Better Recall Saul: "Bingo"

Left to right: Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn

Welcome to the new TV Recap series Better Recall Saul that chronicles the adventures of Better Call Saul and a young criminal lawyer as he cuts his teeth down in ABQ, and his Breaking Bad buddies might stop by to wish him luck. Feel free to join every Tuesday as the adventures unravel and the story behind one of the funniest and sleaziest lawyers in TV history begins to take form and remind us why he is such a great character in the first place. Is this spin-off meant for greatness, or is it the worst idea that AMC has ever done? You'll have to read on to find out the truth.

“Thing you folks need to know 

about me? I’ve got nothing to lose.” 

- Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk)

Plot:

With growing success in elder law, Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) decides to buy a new office with the money he expect to gets from the Kettlemans. Meanwhile, his partner Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) refuses to join him because she has a good gig. However, things become muddy when Betsy (Julie Ann Emery) and Craig (Jeremy Shamos) won't go along with the con. Jimmy and Kim agree that they should use Kim as the lawyer, but they believe she will find them too guilty. Jimmy doesn't want them either despite the promise of a bribe. Also, Chuck (Michael McKean) is starting to overcome his allergies to electromagnetic pulses. After Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) breaks into the Kettleman's house to steal their money, Jimmy has an entryway. He can reveal their scheme to steal money, which proves to not be a fruitful experience. She gives the clients to Kim at the risk of losing his own business. As he loses his new office, he finds no choice but to keep moving on.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Left to right: Jeremy Shamos and Julie Ann Emery

MVP:

The Kettlemans (Jeremy Shamos and Julie Ann Emery)

If I can be contradictory to everyone else for a minute, I really don't care about the Kettleman story. It is just such a non-entity and a big reason that I cannot get into Better Call Saul. Well, that and the non-issues that have populated the series so far. Sure, Jimmy can be interesting, but there's only momentary set pieces for it. Here we get to see how nice the Kettlemans actually are and what their true motives are. However, I really don't care even if they are the main draw to the episode. They are not interesting characters and I am glad to see their story line be finished. There isn't much to them beyond having to escape from charges of going missing for a few days. If this show lacks anything, it is a supporting cast worthy of anything. I really have trouble caring about most of them because frankly they're not that interesting.

Best Scene

In one of the series' best moments so far, Mike decides to help Jimmy out by breaking into the Kettleman's house and getting their money. While it is a very visual scene, the way that it is filmed reflects a certain confidence and shows for the first time in the series how swift Mike is when doing his job. It is effective, especially without dialogue and manages to provide something fully engaging and unique in an episode that feels like yet another business as usual for Jimmy thing. Yes, the show plods along nicely and gives Jimmy a nice blow to his ego this week, but otherwise its main purpose is to get to this scene which is well shot and manages to bring to life what Vince Gilligan did so well on Breaking Bad, but hasn't on this show.