Margaux and I discuss dumpster diving on this week’s Better Call Saul.
Trevor: This show is turning into a Coen brothers movie before our eyes. I’m totally okay with that. “RICO” played like the Coens directing A Civil Action.
Margaux: For a show about a lawyer, I’m actually surprised it took this long to get into the nitty gritty of the legal mumbo-jumbo speak.
Trevor: Me too, but it’s nice to see good guy Jimmy. And it was very cool to see Chuck get his groove back. Another really good hour for Michael McKean.
How do you feel about the oversaturated colors in the flashbacks? I’m a fan personally, but I know some people aren’t crazy about it.
Margaux: Honestly didn’t mind the oversaturated colors in the flashback, I feel like that’s something the show is sticking to so, get used to it. What stuck out to me in the flashback was how…illegal Kim’s office was, that shitbox didn’t even have windows and harkens suspiciously to Jimmy’s nail salon office. Oh yeah, and they kiss.
Trevor: Another thing I liked. She was just happy for him and I think he assumed a deeper meaning to the kiss (as seen in the present day, which is actually 2002). I like seeing Jimmy as the underdog, whether he’s a mail clerk for HHM or prepping a lawsuit against a huge company. Since Better Call Saul doesn’t really have a “villain,” it has to rely on obstacles, which it does well.
Margaux: I think, at least in Jimmy’s mind and after the events of last night – Chuck helping Jimmy out with the HUGE class action lawsuit while Chuck is still currently a partner at HHM AND used their printer for documents to support their case – HHM is more or less the villain. Well, maybe “big business” is. I just think this case will end up being the beginning of the end of Chuck.
Trevor: That’s a really good point about HHM. And yes, I think this will lead to Chuck’s ejection from HHM, since he’s doing work outside of the firm.
A Chuck moment I really loved: him going out to Jimmy’s car and getting a box out of the trunk, not even realizing he’s outside until Jimmy calls his name.
Margaux: Which only added more fuel to the theory that a lot of Chuck’s illness is most likely psychosomatic. When Jimmy and Chuck meet with Sandpiper’s legal team, he asks them to leave their electronics in the car because of Chuck’s condition, the lead lawyer responds, “I heard about this.” It didn’t sound like he took Chuck’s claims of being sensitive to WiFi or…whatever, too seriously. Actually, sounded like he was pretty convinced that Chuck is crazy and not sick and I hate to agree with an asshole but, he’s kind of on to something. Dr. Fairuza Balk from Chuck’s hospital stay would back it up.
Trevor: Yeah, Dr. Carnivale wasn’t buying it either. That other lawyer was a prick anyway. I’m glad Chuck didn’t freeze up, though. I was honestly worried for him. But he got to drop the mic and demand twenty million dollars as a settlement. This case is so much bigger than Jimmy it’d be funny if it weren’t so daunting.
Margaux: Or so horribly fucked up. $22 for Advil? That’s worse than buying a bottle of water at the fucking airport. If anything, “RICO” made me very concerned for my grandmother and re-confirmed that getting old blows a big old Magic Flute for sure.
Trevor: Odenkirk’s delivery of “I’m at the opera” was so perfectly funny, and in four words he showed how lucky AMC was to cast an actual comedian as Breaking Bad’s comic relief. The whole dumpster diving scene was great, starting with the fact that he didn’t change out of his suit. The payoff being that the recycling bin was right next to him the entire time.
Margaux: That lightly colored suit is forever unclean.
The dumpster dive and Jimmy’s subsequent argument to Chuck and Sandpiper’s legal team was, if a hobo can get in – it’s public property, buy a ten dollar padlock ya cheapskate – was hilarious payoff as well. But I love little moments like that, that show that Jimmy isn’t just gifted at talking his out of way most situations, he actually knows his shit.
Trevor: And how dedicated he is to his clients. That carries through to Breaking Bad as well, he’s just dedicated to the other side of the law at that point.
Speaking of which, we haven’t talked about Mike. He didn’t get a ton of material in “RICO,” but that’s cause the hour belonged to Jimmy and Chuck. I like the prospect of him getting work from the vet. Mike wading in the underworld can pretty much only lead to Gus Fring, another exciting notion.
Margaux: I was hoping the dirty vet would make another appearance so, I’m glad Mike adopted a dog to have an excuse to go and see him. I’m curious what kind of work this dude, who hates people who run puppy mills, could possibly offer Mike. I don’t know if he’ll be the direct link to Fring but there’s a domino effect in place, for sure.
Trevor: Yeah I don’t think it’s gonna go vet —–> Gus, but I’m looking forward to seeing whatever shenanigans Mike gets up to. THAT VOICE DOE. Can you imagine having a grandpa who looks and sounds like Mike Ehrmantraut? Terrifying.
Margaux: Right? I’m glad you brought that up because Ehrmantraut was leaning heavy on the Christian Bale Batman voice last night.
Trevor: Like, was the version of Mike we saw in BB the softer version? Holy shit.
Margaux: Haha, I don’t think so. He is trying to get rid of the bribe money his son left his widow to deal with, so there’s that. Maybe we’ll get some origin story behind Mike’s infamous ‘go bag’ from BB.
Trevor: What are you thinking in terms of stars? I was a big fan of “RICO,” but I’m sort of completely in the tank for this show.
Margaux: I do love what Better Call Saul is trying to do but last weeks episode and “RICO” felt really slow and meandering at times, I miss the pacing of earlier episodes like “Mijo” so, I’m leaning towards three stars. “RICO” is exactly what you expect; well acted, written, shot, but the end of “RICO” really felt like it should have come sooner.
Trevor: I’d go three and a half, but half a star isn’t really worth arguing over. Your criticisms are valid, so I’m okay going with three. Go Land Crabs!
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