Summary
Better Call Saul Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM” sees Kim and Saul’s relationship transform quickly and Lalo and Gus are still partaking in a cold war.
This recap of Better Call Saul Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM” contains spoilers and information of how it ended.
Better Call Saul Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM” begins as a straight continuation of the previous episode, with the shocking marriage proposal by Kim actually coming to fruition. “JMM” intimately watches them both head to the marriage office. As part of their marriage, Saul has agreed to tell Kim everything when he is trying to keep “something” from her. It’s a strange agreement and one that is surely flawed. But as discussed in the last recap, Kim wants that certainty.
They married in a courtroom like two serious lawyers. It’s kind of romantic but not at the same time.
And strangely, Episode 7 sees them get straight back to work after; there’s no rest or honeymoon. Nacho rings Saul and asks him to represent Lalo in court. Lalo pleads not guilty, and the judge denies bond. Saul doesn’t truly understand who he is involved with yet — Lalo tells him that he wants no trial, no deal and he wants out on bail.
The mere audacity of Lalo comes to light in Episode 7, “JMM”.
As for Kim; it’s all about saving the Mesa Verde client — Kim and Rich are very apologetic, but then Kim takes a u-turn, and tells Kevin that he ignored all their advice when Saul was involved, which is not the basis of a good relationship — Kevin keeps them as a client. Bold move by Kim.
After a hard day’s work, Saul and Lalo initiate celebratory sex for getting married; but as the clothes are getting stripped off, Saul wants to adhere to their deal and tells Kim about Lalo who wants bail and that he’d be a “friend of the cartel”, which means a lot of money. Kim asks Saul if he wants to be a friend of the cartel and he says no. Kim is happy that Saul provided full disclosure.
Better Call Saul Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM” sees Nacho still fretting over Lalo and tells Mike now that he is out of the picture, he wants out. Mike wonders what the rush is, and Nacho then reveals that Lalo wants to burn down Gus’s business. Mike wisely states that Lalo is not out of the picture then.
And then there is Gus who is operating everyone like puppets. He updates the board of the business his success and new product lines. Afterwards, in a hotel room, Lydia and Peter fret over Lalo who is commanding orders from prison. Gus asks Peter to stay strong.
Gus is such a hard character to gauge and fully understand — sometimes I wonder if he is worthy of his own series.
Mike, who is way more relaxed in Episode 7, heads over to Saul’s apartment and tells him to get Lalo out on bail. Meanwhile, Gus and Nacho head into one of the restaurants and start smashing it up and then set it on fire.
Gus is evidently trying to stay ahead in this incoming war.
As we approach the end of yet another good episode of Better Call Saul, we see the outcome of Lalo’s demand for bail. In court, Saul is observedly guilty because the family of the murdered man at Travel Wire is there and are all sobbing. Saul then kicks into action and claims witness tampering by a private investigator. The prosecution wants the judge to consider Lalo as a flight risk. Saul dismisses the risk and says Lalo is deeply tied to the community with a lovely family. The judge agrees to the bond and sets it at 7 million, cash only. Lalo tells Saul to pick up the money.
Saul has no idea the hole he is creating for himself.
Better Call Saul Season 5, Episode 7, “JMM” closes outside of the courtroom, with Saul looking guilty, observing the upset family again. Howard approaches Saul timidly and asks him if he has considered his offer yet. Saul is being all vague, so Howard says the offer is off the table as Saul seems upset. Saul claims the entire ordeal is getting weird. Howard states that weird is how bowling balls have been thrown at his car and prostitutes turning up to restaurants and approaching him. Howard knows it was Saul.
Howard apologises for Saul being in pain and Saul gets suddenly emotional — “you kill my brother and you say you’re sorry”. Saul then explodes and says the job is too small and that is going way beyond him.
This explosion was incredible, and it just shows how much pent up anger and upset Saul had from within him. But what it also showed this scene is how Saul feels he is invincible, diminishing Howard’s offer to a top firm as “small”.
Brief notes
- Mike gets to see his granddaughter again after his little outbursts two episodes ago.
- Kevin says he is disappointed in Kim and that she can get a better man than Saul.
