Small Details: Better Call Saul Season 6, Part 1

Writing a review of my favourite television series of all time has the potential to get subjective. And lengthy. In any case, I’m going to provide you with some easter eggs you might not have spotted, and some details I particularly loved. Which still ends up being lengthy. S’all good, man. 

Episode 1, Wine and Roses

– If you were confused about the name of this episode, then the answer lies in the 1962 film of the same name, whose eponymous song, composed by Jackie Gleason, plays in Better Call Saul’s sixth season opener as authorities ransack Saul’s house. The phrase refers to a brief period of serenity, and both the film and song title are derived from a poem by British poet Ernest Dowson. It’s safe to say that the film’s bleak story of two depressed alcoholics, and Dowson’s poetry, don’t spell a bright future for Jimmy and Kim:

‘They are not long, the days of wine and roses:

Out of a misty dream

Our path emerges for a while, then closes

Within a dream’

– As the camera pursues the chaos of Jimmy’s former household, one of the items that can be spotted is Jimmy’s MBT shoes from season 3 episode 9 when the lawyer is talking to elderly citizen Irene, which he ultimately uses to make Irene settle with Sandpiper. 

– Another familiar item of clothing on display is the black hat that Jimmy had previously used to film a commercial advertising film commercial business ‘Saul Goodman Productions’, which he shows to an impressed Kim in season 3 episode 6. 

– The last moment in the scene has the camera slowly zoom in on an object of apparent importance, which turns out to be the cork that Kim used to keep on a pedestal. Perhaps it’s a memento that Jimmy has kept to remember her, perhaps its presence signals something more foreboding. We’re not given a clear answer, and that’s what makes this show so darn great.

– Another thing that Better Call Saul excels at is tension, and a tension that is often created through objects and animals as opposed to human beings. One of my favourite moments of this episode is an extreme close-up of an ant crawling on a finger alongside a haunting sound of bells as the camera zooms out to reveal the dead body of Mateo’s corpse, a decoy for Lalo to trick investigators into believing his death. You know things aren’t looking good already with the ominous music, but seeing the ant confirms it. This shot mirrors the image of the ice cream that becomes infested with ants which Jimmy has to leave on the pavement in season 3, episode 5 as he is forced to get in a car with Nacho. A symbol of the lawyer’s moral decay? Perhaps.

Episode 2, Carrot and Stick

– The first name of the character Betsy Kettlemen is taken from the actress Betsy Brand, the actress who portrayed Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad.

– Did you recognise the customer that Betsy was giving the tax cheque to? He’s the same man that sells Walter White the truck in season 5 episode 14 of Breaking Bad.

– The standoff scene between Gus and Hector in this episode is genius, and exemplifies the power non-verbal techniques like subtle gesture have to create meaning; all Hector needs to do is raise his eyebrows to let Gus know that Lalo is still alive.

– The tense confrontation scene between Nacho and the twins plays out like a Neo-Western showdown. No dialogue is exchanged between the two parties. The camera provides a close-up of one of the twins’ gun by his side – as with classic Clint Eastwood films, only the weapon needs to be shown to reflect a character’s power and intimidation. Rather than wasting a breath to tell Nacho to exit his car, one of the twins uses a simple ‘come here’ gesture with a single moving finger. The tense shootout that ensues ends in Nacho’s favour as he manages to escape, but the shot of the twins’ distinctive silhouettes in the misty background shows that Nacho’s struggles are far from over.

– Gus’ unnervingly meticulous nature is highlighted as he cleans up the remnants of a glass he has smashed after consulting with Mike about Lalo. We’ve seen this before after he has berated Loss Pollos employee Lyle about not cleaning the fryer well enough in season 5 episode 4, eventually deciding to clean it himself. We see it again in Breaking Bad in season 4 episode 10 as he removes his jacket, kneels on a carefully placed towel in a bathroom before sticking a finger down his throat to forcefully remove poison before basking in the glory of Don Eladio’s demise.

– Mike’s warning to Hector that ensuing events are ‘not gonna go down the way you think it is’ (and which featured in the Season’s trailer) is an apt summary of this season, and the show in general. Peter Gould rarely lets us stop for a happy respite, and Mike’s fourth-wall, deadpan observation makes this fact abundantly clear. 

– Betsy’s admonishment of Kim’s actions, while immature, act as an interesting counterpoint to Howard’s later, more reasoned monologue against Jimmy and Kim in their apartment; in each case, Kim remains cold and apparently unmoved by their language. Kim’s response that the Kettlemans have ‘no idea’ about the concept of losing everything is also filled with pathos when she later witnesses the brutal death of her former employer.

– Jimmy says the phrase ‘wolves and sheep’ to Kim at the end of the episode, recalling the same phrase spoken by a grifter to a young Jimmy in a flashback from season 2 episode 7 after the grifter has cheated Saul’s father out of money. While Jimmy has been the sheep in this case by giving the Kettlemens cash, the quote nonetheless reminds us of the moment that his Slippin’ Jimmy persona began.

Episode 3, Rock and Hard Place

– Like the shot of the ant on the dead finger in this season’s first episode, so much intrigue can be created through animals or objects. As all seasoned Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad viewers know, the desert is not your friend. After the camera has spent several seconds of panning across the sandy landscape, however, it stops on a blue flower, a single sign of vitality and colour. Before we are allowed to contemplate this colourful anomaly for too long, we move to a space of wet ground and a piece of glass, the emotional significance of these objects is only revealed at the end. Visual storytelling at its finest.

– In the scene after Jimmy finishes organising sticky notes, a poster of the 1932 film Outlaw Justice can be seen. The plot centres on a man falsely accused of murdering a sheriff (who is actually still alive) attempting to escape his fate, a narrative that conveniently mirrors Nacho’s situation.

– The scene where Nacho has to immerse himself in oil was unbearably tense, and brought back strong anxiety from the scene in Minority Report where Tom Cruise’s John Anderton has to stay in a bath of freezing water to avoid detection. Luckily in the case of Nacho, no bubbles make it to the surface.

– Michael Mando delivers a stalwart performance in his final episode, from the brief, tragic final call with his father to his final act, saving Gus’ reputation despite what Gus has done to him. I’m not sure if three episodes is enough to get Mando in line for Emmy recognition, but he deserves it.

Episode 4, Hit and Run

– The suit that Jimmy wears when impersonating Howard is the same one he used during the billboard stunt back in season 1 episode 4.

– Although there’s not much plot movement in this episode, probably to give us a respite after last episode’s shocking finale, there a fair few Breaking Bad nods here. Besides the more obvious fact that the new office Saul buys becomes the same one we see in Breaking Bad, we are introduced to Spooge, a new client that meets a nasty end in Breaking Bad via ATM machine.

 – At the end of the episode, Jimmy and Kim head off to get some grub at Taco Cabeza (the restaurant is known as Taco Cabana in real life). This is the same restaurant that Jesse refers to in Season 1 episode 7 of Breaking Bad when he asks Walt why they couldn’t have chosen this location for the drug meetup as opposed to the junkyard they’re currently standing in, since nobody gets shot there. Probably a fair point.

Episode 5, Black and Blue

– This episode has the same title as season 2 episode 7 of Breaking Bad, the episode before Saul Goodman’s character is introduced. 

– In the opening title image, we see a bench with a Saul Goodman advertisement displayed on its front. We see this exact bench in Breaking Bad Season 2 Episode 8, which Badger is sitting on.

– When Kim sees Jimmy trying to mask the bruises under his face after being defeated by Howard in the boxing match, she stops him and tells him to leave it, making up the phrase ‘Saul Goodman – I’ll fight for you’. Saul uses these words in a late-night commercial featured in Breaking Bad’s seventeenth ‘minisode’ of the same title. 

– The long tracking shot of Gus walking through the restaurant mirrors the shots of the twins investigating the scene of Lalo’s apparent death earlier in the season. In each case, they are the master of their respective environment, moving through the area like ghosts with barely a passing glance from other individuals. Silence is golden. And tense as hell. The only person to provide Gus with a nod of acknowledgement is fearful main cook Lyle.

– Sound design is manipulated to represent Gus’ intense anxiety a customer’s speech becomes incomprehensible and the sound of an object dropping is suddenly sharply heard.  This isn’t exactly a new stylistic technique in television or film. Yet it remains surprisingly effective, as most of what we’ve seen from Gus so far has been a constant exterior of calm and control. Letting this veneer slip for a moment provides an intriguing insight into how much stress Lalo is causing without even being present.

– Speaking of which, in the following scene, all we need to know Lalo’s appearance is the sound of his voice. Like the use of silhouettes to symbolise the arrival of the twins, only small details are required to signify a character’s arrival. By the time the camera reaches Lalo’s figure, we already know who it is.

– Just about every scene involving Lalo creates tension because of the character’s sheer unpredictability. Not least when Lalo breaks into Margarethe’s house to seek evidence of Gus’ work on the meth lab. And mostly because it’s Margarethe’s pooch Little Bear who’s in jeopardy here. Not that Margarethe’s life is any less important, you understand, but Little Bear doesn’t deserve to go down like this. He’s just a good little boy who’s sensed a big source of danger. Luckily Lalo leaves via a window before either Little Bear or Margarethe get hurt. Phew.

Episode 6, Axe and Grind

– The flashback of a young Kim nervously tapping her feet in the opening scene provides a neat gestural similarity to adult Kim’s behaviour when she is about to converse with Cliff Main at a coffee shop.

– Straight after the moment Kim and Jimmy are celebrating Kim’s news about the Jackson-Mercer Foundation, the camera cuts to a piece of wood being loudly split apart by an axe, suggesting that Kim and Jimmy’s relationship will soon fall apart in violent fashion.

– When Doctor Caldera shows Jimmy his black book, one of the items on display is a familiar ‘Best Vacuum Cleaner’ card. Saul shows one of these to Walt in Breaking Bad, and Walt initially uses it to move to New Hampshire before eventually deciding to return to Albuquerque. Jesse also uses the card to escape to Alaska in the final scenes of El Camino after eventually procuring the necessary finances.

– Jonathan Banks is on fine form as always, particularly as he watches his grandddaughter stargazing from behind window blinds. Only minimal facial movements and slight changes in pitch are needed to express Mike’s sadness at not being able to be with his family in person.

– Better Call Saul wouldn’t be Better Call Saul without tension, and the final scenes where Jimmy discovers that Rand Casimiro has a broken arm –and that the previous pictures taken of the impersonating actor are therefore inaccurate – creates a perfect setup for the next episode.

Episode 7, Plan and Execution 

– We see Lalo taking regimented power naps while he hides in the sewers – he mentions these sleeping habits to Nacho outside his home in the final episode of season 5.

– Howard explains a trick to open soda cans without them blowing up in his face to an intern as he uses a turning motion with a can. If this scene seems inconsequential, it ain’t.

– We later get a shot Lalo looking at a cockroach walking on a ground. While this isn’t spelled out to the viewer, this could explain his decision to visit Jimmy. In season 5, episode 8, Lalo describes him as this creature to a concerned Kim, noting that Jimmy is a ‘born survivor’. 

– The bottle that Howard presents Jimmy with is Macallan Scotch Whisky, the same brand he gives to Chuck in season 3, episode 6.

– So, going back to the importance of the can scene mentioned earlier. Howard’s well-meaning instructions were intended to stop the can blowing up. When Lalo enters Jimmy’s apartment and works out that Howard won’t leave, however, Lalo’s slow movements as he twists the suppressor (often colloquially referred to as a can) on his gun act as a foil to Howard’s earlier intentions, deliberately blowing up a bullet in Howard’s face and killing him instantly. Genius, subtle use of mimetic gesture to evoke moments of harmony and chaos.

– When Howard is killed, his head smacks against a table. This feels like a brutal call-back to Chuck hitting his head and passing out in season 2 episode 9, as well as Ted hitting his head against a surface under the surveillance of Saul’s men in Breaking Bad, leaving him potentially disabled for the rest of his life.

On that cheery note, thus ends my thoughts and research on Better Call Saul Season 6’s first part. I’ll hopefully do a similar piece on the second part once it finishes.