'Better Call Saul' Recap: 'Off Brand'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

More often than not, the big moments in our lives, the kind that fundamentally change who we are and where we are going...arrive with little pomp and circumstance. Instead, they're often accompanied with  a simple decision, one made out of necessity or on a whim and it is only years later when we reflect upon said moment that we realize the power of it, and how everything changed because of it and a moment just like that was featured on ​Better Call Saul last night.

Because in this episode, 'Off Brand', Saul Goodman was born at last, and while he wasn't quite what we expected him to be, the important thing is that his creation came to fruition and there wasn't some grand reveal or some powerful build up to bring him to life. It was a simple decision, and a simple moment that allowed for Saul to exist, one that was made out of pure necessity, because James McGill is at a crossroads in his life, and he's not alone when it comes to such a situation. It seems that a vast majority of our beloved characters are questioning quite a few things on this show and before we get into that titular moment with Jimmy, let's take a moment and explore more of the junctures that others faced as well.

Take for example Nacho. While his loyalties to Hector Salamanca have always been questionable at best, last night his story took quite the turn. Because his semi-idyllic life as an employee of Hector's cartel was upended thanks to the feud with Gus Fring, and the gun pointed at his face when he snuck a little extra product for his boss, left him questioning just what the heck he's doing getting mixed up in messes such as this and it only got worse once Hector asked Nacho to do something he clearly has no desire to do; ask his father to help the Salamanca drug empire, and use his shop to serve as a front for Hector's shipments. Unfortunately for Nacho, he found no easy answers when it comes to his predicament, but for now, he has the pleasure of knowing his boss is missing one pill from his all important medication and it's only a matter of time before he figures out how to make his life better.

While Nacho struggled with how to improve his situation however, Charles McGill appears to have discovered his own path when it comes to seeing a better tomorrow. Because after being humiliated in court, and ignoring his ex-wife's attempts to make him feel better, a visit from Howard served as the springboard he needed since Howard was kind enough to point out that Chuck is at a crossroads and that this could serve as a new beginning for Chuck, and he had the opportunity to do something wonderful now that this mess with his brother was behind him. Those kind words inspired him to try something bold...and address his mental health, leading to a stunning set of scenes where we saw Charles grab hold of a battery to try and combat his 'electromagnetic allergy', and he even stepped out into the world to make a trip on foot into the city to make a phone call to Doctor Cruz, signaling the possibility that he is ready to receive treatment at last...

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Truly though, the centerpiece of the night was Jimmy's story. Because despite the stunning display of legal skill he exhibited in his own hearing, and Kim's wonderful plea to the Bar, he still found himself under a one year suspension from practicing law and while at seemed as though Jimmy was going to get by with this setback in his legal career, it tore at him in ways we never thought imaginable. For starters, he's clearly turned his back on Chuck, refusing to help him when Rebecca asks for his assistance, and his journey down the rabbit hole continued once he took the time to call each and every one of his clients to let them know they were now without counsel, and every single one of those phone calls shattered another piece of his soul.

If anything, it would seem that particular process is what finally allowed for the reality of the situation to sink in for Jimmy, and despite his continued optimism that he would find a way to pay the bills and keep his practice open, without clients and the steady income they provide, the amount of money that Jimmy spent on his upcoming commercials suddenly became of grave concern. After all, his contract with the station was iron clad, and there was no backing out of it or the four grand he spent on air time, leading Jimmy to do what he does best...and improvise. He gets the grand idea to film commercials for local businesses, giving them the air time for free while he recoups his primary cost and while this goes poorly at first, a moment of inspiration leads to the big moment in question.

Knowing full well filming a commercial with his face would lead to confusion, Jimmy 'creates' a new character to sell his airtime and commercial making skills; a producer known as Saul Goodman and well...this was a moment that absolutely left my jaw dropped. Because...this was it. This was the moment that this incredible man was brought to life and while it may seem like no big deal because this iteration of Saul is not a lawyer or indulging Jimmy's dark side...he's the true beginning and harbinger of things to come. By being created out of necessity for survival, and by being someone who flat out isn't Jimmy, Saul will allow James McGill to let loose, to be someone else and live a different life and that kind of freedom will clearly evolve as time goes on, and well...we know how this story ends, but it was truly magical to finally see Saul Goodman's birthday. 

However, in the here and the now, Saul is purely harmless, just another way for Jimmy to make a quick buck and keep the lights on, so there is still the matter of what turns him into the kind of man we met in Breaking Bad, and truthfully, part of me still firmly believes that Chuck will have a big hand in helping shape the Saul we know and love. Because if the elder McGill is working to get his illness under control, that means eventually he will have full control of his mental facilities again...and we all know that despite Howard's plea to leave Jimmy in the past...once Chuck is healthy, he is going to settle the score and considering that the two of them facing off in court was in many ways the genesis of Saul Goodman, Chuck's vendetta will only make matters worse and push his baby brother deeper into a world of sleaze and darkness. Either way, the big moment finally arrived, and I couldn't be happier because from here on out, it's clear this show is going to be about the evolution of Saul Goodman. Until next time.

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