I got quite excited about the last episode in the Better Call Saul series, “Five-O”, and while “Bingo” doesn’t quite live up to that, we are treated to some satisfying resolutions:
So how on earth do you follow that? The last episode “Five-O” woke Better Call Saul from it’s mid-season slumber, delivering us a thrilling, beautifully told foray into the background of Mike Ehrmantraut. I’m happy to report that “Bingo” builds on the momentum developed by the previous episode, and, while it might not live as long in the memory, “Bingo” asks some evocative, intriguing questions as many nagging loose ends are resolved.
There’s definitely a hangover from the previous barnstormer of an episode; Mike finds himself still being questioned by police, and some subtle, artistic camerawork functions to articulate that fact. An elongated conversation is had between himself and one of his inquisitors, with a camera that pans down from a wall full of criminal mugshots, only to stay still through the duration of the discussion. We’re quite clearly reminded of Mike’s criminal dealings here, as Mike’s identity is conflated with that of the common criminal.
Nevertheless, our focus is directed back onto Jimmy, once we dispense with the tired brother dynamic that fails to tread any new ground. Jimmy is undoubtedly moving up in the world: McGill is purchasing and revamping his own personal office space as his clientele base expands, but there are some issues inherited from previous episodes in which Jimmy finds himself embroiled.
Some interesting camerawork reminds us of Mike’s sordid history
The salient issue concerns the Kettleman family, and they’re as aggravating as ever. Lawyer Kim remains dull, but fortunately both sets of characters successfully move the plot forward and illuminate Goodman’s upward professional course.
Specifically, McGill goes out to share a cigarette with Kim, in a carbon copy of a scene in an earlier episode. However, the fortunes of each character have changed extensively: it is now Kim who is struggling. Kim also, when Jimmy shows her his new offices, offers the praise “you deserve it”, interestingly to no reply from our protagonist.
To get himself out of the frustrating issues posed by his actions in previous episodes, Jimmy enlists the help of Mike, initiating a thrillingly extralegal scene reminiscent of the more light-hearted schemes from Breaking Bad that continually keeps us guessing. Similarly recognisable is Mike, conducting himself in his typically inexpressive, emotionless exterior, it’s interesting to note Mike’s demeanour in light of our new information about his character. This sequence also asks the intriguing question, ‘is it okay to steal from thieves?’
The prevailing emotion we feel at the end of the episode is catharsis; Jimmy’s course running closer to successful self-invention is mirrored by the tying up of those nagging loose ends. However, the ending of “Bingo” is a little too neat. With many issues having resolved themselves, it’s hard to see where the series is going to go in the small space of only a further three episodes.
McGill is clearly learning from his mistakes and moving up in the world
On the other hand, there are enough hooks to drag us into the next chapter of Better Call Saul. Jimmy behaves quite curiously; despite all the achievements he completes, the episode rounds off with a seemingly unwarranted explosion of violent anger, rather at odds with the positive tone of “Bingo”. Equally, Jimmy states “the thing you guys need to know about me. I got nothing to lose”, where the duration of the episode has worked hard to show us that McGill in fact now has plenty to lose.
Better Call Saul, then, must be careful as a coherent series that it’s new-found momentum isn’t scuppered. The ending of “Bingo” reminds us that there’s still much more to find out about McGill’s past, and the distance between James McGill and the sketchy, yet self-assured Saul Goodman is closing at a rate faster than ever.
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