Last week brought back to life fan favorite Gus Fring. This week explores the aftermath of Jimmy’s violent run-in with his brother Chuck. Jimmy is forced to confront his brother’s shrewd actions against him. Meanwhile, Mike’s plans have been foiled but will he be able to work with new characters for a common cause? I really appreciate how the series never wastes time with filler. Each shot is beautifully crafted with realistic and creative dialogue.
The camera focuses on faded red basketball shoes hanging from a telephone wire. Nearby is a stop sign riddled with gunshot holes that says, “ALTO.” Another sign in Spanish notes that the U.S. border is twenty kilometers away. In the distance, a Pollos Hermanos truck rolls past. It stops under the hanging shoes, the laces give way and the shoes drop to the pavement as the truck moves north. The opening credits flash, an unseen hand ashes a cigarette on the scales of justice.
Mike stands in the middle of a lonely road. He picks up the ringing cell phone that was resting on the gas cap. He says, “Yeah.” Knowing that he has been caught following the people who had been tracking him. Gus is on the other end of the call, “May I assume that you are armed? If I don’t see your gun I can assure you that you won’t see mine. Two cars will arrive momentarily.” Mike waits as an SUV and a sedan approach his vehicle from both directions. Gus emerges from the black SUV dressed in black to match.
Mike holds up the note, which was left on his car previously that read, “Don’t.” He asks, “Do you care to elaborate?” Gus replies, “It’s not in my interests for Hector Salamanca to die at this time.” Mike asks what his relationship is with Hector but Gus is vague. “He is an associate of mine,” Gus asks what Mike’s problem is with Hector. Mike states, “We had a disagreement. He threatened my family and I’m not going to let that go!” Gus points out that Mike HAD let that go because he had accepted payment from Hector and his family was no longer in danger. Gus points out Mike robbed Hector’s truck, which resulted in the death of a “civilian.” Mike seems to regret part of the story but not his attempt to kill Hector.
Gus offers, “I can’t let you kill Hector but I’m not immune to your sense of justice.” He admires Mike for hurting Hector’s business and pride, noting, “If you try to hurt him again, I will not stand in your way.” Mike assumes Gus would like him to rob another of Hector’s trucks, deducing this action would disrupt Hector’s supply line. Mike figures Gus must be Hector’s competition in illegal business. Mike assures Gus that he’s not done with Hector.
At the offices of Wexman and McGill, Francesca answers the phone. Jimmy informs her, “Something came up, please cancel tomorrow’s appointments and tell Kim I won’t be back in today.” As he speaks to her, he grabs an old pack of cigarettes from the glove compartment of his Geo. He sits down on the curb in front of his brother’s house and smokes. Chuck comes outside, telling Jimmy he can wait inside for the police. Chuck begins, “You won’t want to hear it but this is for the best! I’m trying to help you. The police will arrest you and I’m sorry but I will be pressing charges! I told you there would be consequences and I believe you’ll face those consequences and come out a better man! It’s hard but see this as an opportunity to make a change before it’s too late. You can find your own path and when you’re ready, I’ll be there to help you!”
Jimmy looks up at Chuck. “One day, you’re going to get sick again and one of Howard’s minions will find you curled up in a space blanket. They’ll take you to the hospital, hook you up to the machines that whir and beep and HURT. But this time it will be too much and you’ll die there ALONE.” Chuck looks down at Jimmy with his lip curling with contempt. The police arrive, Jimmy stands up and stamps out his cigarette with his black leather loafers.
A brief montage follows set to the song, “Hurry on Sundown.” Jimmy is cuffed and walked through the police station. He removes his tie and other valuables and is given plastic slip-on shoes to wear. His photo is taken and he is fingerprinted. DDA Oakley, a fellow attorney Jimmy once teased comes down to witness the process. He asks what happened and Jimmy replies curtly, “Family trouble, with my brother.” Jimmy states he’ll be representing himself. Oakley mentions how Jimmy lost his “sweet gig at Davis and Main.” Jimmy tries to determine which judge will be doing the arraignment but Oakley states he doesn’t know but he’ll try to get the appearance moved up but Jimmy will likely being staying the night in jail. “Beats the back of a nail salon!” Jimmy notes sarcastically. Oakley adds, “Remember, pick the biggest guy and punch him, it shows dominance, you do know how to show dominance right?” With that, the DDA leaves. Jimmy sits alone on a bench, handcuffed in plastic slippers.
The alarm sounds at 5:30 am in Kim’s office where she has slept in her clothes on the couch. Up-tempo instrumental plays as she gathers her clothes and heads to the gym to shower and dress for another day of work. (Does she no longer have her own place after moving out with Jimmy or is she just living at work during her grueling case with Mesa Verde?) As she exits the gym, Ernesto is waiting for her in the parking lot. He informs her Chuck has fired him. “I feel bad like it’s my fault what happened to Jimmy.” Kim looks puzzled, “What happened to Jimmy?” Kim is told about the “incident” and arrest off-screen.
Jimmy waits between two large men on a bench wearing a bright orange prison jumpsuit. The guard calls his name for his arraignment. Jimmy appears before the judge and his charges are read. The judge is surprised to see him in this role. “Not how I’d like to be seen,” Jimmy adds sheepishly. He states he wishes to plead not guilty. Kim hurries into the courtroom stating she will be representing Jimmy. Jimmy corrects her, stating he will be representing himself. The judge advises him against this course of action. They briefly bicker, but the judge suggests they resolve this issue outside of court. Jimmy states he wanted to tell her in person, that’s why he didn’t call after the incident. Kim leaves the courtroom. Jimmy’s clean record is noted and he is to be released on twenty-five hundred dollar bond.
Jimmy takes a cab back to their offices; he takes a moment before heading inside to speak with Kim. He finds her working in her office. “Chuck bamboozled me again! He made sure that Ernie heard what was on that tape!” He explains Chuck knew that Ernie would tip him off to the tape and Howard and a P.I. were waiting for him. “Chuck played me like a fiddle and shmuck that I am, I fell for it!” Jimmy doesn’t want Kim to compromise her practice by taking on his case. He tells her that is why he didn’t call her the previous night. He apologizes to her but states this is his screw up and it’s his responsibility to fix it. He doesn’t want Chuck to ruin everything they’ve tried to build together. Kim looks up from her paperwork and says tersely, “Okay.” Jimmy sniffles and leaves her to her mountain of work.
Jimmy approaches Francesca at the receptionist’s desk. “I finished it, I touched it up a little.” She is referring to the paint lines he messed up prior to leaving to destroy the tape. He gives her faint praise and asks if she can give him a ride to his car. (Parked at his brother’s house.) He apologizes, “This isn’t a typical week around here.” She laughs it off awkwardly.
A doctor sees a young boy at family practice clinic in Mexico. After giving the boy a lollipop, he calls the next patient. “The gringo who wants revenge.” Mike is seen privately. The “extra-legal” vet referred him from Albuquerque; he’s after some drugs. The doctor says warily, “He said what but not how much.” Mike shows him the quantity he’d like with his hands. The doctor sighs, “How much is that in grams?” Mike leaves the office with a paper bag. Chickens surround Mike’s car. He places the package next to his rifle in the trunk of his car.
DDA Oakley gets a cup of coffee from the vending machine inside the courthouse. He sits down and opens a bag of potato chips and a bag of Cheetos’s puffs. Jimmy joins him on the bench with a burger and fries in a Styrofoam box. Oakley asks him how his night was in jail. “Fine, I caught up with a few old clients!” Jimmy offers him some French fries. Jimmy characterizes the whole problem as a “big misunderstanding.” He doesn’t want it to go to trial, “Whoever catches this at the D.A.’s office is looking at an easy clear.” Oakley notes that Jimmy’s case contains a felony charge, making it tricky. Jimmy notes that is “classic overcharging.” Jimmy states he’s happy to make a deal if it’s the right deal. Oakley gives him some bad news, however. Due to Jimmy’s familiarity with the court, the whole Albuquerque office has “conflicted out” of prosecuting his case. Oakley doesn’t know who will be prosecuting the case but heard it’s someone from the “Belen office, something-Hay I think, I heard ‘tough but fair’.” Jimmy leaves his burger to Oakley. Oakley makes one last attempt to gloat, “So did Davis and Main let you keep the fancy German car?” Jimmy sighs, “No.” His attempt to bribe the prosecution has failed.
Mike approaches the lonely stretch of road near the U.S. border from the episode’s opening scene. He takes out a pair of bright red basketball shoes and ties the laces together. He places a plastic bag of white powder into one of the shoes. Mike tries to hang the shoes on the telephone wire, after several attempts he succeeds. He drives away.
An African-American woman approaches Chuck’s home. He calls out to her from an upstairs window. “Ms. Hay? Please come inside.” He instructs her to leave her things in the mailbox, “anything with a battery.” They meet inside his dusty living room lit only by natural light. She asks for details about the attack, asking if Chuck was struck or felt threatened. Chuck replies, “My brother is a lot of things but even he has limits.” Ms. Hay notes the sensitive nature of lawsuits involving family. She wants to be sure he’s not going to change his mind about pressing charges. Chuck assures her he will not. Chuck asks her about her legal strategy. Ms. Hay states she will not take it easy on Jimmy just because he is a fellow lawyer. She anticipates he will want to plead down to a misdemeanor but she will stand firm on the felony charge. She asks if he’s prepared to testify if the case goes to trial. Chuck is confident he could appear if needed “if a few minor adjustments are made.”
Chuck changes his demeanor to appear emotional. “I was thinking, Jimmy has a good heart but sometimes he gets emotional.” Ms. Hay notes this incident was more serious than “flying off the handle.” Chuck smiles slyly, “I can’t help but wonder if there might be a better solution for everyone.” The scene ends here but one can theorize Chuck would love to find a way to see Jimmy dis-barred.
Mike waits on a hill with a view of the hanging shoes. He trains his rifle as one of Hector’s ice cream trucks approaches. The men stop briefly to stash their weapons before crossing the border into the United States. Mike fires a few random shots. The men get down on the ground but Mike is not trying to hit them. The men dismiss the shots as hunters and place their weapons in the hiding spot. (Mike didn’t want them to notice when he shoots at the shoes.) The men return to the truck and begin to drive north. Mike shoots the toe of the shoes and white powder pours onto the back of the truck. This scene is an excellent illustration of Mike’s cunning genius.
The men arrive at the border. They wait and chew gum as their cargo is inspected. A German Shepard stops at the back of the truck, noting the presence of drugs. The men are ordered to get on their knees and they are arrested. Mike's plan is working.
Jimmy smokes outside the office. Kim sees his shadow through the opaque glass and comes out to join him. She takes a drag of the cigarette and notes how old it tastes. “I found it in my glove box, best guess is it came from the time when all the doors matched!” Kim laughs. Jimmy explains he got an offer from the D.A.’s office and it’s not what he expected. “She’s offering me a ‘pre-prosecution diversion.” Kim is amazed. Jimmy says they want him to confess to “all of it” including assault even though he never touched Chuck. All he has to do is “keep his nose clean for a year.” Kim asks if he can go that long without being “Viktor with a ‘k.’” (Referring to their little scam at the bar posing as wealthy investors.) Kim is still puzzled, “They must not want the hassle of a trial.” Jimmy notes the PPD was Chuck’s idea and Kim becomes suspicious. “What’s his game?” Jimmy states that one condition of the agreement is his written confession is submitted to the New Mexico Bar Association. “Your written felony confession,” Kim observes.
“I thought he wanted me in jail but he just wants my law license.” Jimmy feels boxed-in; he may lose his license either way. “He knows everyone at the Bar, it’ll be him and his cronies versus me, alone.” Kim offers to fight with him, reasoning he needs her help. Jimmy wants her to be sure she’s willing to do this. Kim takes Jimmy’s hand, “Let’s just call it the fallacy of sunk costs.” (The "sunk cost" theory in economics or business decision-making is that a "sunk cost" is a cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered.) Jimmy has a new plan. “Why don’t we take that PPD and shove it up Chuck’s ass!”
It’s nice to see Kim reach out to Jimmy after a long period of tension between them. Next week's preview shows them working together on his case. Mike has landed Salamanca’s organization in serious trouble with the DEA looking into his trucks. Gus and Mike grow closer as the trouble mounts for Hector.
This season promised more about what finally made Jimmy become Saul Goodman and it appears we are well on our way to these revelations. The shoes on the wire are a poignant metaphor, when will the “other shoe drop” for Jimmy or for Mike? The aged shoes may have outlasted both Mike and or Jimmy/Saul or even future protagonist Walter White.
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