Better Call Saul 6x08 "Point and Shoot" Breakdown and Analysis: The Classical Elements

[@NaeOnYT]

People acting like Lalo gloating over Gus and giving him that one minute to talk is out of character seem to think Lalo is infallible. He's not. He's smart, he's dangerous, he's a great character...but hubris is a huge part of this show. He absolutely wants that extra evidence for Don Eladio, and the "he's a housecat" stuff is partially him playing to Kim/Jimmy, yes. But the Salamancas are very clearly not afraid of Gus physically harming them. Even when Gus does start wiping them out, it's often from a distance, e.g., warning Hank about the cousins. That laugh from Lalo before he dies was, to me, Lalo realizing that underestimating Gus was his demise, and he finds that absurdly funny.

[@californicatedcoloradoan3558]

When it comes to Don Eladio Vuente and the rest of the Cartel, they probably viewed the Salamancas as both a nuisance and a benefit, but at the same time, there is a problem inside the Salamanca family as Don Hector is all but incapacitated, Tuco is in jail, Marco and Leonel are still in hiding in Mexico after their shootout with a rival drug gang in Albuquerque and that Joaquin Salamanca represents the family's interest in the Cartel in Mexico in Hector's place since Hector went to Albuquerque after Tuco went to jail. The position of the Salamancas in the cartel has been drastically reduced at this point and as we saw in Breaking Bad, Tuco was in far different place in his life after he got out of jail than when he went into jail. The BCS episode "Sabrosito" probably depicts the worsening position the Salamancas have with Don Eladio and the rest of the cartel as Eladio compares the Salamanca's cash delivery to Fring's, which was all need and tidy while Salamanca's offering was sloppy and rolled up bundles.

[@iluvanimals4evr]

Juan Bolsa and Hector Salamanca are not related and Juan Bolsa tried to sabotage the money that was meant for Lalo’s bail in the “Bagman” episode season 5. I think none of the cartel really like the Salamanca’s, they are all entitled, messy and all happen to be loose cannons attracting unwanted conflict and attention, and as Gus said parasites; the Salamanca’s are everything they want to avoid in this business. I think Juan Bolsa and Don Eladio were relieved that Hector was incapacitated so they could go around the Salamanca’s and do business, the truth is they were bad for business and would have been killed off years before if they were not Mexican and one of them.

[@owie4070]

Yep, I agree

[@mattst.germain4023]

@@owie4070 Joaquin Salamanca doesn’t represent the interests of the cartel. The guy that comes up from Mexico to tell Gus they want half his organization is someone totally different. Cousins aren’t in hiding, they just have no reason to be in ABQ at the moment. They take orders from Bolsa in BB too, so they aren’t calling any shots, just hitmen. I agree, the Salamancas are probably viewed more as a nuisance at times, but also can bring value in other ways. Tuco doesn’t even take over any of the business again, until Krazy 8 dies.

[@owie4070]

@@mattst.germain4023 You responded to the wrong person, but you do make some good points.

[@dancersrhapsody3157]

This is by far, your best breakdown of a BCS episode: The imagery and analysis was dead on and spoken with the precision of a college professor. Point and Shoot was probably one of the best best episodes I’ve seen since Chicanery and I was definitely looking forward to hearing your take on it. You didn’t disappoint. Thank you again and am looking forward to the last five episodes.

[@it.was.written]

Outstanding episode, I thought it was going to be almost impossible to top Plan & Execution directly after but in my opinion they did; they are not playing around this season and are giving this elite show the send off it deserves.

[@zachh3296]

Oh shut up

[@LostTheater]

The official BCS critic is back.

[@maryjanerx]

Holy shit your reviews are so much more interesting than any of the english speaking men's channel

[@nipsonanomimata]

check out ological, he's up there (courtney's great too!)

[@maryjanerx]

@@nipsonanomimata thanks for the recommendation!!!

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you! ❤

[@reiddillashaw2383]

Good review, Courtney. It was a great episode. I enjoyed it very much. That said, it broke my heart to see Howard have to share a grave with his killer - (the cello music really intensified that feeling). It's just adding insult to injury, and, piling on the insult with Mike's efforts to pretty much erase who he is/was. And the irony to that is, how much Mike hates to see civilians get killed when they aren't in The Game. Can't wait for the next episode.

[@bor.1011]

I absolutely love the way your brains works and the connections you make! Such an interesting analysis

[@luukkimus]

Wow. This was just wonderful, you're now officially my favourite BCS analyzer. The elements was a good idea here, only beat by that joke in the beginning. :) Doesn't matter if these take a bit more time than those who put up theirs within hours, your stuff is on another level. The benefits of being a professor are surely many, but one of them certainly is that you can put that thought process in good use elsewhere, too! :) People have been thinking Jimmy and Kim are gonna break up/split one way or the other. I think they're wrong. Like you said, this episode proved that's never gonna happen! There is a bond there that's for life. I guess the only way that *could* happen is if one of them did that to ensure the other's well-being. In fact, Jimmy already did that once, by getting Kim to leave the apartment instead of him. It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that Kim will be there all the way through the Gene timeline. The only *other* way I could imagine they'd split now would be if Kim truly embraced the criminal way of life and that would be too much for Jimmy, who would bounce. That won't happen, however, because Saul's in Breaking Bad. I really don't think the opposite will happen. Kim's been the one to push Jimmy since the end of season 5. I believe Kim will accept the consequences of her actions somehow, and push on. While listening to Mike on the bed, she wasn't broken. She was just processing. What happened was a lot to take in, but it doesn't seem like there's a mental breakdown coming. She's made of sterner stuff. As the episode ended, I was happy that they finished the cartel plot with five episodes remaining, dedicated to whatever happens with Jimmy and Kim. Then, to my disappointment, I read the episode summary of S06E09. Seems rather unnecessary at this point to continue with Don Eladio etc. but of course I trust Gould, Gilligan and the rest completely. They will, for sure, deliver, so if they feel they still have to go back to Mexico, so be it. Linking Lalo's note to Kim about remembering her shoes to Kim's story to Mr. Acker in S05E03 was awesome. I actually asked the writer if that was intentional, we'll see if he replies.

[@AldousHuxleysCat]

Courtney is amazing, I agree, no one else like her. Insider Podcast is better but that's the actual crew. We need to convince her to review both shows. Imagine the things she'll notice that flew by so many others

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you so much for the kind words!! Although I think this episode proves beyond a shadow of doubt that they deeply, deeply love each other, I wouldn't discount the idea that they will break up/have to separate for some time. There are consequences for everything in this universe.

[@KristenDriscoll18]

Couldn't have said this better myself, luukkimus!

[@luukkimus]

@@courtneysreviews438You were very correct to not discount the idea re:breakup! And it was just beautiful, I'm so glad they decided to do it exactly the way they did. Of course I love Kim and I hoped what I said would be correct and I guess in a way it was, considering that they DO love each other and THAT is not going away. The circumstances - other people and the consideration of their well-being - just make the relationship impossible. A famous standup comic once said that a breakup is almost always a good thing, because it's the end of something bad. So you should actually be happy about it! If there were actually people who loved each other a lot and *they* would break up, THAT would be awful, but that's almost never the case. A breakup happens because there's no more love from one side or neither. What S06E09 portrayed was exactly this exception: the love itself continues unscathed and that's exactly what makes it so heartbreaking. Despite the strong past few episodes, I think S06E09 knocks them out of the park. It's my favourite episode of the season so far and probably my favourite episode in the series as well. Can't wait to hear your take on it, but take your time! :)

[@winarkowinarko4616]

@@luukkimus The comic you refer to is Louis CK, isnt it? Why not mention him by name?

[@devonbryant839]

Another great video! The connection made to Kim's previous shoeless story was particularly good, that does add a different layer of trauma to consider she might be experiencing. Another addition to your Air section: Kim rolls her window down when parked alongside the police, and we do hear the night air come up on the soundtrack. It just emphasizes how close she is to them, how she could have alerted them to her distressed state with as little as a breath, but chose not to. And for what its worth, I personally have zero doubt that she would've pulled the trigger on whoever answered that door - Kim Wexler is a complicated and rich character, but one thing she is not is a half measures kinda gal.

[@paulperry1021]

Courtney, terrific summation and analysis. I have enjoyed your presentations and look forward to the next five episodes. This has been a fun ride.

[@millubnikow5649]

Once again,love listening to your reviews.Very deep analysis and thoughts. I hope from now on, the series will be even more and more suspenseful and breathtaking...

[@KevinPrimus]

From the first minute Defining narrative frame Help us walk this mile

[@leamanc]

I love the motif of the elements. It fits the episode well. Also glad that you brought up Kim holding her head down on the bed as a callback to the shoplifting incident. That was the thing that stuck with me the most from Pete’s livestream, and I had been thinking about it a lot since then. Great review as always!

[@LostTheater]

The thing I love most in this episode, as always with Vince, is the writing. The burial of Lalo and Howard in the Lab is so meaningful : Like the whole BCS show, it's a symbol of the capacity of the writers to invent a full unknown universe behind what was already there in BB. And it was already true in BB, their capacity to reuse previous characters or things, and build them all into a very coherent universe. Vince & Peter are among the best TV writers ever.

[@malayjoshi1098]

Reverse Engineering in storytelling at it's finest 🔥🔥

[@denisesudell2538]

Vince didn’t write the episode-Gordon Smith did. Vince just directed it.

[@LostTheater]

@@denisesudell2538 He created and writed the whole show :)

[@denisesudell2538]

@@LostTheater He and Peter Gould co-created the show. There’s a whole group of writers who work on the episodes. For example, Tom Schnauz was nominated for an Emmy for writing “Plan and Execution.”

[@WowLynchWow]

Great stuff Courtney! I love your presentation style, your thoroughness, and your uncanny ability to draw connections. And Big Lebowski comparisons are an added bonus.

[@NankerPhelge65]

U two should team up and do a review together. It would be tight !

[@BenChanNYC]

I just started watching, but your transition from shoes to Aristotle and the four elements is brilliant! You just hooked me right off the bat and it's exactly why you're my only BCS channel! (more later after I watch and digest)

[@raydavison4288]

Jimmy is willing to die for Kim & Kim is willing to kill for Jimmy. That's some powerful love right there. That's why I have a hard time believing that Kim & Jimmy will part willingly.

[@mattst.germain4023]

Agree.

[@nont18411]

Kim knows too much about Gus operation. Things that will split them will be forced and I think Gus will play a role in it.

[@mattst.germain4023]

@@nont18411 Kim has no clue who Fring is, and has zero knowledge of the inner workings of that operation. She only knows that she/Jimmy are involved with a “major drug trafficker/murder” in Lalo. She knows Mike was the one with Saul in the desert, but has no idea who anyone else is. I agree, she could be seen as a liability by Fring, but he’s got to understand she was just doing what she was forced to do. Fring may want her out of the picture in some form or fashion, but her being killed I can’t see it.

[@nont18411]

@@mattst.germain4023 The difference between Kim and Jimmy is that Kim went inside Gus’ house. Jimmy didn’t and Gus is known to be secretive and is quick to eliminate (or at least neutralize) supposed loose ends that will tank his plans, like with Werner and Victor so Kim is still in danger from him.

[@iluvanimals4evr]

@@nont18411 I see what you are saying but if Gus harms Kim, then Jimmy would not work with him in any capacity ever.

[@krazylegz11]

That intro was awesome 😂. It's great to see another one of your videos. I watched, I think, all of them during the last 7 weeks and it helped me get through the wait. One thing I noticed as a theme during the episode was "time". When they have that shot of Kim walking to Gus' house, the shadows reminded me of a clock hand moving. Which to me was cool because they were pressed for time since they only had one hour. Also, the fan moving slowly in the laundry when Gus was there right before Lalo appears made me think of a clock as well. And the fact that Lalo knew approximately how much time he had before Mike showed up. And lastly the "you have one minute" line right before Gus' speech. Anyways, great review and analysis as always. Look forward to all your other ones, and kudos for putting so much thought into this with how busy you are. I sincerely hope your channel gets me recognition after the Pete Peppers podcast. Take care!

[@courtneysreviews438]

An alternative title for this episode could've been "Point and Shoes." 👞 👟 👡 👢 🥿 👠

[@krisweinschenker598]

'Socks' and Shoes??😉😉

[@guyinc0gnito]

Welcome back! 9 seconds in and can already tell this is gonna be good

[@InkedArtisan85]

You make it difficult to watch all the folks I've previously watched - lol. Excellent analysis. A collab between you and Ological would break the BB/BCS internet. :)

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you, Jenn! There is a special place in my heart for those of you who have been with me from the beginning and helped elevate me. I appreciate you!

[@davidci]

It's so funny scrolling through the parts of the video, seeing "The 4 Elements", "Water", "Fire", and then suddenly "Kim's shoes"

[@Alacrates]

Great breakdown, all the points about shoes & shoelessness made for an interesting little thread. One thing that struck me about this episode was how little Jimmy moved in it - while everyone else was racing back & forth between different locations, Jimmy basically made it from the living room to the bedroom. Also that fridge swap out - seeing how large a role takeout food & beers on the balcony played in Kim & Jimmy's relationship, it was pretty dark to see these be removed from the fridge to make room for Howard's body

[@Alacrates]

Would be interesting to know how Mike knew about them trying to make Howard appear to be a cocaine addict... as far as I remember there was really only the golf club scene that explicitly mentioned this, the following incidents with Wendy and at the mediation were really more to get Cliff to make inferences about what he thought he'd seen. I guess the vet knew, as he would've been asked to find a drug that mimicked the effects.

[@Alacrates]

Also - I really hate to be pedantic, but I think Empedocles devised the 4 elements theory well before Aristotle did - I apologize for bringing this up, couldn't help myself!

[@professorcon3635]

OHMYGOD, shoes! Haven't seen that video in a long while- great way to start. Aristotle reference- FANTASTIC.

[@Aldairion]

Thank you so much for that intro 😅

[@courtneysreviews438]

😜 I'm glad you appreciate it! Dated myself with the shoes song. Ah the prehistoric days of youtube were a fascinating mix of comedy and wtf.

[@KevinPrimus]

When focused on Kim Medium is the message Wexler ponytail (11:19)

[@tricyclejesus4572]

When Lalo smiled like that just before dying, I thought of how Gus adjusted his tie before going. Those facets of their personalities being so deeply ingrained that it's the last thing to die. Gus and his pride, Lalo and his [mischievousness?]

[@FleagleSangria]

Made me think of the Joker death in the first Batman

[@courtneysreviews438]

Nice observation👍

[@Ashas.Garden]

I totally think Lalo told himself one final great dark joke at his own expense and couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe that the housecat caught the gutter rat and would bury it under the south wall. Maybe his neurons fired through all his past misdeeds and meaner opponents and found amusement that someone so unassuming took him out.

[@nathan43082]

Love your analyses

[@reillywadsworth5633]

Wow. This was your best breakdown by far. Keep up the amazing work!

[@rkerlin]

Welcome back Professor. I've never known a mid-season break to trail on for so so long... Finally the "Shoes" foreshadowing has been resolved. I thought all this time Gilligan just had a foot fetish LOL. And who else but the great Tony Dalton can put a smile on the last breath of Lalo Salamanca. Bravo Tony! Again, thanks for your hard work on these videos.

[@BehindTheForcedSmile]

Great analysis as always! I was looking forward to this video as soon as I watched the episode.

[@meli20361]

You have the most thoughtful breakdowns!

[@larrybutler7084]

This right here is analysis that was worth the wait.

[@elaine6705]

I am so sorry that I am only discovering your reviews now! by far the best and most detailed breakdown I have heard. Your observations and attention to detail is astounding. Look forward to your reviews of the next few episodes.

[@robertkirkendall2010]

I like the way you brought the four elements into your analysis. So many levels and interpretations in the BB/BCS universe.

[@TheAwesomeAlan]

Great analysis! I know there's a lot of channels out there that discusses the Breaking Bad/Better Call Universe, but I found your perspective and insight really unique and enjoyed listening!

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@danielhtx1]

Great job and wonderful insight. I loved how you were able recognize these themes and bring life into them.

[@theblankcanvasfilms]

The shot near the end of the episode, where Mike closes the bedroom door, to stop Saul from seeing them putting Howard's body into the fridge, is a reference to the final shot in the film The Godfather. That is also a story about somebody surrounded by the crime world, who finds themself getting sucked into it. In that movie, it is also the shot that separates the characters who once loved each other, but realise that the crime world is now getting between them.

[@toddb813]

Very nice synopsis-probably the best breakdown of this episode that I’ve watched. First time seeing this channel and it was worth a subscribe-keep the great content coming!

[@sinequanonn]

Great Analysis , as always! You are by far the best most intelligent youtuber analysing BCS! As to the espisode itself though, I honestly think this was one of the most underwhelming climaxes in the whole breaking Bad universe. A lot of stuff happening in the episode seemed rather coincidental, Lalo skipping the security in the most clichee way, Gus knowing somehow he would be there, Mike getting bested like five times in a row, Lalo doing the most non-Lalo thing by letting Gustavo speak without at least harming him (I understand he needs him alive to some extend but the Lalo that we knew would have shot him in the arms or legs or straight up beaten him up), him still wasting time even after getting the words out of Gustavo, him looking like a rookie trying to shoot down Gus, and the icing on the cake, the very underwhelming death scene. This scene and the episode in general reminded me very much of the Night King Episode in the GoT final season where we couldn't see much of the action and the villain being killed rather randomly. This crew have already proven multiple times that they could wrap things around in a genious way, but sorry, for me, this was not one of those times. I am really disappointed in the turn of events this one time. I am honestly curious about how you guys think of my comments about the episode, especially that of Courtney herself. So, any respectful critism or back-up would be appreciated.

[@douglaschase8475]

How would you have finished that arc?

[@iluvanimals4evr]

I liked the episode but honestly I think they could have continued the Gus vs Lalo into the next episode because Lalo is by far the most interesting villain in the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe; for me, the confrontation was rushed, this showdown could have gone on and concluded in the upcoming episode tomorrow. It was good but it was over way too quickly; it could have gone on and be more interesting. I guess I expected more.

[@sinequanonn]

@@douglaschase8475 well Douglas I am obviously not a professional writer, but for starters I would definitely let Mike kill Lalo. If you think about it, these two characters developed somewhat of a competition through the Episodes, most if which coming from Lalo's side, but at the end they did not even confront each other. I would let Lalo beat up Gustavo real good or shoot him several times, nearly killing him, at then let Mike be the hero who takes down Lalo in the last second and save Fring.

[@crackleecrackle162]

This should be the bar for episode breakdowns. Well done.

[@TheJudoJoker]

Theory I have: We'll get one more Kim flashback. It will be her helping her mom cover up a fatal hit and run, then leaving for Albuquerque. This would lead to some comparisons and contrasts with staging Howard's suicide, as well as Mike leaving Philly. I think it would also explain a lot about the reasons Kim does what she does with Jimmy. Plus, I just get the sense there's something very dark and ominous about Kim's past or future that we don't know yet.

[@ambert.3792]

i thought it might be her mom in prison, and that her moms name was giselle--but i dig your take on it too.

[@biancachristie]

I think I heard on Pete Peppers’ livestream (I believe he got this from one of the insider podcasts) that this is definitely happening: I think we’re going to see a younger Kim leaving her hometown “in flames” (that was the phrase someone used, but I assume that’s metaphorical, although you never know). I think it was initially filmed to go where they eventually put the sequence of her shoplifting, because the creative team felt like it gave too much away about Kim’s eventual fate. I wish my memory were better . . . .

[@courtneysreviews438]

@@biancachristie yes! I am actually the one who mentioned it on Pete's channel when I joined him for his 608 livestream :)

[@irmaluther7611]

Who is behind the wheel: Kim or her mother?

[@ambert.3792]

@@irmaluther7611 prob her drunk mom?

[@centennialpeaksadventures]

“Bad things happen when you’re not careful.” I think that’s the point of Kim’s lapse of diligence(?) when it comes to the shoes. With them getting left in the photo during ‘plan and execution’ as well as the scene in the apartment in ‘point and shoot.’ When she’s “in the moment,” she lets the little details escape her. I’m thinking it’ll be this kind of oversight that will be her undoing.

[@deuxchows]

"Wouldn't I?" I guess she has found out the answer.

[@adonismeetschrist9248]

Great analysis ! I’ll be going back through your channel now

[@DCANNONSTEPSBYKE]

I’m glad you mentioned Lalo’s hubris. Lalo is the type to revel in what he’s doing. It made perfect sense that he’d gloat and allow Gus to have his “last words” before dying. I personally think the set up for Lalo’s death was valid because the show went out of its way to highlight Gus’ plan to kill Lalo. I do see how the shoot out could be underwhelming to viewers but it made sense to me.

[@maurihelmos]

You have a very deep look, I love your analysis. There are many details, very well explained. I think that the presence of the elements provides a very poetic look, apart from a certain logic.

[@mattst.germain4023]

Kim having a mental breakdown is an interesting take. That would be an expected outcome after what they all saw. How awful that would be for Jimmy as well, having to see another vital person in his life struggle with that. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but it’s not impossible.

[@maurihelmos]

@@mattst.germain4023 Rea spoiled it in a report about Kim's fate: "There are worse things than death". From there I think she enters a period of mental darkness that incapacitates her for everything until finally in the present (after Omaha/Cinnabon) they meet again and what happens is the famous "After all..."

[@MC-810]

Courtney, that was I think one of the most in-depth and thoughtful reviews I have seen. The four elements represented went totally over my head when I watched the episode last week.

[@nont18411]

What’s sinister about this show is that In S1E7, Kim complained that she never have a stainless fridge in her home. Now, thanks to Howard’s trip to Belize, she finally got a new stainless fridge in her home. In S1E10, Jimmy said that “B as in Belize, beautiful place, so I’ve heard. I would love to go there.” Now in the present day Gene timeline, it could be possible that “I watched Gene die.”

[@courtneysreviews438]

Nice catch about the stainless steel fridge line. I'd forgotten that!

[@Mj323_bb]

There are so many such (clever) writing links between episodes. Like, BB/BCS has been putting out those character-centric videos, and I had never noticed before that in Saul's first appearance in BB he mentions using white-out

[@yasintorkman4813]

Commenting before I even watch this video because I just know it’s going to be great ♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@courtneysreviews438]

❤🥺❤

[@ronchase1673]

The show is getting intense, Monday is my new Saturday night, great presentation Courtney your analysis is tops keep up the good work

[@kell_checks_in]

Immediately when Gus requests time to tell off Don Eladio, Lalo responds "Perfect!" In other words, Gus would be providing more proof that Lalo was correct to kill him.

[@mattst.germain4023]

Maybe Jeff the cabbie is Kim’s “scumbag cousin” that Kim mentions in season 1 who would steal their dying grandmothers pain pills.

[@calengr1]

1) Howard's mobile phone ? did Mike remove? I suppose that it would be redundant to have Mike's crew scanning the Jag for a LoJack and removing it. 2) How a rattled and shattered Kim responds to Howard's queries about missing the Santa Fe conference with the legal aid foundation will be fascinating 3) Kim had more hubris than Lalo. Lalo operated in one arena -- the illegal side. Kim thought she could compartmentalise being a legitimate lawyer and playing the badass. And the twain would never meet. Even after Mike warns her that a variable called Lalo may return at any moment, she decides not to tell her partner, Jimmy , and continue the illegal caper. And then , Poof! the death of Howard will unravel her plans. K-J could have moved out of their apartment to an undisclosed gated community until Lalo was buried, but Kim thought she could manage the two sides. Perhaps, perhaps she wants to be punished...

[@nont18411]

I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot “Do you wanna be a friend of the cartel or do you wanna be a rat?” And look at Kim being so traumatized and didn’t handle Howard’s death quite well as Jimmy (or in fact, Jimmy “acted” as if he handled it better than Kim), I think Kim WILL RAT. She knew about Mike, Victor, Tyrus and was on the phone call with Gus. She will probably trying to give the info about what she knew of Gus’ operation to DA Suzanne (because Suzanne wanted the name of the associates of Lalo and Kim might considered Gus as Lalo’s associates no matter how friendly or hostile they were towards each other). Jimmy, however, will choose NOT TO RAT because not only he didn’t want to get into trouble against Mike and his team. He also knew that there are many Salamancas left (because he met Tuco and the twins while Kim didn’t). If the show want Jimmy to be a complete asshole, he needs to rat to Mike about Kim trying to rat them to the police. This will alert Gus and Mike and they will try to “silence” her. Jimmy might caught a wind about this and talk to Caldera about how to get Kim out of danger. Caldera will tell him about the vacuum shop and Jimmy will ship Kim out of ABQ via vacuum service for her safety and getting her away from Gus and especially, from him. This could also explain why Gus started to befriend the DEA as well because if he befriended the DEA, it’s harder for someone to rat on his operation to the cops because he has a strong inside connection.

[@mattst.germain4023]

Interesting. I seriously hope nobody else is disappeared via the Vacuum method. Thats been used too much already. (Walt/Saul/Jesse. I hope it’s just mentioned, but nobody, or especially Kim isn’t involved. Maybe Kim does become a threat to rat, or at least appear to be a liability. I think it would be extremely lazy, careless writing to have Kim be vacuumed. At this point they are both potential accessories to a murder, and although not involved in the disposal of Howard’s body, or his death, they played a role. I’m leaning more towards she doesn’t rat, but can’t deal with all this like Saul can. Who knows though.

[@maryjanerx]

Lalo calls Gus a house cat, as though house cats dont litterally kill for fun!!!!

[@CustomBPS]

A. Gus killed to survive. B. My house cat murdered everything from bugs to birds. For fun.

[@BareBandSubscription]

Yeah, but they do it adorably.

[@sleeve-tv]

HIGH QUALITY REVIEW! Thank you

[@TanmaiKhanna]

Great analysis as always Courtney! One of the things that the writers seem to do is to really treat the final moment before one's death as sort of a final reckoning with reality. Off the top of my head, Chuck's death and a depressing acceptance, Hank's death, Gus' death, Hector's death, Walt's death, Nacho's death, and now Lalo's death. It seems to be a common theme that for a lot of these people death doesn't come as an end but just as a moment of clarity. Howard's death doesn't fit so cleanly in this theory, but there is something to say about his whole monologue and developing a clarity anyway. I think there is definitely more to analyse here. Deaths are so common in shows like this that we sort of become desensitized to them and maybe they seem like just an end to a character. But it's definitely something to think about further. More and more I'm thinking that there is no logical end but the death of Jimmy and Kim. I would be happy to be wrong, after all Jesse didn't die, but Kim has chosen the bad choice road way more than Jesse ever did. Jimmy too. Maybe the heavy leaning on the imagery of prisons is more of a head fake towards this idea of justice and consequences, whereas by now we know that there is only one way to end all of this. In other words, they are dead, they just don't know it yet.

[@stealth11]

Great deep dive into the episode. I think they felt they needed to show the gun so the more casual viewers wouldn't be momentarily confused. Not everyone dissects every scene like we do. The image that stays with me the most from the episode was Lalo and Howard side by side in their grave below the lab. Excellent job by Vince Gilligan directing this one.

[@antoniomaruge8218]

As always, great analysis.

[@GeoKnowLearning]

I'm so glad your videos are back! You're my favorite BCS commentator!

[@The-Secret-Door]

Really appreciate your deep insights into this show. I'm almost as excited about your insights into Jimmy, Kim, and their relationship as I am about the episodes themselves. Like you mentioned, this episode drives home how much these two love each other. They'll die for each other. Potentially kill for each other. I'm still worried about Kim - and Jimmy (Gene). If he ends up in prison for many years (like more than, say, 3) it'll be such a depressing end. I get the impression from some interviews that the ending is shooting for a complex emotional tone. So I guess it won't be completely happy or completely tragic. One thing that stands out to me about Jimmy AND Kim is how gifted they are. They're brilliant people, capable of amazing things. They have so much to offer the world. Their dark side, that they amplify in each other, is tragic. But that's what makes them so compelling! Fascinating characters. Fascinating relationship.

[@TroutsHonor]

Great video 👍 That move that Gus makes with his feet to unplug the cords would not have been easy, maybe he used to play soccer back in Santiago ⚽️

[@kell_checks_in]

29:45 I instantly assumed that the ditty is from the Pollos Hermanos radio ads or something similar (a call back to that wonderful, 100% blarney, TV ad shown in breaking bad.) Apparently the actor who plays Lyle is a wonderful singer, so I suspect they also gave him a little bit of music to work with as a way to honor that a bit.

[@robbone4]

Also just found out, his father is actor Dave Thomas

[@lawrenceswan3320]

In food service, you don't want the public to associate your place with cockroaches, even subliminally

[@FleagleSangria]

That shoe opening was hillarious "Shoe in the shot!" lol. Thanks for the review Courtney, always some extra tidbits of insight for we BCS fans to chew on 👍🏻

[@RobinHerzig]

THIS! lolol

[@lash570]

Hey Courtney - thanks for helping me better understand why Lalo lets Gus go off on Eladio,,, also there's a very dark humor to "stainless steel' - one that's "howard proof' - one without a corpse,,,,,,,or "as if it never happened"--- a la Mike

[@mangoismangois1672]

I think Kim might be around in the breaking bad timeline living with Saul somehow, because of the bottle topper that she kept as a momento fell out of the dresser in the scene at the beginning of this season where they clean out sauls house

[@CHESSZILLA]

the episode was amazing very much a lot of references to a space odyssey strangely, the music was very György Ligeti, I think a lot of shining to. this show creates so much tension i can hardly move while its on nothing like any other tv show its gripping and terrifying. Loved the x files esque shot of gus looking through the bent vent blades, like theres a monster on the loose

[@jeremytimmons]

Courtney's back!! Love to see it. Wish you were my professor

[@raydavison4288]

Your video dropped just as I started my workday. I will have to wait on watching it for a couple hours. 🎶🎶 ANTICIPATION 🎶🎶

[@UDreviews]

Oh nice point about Kim worrying about how there will be no consequences (to her) and that things will be like nothing happened!! I believe 100% Kim will struggle with this! My partner, as we watched the episode, told me he thinks Kim might not be able to keep up the lie. If she does end up spilling, I believe she will take the entire blame and leave Jimmy out of it. Also someone somewhere in some chat brought up a point I like that when Mike says 2 times “keep telling the lie you’ve been telling”, it can be interpreted as really hitting home that Howard’s death is the consequence to what Kim thought would merely be a “career setback”. I don’t believe Mike was consciously blaming them or scolding them but maybe to Kim and to the audience, it’s driving that point in. THANKYOU FOR THE SHOUTOUT! 🥰

[@RobinHerzig]

Agree Mike's line really did hit home on Howard's death + that Mike didn't mean it that way. He was just drilling into their heads what they absolutely MUST do. You're Laurence Olivier + Meryl Streep. Mike was matter-of-fact in his role as fixer.

[@krisweinschenker598]

Yep...I think might not be able to deal with both the guilt and cover up and might end up going back to Nebraska

[@quietlike]

Ive been diving into BCS reviews, you got some of the BEST recaps!

[@michaelkeith5398]

You can't keep us waiting so long for your analysis it's always the best

[@aaronnelson7702]

They died with thier boots on.. means they died in a fight, or they died before thier natural time. If you died with your boots off, you were more than likely in a peaceful state, in bed as an old man. That's why in tombstone Doc says "I'll be damned" when he noticed his bare feet. He always thought he'd die with his boots on.

[@courtneysreviews438]

I cant recall what movie I heard it in (some old western) but someone says he wants to die with his boots on, with honor. Either way, I think the saying fits. Howard definitely dies before his natural time :(

[@ellejohnson2045]

I loved your insight on how Kim may feel a simliar way to how Jesse felt with Gale's death. To add to this thought in the ep Kim showing up to Gus's house was clearly a parallel to when Jesse killed Gale. This makes me think that instead of Kim continuing to "break bad" and mirror Walt like how she was earlier in the season she is going to become more of a parallel to Jesse and be dettered from the darker side and possibly become more self destructive in a way to seek punishment like we saw with Jesse .

[@KevinPrimus]

Gus seen as house cat Lalo, a wild cat, you note Landing on his feet Cat became a mouse Vulnerable, clutching cheese Vision obstructed (28:30)

[@beverlynoon5294]

Riveting as always, both the episode and your in depth review. So glad I found your channel. Watching and listening to your thoughts really helps to bridge the weeks between episodes.... Such a long stretch to hold one's breath! Thank you for your excellent work.

[@Zoologic21]

Happy you got to be on the Pete Peppers livestream! It’s not like you didn’t have your own following or anything before, I was just happy to see all of you together, really adding ideas and sharing thoughts with each other! Once again great analysis. I initially thought the reference in Breaking Bad to “two bodies” found in the meth lab were meant to tie in to this episode with the bodies being revealed as Lalo and Howard, but I forgot that when Walt and Jesse torch the lab, they take out two henchmen. I also thought that the talking to by Mike with Kim and Jimmy were somewhat reminiscent of Walt and Jesse when they are confronted by Gus when he offs Victor. Congrats on being able to go to the premiere too! 5 more episodes to go!

[@Mj323_bb]

Yes, another great video. Well organized, thought out (as always), and easy to follow/understand. One thought on the show: it seemed to me they went out of their way to make Kim look like she was dressed in an orange jumpsuit, which I think goes along with your "Kim behind bars" discussion from several of your previous videos. Keep up the great work, looking forward to your next BCS effort (and, for that matter, all of your future content)

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you here! There was another visual representation of bars across her in this episode, too. I didn't mention this in the video, but when she is putting on her shoes before she leaves the apt, the shadow from the blinds are across her face.

[@iluvanimals4evr]

@@courtneysreviews438 poor Kim!

[@uraigroves7898]

very funny. quite clever....you are in kim territory in the clever dept.... : )

[@firewoman2863]

Thanks for this, Courtney! So much to chew on. I think Mike is passing judgement on them and Jimmy picks it up. "That's the lie you've been telling, right," Mike says and Jimmy looks so guilty. He's taking in the rebuke. A Kim shocked to the core can process logically here and can repeat, "It never happened," but she absolutely can't process all of this emotionally. I worry that unless she begins to emotionally feel guilt, she'll never be able to live with herself. I'm afraid she's going to crack.

[@mattst.germain4023]

Quite possible.

[@RobinHerzig]

Oh at least for now Kim's broken. That sterner stuff took a hard hit here. Think she'll be able to do Meryl Streep in the morning at the courthouse, but it's gonna be rough

[@ludwigmises]

I think Jimmy looks at Kim during this part because he’s wondering how the heck Mike knows about what they were doing to Howard. He’s wondering, “Did she tell him about our Howard scam as they were driving back here?”

[@laureanne3409]

@@ludwigmises I wonder if Mike interacted with Caldera the vet, who mentioned something about the medicine he gave them.

[@calengr1]

aside: In BB Hank's wife shoplifted a pair of shoes, but the theme was never developed.

[@edstueckle4856]

Hol-eeeee Shyte!! Can't wait for your 609 review. I did not see that coming. And I was wrong across the board. Damn, these writers are brilliant.

[@XanderShiller]

At least Howard got a beautiful burial and eulogy by St. Michael. On that note, I wonder where they buried Ziegler..

[@Dblk97]

Hi Courtney, Upping your game! Best review yet! Though they're all good. I had to rewatch the shoe joke a few times. Pure gold! Your comment about the sense of powerlessness Kim & Jimmy experience reminds me of Ological's breakdown of S5 E3, The Guy for This. The episode shows Kim & Jimmy standing & talking to Mr. Ackers, Lalo & Hank who are sitting and listening. Their source of power is from their voice, or as Lalo puts it to Jimmy, "You're the guy with the mouth." There is a role reversal in this episode as it is Lalo and Mike who are standing and doing the talking while Kim & Jimmy must sit and listen. Lalo sneers, "You two and your mouths. Now you will listen." Their source of power has been removed which leads to the powerlessness we see unfold during the show. Yet their voice will return as Mike instructs them how to proceed for the upcoming day. Mike tells them to treat the day like any other day and for Kim & Jimmy this means taking control by talking. They will talk to the police and continue the story about Howard's drug use to control the narrative. Life will return to normal. Or will it? I share your concern that Kim will struggle in a world with no accountability. Great connection with Jesse in BB! A similar idea plays out earlier in this season in E4, Hit and Run, when they pull the con of pushing Wendy out of Howard's car in front of Cliff. Jimmy tells Kim that she thinks she's being followed because they got away with it. "It's too good to be true," he says. Kim operates in a moral world that she cannot escape. Even when Kim commits immoral actions, she rationalizes them as a cause for justice. How will Kim continue when there is no just cause for Howard's death?

[@courtneysreviews438]

Ah you're right! Their sense of powerlessness is a nice callback to how they felt in "The Guy for This." That's the episode where they decide and commit to being friends of the cartel as opposed to rats. Kim could have gone to the police then. She had another opportunity now. I keep thinking of the line from her Mom that she is going to wish they'd gone to the police. I think there is a chance she will. As I mentioned in the video, when they go to speak to the police after Howard's car is found, I think that might be a really interesting moment (turning-point?) for Kim.

[@kameronmcconnell8742]

okay the shoes intro was amazing! Thank you for that haha!

[@84Actionjack]

Good analysis; great on imagery. Could have used your insight in high school with my Macbeth homework. Don't think Kim will get over her part in Howard's demise. This may fracture the relationship between Kim and Jimmy but a silver lining could be there's no apparent reason on the horizon for anything bad to happen to Kim. Maybe she just leaves in despair.

[@howardpritchardjr7488]

I got another theory on why Lalo allowed Gus to talk. Finding proof that Gus was building something isn't as clear cut as an actual confession. Lalo knew that to get Gus's confession, on tape, would be all he needed for the cartel. Without it, Lalo could'nt 100% justify killing Gus. Right now, it's not the infamous super-lab. It's just an undeveloped hole in the ground. Lalo needed Gus to admit it for his plan to fully work.

[@CustomBPS]

Except, that's not what happened. Gus didn't confess to anything, he just shittalked the Salamanca and Eladio. That's probably enough, but I think the nature of the words was to temporarily disarm Lalo. He's thinking, 'Damn, listen to this bastard. The balls on him.' There would be a moment of wonder that Gus was cowering. Just enough time to get to the plug and kick it...

[@howardpritchardjr7488]

@@CustomBPS I get it. But... If we're keeping with one of the themes of this season alone (characters telling how they truly feel before their death), it could hold valid as a confession. It's verbal proof that Gus despises the cartel. If that tape had reached the cartel, it would have assured the cartel that Gus was behind everything. Even the disruption of the Salamanca's distribution chain. Again, just a thought.

[@simonmacklin4797]

When they sit on the bed, and Mike tells them their next steps, it`s like the Salamanca twins sitting on Walter`s bed. The "Mike" in BB is the teddy bear`s eye - Mike has been watching them and knows their Howard scam, just as the eye was with Walter through the season.

[@calengr1]

34:42 Mike does scold K-J..... Mike has underrated scorn when he tells K-J to keep telling the same lie......you wanted H to be seen as a coacaine addict.....2) I agree that K seemed startled that k-J are the last to see H alive. To me, K was merely wondering how well she can lie under questioning

[@nont18411]

Remember when Jimmy came back from the desert? Bill Oakley mocked him greatly about how he totally lost his ability to weasel out the situation to the point that Bill won a case that should be very easy for someone like Saul Goodman. Now we will see this version of Kim who was traumatized so much that she lost her lawyer ability immensely (to the point that everyone notices that something weird must have happened to her). This will tip off Cliff and cause the cascade of events for her downfall…at least in this prequel timeline.

[@swiberk]

About time! ;) watching now will comment after. thanks courtney!

[@Amy-tn3qv]

Hey Courtney, I love your summaries, almost as much as your predictions! 😉 I can't wait to hear what you have to say about 6x09!

[@JohnnyBallGame100]

Awesome as always Courtney. Thank you

[@calengr1]

Kim-jimmy fundamentally mis-understood the arena that they were playing in. They were deluded that one can compartmentalise acting as a cartel lawyer away from elder law lawyer. And the twain shall never meet? Once Mike warned Kim that Lalo remained alive then Kim should have shut down the "caper." Someone was going to get seriously hurt. Mike probably should have admonished them that capers and cartel law dont mix, but they skipped that class in law school. Kim was pathetic when she bawled at Mike for not protecting her from herself. Did Mike make the commitment in writing? Did Mike now work for her and Jimmy, or some dark shadowy drug kingpin? Did she truly not understand that she and Jimmy could be expendable?

[@mattst.germain4023]

Agree. She wanted to have it both ways. Maybe just looking to blame Mike in that moment to help her deflect some of the blame from her. I think after the smoke clears a bit, she’ll fully realize how their actions led to real consequences.

[@nont18411]

Jimmy to Kim S4E6: “So you don’t want to lose anything, do you?” Mike BrBa S3E12: “No more half measures.”

[@CustomBPS]

As the kids say, 'Shit got real.' She's so used to being the smartest person in the room and bending people to her will, especially Jimmy, that this outcome was not on the radar for her, even after she was warned Lalo was alive. She snaps and goes harder, not likely or she gets out, more likely. But the Kim we all knew and rooted for died the instant she raised that gun to fire. She is a criminal, just like the rest. Her justifications do not matter. Her choices have ended in death. There is no returning to before, and, as Mike said: "Nothing can be done about it."

[@calengr1]

@@CustomBPSThe criminal element dominates in Kim. Kim slipped into the dishonorable column when she concocted the anti-Howard plan. It truly became reckless when Mike told K that Lalo was on the loose and Kim should have inferred that the caper was now dangerous to Howard among others with an unknown variable called Lalo. She could have told jimmy about the Mike warning, and how they were expendable with Mike's goals to secure Gus' safety /interests and not their security Just moving to a secure gated community would have thwarted Lalo. Abandon the caper, and Howard lives. Once the foundation $ was on offer the entire rationale for the caper disappeared, but Kim the con-woman wanted the criminal win even though as Howard noted Kim had the talent too break good and stay there and prosper. After Howard's death, Mike's understated scorn comes out with his "keep telling the lie" [ about cocaine] to cover up the [forseeable] murder of the innocent Howard. Why did Mike not give Kim the same advice that he gave Danny about being an honorable thief? Mike knew that the caper was not honorable, but Lalo and Gus's nerves were using all of weary Mike's bandwidth. And Mike wanted to like the pretty Kim, Ms Wexler, who handled Lalo in the apartment. Mike underestimated the criminal element in Kim, even Jimmy, especially in Walt. Mike underestimated the revenge element in Gus that gets Gus killed.

[@Jdshald]

Great video!

[@franciskelly8503]

Great job with the review. You always give me some new to consider. Thanks!

[@jeffmaehre7150]

Great, detailed analysis. I love the air, fire, water stuff, and the cat and rat motif. Great stuff!

[@courtneysreviews438]

Thank you!

[@maryjanerx]

Great intro omg!!

[@hbgoldstine]

Such brilliant analysis. Thanks so much! … so much of both shows is about how ego clouds the judgement of even the most intelligent and competent people. Lalo not just killing Gus very much plays to that.

[@lmen255]

I think it is a mistake that Howard’s watch isn’t included with his wallet and ring. He has a small gold watch on a stretchy band that is hard to see under his large cuffs. Most likely a heirloom he would want to leave for some loved one. Plus he take good care of his things. I think we will see someone cares about Howard an does not believe the story. Maybe he had a bad reaction to coke in his past.

[@nont18411]

Cheryl and Cliff are the keys. Howard told both of them that Jimmy scammed him.

[@Dylangreen2122]

Good stuff again Court!! I love your theory videos the best. Hope to see some soon