1x07 Bingo

Not my favorite episode of the show, but I like the concept behind it. There's a lot of meat on the bone in the idea of things going well for Jimmy, that he's finally on his feet, finding his niche, and being able to advance his career a bit, and that he's willing to sacrifice most, if not all of that (less the money he gives back and more his growing prospects) because it would come at the cost of Kim's career.

I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of the Kim character. Her performance feels very muted compared to the array of very vivid personalities that populate the rest of the show (even more reserved ones like Mike.) What's more she seems mostly like a prop. I'm not saying she's underdeveloped exactly. While she's something of a cipher (and I think that has as much to do with the somewhat staid performance rather than the part as written), she has clear motivations, some of which conflict (her desire to do well in Hamlin's firm and a heart-of-hearts desire to be more in the trenches like Jimmy, whom she appreciates if not exactly respects), and as seen here, she has an identity separate from the protagonist.

But at the same time she just kind of feels like a space-eater. Part of that is probably just that the moral dilemma, which this show has been good about setting up so far, feels so simple. Jimmy's decision is whether to take the Kettlemans on as clients, something he's wanted since episode one, and which would not only allow him to keep the bribe they paid him, but allow him to spit in the eye of Hamlin, whom he hates with a fiery passion, or to give this all up for a woman he clearly has feelings for and whom he wants the best of things for. Again, it's not a bad idea, it's just presented a little too tidily here.

But the show wrings what it can from the idea. I don't know that I needed Jimmy to try to kick in the door of the office he'll never have, the same place where Kim turned down his offer to be his partner, to drive the point home. It said something we already figured from the moment he answered the phone is phony British accent. But at the same time, Odenkirk is such a pro and sells the devastation of the moment, and the way that Jimmy feels the cost of doing the right thing, that he's able to salvage it.

And there's great scenes that are part and parcel with the storyline. The Kettlemans, Mrs. Kettleman in particular, have never been funnier than in this episode, with Jimmy's sarcastic responses to Mrs. Kettleman's proclamations that there is no money being the highlight. (Though his referring to them as Ned and Maude Flanders got a big laugh out of me.) As I've mentioned before, this show (and its predecessor) knows how to do comedy in the midst of drama ridiculously well, and seeing Jimmy's incredulous and sarcastic response to the Kettleman's head-in-the-sand routine was a treat. (Not to mention the McGill bingo cards!)

And we also get a scene of Mike being Mike, showing his detective roots in a well-directed and scored sequence where he tracks down the money. Some of this show's best moments are wordless, being able to tell a story entirely with images and gestures and expressions. It's an engaging part of the episode that just makes Mike Ehrmantraut's badass cred go up, not that he needed the boost. And the line "thanks for not going to the Bahamas with this" was the icing on the cake.

Overall, this wasn't Better Call Saul's best outing, but that's no crime on a show this good. The central story was a bit too simple and even a hint bland for a show with such flavor to it, but there's plenty to like along the way despite that.