Don’t let the cutesy music fool you. The teaser on this week’s Better Call Saul flat out tells you that it’s going to be a heavy episode from the look on Mike’s face. Then, Mike tells his horrified support group that he warned them that they wouldn’t like what he had to say.
Mike has been attending a support group, sporadically, in order to stay close to Stacy and Kaylee and maybe heal from the loss of Matty. Mike has been flexing some muscles, building DIY projects, and, best of all, he’s made a new (lady) friend, Anita. When getting coffee with Anita, Mike reveals that another member of their group, Henry, is lying about his loss. Anita makes a bet with Mike that he’s wrong.
Jimmy loves sleeping in and feels satisfied about his general state of nonemployment. He turns down an opportunity as a shift supervisor at a cell phone store. While Jimmy shaves, Kim lets him know that she thinks he should consider seeing a therapist to deal with the grief from Chuck’s death. Jimmy quickly secures the cell phone store job again to give himself an appearance of activity.
Kim, meanwhile, feels lost morally. She returns to the courtroom to watch cases play out when Judge Munsinger calls her aside. Munsinger gives her a long speech between bites of salad about how she needs to go back to work and remain content. Munsinger tells her that no one really finds courtrooms inspirational. Undeterred, Kim remains in court watching other cases play out.
Nacho rides along with Marcos and Leonel to scout out a drug house operated by the Espinosas – a rival to the Salamanca gang. The drugs which had allegedly been stolen from Nacho and Arturo ended up here thanks to Fring’s men. Nacho assumes that Marcos and Leonel will wait for backup and, oh boy is he wrong. Marcos and Leonel calmly assault some thirty men with knives and a gym bag full of guns. Nacho shoots one or two from behind, but he’s mostly horrified by the Salamancas’ brutality.
Jimmy learns that his new job gives a lot of free time, since no one comes to his store, and he has no employees to supervise. When he asks his boss to move him to another store, he is told “bring a book.” Jimmy meets with Ira who has sold the Hummel figurine for much more than expected. Ira wants to steal more Hummel figurines, but Jimmy relents, not wanting to get to steal from former clients. He does, however, take Ira’s suggestion to use burner phones when committing crimes. In order to attract customers/pass the time, Jimmy paints “Is the man listening?” on his storefront windows.
Mike comes to support group with Anita and Stacey. He is appalled when Stacey confesses that she made Matty’s favorite breakfast without even thinking about Matty. Angry and with nowhere to direct it, Mike rips apart Henry’s newest story about his wife and exposes him as a liar. Later, Mike finds out that Fring wants to meet with him. When Fring confronts Mike about Nacho’s attempt to kill Hector, Mike sees that Fring has a new job for him.
Mike has finally gotten an episode this season where his issues with Matty’s death and the fact that he sort of enjoys criminal activity himself comes to life. While Jimmy continues to wander through life until reinstatement, he faces down temptation to become a fence for petty thieves. Kim and Nacho meanwhile face regret and dread at each of their respective careers and the consequences. An arc that somehow connects those two would be masterful, but we will have to see what happens next week.
Photo source: AMC.com Photo by Matthias Clamer/AMC/Sony Pictures Television
