THE FOLLOWING RECAP CONTAINS EXTENSIVE SPOILERS FOR THE ABOVE EPISODE
Episode 4 is all about silence. Silence in CC Mobile’s graveyard branch, as Jimmy regrets more with every second his about-turn decision on taking the shift supervisor gig. Silence from the cousins as Nacho watches, aghast, as they clean out the Espinozas in explosively violent fashion. Silence as Mike launches a tirade of scorn at the grief counselling room, his distaste for serial truth-twister Henry expanding to innocent bystanders, including Anita and Stacey. And longest of all, silence from Gus as Mike grapples the power in their encounter and beckons in Breaking Bad-era Mike Ehrmantraut.
It’s perhaps not a shock to find the sleeping lion in Mike awoken by past tragedy, but whether or not the support group session incident has a relationship with Mike’s bullishness under the nose of Gus’s men is interesting. The bitter, scattershot nature of his ‘talk’ suggests that something did snap in Mike, not erasing the caring, clever man of his soul but certainly summoning a new fearlessness and impatience. His security audits at Madrigal have grown ever-more thorough, but of course Gus’s reason for a friendly check-in with his employee has little to do with double-stacked crates.
Marco and Leonel have to be one (two? I find myself counting them as a single entity) of the greatest crossovers between BCS and its parent. The minuscule nod of appreciation from Marco to Nacho when the final shot has been fired might as well have been a scream of anguish or a confession of undying love, such is the significance of any display of outward emotion from the twins. Nacho throwing himself so selflessly and recklessly into the fray is telling of a trait that may get him killed one day, and the Salamancas appreciate it. He is an increasingly broken man who cares too much about too many people, and the battering of his body this season may forewarn of his fate. Let’s hope not, because his dad’s pure heart is at stake.
Kim’s career is probably going better than Jimmy’s at this particular point in time, but not by loads. She’s put herself back together after hearing Jimmy read aloud his brother’s final words and resolved that he needs a shrink, reading his apparent indifference in the wake of family bereavement as a sign of a pain far deeper than her own. That particular proposal merely led to Jimmy bouncing a ball off an empty phone shop wall across town, and Kim needs something to get herself ticking again. She definitely needs to fall in love with law again, but apparent past acquaintance Judge Mudsinger (Ethan Phillips) simply chews louder and tells her where to go, in a very patronising manner. He might not be throwing high-stakes cases Kim’s way, but he is throwing angered looks at her as she sits amicably, stubbornly in on his cases against judge’s orders. Kim’s ambition is too great and her work ethic too fierce to keep her away from the courtroom, but who will she soon defend?
I mean who on earth can we think of that is currently engaging in small-time crime and getting a little richer than expected from it?
I’m glad Ira appears to have a significant role now, along with what seems to be the predecessor to Vamonos Pest, Desert Beverage vending machines. He’s of the sort of ramshackle standard befitting Jimmy’s current predicament, but his wisdom is such that it might yet land him a legit gig outlining marketing strategy for CC Mobile – or maybe not, as I doubt Jimmy’s consequent artistic stunt will go down too well with Robbie. Unless it proves as much of a hit as Inventory Week.
Jimmy won’t think twice about going after more Hummels and more cash. It was quick, easy and clean. And there’s only one place he’ll go – to Mrs. Strauss. As if Jimmy’s reputation with the senior community wasn’t already tarnished enough.
Better Call Saul season 4, episode 4 is available to stream on Netflix now
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