Better Call Saul

I'm guessing clemenza is referring to the fact that the episode used "I Got The..." by Labi Siffre, famously sampled in "My Name Is" by Eminem.

Gertcha.

Yeah--I guess that's common knowledge, but it's the first time I'd heard it. Took me a couple of minutes to track it down; I initially googled Lalo Schifrin.

(Because I glanced at the name that came back for "My Name Is sample" too quickly--which I now realize is a Lalo too!)

I appreciated the fact that the space blanket/Chuck connection was pretty obvious but they refrained from spelling it out.

I have a friend who missed that--I'll tell him.

I found the desert trek appropriately tedious x agonizing, even tho of course I knew they weren't gonna die.
Mike, the Complete Pro, acknowledges that he didn't bring more guys (and the one guy just shot and drove off, what the heck?), because he didn't expect all *that* much of an ambush, why not?
Wondering if Lalo didn't send the bushwhackers, so he could get but maybe conceal his bail money--for a while---and see what Gus would do? Since Gus wanted him bustes but then released(why? So Lalo would Feel the Power of Gus?) This would go with getting Gus to torch his own place (Lalo guffawing at "Arson Suspected" headline). Getting Gus to jump through hoops, and prob knows What'sHisName is double-agent (triple, in the sense that he hates Gus for making him work with-against Lalo, though as Mike points out, all this goes back to choices he was warned against).
Lalo does seem like the long-game mastermind at times, but then there's that goofy giggle: "What Fools These Mortals Be"? Was Travel Wire freak-out spontaneous, or part of the long game? Both? Does he fold mistakes into the flow, like the best kind of musician?

"busted," that is.

I don’t think lalo knows that nacho is working with gus

Kim senses that Lalo is responsible for more than Jimmy knew, could even bring Jimmy back? Which would fit w my own "theory."

Why doesn't he know, hasn't supposed it? Things are going the way he wants and/or has turned to his own advantage (folding mistakes into the game etc) Not saying you're wrong, but I haven't noticed anything against my own suspicions.

I meant to mention that I did enjoy the return of Breaking Bad's extremely focused twins.

http://i.pinimg.com/564x/92/b1/0e/92b10e8eebe73abebe2a2dd45e13bad3.jpg

Yes!
xp Or it could be he's just allowing for the odds of Nacho being double.

It’s just the sense I get - I think he will figure it out, I just don’t think he has yet. Although i can’t really account for the ambush at all so I should prob buy into your reasoning. He’s certainly very smart. Did you think he reacted much to Nacho’s name coming up in his meeting with Saul?

(I read the chuckle at the headline l pretty straight, that he was just laughing at the arson he ordered without knowing of gus’s involvement)

The guys laying in wait to bushwack Saul definitely throws a monkey wrench into things. Who sent them?

idk - lalo didn’t seem that bothered about the money not showing up which suggests that it could be him, but I’m at a bit of a loss as to why. I don’t buy that it’s to mess with gus/flush him out

Since Gus wanted him bustes but then released(why? So Lalo would Feel the Power of Gus?)

Gus wanted Lalo put away to get him out of the picture, and only wanted him released when it was clear he would still be a problem in prison (and no shanks or shivs without starting a war)

But why would he not think that Lalo would still be a prob in prison?? As with not making sure Mike took more backup along---is Lalo also that stupid, did he really think that Jimmy the first-time bagman would have no prob solo? Somebody was using Jimmy as bait, as test case. (Of course he was bait for luring the last bushwhacker: they shoulda thought of that sooner, but so should I: we were all sunstruck!)

But then, as on BB, sometimes the writers just want to go from here to there, jumping over the in-between.

I think Lalo doesn't give a shit because he thinks he's worth $14 million to the cartel as easily as he's worth $7 million

just send another dude

additionally, it might possible sending Saul all the way to pick it up was much a test of his resourcefulness as it was an actual run to get bail money

Mike was tracking Saul's car, right?
I really thought Saul had been used (by Lalo) as bait to pickup the cash and draw out the bad guys (whoever they were). I guess not though.

Too bad there was no relish or ketchup in that van for mike and Saul to banter over

Yes I was reminded of The Pine Barrens, and that episode of BB where Walt and Jesse are stuck in out in the desert in the RV. Not as successful as either of those, but I enjoyed it nontheless - I've a soft spot for this kind of episode. I wish Jimmy had managed to talk his way out of being murdered by the comically large outlaw gang rather than the old last minute rescue, though.

Definitely not "Pine Barrens" level, but I thought it was a pretty great episode. Watching Mike just barely contain his complete disdain for Jimmy and his stupid decisions, surely wishing he didn't need him to carry the money back out again.

did anyone not immediately think "you're going to rip a hole in the bag if you drag it like that!" when Jimmy had his idea?

Yeah and I was kind of annoyed at mike for not saying that lol

Mike's two modes are providing explicit guidance, and "go ahead, do that and you'll figure it out"

Mike probably figured they wouldn't lose more than 100K ie Jimmy's cut.

I wish Jimmy had managed to talk his way out of being murdered by the comically large outlaw gang rather than the old last minute rescue, though.

― chap, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 8:47 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

that's another thing about how jimmy's in over his head with the cartel--he can't con people in spanish.

I doubt Mike could know what Jimmy's cut was.

Jimmy's excuse for taking 2 days to get back with the money is going to be tricky. He may say his car couldn't make the trip and hope Lalo's people wouldn't check that out and find the shootout site. Mike won't want Jimmy to let Lalo know about his involvement unless he can figure out how to make it work in a longer game. I think the crew that ambushed Jimmy was freelancing, and it would benefit Fring for Lalo to know he has rats in his own kitchen -- sowing discord is its own reward there.

xp abogado! abogado!

it would benefit Fring for Lalo to know he has rats in his own kitchen

What am he gonna do

He gonna fix that rat tbh

somebody save me a trip to the wiki and remind me: nacho lives through to BB and Lalo doesn't, right?

Neither *exactly* confirmed, Saul mentions both in his first scene as though they’re alive

Lalo absolutely dies because Gus’s whole deal is making a big thing of killing all Hector’s family tho

*of having killed all of Hector’s family, I should say

I was convinced it would end with a twist that Kim was in the car wreck at the end, and had to fast forward to make sure it was all ok.

I had exactly the same thought--that it was her driving up in the car, and that Mike was going to shoot her before he realized.

Something terrible is going to happen to her----and hopefully she'll get her own spin-off series from it. Mini-series or one-shot at least. Breaking Badder, hell yeah. Rhea SEEHORN

Word. She rocks it

i love her. but I have a terrible feeling after this episode that she's going to die.

buddy of mine played a role opposite her in a very shitty sitcom with her years before saul and said she was amazing, funny and friendly on set and a consummate professional. i agree that she might be one of the best dramatic actresses doing television today; would love to see her lead a movie or three.

Howard is the other link between old Jimmy and new Saul. I have a feeling he's going to eat it.

And/or she might get kidnapped or have some other close brush that scares her into at least trying to run far away from all this madness. Admittedly I haven't missed Chuck as much as expected, but pretty this show without her would just be grim old balls.
I'd like to see a (mostly?) pre-Slippin' Jimmy prequel, where she's maybe new to the firm, mentored by Chuck, in whom the cracks are starting to appear or spread--still got his wife, even (good character, good actress), and good ol' Howard in there, and some ongoing experience, like with a case, gradually makes the idealistic young attorney so anxious that her more shaded tendencies emerge---so we know she's not just the wide-eyed innocent who is turned by Jimmy-to-Saul, as his own darker side takes over---I mean, I think this was always evident to some extent, on some level---but would be good to get more show-not-tell, on that kind of downward path that BB and BCS have (mostly) been so good at cutting and tracking.

pretty *sure* this show

love the idea that we keep going back in time with various characters introduced from each spin off. 2032 should see The Adventures of Howard's Grandmom in the Depression

I would love the next one to be Gus Fring's formative years

Once upon a time in Chile, His family is ooo Allende---and then...