The temptation to rebel overcomes Jimmy in this episode. Will he manage to persuade Kim to become his
partner in crime? Is he willing to leave
his cushy secure job to realize his dreams of success? The preview hinted Jimmy wants to live his
life in color.
A young Jimmy looks at the magazine rack at his father’s
corner market. From the music and the
magazine titles it appears to be the early ‘70’s. Jimmy passes over Time and Mad magazine to
look at a Playboy, which he conceals behind another title. He feigns sweeping when his father calls out
to him. A man comes into the shop with a
long story about spilled medicine and an ill child. The man finally asks for money to get home
because he has car trouble. Young Jimmy
calls his father aside and warns him the man’s story is false. “Every grifter in town knows this is the spot
for a handout!” Jimmy Sr. is surprised
that his son even knows the word “grifter” and chastises him for not believing
the man’s story. His father proceeds to
give the man twice the amount of money he asked for. Jimmy
Sr. heads to the storeroom to find sparkplugs to fix the man’s car.
Once alone the man orders two cartons of Kool cigarettes,
that he pays for from a large stack of bills that doesn’t include the ten
dollars Jimmy’s dad just gave him. He
looks at young Jimmy sharply, “There are wolves and sheep in this world, and
you need to figure out which one you’re going to be.” (This quote is likely a Biblical allusion to
be wary of “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”) Jimmy looks at the cash register as the man
leaves. He removes eight dollars from
the till, the amount the man paid for two cartons of cigarettes. (Today’s price would be about $70!) It confirms Chuck’s story about his brother
stealing from the old man until his store went out of business. Young Jimmy decided in that moment to no
longer be a sheep like his father.
Jimmy doodles on a legal pad, a series of “W’s and M’s” as
he waits for his client at the courthouse. Mike arrives and they have a meeting with two
attorneys to “amend his statement” regarding the Salamanca shooting. Jimmy explains Mike no longer believes the gun
was Tuco’s but he doesn’t say it’s his either. The lawyers are skeptical of this “new fact.” They theorize Mike has been threatened by
Salamanca or possibly paid off by him. Close
to guessing the truth, Jimmy and Mike end the meeting and leave. Jimmy offers his services “on the house”
because he knows how dangerous Tuco can be. Jimmy recounts his experience of being
kidnapped and hog-tied by Salamanca with a gun to his head. Mike looks at him blankly, “You’re telling me
this why?” Mike doesn’t want Jimmy to
guess he really has been paid off or threatened by the family. Jimmy adds, “Discretion is the better part of
valor!” Mike doesn’t want to owe Jimmy,
so he leaves with a request he be sent a bill for his services.
Leaving the courthouse, Jimmy calls Kim and asks her if she
has tendered her resignation to HHM. Kim
tells him she still has to interview the next day and will not quit until she
has a formal offer in hand. She hopes
the offer will include what she and Rich spoke about, payment of her fifteen
thousand dollars in law school debt and partnership in two years.
Jimmy is at his office dictating a letter to his assistant
Omar. “Dear Clifford, It is with heavy
heart I resign form Davis and Main.” Jimmy
continues his letter describing his time at the firm as “some of the most
satisfying days of my professional life.” Omar is shocked that Jimmy would resign after
working so hard and enjoying the many perks offered by the company. He adds, “You don’t keep the bonus if you
quit.” Jimmy pulls out his contract and
concedes his assistant is correct. Jimmy
shakes his head and tries to laugh the whole exercise off as a “way to blow off
steam.” Omar promises not to tell anyone
about it. Jimmy sighs, “I love it here! It was just a momentary lapse of reason.” The real lapse of reason was when Jimmy took
the job thinking he could be a sheep.
Jimmy drives his Mercedes to Albuquerque with his mug
bouncing in its new spot. He passes a strip mall where an inflatable balloon
man waves in the wind. It seems he
identifies with the puppet-like motion as it relates to his feelings of being
stuck and artificially happy. He smiles
like he has a plan.
Jimmy returns to his apartment with a new wardrobe of suits.
Removing them from the black protective
bags the suits are revealed to be every color of the rainbow. He chooses salmon colored suit and boldly
enters the office the next day to meet his new clients who are funeral
directors. A montage ensues showing
Jimmy’s colorful wardrobe choices and the inflatable man waving. Jimmy buys the office a juicer that irritates
his co-workers with its loud noise. He
manages to ruin a colleague’s shirt with the fresh juice. At night he loudly coaches the janitor in
broken Spanish about how to clean the floor.
The young man is offended, “I’m from Michigan!” An office meeting is called to address the
issue of “not flushing number 2!” Jimmy
proudly takes responsibility claiming he’s trying to save water. Cliff shakes his head and informs him the
toilets are already “low flow.”
Jimmy makes a purchase at a pawnshop. The next day, bagpipes wail completely out of
key throughout the office. When
confronted by his boss Jimmy asks, “You can hear that through the walls?” Jimmy claims he’s adopted a means of relieving
stress, similar to Cliff’s playing of classical guitar. Cliff calls him into his office. “You win, you’re fired!” Cliff has seen through Jimmy’s ruse to get
fired so that he may keep his sign-on bonus. Cliff sarcastically congratulates him but
asks, “How did I mistreat you?” Jimmy
explains he’s just a “square peg.” Cliff
is angry and reports the special desk he requested cost seven thousand
dollars. Jimmy offers to send him a
check for it. Cliff advises him to “Take
it; get out!” Jimmy walks slowly through
the office of stunned co-workers. Erin
glares at him smugly; Jimmy grabs her soda can out of her hand and tosses in
the garbage can. (Burn!)
Jimmy heads to HHM to visit with Kim. He finds her in her office working on her own
resignation letter, which she seems to be editing heavily. He asks if she can join him in the conference
room for a private conversation; intrigued, Kim follows him to the large
room. Jimmy hands her a business card
with W&M cutout. He tells her he has
a better offer than Sweikart, one that could make her a partner tomorrow. He proposes they form a law firm
together. He argues they are good
together and she has proven, with Mesa Verde, capable to attract her own
clients. Kim is reluctant, “You make it
sound easy.” Jimmy counters he knows
what it’s like to work in the back of a nail salon. He knows opening an independent firm will
take a lot of work but it would be their own.
“You deserve more than a lateral move.”
Jimmy confesses he was just fired from Davis and Main mostly because it
wasn’t the right fit for him. He argues
she would be the right partner. Kim
asks, “What kind of lawyer do you want to be?”
Jimmy hesitates before answering he wants to be a good “straight” lawyer;
however, “there is no point to this unless I can be myself.” He’s tired of trying to please people like his
brother. Kim counters she doesn’t see
why they have to be together as work partners.
The implication is Kim doesn’t want to lose her career if Jimmy can’t
play straight. She ends by saying,
“You’ve got me, but not as a law partner.”
She exits the room leaving Jimmy alone.
Stacey tours a large open house with Mike. She raves about the house and that it’s a
“safe” neighborhood with good schools. However, she acknowledges the house is
really expensive. Mike assures her he’ll make it happen. She embraces her father-in-law and adds,
“Thanks Pop!” It seems clear she is
using Mike to provide her with a lifestyle beyond her means. Did she do the
same thing to her late husband? Did
Mike’s son “turn dirty” to help meet her materialistic demands? Mike has a blind spot for his family’s flaws.
Jimmy drives his old yellow and red Geo Metro back to the
nail salon where he is meet by a U-Haul truck.
Omar has driven the truck to assist his move back into the salon. They unload the cocobolo desk into the small
office in the back. Omar fails at
concealing his shock about Jimmy’s change of circumstances. The men load the old desk back into the truck.
Jimmy advises Omar “dump it by the side
of the road” in the same manner it was originally acquired. Jimmy offers to pay Omar with money or
libations, but the young man refuses stating he needs to get back home to his
family. Omar asks what Jimmy will do
next. “Onward and upward!” he replies
confidently. Back inside, Jimmy sets up
his voice message. On the desk sits a
Davis and Main mug full of pencils. The
first message he records with a “Mrs. Doubtfire” accent, before changing it to
his own voice. The gesture symbolizes
him accepting his true “wolf” self.
Mike has driven his car to a remote area where he can view
the Salamanca ice cream shop. He appears
to be staking out the den of his enemies.
Kim interviews with the new firm dressed chicly in all black. Rich urges her to tell them more about
herself. They are especially interested
in her humble beginnings in the mailroom at HHM. With some hesitation, Kim reveals she is from
a small town near the Nebraska-Kansas border.
She reasons if she had stayed there she would have married the gas
station attendant, but she wanted more from life. The panel of three lawyers is impressed with
her interview. As they walk her out,
Rich promises she will hear from them very soon. Kim seems very happy and shakes hands, but
calls Rich “Howard” by mistake. Rich
laughs it off, saying he’s happy to be confused with such a handsome man. But, the mistake illustrates how Jimmy was right;
the change of position will end up being a lateral move. Kim will still be working under someone else’s
name.
Kim goes up to the roof to smoke, her daily exercise of
rebellion. She looks at the mock business
card Jimmy gave to her. She tears it in
half and scrutinizes the letters.
Kim drives over to the nail salon but Jimmy is “in a
meeting.” Jimmy shows out the scruffy UM
film students. He is likely planning to
use them to shoot another commercial.
Kim notes, “You got your old car back.” Jimmy comically confesses, “The kidney people
wouldn’t take it!” Kim reports the
interview went well, but she doesn’t plan on accepting the offer. Kim has decided to open a solo practice and
proposes they become Wexler and McGill, separate but together in the same
office. She elaborates this arrangement will allow them to each do things in
their own way. “We’re heading the same direction, might as well share a
cab.” Jimmy ponders her proposal. “I don’t know what to say.” She replies, “Say yes.”
Only three episodes remain this season. The preview shows Mike continuing to go out on
surveillance, while Jimmy takes charge in his new professional career. Chuck collapses at HHM. Will he die this season and, if so, how will
his younger brother take it? Jimmy has long been willing to break the rules;
the difference now is he seems to be embracing his identity as criminal type
lawyer. Has Jimmy recruited Kim as a way
of keeping his “dark side” in check? Can
she or will she want to ride with him to the dark side in a purple suit? If so, lets hope they take her car.
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