MARCO, the theme to the finale of the first season of BETTER CALL SAUL could best called: you can go home again, but you don't belong there. After the hateful betrayal by his brother Chuck in last week's episode, PIMENTO, Jimmy McGill heads back to his hometown of Cicero, Illinois, hooks up with his old crony, Marco, and resumes his old Slippin' Jimmy ways, which consists of small time scams to fleece rubes.
Jimmy and Marco prove they've still got it after ten years, especially in a protracted scene in a bar, where they get a couple hundred dollars out of a businessman who's not nearly as shrewd as he thinks; it's a great small time version of THE STING and I bet a lot of viewers will never look at a Kennedy half dollar the same way again. Jimmy and his old bud have a high old time for awhile, although I can't believe anyone would fall for the old Nigerian prince story at this late date. But all good things must end as Slippin' Jimmy comes to realize his life is really back in New Mexico where a surprising offer is dangled in front of him, an offer which prompts him to make a fateful decision on his future, one that is no surprise to faithful fans of BREAKING BAD.
I think most viewers probably preferred last weeks episode PIMENTO, which featured a great story arc with Mike Eharmentraut and a dramatic turn in Jimmy's relationship with his pathetic brother, it had the feel of a season finale, while MARCO was much more of a slow burn. But the long scene with Jimmy as the bingo caller, where we find out in detail why he left his hometown in the first place, is like nothing you would see in any other TV series. You keep watching because you don't know where it's going, and that is unusual for television these days.
The acting is excellent and this episode really is a showcase for Bob Odenkirk, who perfectly captures the big resentments and huge hurts of this character whom everyone else has written off as small time. Mel Rodriguez makes an impression as the ultimately pathetic Marco, whose fate Jimmy desperately does not want to share.
I would have loved to have seen more of Jonathan Banks's Mike, but he makes the most of a small scene, where we get a deeper understanding of from where he is coming.
As always, every episode begs to watched a second time, just to listen to the dialog.
All in all, it has been a great first season of BETTER CALL SAUL, it won't make anyone forget BREAKING BAD, but thank you Vince Gilligan for allowing us to return to the BB universe once again. Can't wait for the second season; will Uncle Tio Salamanca move into the Sandpiper?
Jimmy and Marco prove they've still got it after ten years, especially in a protracted scene in a bar, where they get a couple hundred dollars out of a businessman who's not nearly as shrewd as he thinks; it's a great small time version of THE STING and I bet a lot of viewers will never look at a Kennedy half dollar the same way again. Jimmy and his old bud have a high old time for awhile, although I can't believe anyone would fall for the old Nigerian prince story at this late date. But all good things must end as Slippin' Jimmy comes to realize his life is really back in New Mexico where a surprising offer is dangled in front of him, an offer which prompts him to make a fateful decision on his future, one that is no surprise to faithful fans of BREAKING BAD.
I think most viewers probably preferred last weeks episode PIMENTO, which featured a great story arc with Mike Eharmentraut and a dramatic turn in Jimmy's relationship with his pathetic brother, it had the feel of a season finale, while MARCO was much more of a slow burn. But the long scene with Jimmy as the bingo caller, where we find out in detail why he left his hometown in the first place, is like nothing you would see in any other TV series. You keep watching because you don't know where it's going, and that is unusual for television these days.
The acting is excellent and this episode really is a showcase for Bob Odenkirk, who perfectly captures the big resentments and huge hurts of this character whom everyone else has written off as small time. Mel Rodriguez makes an impression as the ultimately pathetic Marco, whose fate Jimmy desperately does not want to share.
I would have loved to have seen more of Jonathan Banks's Mike, but he makes the most of a small scene, where we get a deeper understanding of from where he is coming.
As always, every episode begs to watched a second time, just to listen to the dialog.
All in all, it has been a great first season of BETTER CALL SAUL, it won't make anyone forget BREAKING BAD, but thank you Vince Gilligan for allowing us to return to the BB universe once again. Can't wait for the second season; will Uncle Tio Salamanca move into the Sandpiper?