Lexie Corner
Staff Writer
Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) certainly has come a long way since his humble beginnings as a mail runner at the Hamlin & McGill law firm.
Vince Gilligan, once again, wrote another brilliant episode of “Better Call Saul” as we are immersed into his latest case; fraud against frail, misinformed elders.
As Jimmy visits one of his clients at Sandpiper Crossing, an assisted living community in Albuquerque, he comes across a potentially huge case; as his client reveals she cannot fully pay Jimmy for his services due to her monthly allowance not coming in yet, he is showed a copy of her invoice where he discovers how irrationally high the charges are. The community is charging her $14.00 per Kleenex box. With over fifteen charges similar to those, it accumulates to her being over charged $400 per month along with every other member at said living community.
As McGill dives into his newfound case with both enthusiasm and eagerness, we are finally seeing the fundamental transformation from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman. In the beginning of the season, he had a complete lack of self-confidence or energy since most of his time was spent defending dense teenagers and taking care of his sick brother, Chuck (Michael McKean). Now, armed with the tools of ingenuity and ambition, Jimmy rises up to any challenge that faces him whether it is Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) or a potential criminal receptionist at an elder home. Despite being nearly thrown out of Sandpiper Crossing after arriving a second time to meet with his new influx of clients, he still talks his way back in to declare two things; first, that he can hear them shredding paper evidence of overcharging in their “hidden” office and secondly, that he will be pursuing a criminal case against the employees involved.
The most surprising aspect of this episode, however, was Chuck. After accepting with the fact that his younger brother has found a legitimate case, he decides to join Jimmy to prosecute Sandpiper Crossing to Jimmy’s delight. In an attempt to piece together all of the shredded evidence that Jimmy found in the community’s trash cans, Chuck, in some act of staggering intelligence, puts together several pieces of incriminating papers together.
The real shocker, however, was the end of the episode. As Jimmy falls asleep on the couch from pure exhaustion, Chuck, without a moment of hesitation, walks out of the house to Jimmy’s car. Despite his alleged sensitivity to anything electrical, he grabs Jimmy’s keys and phone, opens up the trunk and then sees, in disbelief, that Jimmy has seen him. Did Chuck fake his illness? Or is he truly cured? It seems that his electromagnetic paranoia was a complete fraud, especially given his nonchalant attitude as he waltzed outside into the open air like it was another typical day.
“Better Call Saul” has yet to fail; every episode has been wildly entertaining, authentic and genuine. Many questions still remain, such as how does Mike become the Mike we have come to love in “Breaking Bad?” If Chuck pretended to have an illness, why did he? What happens to Kim (Rhea Seehorn) since she is not seen once in “Breaking Bad?” What is the catalyst that pushes Jimmy McGill to become Saul Goodman? With these numerous unresolved questions, it will only keep viewers from wanting more.
Next week’s episode:
