User Reviews

Another great episode. It picks up the pace a little from the ultra slow burn of this season so far, but I also wouldn't say that it's an acting packed thrill ride. It follows two parallel plots; Jimmy dealing with the fallout from his gaffe in the last one, and Mike taking on a job for Nacho.

For the most part, the Jimmy scenes were the less entertaining part for me. However, there is one scene featuring Jimmy and Chuck towards the end that was just phenomenal. It's the most they've talked since that fateful scene in episode 9 of season 1, and things seem a bit more three-dimensional now that we've seen Chuck's lack of faith in Jimmy actually be kind of right. The acting a d dialogue of this scenes is incredible.

The episode's other plot focuses on Mike and Nacho. It also features more than one character from the early seasons of Breaking Bad. One of them is mentioned throughout the episode, so it isn't particularly surprising when they show up (although it still gives you a kick). But the other one was a complete surprise. This sequence also leads to some hilarious use of Mike.

So yeah, a pretty strong episode with some nice little surprises for Breaking Bad fans and a great scene pushing the envelope on this show's central conflict.

Better Call Saul is quickly becoming one of the best shows ever written (in my opinion). This week we get the aftermath of Jimmy's hazardous actions regarding his homemade commercial. This episode gives the viewers a perspective of just how much Jimmy actually cares about Kim and keeping their relationship intact. He would go back to Chuck (the one person he cannot stand) in order to save Kim from being demoted, which lead to outstanding dialogue between the two brothers once again reaffirming that Chuck cannot bear to see Jimmy succeed doing immoral things. Jimmy fights for Kim's freedom while throwing himself under the bus and although to no avail, we know now how much Jimmy is willing to give up, and let's see how he carries on with his second chance at Davis and Main. While all that is happening, Nacho and Mike instigate a possibility of getting rid of Tuco (Nacho's Boss). During this segment of the episode, we again learn more about (or just reaffirm) Mike's character and the way he deals with his dirty business. Mike is trying to be a better guy especially after we learn about his past from Season 1, but in this episode we see those shades of him. He would rather concoct an elaborate plan to get the police involved rather than just point- blank shooting Tuco in the plan Nacho laid out. When Nacho asks him at the very end, "Why", this is left as a rhetorical question for a reason, because the fans of the show should already know the answer to that question if they understand Mike's character at all. This is why this show is so well written because the characters are fleshed out to the right degree so when they are put into certain situations, we as an audience would know how they would react and what their motivations are. Anyways, this show is doing everything right and we are slowly but surely seeing both Jimmy and Mike break bad.

Wow, talk about harsh reality setting in......

OK, for anyone who has watched this show's predecessor, "Breaking Bad", what is unfolding with season 2, episode 4 of "Better Call Saul" was to be expected, with the only question being: Was Jimmy driven to his change in behavior and ethics by the doubt and shifty undercutting of big brother, or does he decide on his own that following his own set rules is preferable to toeing the company line....

I think it is safe to say that Jimmy has made a deliberate decision to buck the rules and take matters into his hands.

Even so, the predictable consequences are hard to watch because we know it will not end well for Jimmy, and that all he holds dear is beginning to slip away. One can always nitpick the method the creators use to reflect a characters coming demise, however, I, for one, find these character studies the most intriguing story lines about the human condition, as I have spent my life trying to understand why some people, notwithstanding upbringing and family backing, choose to throw it away for a life of disappointment, scorn, ridicule, not to mention threat of incarceration and bodily harm.

Jimmy is a man bent on doing things for his reasons, possibly incapable of understanding that his actions and behaviors have consequences. As the season has unfolded each episode has grown more difficult to watch and as I watch Jimmy slowly shift to the person I know that he will become, I realize how hard it will be when he breaks with the world that we have come to inhabit with him, and watch as the shift unfolds and he embarks on a different kind of life then he could have had.

A really strong episode, this one. We get the welcome return of the psychotic Tuco and a great little plot by Mike to fulfil a job, intense and highly enjoyable stuff. Jimmy's plot is darker, mainly involving him getting told off, but he has good scenes with his brother here and overall the writing is of a high calibre.

Krazy-8 was like little puppy in front of Tuco Salamanca but in the breaking bad he was like ''crazy'' solid gangster. I think somethings happened between this period of time. He was not like little puppy just because of Tuco. He was like that because of his character. Maybe not but it's my opinion.

By the way Tuco salamanca is going to be Skinny Pete's cellmate.

For all the people saying that this show was slow when it started, hopefully episodes like this can make them look at the pace in a different way. See, yes, this show is slowly building itself up. However, to call it a badly paced show - which some have - is the most incorrect thing you could say. The pace of this show is excellent and it's episodes like this one that shows that. They may not provide you with an incredible payoff at the end of every week, but what they do is to build to something that's going to be all the payoff that you could need and want. It feels weird to keep saying that, but this is probably one of the show's most important episodes, because of the way it fuels the fire under Jimmy McGill's transformation into the person he would eventually become, as he sees the issues of the flawed system that he's working in. However, it also provides an important point in Mike's arc and solidifies the fact that he's not someone to be messed with, which we have known for a long time now. That's why this show works so well, because of the high points that it reaches when it builds up its storyline over a bit of time. This episode has it all, from expert directing to great writing and incredible acting. It's an episode focused on character development for all its lead characters, while finishing it off with an incredible ending that shows the business' ruthlessness.

Jimmy is not someone who has taken the consequences of his action seriously to this point. He has always seen his charm as a way of getting out of a bad situation, and while it may have helped him in the past, he's seeing that he works with professionals now that believe in loyalty and image over results. That speaks to the exact opposite of what Jimmy is seeing, in which the results justify the means, putting him at odds with the profession that he claims to love, and showing his true colors, which are even more honorable than expected.

However, it also goes into Jimmy's addiction for the hustle. This is something that is finally said out loud in this episode, and from none other than Chuck, which seems like the perfect irony. But it's nevertheless the truth, and while we can all hope that it will put some sense into the head of Jimmy McGill, we all know that it won't. But they're important words that had to be said out loud, and Jimmy is probably in need to hear them, but he's also in a position where he's not interested in that because of his own objectives.

Which brings us to Mike, who is still this show's voice of reason, despite getting himself into quite the fist fight with Tuco in this episode. The amazing way that he's always in control of a situation comes to play here, which is a perfect contrast to Jimmy, who wants to be in control, but rarely is. Having these two characters as the leads was a brilliant idea and they keep bringing in Mike to put up against Jimmy in a very smart way. And the final sequence of this episode was awesome, although Mike should take it easy, honestly.

And the performances in this episode were once again great. Odenkirk is proving himself to be a real dramatic force in this show, which came on the heels of some great comedic turns from Odenkirk. He's really carrying the show as he should and going up against some giants. This episode brings him head-to-head with Chuck again, and seeing him and Michael McKean go at it is honestly one of my favorite aspects of this show. And Jonathan Banks does his job with flying colors as well, still showing his incredible physicality despite other characters calling out his age.

"Gloves Off" is another great hour of this show and another important one as it brings Jimmy face-to-face with the truth and consequences of his actions. It also brilliantly uses Mike as a contrast, showing what Jimmy wishes he could be, and the show plays with that idea so well, especially in the final scene.

I hoped Better Call Saul would be spared from these overly far-fetched unrealistic complicated plans where there are just to many minor variables that can go wrong to make it a realistic option to solve a problem, but in this episode we see a classic example of this again.

Mike calling in to the police his own disturbance with a very unique voice, easy for investigators to detect, is just plain stupid. Mike has been prone to avoid contact with police at all costs so this goes completely against his actions earlier.

Now he made contact both through a call with a very distinct voice AND was seen as a victim of a violent crime. Also the plan could very easily backfire if a police car was very close when the call was made or if they drove to the place without sirens (which in fact would probably be very likely considering how Mike described the event on the phone to the police and that police strive to avoid L&S driving unless clearly deemed necessary). They clearly didn't think this one through and it reminded me of some of the super-stupid far-fetched plans that Walter did in last few seasons of Breaking Bad.

It seems like the writers sometimes think "How can we come up with the most complicated and bizarre plan possible?" and then they implement it without even considering if it holds up...

Please, no more of these! Better Call Saul has a great potential, don't let it go away by stupid things like this!

And if you are one if the viewers that watch Better Call Saul/Breaking Bad to try and pretend to be super-smart and sophisticated (for some bizarre reason), please don't forget to verify it by voting NO on this review... :)

But judging by this community it seems that there are a lot of viewers of this show that think it doesn't matter that the show makes so many stupid far-fetched twists, don't let logic stand in the way of a crazy plot seems to be the notion. Many seem determine to let anything fly, regardless of it's irrationality

That's why I fear this show will be dumbing down even more very quick and continue with having more and more far-fetched plots (think for instance of a shows like 24 or Arrow to get what I am fearing). If so, they have lost me and probably a lot of other viewers as well.