‘Better Call Saul’: 3 Key Moments From ‘Wexler vs. Goodman’ (RECAP)
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 5, Episode 6 of Better Call Saul, “Wexler vs. Goodman.”]
Better Call Saul threw viewers a major curveball in its final moments of the most recent episode, “Wexler vs. Goodman.”
Below, we’re breaking down all of the drama, including Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) and Kim’s (Rhea Seehorn) continued legal battle surrounding Mesa Verde, Mike’s (Jonathan Banks) new assignment from Gus (Giancarlo Esposito) involving Nacho (Michael Mando) and Lalo (Tony Dalton), and more.
Kim’s Past
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
We caught a glimpse of Kim’s past in the opening of the episode, which saw her waiting to be picked up by her mother at Red Cloud Junior High. Once the woman arrives, clearly drunk, a young Kim refuses to get in the car, despite the woman’s pleas. Eventually her mother drives off, leaving her to walk home in the dark. This is key to understanding Kim’s lack of patience for lying, but perhaps her past also indicates why she’s drawn to unreliable people … we’re looking at you Jimmy.
Jimmy & Kim’s Plan Goes Awry
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
Throughout the episode, we see Jimmy and Kim’s plan to secure Mr. Acker’s (Barry Corbin) land against Mesa Verde, with her working for the opposing company. In the first present-set scene, Jimmy is scene working with his trusty film crew who help orchestrate his latest creation — something involving an old commercial for Mesa Verde featuring a young Kevin (played presently by Rex Linn) and his father.
Utilizing a green screen, this is part of Jimmy’s plan to attack Kevin legally, but remains shrouded in mystery for the audience until the end. When Kim arrives at the nail salon where all of this is being filmed, she asks Jimmy if Acker will settle for $75,000, mentioning that she’ll be able to make up the difference that Mesa Verde doesn’t shell out. When he asks her why she wants to back out, she mentions that Rick (Dennis Boutsikaris) is suspicious and her job isn’t worth getting the win.
Later on after helping in a case involving prostitutes, Jimmy’s alter ego Saul asks if he can hire them for an hour, which he uses to embarrass Howard (Patrick Fabian). Sending them into the restaurant where he’d met Howard for lunch, the women approach the table and accuse “Howie” of owing them money in one of the episode’s more comical moments. But while this is occurring, Jimmy dials a number and asks the other line if they’ve heard of Mesa Verde, clearly not following the plan to back-off the attack on Kevin.
Further on in the episode, Mesa Verde and Kim are waiting on Saul’s arrival at the settlement meeting when he arrives late. When he shows up he claims Mr. Acker won’t agree to the settlement and wants $4 million versus the $35,000 they were going to give. Saying it’s the only number Mr. Acker will be happy with, Saul pulls out a disk and prepares to screen his handiwork with the film crew. Kim advises that Kevin leave, but the Mesa Verde head stays and observes as ads with actors claiming that they were removed from their homes due to the company are shown.
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
Essentially, Saul threatens to release the ads and damage Mesa Verde’s reputation if Kevin doesn’t adhere to these demands, which extend beyond the $4 million request. Saul points out that the company’s logo is based off of a photo that was copyrighted by the artist responsible. Leaving the room, Mesa Verde and Kim’s legal team discusses next options when Kevin leaves and finds Saul.
When asked what it will take to make this mess disappear, Saul tells Kevin he’ll need to shell out $45,000 to Acker along with a public apology as well as money and an apology for the photographer whose image was stolen. Eventually Kevin shakes hands with Saul on it, meaning his plan worked, but when he and Kim return home she’s angry that he lied to her. He claims it was so he could take her off guard and remove suspicion from her, but that doesn’t matter. “You played me,” she tells him before saying, “I can’t do this anymore.” But before you lose hope in their relationship, she says that she can’t keep living like this, or they could get married….
Mike’s Back in the Game
(Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
Arriving with Gus at a warehouse, Mike is introduced to Nacho — Gus unaware that they’re already acquainted. Nacho tells them that Domingo/Krazy-8 (Max Arciniega) is ratting out anyone he can to the feds and Lalo. Nacho is told that he’ll now report to Mike and when Gus departs, the pair talk, as Mike told Nacho he was getting himself into trouble by staying with the Salamancas, but Nacho defends himself and says he’s staying in to protect his father.
“Take care of Lalo, and then we’ll talk,” Mike says of the weak defense. We later see Mike reviewing some files before entering a library where he says he’s a P.I. who is looking for a woman named Lillian Simmons. The woman says that’s her and asks what she can help with — he asks about Travel Wire, where Lalo had gone after Werner (Rainer Bock) in Season 4. While there, fans will recall he killed a teller, which created a murder investigation.
He shows her a picture of a car and asks if she recognizes it and she says she does, so he requests that she call the police and reveal this detail to them. Later we see him in an office setting where he slips a note of evidence for a Mr. Robert — who is covering the case. Calling attention to the car through a prior hit-and-run, Mike helps by calling into the police scanner and reporting the license plate.
Of course, this car is Lalo’s and we see him pulled over by authorities, but will it stick? Fans will have to tune in to find out.
Better Call Saul, Season 5, Mondays, 9/8c, AMC
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