An absolutely incredible penultimate episode of Better Call Saul. Utterly devastating. The origin story of Saul Goodman is right here, the whole season coming to a head and offering some insight into what could possibly turn the emerging hero Jimmy McGill into someone so disillusioned and mercenary. A total belter of a performance from Bob Odenkirk here, and from Michael McKean too.
I saw the twist that Chuck had called Hamlin to sabotage the deal coming from pretty early on. But, stupid me, I was thinking it was for motives that were, in Chuck's mind at least, altruistic: that Jimmy would be better off with the money to invest in his own firm and be his own person, rather than being mired down in a case too big for him, basically the argument Kim laid out to Jimmy. So when it home and we got the full revelation that Chuck had not only undermined Jimmy here, but undermined him from the very beginning of his law career, and that his motivations were mired in bitterness over "Slippin' Jimmy" presuming to become a lawyer and a refusal to believe his brother could ever change and be a better person... what a gut-punch. And just watching his face fall and take on that ashen, stone-faced expression as he realise Jimmy knows and his mask slips... brilliant work by McKean.
I loathed Chuck by the end of that speech, utterly loathed him. I've seen some try to justify Chuck's actions by saying we don't know how many times he's tried to help Jimmy and been burned in the past, and MAYBE I'd buy that if this was just a case of Chuck openly blocking Jimmy's progress in the legal field. But what makes Chuck truly despicable is that he didn't have the integrity to do that. Instead he hid his sabotage behind Hamlin so that he could continue to exploit Jimmy and have him wait on him hand-and-foot and care for him day after day. Thinking back on all the stuff Jimmy did to look after Chuck, even tailoring the tin-foil suit in this episode, now makes my stomach turn. I can now totally understand Jimmy reinventing himself as the tacky Saul Goodman and making a total mockery of the legal system all as an elaborate means of sticking it to his brother, and it's even somewhat justifiable.
Mike was also great here. The scene where he beats the hell out of the gun-toting poseur, the negotiation scene with the $20, even the discussion about being a criminal afterwards... just virtuoso work from Jonathan Banks.
Right in the feels.
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