Writing a review of my favourite television series of all time has the potential to get subjective. And lengthy. In any case, I\u2019m 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\u2019all good, man. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Episode 1, Wine and Roses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 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<\/em>\u2019s sixth season opener as authorities ransack Saul\u2019s 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\u2019s safe to say that the film\u2019s bleak story of two depressed alcoholics, and Dowson\u2019s poetry, don\u2019t spell a bright future for Jimmy and Kim:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018They are not long, the days of wine and roses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out of a misty dream<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our path emerges for a while, then closes<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within a dream\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 As the camera pursues the chaos of Jimmy\u2019s former household, one of the items that can be spotted is Jimmy\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Another familiar item of clothing on display is the black hat that Jimmy had previously used to film a commercial advertising film commercial business \u2018Saul Goodman Productions\u2019, which he shows to an impressed Kim in season 3 episode 6. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019s a memento that Jimmy has kept to remember her, perhaps its presence signals something more foreboding. We\u2019re not given a clear answer, and that\u2019s what makes this show so darn great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Another thing that Better Call Saul<\/em> 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\u2019s corpse, a decoy for Lalo to trick investigators into believing his death. You know things aren\u2019t 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\u2019s moral decay? Perhaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 2, Carrot and Stick<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The first name of the character Betsy Kettlemen is taken from the actress Betsy Brand, the actress who portrayed Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Did you recognise the customer that Betsy was giving the tax cheque to? He\u2019s the same man that sells Walter White the truck in season 5 episode 14 of Breaking Bad<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019 gun by his side \u2013 as with classic Clint Eastwood films, only the weapon needs to be shown to reflect a character\u2019s power and intimidation. Rather than wasting a breath to tell Nacho to exit his car, one of the twins uses a simple \u2018come here\u2019 gesture with a single moving finger. The tense shootout that ensues ends in Nacho\u2019s favour as he manages to escape, but the shot of the twins\u2019 distinctive silhouettes in the misty background shows that Nacho\u2019s struggles are far from over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Gus\u2019 unnervingly meticulous nature is highlighted as he cleans up the remnants of a glass he has smashed after consulting with Mike about Lalo. We\u2019ve 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<\/em> 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\u2019s demise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Mike\u2019s warning to Hector that ensuing events are \u2018not gonna go down the way you think it is\u2019 (and which featured in the Season\u2019s 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\u2019s fourth-wall, deadpan observation makes this fact abundantly clear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Betsy\u2019s admonishment of Kim\u2019s actions, while immature, act as an interesting counterpoint to Howard\u2019s later, more reasoned monologue against Jimmy and Kim in their apartment; in each case, Kim remains cold and apparently unmoved by their language. Kim\u2019s response that the Kettlemans have \u2018no idea\u2019 about the concept of losing everything is also filled with pathos when she later witnesses the brutal death of her former employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Jimmy says the phrase \u2018wolves and sheep\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019 Jimmy persona began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 3, Rock and Hard Place<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Like the shot of the ant on the dead finger in this season\u2019s first episode, so much intrigue can be created through animals or objects. As all seasoned Better Call Saul<\/em> and Breaking Bad<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019s situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The scene where Nacho has to immerse himself in oil was unbearably tense, and brought back strong anxiety from the scene in Minority Report<\/em> where Tom Cruise\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019 reputation despite what Gus has done to him. I\u2019m not sure if three episodes is enough to get Mando in line for Emmy recognition, but he deserves it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 4, Hit and Run<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The suit that Jimmy wears when impersonating Howard is the same one he used during the billboard stunt back in season 1 episode 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Although there\u2019s not much plot movement in this episode, probably to give us a respite after last episode\u2019s shocking finale, there a fair few Breaking Bad<\/em> nods here. Besides the more obvious fact that the new office Saul buys becomes the same one we see in Breaking Bad<\/em>, we are introduced to Spooge, a new client that meets a nasty end in Breaking Bad<\/em> via ATM machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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<\/em> when he asks Walt why they couldn\u2019t have chosen this location for the drug meetup as opposed to the junkyard they\u2019re currently standing in, since nobody gets shot there. Probably a fair point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 5, Black and Blue<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 This episode has the same title as season 2 episode 7 of Breaking Bad<\/em>, the episode before Saul Goodman\u2019s character is introduced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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<\/em> Season 2 Episode 8, which Badger is sitting on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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 \u2018Saul Goodman \u2013 I\u2019ll fight for you\u2019. Saul uses these words in a late-night commercial featured in Breaking Bad<\/em>\u2019s seventeenth \u2018minisode\u2019 of the same title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The long tracking shot of Gus walking through the restaurant mirrors the shots of the twins investigating the scene of Lalo\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Sound design is manipulated to represent Gus\u2019 intense anxiety a customer\u2019s speech becomes incomprehensible and the sound of an object dropping is suddenly sharply heard. This isn\u2019t exactly a new stylistic technique in television or film. Yet it remains surprisingly effective, as most of what we\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Speaking of which, in the following scene, all we need to know Lalo\u2019s 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\u2019s arrival. By the time the camera reaches Lalo\u2019s figure, we already know who it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Just about every scene involving Lalo creates tension because of the character\u2019s sheer unpredictability. Not least when Lalo breaks into Margarethe\u2019s house to seek evidence of Gus\u2019 work on the meth lab. And mostly because it\u2019s Margarethe\u2019s pooch Little Bear who\u2019s in jeopardy here. Not that Margarethe\u2019s life is any less important, you understand, but Little Bear doesn\u2019t deserve to go down like this. He\u2019s just a good little boy who\u2019s sensed a big source of danger. Luckily Lalo leaves via a window before either Little Bear or Margarethe get hurt. Phew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 6, Axe and Grind<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The flashback of a young Kim nervously tapping her feet in the opening scene provides a neat gestural similarity to adult Kim\u2019s behaviour when she is about to converse with Cliff Main at a coffee shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Straight after the moment Kim and Jimmy are celebrating Kim\u2019s 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\u2019s relationship will soon fall apart in violent fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 When Doctor Caldera shows Jimmy his black book, one of the items on display is a familiar \u2018Best Vacuum Cleaner\u2019 card. Saul shows one of these to Walt in Breaking<\/em> 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<\/em> after eventually procuring the necessary finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019s sadness at not being able to be with his family in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 Better Call Saul<\/em> wouldn\u2019t be Better Call Saul<\/em> without tension, and the final scenes where Jimmy discovers that Rand Casimiro has a broken arm \u2013and that the previous pictures taken of the impersonating actor are therefore inaccurate \u2013 creates a perfect setup for the next episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Episode 7, Plan and Execution <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 We see Lalo taking regimented power naps while he hides in the sewers \u2013 he mentions these sleeping habits to Nacho outside his home in the final episode of season 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 We later get a shot Lalo looking at a cockroach walking on a ground. While this isn\u2019t 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 \u2018born survivor\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The bottle that Howard presents Jimmy with is Macallan Scotch Whisky, the same brand he gives to Chuck in season 3, episode 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 So, going back to the importance of the can scene mentioned earlier. Howard\u2019s well-meaning instructions were intended to stop the can blowing up. When Lalo enters Jimmy\u2019s apartment and works out that Howard won\u2019t leave, however, Lalo\u2019s slow movements as he twists the suppressor (often colloquially referred to as a can) on his gun act as a foil to Howard\u2019s earlier intentions, deliberately blowing up a bullet in Howard\u2019s face and killing him instantly. Genius, subtle use of mimetic gesture to evoke moments of harmony and chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 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\u2019s men in Breaking Bad<\/em>, leaving him potentially disabled for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On that cheery note, thus ends my thoughts and research on Better Call Saul<\/em> Season 6\u2019s first part. I\u2019ll hopefully do a similar piece on the second part once it finishes. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Writing a review of my favourite television series of all time has the potential to get subjective. And lengthy. In any case, I\u2019m 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\u2019all good, man. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=345"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1378,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/345\/revisions\/1378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}