy's actions in the last episode were unforgivable. I now forgive him. He LOVED those old people sincerely. But he cared enough about Irene to blow up his relationships with ALL of them just to get her friends speaking to her again. He'd never need to do this if he hadn't created the problem in the first place, but it says he still hasn't lost ALL of his decency yet because he was willing to do that.

Hector was getting TOO erratic. Nacho is very lucky the switched out meds worked when they did. If they hadn't, his father wasn't just in trouble. So was the whole operation.

It seems ill-advised to me for Gus to stay around for the ambulance. What am I missing there?

Goodbye, Chuck, I think. You deserved no better ending, you piece of shit. ***1/2.