Summary
This is how patient storytelling pays off — Better Call Saul has been worth every episode.
This recap of Better Call Saul season 6, episode 9, “Fun and Games,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
It was always going to happen eventually. Both timelines are joining up between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. This is impressive television. Savor it.
Better Call Saul season 6, episode 9 recap
Episode 9 opens with a crane assembling an office sign that says “Saul Goodman & Associates.” Jimmy looks up at the sign, seemingly proud. Meanwhile, Kim gets on with her legal work. Mike made it clear to both of them that they needed to get on with their daily lives. Mike is busy cleaning up the mess left behind from the last episode. It’s an uncomfortable start to the chapter. It’s strange and unspoken. The reality of the situation hits when Kim and Jimmy get home.
Jimmy eventually speaks and tells Kim that one day they will not think about recent events at all. He believes they can forget what happened. But this is not something that can be forgotten. Kim’s face says it all.
And then, the episode turns to Gus, who looks a little weary after his violent confrontation with Lalo. Episode 9 sees Gus meeting the cartel. Hector and his usual acquaintances are there. Hector accuses Gus of attacking Lalo and killing him. Gus brings no defense, believing the accusation does not merit a response. The cartel discusses the allegation in front of Gus, making their own judgment. Hector is impatient at the lack of decision-making over the accusation against Gus. However, they send Hector off to rest, despite his frustrations.
The cartel asks Gus how they can negotiate peace, discussing geographical areas of drug supply and ownership. Gus agrees with the areas discussed. He has wormed himself out of the dangerous situation. When he returns home, Mike tells him that the Lalo situation “is over,” so Gus gets back to business. He wants construction to resume in the lab.
And then we are treated to a rare moment in Gus’s personal life. Gus goes out for a drink and enjoys a glass of wine with an old friend called David. Gus loves the special wine his friend has provided. It’s an animated conversation between them, with the man eager to get his stories across as Gus listens intently as they discuss the exceptional wine and a prestigious vineyard. It’s almost intimate, but eventually, Gus stares into space as he sips his wine as David briefly leaves the bar – it’s almost like recent events have taken a toll. Gus goes before his friend David returns. There’s no time for human connections in this world. I interpret this scene as Gus seeing a human connection as a weakness. He felt like he was slipping, and when he caught himself, he returned to the crime boss we know.
Mike has a sudden moment of feeling guilty and rings Vargas’s father. He asks to meet him and tells the man that his son will not be found. He makes it clear that his son’s death was not painful, that he had a good heart and was involved with the wrong people. Mike assures Vargas’s father that there will be justice against the Salamancas. The father states it will not be “justice” but “revenge.” He knows revenge will not change the fact that his son is gone. It’s intriguing to see how Mike can slip too. He’s shown frequently that there is a human side to him that he resists.
And then, the episode takes a sober turn. Jimmy and Kim attend a memorial reception for Howard. They learn that Howard’s law firm is downsizing after his death. The wife of Howard confronts Kim and Jimmy about the elaborate pranks that Howard accused them of. Jimmy denies the pranks and admits he could have been more considerate with Howard, blaming his jealousy on his brother.
But the wife wants to know what they told the police. Jimmy tells the fake story while the wife scopes him. The wife doesn’t believe his husband was on drugs — she doesn’t think any of it makes sense and believes there is more to this than suicide. Kim steps in and brings more depth to the fake story — she tells the wife she saw Howard a year and a half ago snorting drugs in his office. These two characters are in so much debt with the truth that it is impossible to pay off.
When Kim and Jimmy leave the memorial, Jimmy tells her it’s over, and they should let “the healing begin.” Kim stops in her tracks, kisses Jimmy, and drives off without him. This is the beginning of the end for Wexler.
The next day, Kim requests to withdraw from one of her clients in court. The judge is confused as to why she is withdrawing. Kim cites personal reasons. The judge wants Kim to argue her motion, but she states it’s impossible for her to continue because she’s no longer an attorney. She gave notice to the bar.
Later in the evening, an agitated Jimmy confronts Kim and tells her not to throw everything away. He’s visibly upset, but Kim tells him, “it’s already done.” Jimmy wants a new plan to fix all this. But then, Jimmy sees she’s packed all her clothes too. She tells him they are “bad for each other.” She admits she’s had the time of her life with him, but together they are poison. Jimmy is in denial and tells Kim that she makes him happy. He’s heartbroken. Kim confesses that she knew Lalo was alive. Jimmy is shocked by this revelation. Kim didn’t want Jimmy to fear for her, blame himself, and break up. She wanted to continue the “fun.”
Kim has come to terms with the toxicity she and Jimmy create. It seems she has become self-aware of who she has become and no longer wants to be the monster that she is when around Jimmy. Better Call Saul has answered the fate of Kim. And it was simple. They just broke up. And understandably too. This is a realistic end to their relationship.
The ending
The episode then flits to Jimmy waking up next to another woman. He tells her to leave before getting to work. He’s in his new fancy house, and he’s successful. This is his new life. He’s a fully formed Saul Goodman, the one we saw in Breaking Bad. The episode ends with Jimmy in his office, waiting for another hectic day. This is how patient storytelling pays off — Better Call Saul has been worth every episode.
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