Breaking Down ‘Saul’, Season 4, Episode 7: “Something Stupid”

“I don’t need to be a lawyer. I’m a magic man.”

Since the moment Better Call Saul brought Kim Wexler and Jimmy McGill together, we’ve known it couldn’t last. No matter how desperately we’ve hoped and wished for their relationship to make it, the future that lies ahead for Jimmy just can’t possibly include Kim. The breathtaking split screen montage set to “Something Stupid” that opens this week’s episode guides us through several months of Jimmy and Kim’s relationship and its inevitable dissolution. Things aren’t quite over yet, but they’re certainly never going to be the same. While Kim rises through the ranks at Schweikart & Cokely, Jimmy whips up his first Saul business cards for his burgeoning cell phone business and counts down the weeks until he can practice law again. Not to rave about it too much, but this opener is truly magnificent. It’s exactly what makes Better Call Saul one of the best shows on television.

Kim really does seem to give her all to making things work; she brings Jimmy with her to a work party, excitedly introducing him to everyone. He predictably gets drunk and gets a little too rowdy due to feeling insecure and resentful, and this only drives more of a wedge between them. Jimmy inevitably gets himself into some trouble after Huell inadvertently assaults a police officer with a bag of sandwiches, and he turns to Kim for help. (Kim is less than thrilled to discover that Jimmy’s been peddling burner phones for month behind her back, but she agrees). After months of complacency, it seems like there might finally be a reason for Jimmy and Kim to put their heads together and support each other again – but will it lead to another nail in the coffin of their relationship? Only time will tell. All we know right know is that Kim’s got a plan, and it’s likely a damn good one. Their future is second fiddle at the moment.

This eight month time jump serves our central storylines well, cutting through the mundanity of laying the foundations for the Superlab and Hector’s recovery. Gus is dementedly delighted to learn that the real Hector still lives inside of this silent man, and dismisses the doctor so that he can commence his own personal torture plan. (His wicked smirk when he realized that Hector was checking out the nurse stuck in my mind for hours after this. Giancarlo Esposito is a gift.)

As for the Superlab, things seem to be going swimmingly – set to the tune of “Big Rock Candy Mountain – until a worker accidentally reverses into a beam and it collapses, prompting a fight between the Germans. Mike shouts at them to cool it (in GERMAN!!!) and later contemplates what might happen if they sent the trouble worker, Kai, back to Germany. The architect rejects this idea, as Kai, while big-mouthed, is his best worker. Mike can’t seem to stomach these “boys” much longer, and they’re already way over schedule. This can’t bode well for the future of the Germans. If there’s one person you don’t want to piss off, it’s Mike Ehrmantraut. Woof.

This episode was pretty Saul-central, but in addition to taking a trip back to Gus’ house (where Walt once visited!) there was one pretty big Breaking Bad callback present. Let’s take a quick look.

What do we have? 

The Germans slave away underground on a structure with red beams, a catwalk, and stairs (though one mistake sets them back a bit).

Seem familiar?

It’s the skeleton of the Superlab, first seen in Breaking Bad Season Season 3, Episode 5, “Más“, looking more and more like itself as the timeline progresses.

That’s all for “Something Stupid”! Come on back next week for more of Saul’s (mostly sad as of late) shenanigans.

 

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She is also a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Where to Stream Better Call Saul