Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 5 review: Howard gets wind of Jimmy and Kim’s scheme

3/5

Story: Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) is still operating under the fear of a retaliatory attack from Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton), although no one’s seen him since the attack on his compound in which he was presumed dead. Meanwhile, Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) figures out that Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) is orchestrating the strange events , like the appearance of a packet of drugs in his club locker, among others, and decides to deal with his nemesis.

Review: After three explosive episodes to start the season, Better Call Saul has slowed down its pace and how. After Lalo Salamanca survived the attack on his household and faked his death, he’s been trying to put the pieces together about who orchestrated these events. Lalo has not bought into Nacho Vargas’ (Michael Mondo) ‘confession’ that he operated at the behest of someone else, which should have, ideally, taken away the shadow of suspicion from Gus. Lalo has always been suspicious of Gus and his operations and is now doubly determined to find proof that the ‘chicken man’ is up to no good.

Before he had to return to Mexico, Lalo was sniffing around Gus’ operations, and almost figured out what the latter was constructing underground. Lalo needs proof that Gus is not operating in the best interest of the Salamanca’s and what best than to break into the house of the now deceased man who worked on Gus’ mystery project. Lalo will, in all probability, figure out that Gus has built a secret meth lab, soon enough, but the question is, what can he do about it? We are guessing not much, because Lalo doesn’t make it to the Breaking Bad universe, while Gus’ lab thrives. But we are counting on some explosive confrontation in getting to this point, which will, hopefully, be soon enough.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and Kim Wexler’s operation to take down Howard Hamlin doesn’t make much head-way this episode. Instead, Howard gets wind that Jimmy is behind some of the ‘weird’ events happening around him, intended to discredit him. And he thinks the best way to deal with Jimmy is try and end their fight by having a go at each other in a boxing ring. A few bruises and a black eye later, Jimmy hasn’t given up on his operation. Trouble is, Howard hasn’t either and he’s now got someone tailing Jimmy to figure out everything he’s up to.

As for Kim, well, she is having sleepless nights, because she is aware of the imminent danger they are in with Lalo roaming around, which, she has not had the heart to tell Jimmy about yet. The bigger issue eating away at her, though, is their connection to the cartel, and the fact that the DA’s office is trying to build a case against Jimmy. Can Kim really make peace with the fact that Jimmy is a friend of the cartel?

Verdict: Yet another episode that didn’t do much in terms of story progression, but it definitely added to the tension that’s been building in this final chapter of the show. And we haven’t even got to the best part yet when Walter White comes to the world of Saul Goodman.