Jjs Goodman

Like many of you, I saw the AMC+ series Slippin’ Jimmy as another way for AMC to milk the BCS cash cow drier than the Savanna Desert. But I have now viewed the series through and can say that my third eye has been opened regarding this masterpiece. This is not only a quality product, but an essential part of BCS/BB lore. Allow me to show you the light through a certain aspect of the show most will look right: The Squirrels.

Firstly the Squirrels aren’t just there for silly hijinks and visual gags. Like everything in these shows, they serve a role and a purpose. In this case as the physical manifestation of the chaos Jimmy’s presence brings to every situation. In episodes 1 and 6, the squirrels serve an active role as part of Jimmy’s plans; it’s not a coincidence that both times Jimmy’s plans are their most successful are when the squirrels, or rather chaos, are effectively utilized by him. This shows us where Jimmy would learn how to wrest control from those naughty police/DEA agents in S5 of BCS and later in Breaking Bad to help his innocent clients.

In episodes 2, 4 and 5, the squirrels are present in the episodes, but not at all a part of what Jimmy uses to outwit his enemies. As a result, Jimmy is able to slip by with assistance from those around him with no immediate repercussions, but the results are negative in the long term whether with the possession of an innocent man by his inner demons or the eventual deterioration of his relationship with his brother after he shares his law book with him, sending both down a path of misery. Make no mistake, this was all written to be analyzed and interpreted like science. Interestingly the only episode where these squirrels aren’t present, episode 3, is the one where the negative chaos happens primarily to Jimmy rather than him towards others when he is abducted and attacked unprompted in the same episode, only escaping by wits and luck. Again, another illustration of that sleezy Saul Goodman charm and wit that gets our favorite anti-hero into as much trouble as he gets out of.

I could go on for hours upon hours about every frame of animation and every line of dialogue whether it be his declaration to make Dawn Marie “Mrs. Jimmy McGill” only to marry some random woman who never even gets mentioned in Breaking Bad, portraying Jimmy’s inability to keep strong long term relationships or the chase with the cop showing the start of his long lasting mistrust of law enforcement. Whatever the case, know this: Slippin Jimmy, like most masterpieces, will only be seen as such long after the fact and will likely (tragically) never receive a second set of episodes. I only pray AMC will realize before then and order us a second run and maybe even a Teachin' Walter or Crusin Hank so I can rewatch Breaking Bad again and over analyze those characters as well. Even if I get even one more person to view this under-appreciated classic, that will be more than enough for me to feel like this was a job worth doing.