Better Call Saul Review: Quite a Ride (Season 4 Episode 5)
Better Call Saul has taken viewers on something of an epic journey this season. We’ve seen Cinnabon Gene, the Salamanca Twins, and Gale Boetticher, and now everything is hurtling toward the ending of Breaking Bad that we all (okay, most of us) know.
Better Call Saul Season 4 Episode 5, “Quite A Ride,” takes viewers on, well, quite a ride. Not only is Jimmy ever closer to becoming Saul on the show’s standard timeline, but the actual, full-fledged Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad graces us with his presence once more. It was a thrill to see THE Saul Goodman again.
For a moment, it was like viewers were transported to the Breaking Bad deleted scenes on their DVD box set. Saul and Francesca, sometime in the last few episodes of the flagship show, are shredding documents, while Saul has a fresh wound from being assaulted by Jesse Pinkman.
The use of Breaking Bad-era Saul Goodman (who’s still referred to himself as “Jimmy” to Francesca) worked on multiple levels.
One, it was another nod to the long-time fan base who has been inundated with Easter Eggs this season. A fantastic one, at that.
Two, it established several things we needed to be reminded of during the events of the episode. Namely that Jimmy/Saul does return to law in a criminal practice, in the not-too-distant future. By sending this reminder, it not only reminds us where Jimmy is going but gives us several clues as to how he gets there.
One such clue comes to us from none other than Kim Wexler, someone who Jimmy obviously loves and admires. In her search for more meaning, she adds criminal cases to her workload. If this isn’t foreshadowing to Jimmy’s eventual new legal specialty, I’ll eat my shorts.
Another comes as Jimmy tries and yet just cannot seem to keep things above board. He cashes out some cell phones from his store and sells them on the street, illustrating his love for life on the street and all that it entails. His frustration from being mugged, even, comes more from a place of anger that his edge is dulling, rather than knowing what he did was wrong.
Sure, some of the other stories on this episode were richly compelling, both from a Breaking Bad Easter Egg standpoint and for the Mike/Gus centric drug trade stories. But this episode was Jimmy’s.
Stray Thoughts:
- It took me a minute to figure out that Mike was vetting candidates to build what would eventually become Walt and Jesse’s lab, in the basement of the laundromat. Still, a thrill as a Breaking Bad fan.
- Patrick Fabian finally returned as Howard Hamlin, completing his transformation from not nice guy in Season 1 to sympathetic, guilt-ridden Season 4 character.
- Jimmy’s “I’m not a narc” outfit is the absolute best.
- It’s apparent watching the probation officer scene that Jimmy’s plans are to resume legal practice (we know he does that) and partner back up with Kim. Since only one of those things happens, what happens to Kim? I’ve never been more eager to have this question answered.
What did you think of this episode of Better Call Saul? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Better Call Saul airs Mondays at 9/8c on AMC.
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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.