Friday, February 27, 2015

Better Call Saul episode 4 Hero


This episode opens with a flashback of Jimmy and a friend staggering outside a bar after closing. They are drunk but the friend wants to keep partying so Jimmy suggests another “after hours” place.  It’s the first time we hear his familiar moniker, when he says his name is “Saul Goodman, as in It’s-all-good-man!”

They find a wallet abandoned in alleyway. The men see there is large amount money inside. As they check the id they see a man lying down.  After determining he’s not dead they attempt to have a conversation with him. He’s drunk and belligerent and threatens to "Roundhouse kick them like Jean Claude Van Damme!" (Try saying that three times fast!) Jimmy decides to take the watch. The other man investigates and discovers that it’s a Rolex and worth more then the money in the wallet. The men bicker about who gets the watch, the “friend” offers Jimmy his own money for the watch.  They take off.

Then Jimmy goes to meet the man from the alleyway!  It’s a scam the two were running. The watch was a fake and they have extorted some “beer and pizza money."  Jimmy is hungry for much more, he sighs and smokes from a bong.

The scene shifts to the present as Jimmy argues with the Kettleman’s about turning themselves in to the police.  Betsy is adamant that she will not return the stolen money. “We earned this, it’s his overtime!” Her deadpan expression is priceless as she compares their plight to injustice of human slavery! She offers Jimmy some cash which he repeatedly refuses.  At last, Jimmy offers a solution; hire him as an attorney and the money could be considered a retainer.  Betsy is still not convinced and says, “You’re the kind of lawyer guilty people hire!” Ouch.

Jimmy tries to make small talk with Erhmentrout regarding the Kettleman’s faked kidnapping.  Erhmentrout remains close lipped.  Inside the courthouse, Jimmy gloats as they release Nacho.  Nacho believes that Jimmy set him up and warns, “There will be consequences!” Jimmy is frustrated, “You should be thanking me.”

Back at the office, Jimmy pours himself some vodka as he counts the money the Kettleman’s gave him. He tabulates his “fees” to justify his taking the stolen money. At an hourly rate of nine hundred dollars plus a lot of other fees totaling about twenty thousand dollars. “On this rock, I will build my church.” Jimmy says out loud.

Jimmy is at the tailor’s getting measured for a very expensive and specific type suit will all the trimmings. The women at the salon fawn over him as he decides a new hair color and style. “Give me ringlets, like Tony Curtis in Spartacus! Make me beautiful!”

Kim reaches out to Jimmy and asks him to the movies.  At work, Kim talks to Howard about the Kettleman’s case and that they may need a PR firm. Howard asks if she’s seen the new billboard in town. Jimmy has duplicated the logo and Howard’s suit and hair on the new billboard. Howard is livid, “This is a declaration of war!”
Kim pays Jimmy a visit that night at the salon to give him a “cease and desist” letter from Howard.  As cheesy Brazilian jazz plays in the background, Kim assesses his new look and he encourages her to have a turn in the massage chair. She quickly leaves but Jimmy is still feeling triumphant.

Howard and Jimmy appear before a judge. The color his billboard font is in “Hamlin indigo blue”. The judge agrees with Howard mostly with the exception of Jimmy being able to use his own name. The billboard must come down within twenty-four hours.
Jimmy makes furious phone calls to the newspaper and the television news. “This is a classic tale of David versus Goliath!” These phone calls don’t seem to yield results then Jimmy gets an idea to contact the University of New Mexico.

A hipster film student is trying to set up the shot with the billboard and Jimmy. There is a man up on the billboard preparing to take it down. The film student complains that he was paid for one hour of work not three.  Jimmy begins to talk into the camera telling his story as a self made man. Up on the billboard, the worker falls and is suspended only by his harness. Jimmy fearlessly starts climbing to reach him as a crowd gathers.

When Jimmy reaches the man, he exclaims, “What took you so long!” Obviously, this was another scam on of epic proportions. The appearance is that Jimmy is a hero and all the local newspapers and television cover his “heroic” deed. Kim smiles as Howard calls the action a shameless publicity stunt.

Jimmy returns home to the salon and checks his phone, for the first time he has seven new messages. His deception has already started to pay off.  Jimmy pulls up in his yellow Geo to pay Chuck a visit. He carefully places his keys and phone in the mailbox to “ground himself”.  Jimmy removes the local paper from Chuck’s papers and mail. He boasts that he has new clients and that his luck is finally changing. Chuck is skeptical but happy saying; “I knew you had it in you!”

After Jimmy leaves, Chuck ventures outside in his space blanket to take the local paper from his neighbor’s driveway. Chuck’s vision is bright and distorted as he feels that the power lines and outside world are attacking him. He takes the paper, but leaves cash under a rock to pay for it. Chuck returns inside and sees the “Hero Lawyer” headline. He dives back under his blanket and the episode ends.


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