Previous threads:
1.01 Uno and 1.02 Mijo
1.03 Nacho
1.04 Hero
1.05 Alpine Shepherd Boy
1.06 Five-o
I don’t think this is significant in any way, but I-25 is a Bingo number as well as the interstate highway that runs north & south through Albuquerque.
Never mind.
Another one knocked out of the park; loved every minute of it. It’s very affecting to see Jimmy constantly coming up with brilliant schemes that basically barely manage to just keep him at his current level of failure.
Also, Jonathan Banks is a treasure. I haven’t seen an actor say more with fewer lines since the days of the silents.
I could almost feel Jimmy’s pain as he put the bribe money back in the bag to do “the right thing”.
It seems they’re making his motivation to stay above board almost purely for his brother Chuck (and in this case, for Kim). I’m assuming there’s a catastrophic decline in store for Chuck, despite his dubious success with his attempts at “immunization,” and it’ll spur Jimmy spiraling down again and becoming Saul, once and for all.
Mark Margolis (Hector Salamanca) was nominated for an Emmy in Breaking Bad just for ringing a bell.
As for this episode, I was surprised at part of it. When the Kettlemans said they could implicate Jimmy because of the money he had it seems he had two outs, he could A)deny that he ever actually took any of it or B)produce a receipt for it (for the judge) and that should exonerate them. So what if he had charged them $30K. At the time (or so he could say), they claimed they never took the money so what’s wrong with him charging them for his services. If him taking that money would loop him into that, then every lawyer who defends (for a fee) a client that’s guilty of a crime that involves taking something from someone else would be guilty himself for, what, receiving stolen property.
So it seems to me that Jimmy could very easily say “The Kettlemans came to me (or I found them), they gave me $30,000 to defend them and I took it, what’s the problem, happens every day”. It was 1.2% of the money it’s not like they gave him a half million dollars for the defense in an attempt to get rid of it.
Yes, it was cash, but it’s not up to Jimmy to ask why it was cash, that’s not his problem. He offered a service, they paid for the service. Beyond that, I’m sure Jimmy could have figured it out, but they didn’t go that route so it doesn’t matter.
I think his hard choice was all about Kim, honoring her wish to make things right with the deal she made for the Krazy Kettlemans. And he couldn’t have Kim learn that the source of his new-found wealth was the Kettlemans, else that would scotch his plans for her to come partner with him. So I think those were his motivations in giving back the $30,000 – not that he couldn’t find a way to justify it to the authorities.
Jimmy’s regret at giving the money back had more to do with the fact that, yet again, he was foiled in getting his One Big Break that would launch him into a legitimate, thriving practice. Jimmy is, at heart, a good guy. He is loyal to those about whom he cares and he wants to be a non-sleazy lawyer. Doesn’t look like that’s going to be in the cards for him, though.
I, too, love Mike and Jonathan Banks’ nuanced portrayal of him. I’m thrilled they’re giving him such a great chewy part. It’s also fun to see the closeness evolving between these two flawed but nonetheless sympathetic characters.
He got Mike to do the investigating! And they crushed it. This has to be how they both eventually start working for Gus. Together, they are a thoughtful, meticulous team.
Gus will probably come from the vet. The vet is going to be his ‘underworld connection’. My WAG is that Mike will introduce Jimmy to Gus.
OTOH, the vet may hit some legal snags along the way and need Jimmy. Either way, I think that’s how they’ll find Gus, through the vet.
Maybe Gus has a sick chicken that needs a vet.
I am not getting why the Kettlemans are considered a golden, career-making client at a silk-stocking law firm.
First, they are a one-time client. It’s not like they are on the board of directors of some corporate giant who will provide a steady stream of business.
Second, how are they even going to pay their legal fees? Part of the deal that the firm struck is that they have to give back all the money. Mr. Kettleman is now an unemployed civil servant. So how are the Kettlemans some kind of golden goose?
I’ve been rewatching Breaking Bad from the start in recent weeks, and I don’t recall seeing Gus and Saul interact in any way. As far as I can tell from BB, Saul never actually met Gus, and may not have even known the identity of Mike’s boss until Walt and Jesse came along.
Mike is just getting started in his new career as a PI, and there are many ways for him to come to Gus’ attention. It might not happen for a while yet.
It’s interesting to rewatch Saul in BB while seeing his backstory in BCS.
Yeah Saul just knew a guy who knew a guy who knew another guy. This is kind of strange because wouldn’t Saul just know Mike who knew Gus? I do recall Mike speaking to Gus about Saul in BB but you’re right they never actually met.
Their house sure is pretty…
Figure of speech, perhaps.
Given how tight-lipped Mike is, Saul probably didn’t know any more than that Mike was working for someone connected to the meth biz.
ETA: It’s also possible that Saul did know but was avoiding giving away too much info…
I think that’s most likely. Saul sees Walt and Jesse as a money train that could derail and get him killed at any time. The less they know about his actual connections, the better.
I can’t figure out how Jimmy turns into Saul. He’s not only (briefly) had a billboard in Albuquerque, he was all over the press for “saving” the guy on it. Jimmy McGill is also well known to the prosecutors and judges in the courts, and to cops as well. Can a lawyer legally change his name from the one he used when he passed the bar? What am I missing?
I’m not sure I understand the question. Anyone can legally change their name at any time.
If his friend gets married and she decides to go old-school and take her husband’s name, are you saying she wouldn’t be allowed to because she passed the bar under her maiden name?
I like Kim. I worry she wont make it out of this series alive.
Mrs. Kettleman makes me laugh.
Legally, he’d have to report anything over $10,000 in cash.