Pimento (Better Call Saul)

"Pimento" is the ninth episode of the first season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad.

Plot

Jimmy and Chuck begin making preparations for their lawsuit against Sandpiper Crossing. Chuck warns Jimmy that their attorneys will attempt to file a restraining order to keep him out of their property, but Jimmy is confident he can prevail. At the courthouse, Jimmy prevents the restraining order from being filed. Upon returning to Chuck's house, he finds that Sandpiper Crossing's attorneys have sent numerous boxes of paperwork that they must file a response to in an effort to intimidate them. Chuck does not believe that he and Jimmy can handle the case alone and suggests that they refer the case to Hamlin Hamlin & McGill. Jimmy is reluctant to involve HHM, but eventually agrees and arranges a meeting. Later that night, while Jimmy is asleep, Chuck sneaks out of the house and uses Jimmy's phone to make a call.

The next morning, Jimmy and Chuck return to HHM, where Howard prepares for their arrival by confiscating everybody's phones and shutting down the building's electricity. The entire staff then greet Chuck's return with a standing ovation. Howard is confident that they have a strong case against Sandpiper Crossing and offers to give Jimmy twenty percent of the final settlement fees, as well as a of counsel fee of $20,000. However, he makes it clear that Jimmy will not be working on the case or with HHM. This angers Jimmy, who believes he is being left out and demands to know why he has repeatedly been excluded from the firm. When Howard does not answer his questions, Jimmy decides not to release the case to HHM. Kim confronts Howard about his refusal to allow Jimmy into the firm. Howard is at first resistant, but he decides to tell Kim the truth.

Meanwhile, Mike receives a job offer to be a bodyguard for Pryce, a first time drug dealer. Pryce drives Mike, who is in possession of the titular pimento cheese sandwich but no weapon, to an abandoned factory where he coaches Pryce on how to carry out an illegal drug sale. Nacho arrives and hands over a large sum of cash in exchange for drugs. When Pryce notes that the payment is actually short by twenty dollars, Mike steps in and calmly demands that Nacho pay in full. Nacho attempts to intimidate Mike, but ultimately pays when he realizes Mike cannot be cowed. As they leave, Mike tells Pryce that he has done research into Nacho and knows he has been organizing drug deals without his bosses' knowledge, and would not have risked a deal gone bad. Mike gives Pryce a warning about committing to the drug trade and informs him that he is officially a criminal and that there will be no going back.

Kim meets Jimmy and suggests that he take Howard's deal, which would give him enough money to start his own firm. After rejecting Kim's advice, Jimmy checks his phone. The next day, Jimmy informs Chuck that he will accept Howard's deal after all, having discovered that Chuck used his phone to call Howard before their meeting. He has now deduced it was Chuck, not Howard, who had been keeping him out of HHM all along. Chuck admits it is true, having known that Jimmy got his law degree from a diploma mill. Disappointed that Jimmy is not a "real" lawyer, Chuck felt that Jimmy could never be an associate for HHM, as he hasn't changed from his con man roots. Feeling betrayed, Jimmy angrily cuts his ties with Chuck.

Production

This episode was written and directed by Thomas Schnauz, who also wrote "Nacho" earlier this season.

Reception

Odenkirk (left) and McKean (right) both received high praise for their performances in the episode.

Upon airing, the episode received 2.38 million American viewers, and an 18-49 rating of 1.1.^[1]

The episode received critical acclaim, with many critics praising the plot twist at the end and the performances from Bob Odenkirk and Michael McKean. On Rotten Tomatoes, based on 18 reviews, it received a 100% approval rating with an average score of 8.8 out of 10. The site's consensus reads, "A terrifically-acted, heart-wrenching revelation, mixed with a tough and powerful subplot for Mike, makes "Pimento" a superior penultimate episode of a consistently strong season."^[2] Roth Cornet of IGN gave the episode a 9.0 rating, concluding, "Better Call Saul revealed the betrayal that may very well be at the heart of what turns Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman, as this stunningly crafted story continues to unfold."^[3] The Telegraph rated the episode 4 out of 5 stars.^[4]

References

External links

• "Pimento" at AMC
• "Pimento" at the Internet Movie Database