Breaking Down ‘Saul’: Season 3, Episode 6, “Off Brand”

“Saul Goodman… that guy has a lot of energy.”

“Off Brand”, the sixth episode of Better Call Saul‘s dynamite third season, finds Hector continually trying to stay in control as he makes a cup of coffee and sits by while Nacho conducts their daily business dealings. After Krazy-8 comes up short for the week, Nacho agrees to let him go on the condition that he’ll return next week with the difference. Hector can’t help but ask “who works for who?”, which prompts Nacho to bring Krazy-8 back in and give him the beating of his life.

Back at Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) hearing, Kim (Rhea Seehorn) delivers a stunning closing statement, and a gorgeous score swells as the scene cuts back and forth to Rebecca in the car and Kim in court. Rebecca frantically knocks on Chuck’s (Michael McKean) door, but he remains on the floor, unmoved. Later, Jimmy and Kim celebrate with champagne in coffee mugs – Jimmy will only be suspended from practicing law for a year, and his PPD will stay in place as long as he doesn’t get himself into trouble. Their celebration is short-lived, however, as Rebecca soon enters and pleads with Jimmy to come with her to help get Chuck to let them in. Jimmy, at the stone-coldest he’s ever been, refuses, claiming that he doesn’t owe Chuck anything. Rebecca is floored by his stubborn response, and tells Jimmy Chuck was right about him all along.

In a support group, Stacey describes how she discusses her deceased husband with her daughter Kaylee, and Mike (Jonathan Banks) looks on. On the way out, he says he’ll go if it makes her feel better, and she confesses that she signed up him to help with the new playground. While he’s initially hesitant, he eventually agrees when Stacey reminds him of his son’s memories.

Chuck, sad as ever, receives a visit from Howard, who excitedly presents him with a 1966 Macallan and asks him to toast to the future and forget about the past. Howard emphasizes that Jimmy simply isn’t worth it, and that they need to move forward. Chuck forces himself to hold a battery, seemingly hoping to use mind over matter, but it gets the best of him. Later, he dons a space-blanket cloak under his clothes and makes the treacherous journey to a payphone, where he calls the doctor who cared for him during his last crisis. Could Chuck actually be seeking treatment? Let’s hope so.

As the Los Pollos Hermanos truck makes its route and Nacho meets with Gus’ (Giancarlo Esposito) cronies to collect Hector’s share of the drugs, a power play is put into action that seems to have Hector believing he is the one in control while Gus is calling the shots. Hector urges Nacho to let him use Nacho’s father’s upholstery business as his new front, but Nacho is clearly reluctant. When Hector finds out that Tuco knifed someone in prison and will likely spend much more than six months incarcerated now, he begins to have a fit and struggles to get to his pills. Nacho obscures one that falls on the floor with his foot – he’s clearly got some kind of a plan in place. Gus, in the meantime, is perusing a familiar-looking vacant laundry facility with a familiar lady, and he seems to be satisfied…

To a fun Birdman-esque percussive score, Jimmy calls all of his clients to let them know he’ll be on a sabbatical for the next year, but it isn’t until his final call that he realizes he has to rush to get his commercials off the air. Kim tries to start planning for the future – firing Francesca, breaking the lease on the office – but Jimmy won’t hear it. They’re going to keep things the way they are, and he will keep up his half of the rent. Jimmy desperately tries to pawn off his commercial slots so that he’s not out $4,000, but he finds it to be a tough sell on such short notice. This evidently drives him to make an advertisement for advertising with the help of his young film crew, which results in one of the most truly ridiculous things Jimmy has ever done – and what is perhaps the real birth of Saul Goodman. Kim is clearly stunned by this ad; he’s donned a goatee and ridiculous attempt at a film director getup, and the ad is so ostentatious it’s painful to watch. Kim can’t help but remark on the energy behind Saul, but Jimmy assures her that it’s “just a name”. Sure, Jimmy. Sure.

So did Vince, Peter, and the gang hide any Breaking Bad throwbacks this week? Krazy-8 seems to be sticking around a little more now, and it’s fun to see familiar faces… Let’s take a look.

What do we have? 

Gus peruses an empty industrial space with laundry equipment.

Seem familiar?

He evidently likes it, because this laundry facility becomes the headquarters of the Superlab, first seen in Breaking Bad Season 3, Episode 5, “Más“.

What do we have? 

When Gus leaves the laundry facility, he gets into the car with a woman.

Seem familiar?

That’s Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, a lady who later becomes quite the antagonist, first seen in Breaking Bad Season 5, Episode 2, “Madrigal”.

A few other things – some Redditors claim that Jesse Pinkman’s mom can be seen in the support group scene, and the introduction of Mike contributing to the playground seems to be a reference to his frequent trips with Kaylee to the playground on Breaking Bad.

That’s all for this week, you crazy criminals. Tune in next time!