Pimento (Better Call Saul)

"Pimento" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the first season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on March 30, 2015 on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

"Pimento"
Better Call Saul episode
Working as a bodyguard for drug-dealer Pryce, Mike meets Nacho for the first time.
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 9
Directed byThomas Schnauz
Written byThomas Schnauz
Original air dateMarch 30, 2015 (2015-03-30)
Running time47 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

Plot

Jimmy and Chuck prepare for their lawsuit against Sandpiper Crossing. Chuck warns Jimmy that their attorneys will attempt to file a restraining order to keep him off their property, but Jimmy goes to the courthouse and prevents it from being approved. Upon returning to Chuck's house, he finds that Sandpiper Crossing's attorneys have resorted to a document dump, requiring Chuck and Jimmy to read through several boxes of paperwork before they can respond. Chuck does not believe that he and Jimmy can handle the case alone and suggests that they refer it to HHM. Jimmy is reluctant to involve HHM, but arranges a meeting. While Jimmy is asleep, Chuck sneaks out of the house and uses Jimmy's phone to make a call.

The next morning, Howard prepares for Chuck and Jimmy's arrival at HHM by confiscating everybody's phones and shutting down the building's electricity. The entire staff greets Chuck's return with a standing ovation. Howard is confident they have a strong case against Sandpiper Crossing and offers to give Jimmy twenty percent of the final settlement or judgment, as well as an of counsel fee of $20,000. However, he makes it clear that Jimmy will not be working on the case or with HHM. This angers Jimmy, who demands to know why he has repeatedly been excluded from the firm. When Howard does not answer his questions, Jimmy decides not to give the case to HHM. Kim confronts Howard about his treatment of Jimmy. Howard resists telling her the reason for his actions, but then confides the truth.

Mike receives a job offer to bodyguard Daniel "Pryce" Wormald, who wants to sell oxycodone pills stolen from his employer. Pryce initially considers Mike, Sobchak and Man Mountain for the job. Sobchak mocks Mike for carrying no weapons, only a pimento cheese sandwich for lunch. Mike defends himself against Sobchak's attack and disarms him, which prompts a frightened Man Mountain to flee. Pryce drives Mike to an abandoned factory where Mike coaches Pryce on how to act during the drug deal. Nacho arrives and hands over a large sum of cash. When Pryce notes the payment is twenty dollars short, Mike calmly demands that Nacho pay in full. Nacho attempts to intimidate Mike, but pays when he realizes Mike cannot be cowed. As they leave, Mike tells Pryce he had researched Nacho ahead of time and knows this deal was carried out without his bosses' knowledge, so Nacho wouldn't have risked a confrontation.

Kim meets Jimmy and suggests he take Howard's offer for the Sandpiper Crossing case, which will enable him to start his own firm. After rejecting Kim's advice, Jimmy checks his phone and realizes Chuck used it the night before. The next day, Jimmy informs Chuck that he will accept Howard's deal, having deduced that Chuck was using Howard to keep Jimmy out of HHM. Jimmy demands to know why and Chuck tells him "You're not a real lawyer!" because Jimmy got his degree from an online law school. Chuck says he was proud when Jimmy stopped running cons and worked in the HHM mailroom, but he could never be an attorney at HHM because he hasn't changed. Feeling betrayed, Jimmy cuts his ties with Chuck.

Production

This episode was written and directed by Thomas Schnauz, who also wrote "Nacho" earlier in the season.

Steven Ogg's character is named Sobchak in the script for the show, but never referred to by name, and later only named as the alias "Mr. X" in the fifth-season episode "Dedicado a Max". The name was selected by Schnauz in reference to John Goodman's character Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski.[1]

Reception
Bob Odenkirk (left) and Michael McKean (right) both received high praise for their performances in the episode

Upon airing, the episode received 2.38 million American viewers, and an 18–49 rating of 1.1.[2]

The episode received critical acclaim, with many critics praising the plot twist at the end and the performances from Bob Odenkirk and Michael McKean. On Rotten Tomatoes, based on 20 reviews, it received a 100% approval rating with an average score of 8.8 out of 10. The site's consensus reads, "A terrifically-acted, heart-wrenching revelation, mixed with a tough and powerful subplot for Mike, makes "Pimento" a superior penultimate episode of a consistently strong season."[3] Roth Cornet of IGN gave the episode a 9.0 rating, concluding, "Better Call Saul revealed the betrayal that may very well be at the heart of what turns Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman, as this stunningly crafted story continues to unfold."[4] The Telegraph rated the episode 4 out of 5 stars.[5] Odenkirk submitted this episode when nominated for the Emmy for Best Actor.

References
  1. Sepinwall, Alan (March 16, 2020). "'Better Call Saul' Recap: Go Your Own Way". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. Bibel, Sara (March 31, 2015). "Monday Cable Ratings: Comedy Central Roast Wins Night, 'WWE Raw', 'Better Call Saul', 'Teen Mom', 'Bates Motel' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  3. "Pimento". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  4. Cornet, Roth (March 30, 2015). "Better Call Saul: "Pimento" Review". IGN. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  5. Power, Ed (March 31, 2015). "Better Call Saul: Pimento, episode 9, review: 'satisfyingly dark'". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
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