Breaking Down ‘Saul’: “Black and Blue” (Season 6, Episode 5)

“I do have a problem. Just not the problem you think. I have a Jimmy McGill problem.”

Kim (Rhea Seehorn) can’t sleep. Ever since she learned that Lalo (Tony Dalton) is very much alive, she’s been on edge, moving through the world like a shell of her former self. She lights up a cigarette in the middle of the night and puts a chair under their front door, and when Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) joins her and makes her a cup of coffee, he says he’s grateful Lalo’s dead. Kim plasters on a smile, unable to tell him the truth she knows. Despite living in fear, the two press on, diving into business as usual. Saul Goodman’s practice is booming, and he enlists the help of Francesca (Tina Parker) at his new “office” to deal with the long line of prospective clients. Kim, meanwhile, meets with her old paralegal Viola (Keiko Agena) and finds out what’s been going on at Schweikert & Cokely as of late. (She’s up to another one of her schemes, that Slippin’ Kimmy, and learning the name of a certain retired judge seems to delight her).

Though they do their best to get through the days, Jimmy and Kim aren’t the only one plagued by nightmares of Lalo, either; Gustavo (Giancarlo Esposito) can’t sleep or function normally at all, convinced that he’s going to be ambushed by Lalo at any moment. Even with Mike’s (Jonathan Banks) dedicated team set up at home, Gustavo spends his hours cleaning his bathtub with a toothbrush, micromanaging his employees, and ensuring that he has a weapon on him at all times. As Gustavo wonders what kind of revenge Lalo might have in store for him, someone else in Albuquerque is plotting some revenge of their own: Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian).

After Cliff Main (Ed Begley Jr.) confronts Howard about what he saw on the street the other day, Howard realizes where all these shenanigans are coming from. In an attempt to get everything out into the open with Jimmy, he tricks him into a meetup at a boxing ring, where he asks Jimmy to put on some gear and go a few rounds. Jimmy initially scoffs at the idea, but eventually throws on a pair of gloves and joins Howard in the ring. They both get in a few good hits, but by the end, Jimmy is flat on his back, and Howard makes clear that he’s done with his kindness being mistaken for weakness. On his way out, he hires someone to watch Jimmy; this is only the beginning of Howard’s vengeance. No more “NAMAST3” for Howard, y’all.

While Lalo’s shadow looms over many of the characters in “Black and Blue”, he’s up to some of his own antics on the other side of the world. He charms the late Werner Ziegler’s widow at a bar, where he attempts to draw information out of her about the project he was working on back in New Mexico and the team he employed. The two bid farewell to each other outside her home, and Lalo returns the next day to break in and do a little digging. He’s going to get to the bottom of Gustavo’s little project if it kills him (or anyone else who gets in his way).

So what do we have this week? No crazy Easter eggs in “Black and Blue”. Just another hour of outstanding television. Can you believe we’ve only got two more episodes until the mid-season finale? It’s going so fast!

‘Til next time…

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.