Small Details: Better Call Saul Season 6, Part 2

Hey guys! I’m back again for a final deep dive into my favourite television series. Check this out for easter eggs, observations, and my general gushing over how great this series is.

Episode 8, Point and Shoot

– Another masterful opening scene, and another epitaph to a dead character in a similar vein to Nacho, but one which we can predict this time, knowing Howard’s grim fate. Once the calm, romantic image of sand is shown, the camera slowly zooms back, with the tranquil nondiegetic music decidedly at odds with the fake suicide scene laid out. By the time the camera has zoomed out to a wide shot, in a perfect manipulation of sound design, this music has cut out entirely, leaving only the quiet diegetic sound of waves.

– After the brief opening moment, we get straight back to the fallout of the previous episode. The showrunners have the unique ability to make inanimate objects as innocent as a candle become sinister omens of dread, and opening this scene back on the object that heralded the arrival of Howard and Lalo (and the ensuing chaos) into Jimmy and Kim’s apartment doesn’t bode well.

– When Lalo interrogates Jimmy in his apartment and accuses him of colluding with Nacho, Jimmy protests his innocence and says ‘It wasn’t me, it was Ignatio’, a call-back to the precise line he says to Walt and Jesse in Breaking Bad season 2 episode 8, after he has been kidnapped and taken to the desert.

– When Kim parks the car as she prepares to go inside the house as Lalo ordered, she parks in the same place as Walter White in Breaking Bad, season 4 episode 2, titled ‘Snub’, where Walt buys a 38 Snub pistol to go kill Gus. Kim and Walt use the same model of gun, the same birds eye view shot of the 3-way intersection is used in both examples, and both characters are stopped due to camera surveillance. 

– Gus’ vitriolic monologue to Lalo bears resemblance to Nacho’s final speech, even though Gus clearly doesn’t die. His insults Lalo about how he will taunt Hector also ring true, even though this hubris will ultimately lead to Gus’ demise.

– The floor of the lab in Breaking Bad is red; this could be on the nose colour symbolism for the murdered bodies that lie beneath in the ground. Or not. It’s not clear if either Vince Gilligan or Peter Gould were thinking this far ahead, but if they were, this is pretty darn cool.

– The scenes of Mike clearing up Howard’s body mirror those in Breaking Bad season 2 episode 13, where he is clearing up the body of Jesse’s girlfriend Jane. The instructions he provides Kim and Jimmy on how to behave also mirror the ones he gives to Jesse, telling both grieving parties that ‘That’s all you know’ as he explains how to pretend that nothing happened. He asks Jesse and Jimmy and Kim to repeat this two-word phrase before he departs.

– Cinematography is one of Better Call Saul’s greatest assets, and something as simple as a close-up often has major impact. The lingering image of Mike’s still, distressed facial expression as he regards the bodies of Lalo and Howard in the same grave is accompanied by mournful, slow xylophone noises (I think this is a xylophone, but I’m not 100% sure). These sounds mirror the ones that play as Jimmy watches in despair while the mortuary van containing Chuck’s burnt body drive away during season 4, episode 1, shortly after Howard has gently told him not to pursue the van (the song is Fallen Lantern by Dave Porter). It acts as a sobering reminder that, even during Jimmy’s lowest moments and despite what Jimmy did to him, Chuck has always tried to help Jimmy, even in the moment before his own death.

– Speaking of close-ups, other highlights in this episode include the extreme close up on Gus’ eyes as he watches the security cameras, with the images reflected in his glasses representing his omniscient power within his environment. This idea is subverted as Gus rushes to the lab, when an extreme close-up of his eyes in comparative darkness symbolises his vulnerability to Lalo’s subsequent attack.

– Gus removes his tie and puts it in his shirt pockets after watching the cameras, almost in a ‘no more Mr Nice Guy, the gloves are off’ kind of gesture as he prepares to confront Lalo without informing Mike. This tie is presumably the same one we see during the opening titles images.

– After killing Lalo, Gus falls to the floor and unbuttons his shirt in typically methodical fashion to observe the bullet wound from Lalo. The following cut to the scene where Gus is calmly giving instructions to Lyle on how to run Los Pollos while he is being treated for bullet wounds on a table – without the guidance of a professional doctor, at that – gives off strong Black Knight vibes from Monty Python. While most men would at least be taking a break at this point and just lying down, Gus’ multitasking determination is simultaneously amusing and unnerving.

Episode 9, notes – Fun and Games

– The stylish office logo we see early in the episode is replaced by the cheap logo in the Breaking Bad timeline. 

– After Don Eladio has disregarded Hector’s accusations, Gus stands up and walks over to the poolside. In a stylish shot with the camera regarding Gus’ figure from within the pool, we can note that he stands in the same place where his partner Max shot by Hector. More obliquely, this shot foreshadows the killing of Don Eladio along with all his cronies in Breaking Bad season 4 episode 10. As Don Eladio tries to attack Gus in his last moments, he falls face-first into the pool, with Gus briefly staring at him from above.

– Kim’s tapping, fast-moving hand at the courthouse reflects the outward anxiety she has displayed using her feet in previous scenes such as before her meeting with Cliff Main and the flashback when a younger Kim is waiting to be picked up by her mother.

– During the time jump scene at the end of the episode, the song playing as Saul leaves his bed with the prostitute is ‘Any Way You Want It’ by Journey, a fitting, if on the nose summary of the decadent, hollow life he leads without Kim. Instead of making breakfast for his partner, he is casually offering the departing woman a breakfast bar. In terms of time-stamping the scene itself, we can see a title badge with the year 2008 mentioned, the same year that Breaking Bad first aired and when the narrative began.

– The final images we see of Saul alone at his desk mirror Gus by himself at the bar. Neither man can afford to have meaningful relationships in the professions they have chosen.

Episode 10, Nippy

– The episode’s title seems to have a double meaning; while it clearly refers to the fake missing dog that Jimmy is putting up posters for, it also likely refers to the British slang term for the ability to move quickly, something that is very much required for both Jimmy and the other con artists in this episode.

– So, if there’s one word for this episode: tension. The tension, good god. I’m not a particularly vocal viewer at the cinema or at home, but hell, this episode had me talking at the screen at various points. And it’s amazing that the showrunners can still create this level of tension when all the big bads from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad are out of the picture.

– I remembered the taxi driver Jeff (Don Harvey) from previous black and white future jump scenes in Better Call Saul episodes (his first appearance was in season 4), but I swear I didn’t recognise his face here. I debated this with fellow viewers as to whether it’s the same guy, as his face didn’t seem as scary as it used to be. Turns out it isn’t Harvey. It’s the same taxi driver character, but it’s a different actor (Pat Healy). After having a brief look online, this switch has caused a lot of debate with fans. Some argue that the change (due to scheduling issues) works in the canon because the driver seems less scary now that Jimmy sees him as the small-time crook he actually is rather than a genuine threat. Others say the change was disconcerting, as they couldn’t work out who the man was throughout the episode.

– At one point, we see Jimmy putting on a ring. This belonged to Saul’s former partner in crime Marco, seen right back in the first episode. Jimmy putting it back on symbolises his return to his Slippin’ Jimmy behaviour that evolved into Saul Goodman as he starts to plan a scheme for Jeff to pull off.

– Hey! What are you doing here, Jerry from Parks and Recreation (the actor’s name is Jim O’Heir, but Jerry is surely one of his most famous characters)? Seeing Jerry in this role is slightly off-putting at first, but when you consider that Bob Odenkirk’s previous career was based around comedy, this maybe makes more sense for American viewers. Still, it’s a bit weird to see him there. No offense Terry *April Ludgate smile*

– The split screen montage of Jimmy’s mall routine is a genius storytelling device, and evokes what is perhaps my favourite Better Call Saul scene of all time in season 4 episode 7, where Kim and Jimmy’s gradual estrangement is shown through the power of imagery and sound rather than spoken dialogue.

– When the store manager says to call maintenance to polish a single tile, you know it’s got to be significant. And, as I predicted, it is. That the tile that’s going to lead to a whole load of tension with Jeff very soon.

– The invoice number on the crate says 19683AE35. Some fans have linked this number to the similarly named AE-35 device used in the Discovery One in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Me, I just think this is a random coincidence. But I could be wrong.

– As I dreaded, Jeff slips straight over that one tile. As I did not predict, he falls so badly that he is momentarily knocked out. Que me worrying at the TV while Jimmy somehow manages to distract Jerry long enough for Jeff to escape without being seen on the CCTV cameras.

– Following the successful job, Jimmy warns Jeff not to contact him again, stating the words ‘We’re done’ and asking him to repeat it. These are the exact words that he says to Walt in Breaking Bad season 5 episode 1, and that doesn’t end well, which suggests that this ordeal won’t either.

Episode 11, Breaking Bad

– As the episode title not so subtly suggests, things are indeed not going to end well. If the showrunners are following along the same trajectory as Walt, there’s a decent chance that Jimmy will be dead by the season’s conclusion.

– The first scene where Jimmy (now Saul) is kidnapped by Walt and Jesse is a repeat of the scene we saw in Breaking Bad and is presumably included to remind viewers that Jimmy’s reference to both Nacho and Lalo was the springboard for the prequel. This didn’t seem wholly necessary; lots of fans were apparently boasting about remembering this scene as if they should receive a medal of honour, but ultimately it’s just a bit of an unneeded memory jerk.

– Again, the following scenes where Saul talks to Walt and Jesse and discovers their identities is just unnecessary fan service pandering. Oh look, it’s these guys again! I don’t care. As in El Camino, the inclusion of Walter White here does nothing for me. I’ve loved this series because of the focus on its morally skewed lawyer and his relationship with Kim, and I feel like every moment we spend dwelling on unnecessary details like these pulls us away from finding out what’s happened to Kim. I almost feel like this season could have ended on episode 9. Even though that would’ve been a depressing denouement, it would’ve wrapped everything up succinctly and poignantly.

– When Francesca mentions that police found Pinkman’s car down by the border, it’s a reference to the final scenes of El Camino, when Skinny Pete assures Jesse that he’ll drop the car at this location.

– Watching Pat Healey playing Jeff at this point is just disconcerting. Don Harvey’s facial expression, actions and general behaviour was menacing and uncomfortable, but Healey’s docile, unthreatening demeanour really isn’t working at this point. I can’t imagine Healey’s Jeff bowing down to Saul’s demands so obediently, and that kind of inconsistency is putting me off at the moment.

– There’s little amusement or worth to be gained from watching Saul’s chicanery as he swindles rich dudes. As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve been invested in the transition from slippin’ Jimmy to Saul Goodman, and this post-Breaking Bad Saul isn’t giving me much joy at the moment.

– The transition shot of the grave with Jimmy’s body to the shot of a depressed Jimmy lying in bed is genius. Although this episode might just be the first bad Better Call Saul episode (as some critics have argued), the cinematography remains top standard. And it’s still a head and a tail above your average crime drama series.

– The shot at the end of the montage scene with Jimmy lying despondent in bed is one we’ve seen multiple times alongside Kim, but is now injected with pathos as we see various prostitutes appear and disappear from a place he once shared with his wife.

– I feel no attachment to Jeff or his partner in crime, so when Jeff’s partner leaves after refusing to finish a job, little impact is felt.

– We get another Breaking Bad Saul Scene, this time with Mike, but again, this feels like another case of pandering.

– By the end of the episode, it looks like things are going to fall apart as Jeff’s mother becomes suspicious of Saul and Saul decides to do the job on his own. But again, it’s hard to feel too much tension as in previous episodes, as it looks like the showrunners are setting up Saul for a fall (rhyme not intended), and the tortured Jimmy we’ve known just a few episodes before is long gone.

Episode 12, Waterworks

– Vince Gilligan’s directing this episode, so you know it’s gonna be quality.

– The opening image of Saul hitting a ball repeatedly against the constitution painting on his office wall, alongside images of his graduate certificate for the non-existent University of American Samoa containing his fake title all enforce that Jimmy is lost. The subsequent falling of one of the artificial pillars is both amusing and tragic; no sense of tension is created as we realise the flimsy material this object is made of, and any essence of Jimmy’s once-respectable morality is clearly dead and gone. His face is shadowed and depressed as he sees Kim is his next appointment, literally reflecting the shadow of a man he has become.

– This artificiality is reflected in Kim’s narrative when her partner says he had to buy Miracle Whip instead of Mayonnaise. It’s no substitute for the real product, but after a pause, she accepts it anyway. She shows the same ambivalent indecisiveness later on when a colleague asks her what ice cream flavour to pick for another colleague’s birthday. It’s little, mundane details like this that emphasise Kim’s diminished life. Like Jimmy, albeit in the opposite direction, she is a shadow of the person she used to be.

– The moments when Kim watches another woman preparing a client for court and goes past the empty ticket booth are unbearably sad. The woman she could’ve been and the man who saved her life are both in a distant past.

– The extreme close-up long takes to show Cheryl reading Kim’s document about Howard’s death are powerfully yet simply composed, complimented by a complete lack of sound as Cheryl contemplates the shocking nature of the material in front of her.

– Rhea Seehorn has been fantastic throughout the season, as she has been in all the previous ones, particularly during her crying shot on the bus. If she doesn’t get the Emmy for this season, there’s no justice for the world’s greatest lawyer.

– If it wasn’t clear that Saul is irredeemable from previous scenes, the moment when he is about to injure – and potentially kill – his latest victim to secure his escape just about seals his fate. Will he be getting out of this season alive?

– Jesse’s presence in this episode doesn’t feel tacked on like the previous one. We feel as much sympathy for what Saul has done to Kim as much as what Walt is going to do to Jesse, even though neither character is perfect to begin with. Kim’s final line that Saul was a good lawyer when she knew him is heart-breaking and truthful. Hopefully this is her last appearance, but we’ll have to wait and see.

– The single colour reflection of the Better Call Saul ad on Saul’s glasses is a genius visual metaphor. It’s not just novel to see our first bit of colour in the black and white Gene scenes, it’s also a reflection of the colourful personality that Gene has forever lost, only visible now on a screen.

Episode 13, Saul Gone

– Saul spends a lot of the episode asking various characters – mostly seen through flashbacks –  what they’d do if they had a time machine. Chuck is seen with a copy of H.G. Well’s time machine, and we’ve seen this book left behind in Saul’s house in the opening colourful scene of season 6 as authorities look through the debris of his home. The book acts as a symbol of Saul’s shifting regrets, ultimately righting wrongs in the final court scene.

– In the opening title sequence we can see the air freshener that’s inside Jeff’s taxi, a symbol of the vehicle that contributed to Saul’s downfall.

– As Saul escapes Marian and rushes to collect a flip phone from his room, we see he has multiple phones in his cupboard. This is not only a reminder of Jimmy’s phone-selling antics earlier in the series, but also his level of preparation if he needs make a swift escape.

– Saul is quickly found in a dumpster, which feels like a call-back to Season 6’s opening scene, where a cardboard cut-out of Saul is shoved in a dumpster by one of the investigators. Great foreshadowing and attention to detail, no?

– Saul is taken town the corridor in cuffs in prisoner attire with an attendant flagging him on each side. This is a great contrast to similarly shot image where Saul is dressed in his characteristic flamboyant attire (you don’t even need colour to appreciate the aesthetic) as he is led into the courthouse.

– During the flashback scene with Saul and Walt, in which the two are being shipped off to their new lives by vacuum cleaner salesman Ed Galbraith, Walt pauses to look at his watch, a gift from Jesse. We wonder if the way Walt treated Jesse is one of his unspoken regrets, and not just the fact that Walt felt he was side-lined out of his Grey Matter business.

– The cinematography, as always, is nuanced and powerful. As Saul admits his guilt about Chuck, we see an exit sign hanging overhead. By revealing his role in previous crimes, both the viewer and Saul know he won’t be able to exit the room with his seven-year plea, and will spend the rest of his days from a cell he cannot escape. Kim, at least, will leave the room with a brighter future (or maybe I’m just reading into the symbolism of a sign too much. Who knows?).

– The image of a machine processing dough hypes us for a Cinnabon flashback, but we quickly learn that Saul is working within a prison environment. Just a bit of simple imagery is a great way to side-line the viewer.

– The meeting between Saul and Kim in prison is a great moment, mirroring their postures from earlier scenes in the car park, and the flash of colour in the cigarette they share subtly suggests that the spark of love between the two has been rekindled. – The ending is bittersweet and very appropriate. It’s not action-packed or imbued with a rocky soundtrack like Badfinger’s Baby Blue cover, but Better Call Saul isn’t Breaking Bad, and the series ends on a characteristically sombre, albeit romantic note, without any soundtrack or pomp. Saul over, unfortunately, but the series went out on a big high.