Better Call Saul Talk (2015– ) Online

Both Mike and Saul need to talk in this episode. Their friends insist it will make them feel better, even if they know better.

When Stacy's grief group goads Mike to talk, he uses the opportunity to confront the twisted lies of Henry (or does Henry actually have other reasons for showing up to this grief group to spin yarns about a fictitious dead wife?). Mike the ex-cop easily spots liars and even makes a bet with Anita, who is trying to develop romance with Mike, that Henry will use his "tell" (derived from the word "tale" along with the word "talk") and spin yet another bogus story at the next meeting. The friendly wager yields Mike a sawbuck.

Likewise, Saul receives advice from Kim to talk to a shrink. To keep Kim happy, Saul agrees and announces that he has taken a job at a cellphone shop, even though he turned it down earlier that morning. Saul spends the day as supervisor for little more than a boondoggle, but not without turning it into another demonstration of his flair for loud advertising.

Even though talk releases feelings not intended, Mike and Saul offset ill effects with their cynicism. If Walter White broke bad because he liked it, cynicism gives Mike and Saul a smarter way to go-even though we already know in this prequel that smarts did not prevent tragic ends for both.

But there's devil in the details. Look carefully at Mike when he's in the middle of one of his surprise security visits at a Madrigal plant-Lydia must have took Gus's advice and got Mike a security badge, which he now wears with authority around his neck. Look also for the extra grimace in Mike's face because no one is supposed to know where or when this hotshot security consultant will strike, but Gus nonchalantly has him paged over the plant's loudspeakers to set up a meeting.

Also watch carefully as Kim messes with Judge Munsinger. I was angry at AMC for cutting him off mid-sentence for a commercial break, but it was apparently not a technical glitch. The two jurists had just enough time to exchange hairy eyeballs. She told the judge in chambers that she was working for Mesa Verde, and he warned her to stop trolling his uneventful courtroom. Something's on.

An intense battle scene finds Gus's mole Nacho assisting the Salamanca twins to shoot up the Westward Ho Motel, where the rival Espinosas run seedy meth operations. Gus has further plans for Nacho, as well as Mike. Nacho's father is concerned, but savvy enough to butt out.

Meanwhile, Saul and Ira score bigger than expected with Bavarian Boy. They commence a partnership of sorts.

A mysterious flashback serves as open-to-interpretation teaser, revealed at the end when Mike's son Matty signs his name in wet concrete-something indelible while Stacy admits she's thinking about Matty less and less. Stacy's talk clearly eats away at Mike.

The story slowly unfolds, hashing out narrative in stylish dribs and drabs. It's mesmerizing and suspenseful. It's clever. It's great acting and camera work. It's Gilligan/Gould innovating television, we hope. I'd go on, but maybe I talk too much.

Seriously people still compare BCS with BB? This is ridiculous! Breaking Bad was a great series and is also my favorite, but Better Call Saul is not Breaking Bad. The pace of BCS is slower than BB, since the season 1, but people continue to criticize this series for the same reason for 4 years! Breaking Bad talks about a guy who produces methamphetamine to make money while BCS talks about a lawyer who teases the law to get what he wants. These are two very different approaches to each other. So if you have not gotten used to the slow pace of BCS (which is what makes it so good) stop watching, please. . . . Speaking of this episode, Jonathan Banks had a gigantic presence in every scene that appeared. The fear I had in the last 2 episodes of Mike being sideways and not having an interesting arc was totally destroyed in this episode, which showed that we should NEVER doubt Vince Gilligan. What was my only caveat of the last few episodes became one of the greatest triumphs of this. Now just wait for what lies ahead. Jimmy's bow was the least strong, but still good because it is very, very close to Saul to appear completely. Michael Mando alongside Jonathan Banks gave us one of the best performances we can see on TV, and the arc of Nacho is getting more and more interesting. There is nothing perfect but considering all the correctness of this episode, the errors become irrelevant, so I give my 10.

***SPOILERS*** I think that you'd better wait on reading this review until after you've seen the episode (available from Amazon prime). Looks like Kim is thinking about a career in Criminal Law. I say this because she has a constant reminder of what her workaholic nature can lead her into. Remember his last deal where he thought she could just naturally handle anything he presented her with? Now here he is; showing off his grandiose dreams of expansion with no thought to the fact that she is, essentially, a one woman show. It sounds just disgusting to say, (or to think of), but maybe a firm like HHM would be the right fit for Mesa Verde. Okay, Howard, as long as Kim gets a VERY serious severance package.

On of the professional reviewers seems convinced that Jimmy quit his J-O-B at C C Mobile. I wonder, though, because thinking back, that kind of hand painted window signage was very common when this story was starting out. He's bored but really wants to do something right for Kim.

Nacho Varga (great name, by the way), is really stuck, and Michael Mando is guilty of some terrific acting in this episode. Anyone who's been seriously injured, and had to fight through the pain to get something done will tell you that this was a very accurate portrayal of trying hard, but just running out of gas. I agree with one of the other reviewers that it would have been cool to see a little more action, and I think they certainly could have done it, prime time, or not. Again, as I have griped out in other reviews, they don't have enough episodes in the season, but episodes like this one tend to help one forget it - temporarily. Great acting, great sets, understated action, I'll go a 10.

Anyone who gave this less than a 9 is most likely not paying close enough attention. Every move in this series has been carefully (and naturally) arranged in a way that every single motivation (whether you fully understand it or not) is sensible due to the characters history and past. Every moment matters. Every moment is a revealing of character; yes, even the quiet moments where the character is simply thumbing through an index or sitting at a public defense court. That is hugely impressive. Every single action has a reaction that gives flexibility to characters in a way that accentuates aspects of human nature that makes sense and leads to the possibility of the character changing or making a choice that is explicable. Over the course of a person's life this is true outside of television. And this reflects human nature and elevates the standard for storytelling across every medium. Those who gave this less than a 9 most likely did not considerate this at all. It is genius looking you right in the face, but because you don't understand the language of the genius you call it gibberish or slow. It means you are not paying attention. You can say it is not my preference or genre, but to analyze this show or invest in it and to say this, especially this episode where SOOOO much happens on subtle level of character development, is to reveal your lack of depth of understanding about this ingenious episode. I would break it down, but I would prefer to not tag this as containing spoilers so someone else could give this a read and maybe use it as a key to help them interpret the genius of this episode so they don't commit the same folly as those who clearly underestimate and misunderstand the level of genius of this episode. Seriously, this one had so many displays of power dynamics shifting, of old resolutions abandoned and new ones being found. This episode belongs on the level of Ozymandias (Breaking Bad close to the end of the series). We see the actual moments when certain keys turn for so many things-I am really tempted to put in some spoilers..... hmmm, I will try to do so without actually spoiling.....

1) Episode Title: "Talk"- Vince Gilligan has always been a genius with this since Season 2 of Breaking Bad and this episode is no exception. The motif of talking with or without words is profoundly iterated in at least a dozen ways from a dozen angles-already we are dealing with a lot. Mike who normally never opens up about his feelings, talks; and when he does it is clear, accurate and powerful similar to Gus. Speaking of which, I will mention later. Jimmy who only ever talks, does not talk much, but actually talks non-verbally in a significant way. Kim's observing court talks loudly (metaphorically) about her conflict of wanting to be Atticus Finch and instead serving a job that does not provide deeper meaning to her. Gus as usual has very few lines, but talks directly to the point but in a way of intimidation and power plays. Ah!!! I am so tempted to spoil something here but will refrain because it was so brilliant done! I will say this though, you are anticipating Gus to talk with Mike about an issue Lydia had with Mike, but it was not the case; great reversal and it was revealing about a huge difference between Gus and Lydia: Lydia is unduly concerned with details that are petty (that actually can matter, at the same time) where as Gus sees the bigger picture. It is amazing to reference Lydia's fallibility of being overly concentrated on moot points or little details and how it leads to her fate in Breaking Bad. Salamanca's way of "talking" the way they do opens doors for other characters. But it is equally notable the things which people hid from each other and the absence of the talking of those points is highlighted by the reticence of those facts.

2) Mike, the observer, the speaker, the power wielder, the honest. Mike's power of observation, deduction, and honesty are displayed better than ever in this episode. It makes you realize and appreciate why he is so powerful. It also provides insight into some possible explanations of things that are still missing links between their current timeline and that of Breaking Bad-specifically about Mike's nonchalant nature of disposing of people in Breaking Bad and his major reluctance of killing or getting involved in major crimes in Better Call Saul; a possible reason why we don't see Stacey (Kylee's mom) in Breaking Bad, which seems like it could be possible that his justification process for major crime/killing in Breaking Bad is connected or is correlated the same possible reason; and a possible reason of how he becomes Gus's right hand man.

3) Jimmy, wow. Just wow. For the first time in most of the series, he is holding in so much. Refusing to talk to a shrink. But talking so much in the end, by not talking! I won't delve further into this so I don't spoil it.

4) Nacho's father. To save your son. Do not talk to certain people.

5) Nacho. Talk to certain people that is uncomfortable to talk to to save yourself.

That should be enough, though I could go on, to support my claim that those who did not rate this at 9 or above are not worthy of critiquing this episode.

Give me an example of a show other than this and Breaking Bad where they do all these things with as much complexity and detail. You will not find another show like this. And before ya say Game of Thrones or House of Cards, they both have made major mistakes within their most recent respective seasons that have knocked each of them down a notch in terms of credibility (not knocking them either, I will still watch them and be excited to watch them, but they have slipped in quality of storytelling, also, what the hell Kevin Spacey).

Not much happens in this episode, which is strange to say since it had one of the most violent scenes in BB/BCS history. The problem is that it was superhero type violence that didn't feel especially earned.

The drug kingpin storyline is part of some other show. It seems to require that the audience remember so many things from 2-3 years ago or even from B.B. All these old character callbacks? That doesn't excite me or interest me.

I want to see Jimmy and Mike doing interesting things. That's when BCS has been at its best-like the Madrigal sequence or Jimmy in the courtroom. Kim getting a lecture from an eccentric judge doesn't make much difference to the main storyline. And then they cut to commercial in the middle of the scene and never returned?

I'm sure the writers have some plan for where all this is going. The problem is that they need to write episodes that have a beginning, middle and an end. I'm getting increasingly frustrated with the nature of episodic television where the episodes are just bridges to something else. I've had a hard day. Entertain me for an hour. Don't force me to dig out Wikipedia to figure out what is going on.

Mike is a great focal point when we get it. Banks delivered another compelling performance as his daughter in law talks about his deceased son, we see him anger up like the hulk, then take it out on the group and some jerk shlub within the group. We also catch a glimpse of him laying cement with his boy in the beginning which was a great nod to when he did it back in S3. The reason i gave this episode an 8 was because I wish we could've seen the bad-assery the Salamanca twins did but alas, we see it from Nacho's eyes and catch the tail end. I understand guns and killing are not the focal point of BCS but it would've been cool to see. The little we got was solid. Good episode, slower side, butgreat acting from Banks and the action we got was good.

I had so much hopes for this serial but so far this season is just a big disappointment. Mainly because nothing is happening.

It is moving at a snails pace. There is almost 2 minutes of footage where Jimmy is playing with a ball. They are just stretching a story of 5 minutes with lots of random things just so they have enough material to last 2 more seasons. Such a shame considering the fine actors an waste of their talent.

Now look, large swathes of this episode are devoted to literally watching Jimmy getting bored and Kim sitting watching unrelated hearings for trivial crimes, but because all this is presented with such thoughtful visual storytelling and the dialogue is as engaging as it is I don't really mind. Also, having said that, there are some pretty exciting moments plopped in here and there. Nacho and the cousins at the Espinosa's was cool. Jonathan Banks is remarkable at his therapy session. Nobody can play simmering rage like him. Unpredictable, like a kettle about to explode, his outburst was as tense as any shootout I've seen recently.

I don't mind the pacing of this season so far, however, I imagine it will become a little tiresome if the story doesn't pick up sooner or later, we are now approaching the season half way mark after all and I'd like to see something major occur in the breaking bad universe before we have to wait another year for season 5.

I mean they cannot really slow it down any more than this. Isnt even a crawl anymore. Nothing happened in this ep. Jimmy got a job. Mike has lunch and calls out a guy. Kim procrastinates.... wtf.. Oh those two dudes kill bunch folks . As random as it can be. I love BB and this isnt a bad show at all but without BB would anyone watch this contendor for the slowest evolving show ever ?

Best episode yet and the true consumation of the marriage that will spawn the love child called Breaking Bad. The slow build up and breaking down of relationships is exquisitely drawn by great acting across the board but Mike and Nacho are the prime scene stealers. At times up until now, it has felt like Gilligan and Co hadn't got into the same sort of groove in BCS as in BB, but this episode marks a sea change, which has ramped up the expectation for future shows. Exciting times in BCS.

Okay. I give up. I really wanted to like "BCS". But the narrative plotting of this show is as infuriating as it is plodding. The early 'Jimmy' is naive and uninteresting. I don't care about Hamlin & McGill, Elder law or Mesa Verde. The casting of Michael McKean as an antagonist completely backfires. Rhea Seehorn is appalling as the vexatious Kim Wexler. After season 1, I tried again with season 2 and then just kept watching because it was akin to car crash TV. It was interesting to see how bad it would get. I'm at the point now where I've stopped caring. I can't go on. What a disaster. It could have been so good. The premise was so promising. Jonathan Banks gets a pass. He's a fine actor.

Better Call Saul has had a strong fourth season, but this episode was pretty uneventful and lifeless.

Jimmy needs to get back to law, or at least conning people. If the whole season is him doing odd jobs it will be a huge letdown.

Some good Mike moments, but that's not enough for me to call this a strong episode.

Mark this episode as the birth of quirky, cunning and clever Saul Goodman. Pretty much sure we will be delighted to wholesome bag of tricks and chicanery from Saul in the upcoming episodes.

Not too much happening in this episode it was slow-moving but that's OK it's not a bad thing. But by far the highlight of the episode is when there were at the group therapy session And mike calls the guy out. I thought the things of Jimmy will really well done even though they were really slow with aging Isn't a bad thing. Naoch Seems to have no way out. All in all great episode

As I understand it, this series is going to be 5 seasons in total. We can now already see a sort of a storyline-curve of the entire series, since we know where it will end- in Breaking Bad. I'd say the tension curve of the series is rather weak. It was till now mostly a depiction of a series of events which didn't have a direct link with the series of events in Breaking Bad. Unless you see it as a psycho-analytical explanation why certain characters (especially Saul) became the person he became in BB. In that perspective the series isn't even very coherent, because for instance the character of Mike rarely sees any character development. Nor does Gus or Lydia. In Episode 2 of season 4 there was finally a strong move towards the BB storyline, but this episode totally breaks this down again. I find the BCS series very disapointing in the overall storyline and weak in tension curve. It may still go closer to BB, but for me the moment wherein it should have happened was somewhere in Season 3. They can never make this up again in 1,5 season. Overall, it all is just too casual. Self indulgent and forced arty. But by that, it totally missed the point.

For some odd reason I am still watching this, but it is kind of hard not to laugh at this show. A whole lot of nothing - then suddenly a whole lot of violence - then more of the nothing. Law is generally just not a very interesting subject I guess.

Like seriously what does happen in this episode ? The fact could have been resumed in 15 minutes

There is far too much focus on Kim wexler who in my opinion is a boring character and brings nothing to the program. There normally end the episodes with a cliffhanger but the last episode ended with her crying... Absolutely boring.

Don't listen to the people who praise this show. It pretty much sucks. It is nothing compared to Breaking Bad. The only good part is watching your favorite Breaking Bad characters again after many years of missing them. Everything else is mediocre at best.

Nacho-8, Gus- 7.5, Mike- 7, Saul- 6.5

7/10