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(SPOILERS) WhoBob's Top 20 Better Call Saul Episodes


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It's showtime folks!

Better Call Saul is a show that truly became my biggest highlight of 2022. That's not to say I didn't have a blast in other entertainment this year such as Everything Everywhere All at Once or Our Flag Means Death or The Batman. But binging Saul this year was unlike anything else. It brought me back to Breaking Bad Universe with a whole new look at the original show itself as well as finding new things to appreciate in this show. Without Saul's inclusion to Breaing Bad, I would have never seen incredible characters like Kim, Nacho, Lalo, Howard, Chuck, Marion etc. They made this show as well as Saul himself. It was really tragic to see how one guy who wanted to do something good for once, only for him to be looked down on, so he got worse as years passed. This is about downfall of Jimmy McGill and his transformation into Saul Goodman. And my god, what a tale that was. So I'm gonna be highlighting episodes I love the most on the show. Before you read this topic, reminder that I'm gonna be spoiler talking about each episode in it. So if you haven't seen Saul entirely, I suggest you to skip this topic but if you don't give a crap about spoilers or have no intention of watching the show, here you go. So let's begin.

#20: Gloves Off (204)

Pilangel: Better Call Saul. 2x04

This was such an important episode of Better Call Saul that kicked things off. This was all about highlighting the relationship between Mike and Nacho. Mike acting like a father figure to Nacho and trying to save him from a future disaster known as Tuco was really what made this episode to my #20 spot. I loved how they took down Tuco in it and it pretty much made a chain reaction to the events of Breaking Bad and how Tuco has become even more ruthless in it. This episode also tests Mike because after how he killed his son's killers, he refuses to get his hands dirty, so he results in making Tuco get arrested for abusing an elder. That was so clever of Mike but it is only gonna make things worse once Tuco gets out of jail after events of Better Call Saul. So yeah, this episode is incredible because of developing Mike and Nacho and how they have become closer in time.

#19: Five-O (106)

Better Call Saul" Five-O (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb

I can't blame anyone who stopped at Better Call Saul after seeing first few episodes because this is a show that really took its time to set up its lawyer world. Showing us early stages of Jimmy McGill and his relationship with his brother, his love interest and his ex-boss. I really enjoyed first five episodes of show and I was already hooked but the show didn't start becoming great until this episode. I haven't started talking about Jimmy yet (but I'll get to it soon) but Mike is just as much of a main lead of the show as Jimmy is. This is how we learn about his backstory as a corrupt cop and how it led to his son's death. Seeing his regrets on leading his son up to his death and how it broke him shows here. He now has a granddaughter whom he cares about so much and wants to do all for her but the sad reality is that later on, we'll see that he is gonna make same mistakes as he did with his son, securing the future of his granddaughter with drug money. While this episode hasn't started Mike's trip to cartel, it pretty much set him up to do more shady work as he goes on. 

 

#18: Pimento (109)

Better Call Saul" Pimento (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb

Now this is how you do a penultimate episode in a season. It pretty much starts off sibling rivalry between Jimmy and Chuck and what a way to do it. I'm a sucker for sibling dynamics in shows and movies but no other show made it as compelling as this show did with Jimmy and Chuck (sorry Supernatural, i still love you). This is the beginning of how they screw up each other and the worst part is they both have valid points on how they see each other. Jimmy trying his best to help elders he has grown to love so much was really the most selfless thing Jimmy has ever done in his life. He did it out of love and respect. And all he wanted in return was to be recognized in same level as Chuck. But what really happens was Chuck screwing him over, so he cannot be partners with JMM. It's just truly tragic. Chuck's reasons to do so is valid, he doesn't want Jimmy do pull off his scams to tear down a company he built with his friend. But regardless of his intentions, Chuck wants to come on top, he sees his brother nothing more than a conman who will take short cuts to get what he wants. This is how Chuck influences Jimmy to help people less because he will never give Jimmy a second chance. And after this episode, things are about to go worse for two of them.

#17: Klick (210)

Better Call Saul finale: Creators on scrapped Breaking Bad cameo | EW.com

And here we are. Closing season 2 off with a bang. This was an important episode for both Jimmy and Mike. Thanks to events of Pimento, Jimmy has nothing but hatred for his brother and he only wants to take him down. As a result, he screwed up a case he worked so hard. But we know that Jimmy feels bad for what he has done, he sees Chuck acting even more disturbing, so he confessed what he did to Chuck. And it's just heartbreaking to see. Especially after what Chuck pulls off at the end, recording Jimmy's confession which will only make things worse for these two. What's worse is that Chuck's weirdness in this episode was only an act and this shows how much Chuck has grown pathetic towards his brother. Mike's plot in season 2 continues with him having clash with Tuco's uncle Hector and how he wants to take him down. Even going as far as killing him which results in him being stopped by a mysterious figure. Who stopped Mike is revealed in season 3 and it's no surprising who did it but it goes to show Mike is about to get deep into criminal underworld soon.

#16: Coushatta (408)

Better Call Saul S04E08 - "Coushatta" - POST-Episode Discussion Thread :  r/betterCallSaul

The man, the myth, the legend. Am I talking about Lalo or Huell here? Who knows? But we all know both of them steal this episode easily. Starting it off with Lalo, we have heard of his name in Saul's first introduction in Breaking Bad as well as Nacho's name. Nacho was already present in the show from day 2 but it took four seasons to introduce this mysterious Lalo figure and oh boy, it paid off magnificently. Just from his introduction, Tony Dalton sells us what kind of a character Lalo is. To examine Salamancas, Tuco is a temper headed crazy figure, twins are a force of nature and Hector is a cunning and despicable old man. So what makes Lalo? He is the charismatic one. From his introduction, we see a happy, talkative and wholesome guy who loves to cook. But underneath all, he is pretty much boogeyman. To Nacho as well as Jimmy and Kim later on. After how he seemed harmless at first, he pretty much comes to Nacho and say "you are gonna die" and you can already feel chills from him. And it's only gonna get worse because of his nature. Just as Nacho thought he was free from cartel business, Lalo comes to remind him there is no going back at this point. And going to Huell, what can I say? Huell plot easily made this episode one of the funniest if not the funniest episode of the show. Better Call Saul was designed to be a comedy at first but Vince and Peter felt like it didn't owrk, so it became a drama like Breaking Bad but what littlle they know is that they can excel at comedy just as much as drama. Jimmy and Kim pulling the craziest scam to get Huell out of prison was not only genius but incredibly funny. Painting him as a holy figure that has a cult following. It was just hysterical. It really shows how talented Jimmy and Kim are together and make no mistake, that talent will always come at a cost. For now, let them have this victory.

#15-11 will come out tomorrow, so stay tuned

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continuing this list

#15: Quite a Ride (405)

Better Call Saul' Callbacks and Easter Eggs In 'Quite A Ride'

Remember all those phones Breaking Bad loved to break every single time? Here comes the origin of it.

Season 4 of Better Call Saul often gets the criticism of being a Mike season than a Jimmy season mainly because Jimmy stopped becoming a lawyer for a year after events of season 3, so writers had to come make it a slow burn on what Jimmy does during the one year gap and develop Mike's life a little more. That is perfectly understandable why people were itching for lawyer side of the show becoming the full focus again but If there is one thing I appreciate about season 4 is that it is taking its time to develop Jinmy's progression (or rather regression?) into coping with his brother's death and finding a suitable job to bring bread to the home. So he tries couple of things, they don't work. He becomes a theft, it becomes risky. So after many tries, he finds a job at mobile shop but there is no costumer there. This episode is the beginning of Jimmy becoming more associated with criminals. Make no mistake, Jimmy was a criminal and still is in season 4 and he worked with criminals before but this is the first time he actually engages with criminal underworld. Selling phones to them, so they can use it to get away with their shit. What's genius about this episode is that this episode takes us forward into Breaking Bad timeline where Saul finally meets his doom thanks to Walter White and he goes into hiding, escaping criminal underworld with using a one time phone one last time. This episode shows us Saul being officially done with criminal underworld whereas Jimmy in prequel timeline starting it. And it doesn't go well at first, he gets mugged and beaten by bunch of punks, so he realizes the toughness and unfairness of criminals. It's a really strong and underrated episode about how Jimmy becoming more and more distant from everyone and becoming engaged with criminals more than his own needs like grieving Chuck and getting the help he needs to move on.

#14: Wexler v. Goodman (506)

Better Call Saul" Wexler v. Goodman (TV Episode 2020) - IMDb

Kim is important to the show just as much as Jimmy. This episode highlights her character even more than before. Focusing on her trust issues with people that started with her mom and how it continues all the way through Jimmy. What's sad about Kim is that whenever she opens up to people, something always goes bad for. This episode for example. After seeing how Mesa Verde wants to screw up a person's home to claim his property, Kim decides to do another scam with Jimmy but then completely rejects it. Despite all that, Jimmy runs with the scam behind her back, screwing up the owner of Mesa Verde big time. What's interesting is that Kim really wants to do things right and do it in a proper way instead of scamming but Jimmy continues to go with it in order to make Kim happy but all he does is ruin Kim's trust once more. But another thing is that Kim loves Jimmy, so she is willing to do scams with him regardless of what and all she wants is full trust with Jimmy, so she offers him that either they seperate their ways or get married, so Kim can be legally bound to whatever Jimmy is doing. It was such a complex episode of developing Kim into a person with trust issues but still waiting for love and care from those who hurt her. This episode is a big example of how Jimmy and Kim are bad for each other, despite caring for each other and why Kim really needed to step away from Jimmy's acts instead of marrying him.

#13: Lantern (310)

50 Days, 50 Episodes in the lead-up to Season 6 | Day 30, Episode 30 -  "Lantern" [END OF SEASON 3] : r/betterCallSaul

This is where Jimmy and Chuck's sibling rivalry ends and not in a way you can expect. This episode hurts so much for a number of reasons. Lets talk the big one out of the way. Chuck commits suicide and yep, that's how the season ends. It was perhaps the most depressing ending to either Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. As you can see in the photo, Chuck pretty much raised Jimmy as a kid and despite all that, Chuck has grown to hate Jimmy over the years. Not being able to accept Jimmy's wrongdoings and give him a second chance. Instead, he grows a lot more bitter towards him. Same as Jimmy who just wants his brother to get hurt after how he backstabbed him in season 2 finale. It was really sad to realize perhaps Jimmy and Chuck were better off without them constantly at each other's throats. Chuck actually did the necessary to help himself and grow as a person without Jimmy in his life and things were finally looking out well until Jimmy came into his life once more and it pretty much broke Chuck once again. Jimmy messed with Chuck's job, removing him from one thing he loved, therefore Jimmy planted seeds for Chuck's suicide and that's just so tragic. Jimmy really could have been done with Chuck or at least follow Chuck's wife's advice to help him but he just doesn't and therefore, everything is on fire.

Another fucked up thing about this episode was that we finally saw how Hector ends up in a wheelchair, mostly paralyized. In season 3, we saw Hector wanting Nacho's dad into cartel and Nacho is deeply uncomfortable with it, so he poisons him but what's really interesting is that Gus, his archnemesis, saves him. Why he does it, we find out later on but it's clear that Gus wants to be the only one who takes him down, so he saves him from Nacho's poison. Another tragedy of the fact that things are not over for Nacho yet and it's only gonna get worse for him.

#12: Something Unforgiveable (510)

Better Call Saul' Season 5: Final(e) Thoughts | Complex

Here we are at another banger season finale of the show. It pretty much sets up the final season and oh boy, it does it in a really fantastic way. After confronting Lalo, Jimmy and Kim goes into hiding whereas Nacho goes to Mexico to take down Lalo in Gus' orders. It was such an explosive finale in terms of Nacho's plot because he does not realize what he is into. I loved seeing more in depth look at Lalo's life and his loves ones. Despite all the cunning nature of Lalo, he does have something to live for, his family. And they matter so much to him. So seeing Nacho betray Lalo and having every single family member of his killed except Lalo himself was a really cold moment. I can't blame Nacho tho, he was set up by Gus and we saw his regret in doing it. I loved the exploration of Nacho here just as much as Lalo. He finally meets the big man himself Don Eladio and they talk about what Nacho really wants for his life. It was a really important scene of Nacho realizing that he is nothing but a puppet to cartel and he wants to be his own man. Pulling his own strings. But what's done is done. He is far too deep in and something awful waiting for him in the end.

As for Jimmy and Kim's plot, they take a back seat and focus on how to survive. Their plot is light compared to Nacho and Lalo's but they really needed that after season 5's penultimate episode. Despite all of this bad happening to them, now they have something juicy cooked up. Kim confronts Howard one last time after her telling him she quit being paid for lawyer and now she is doing pro-bono but Howard once again undermines her, thinking it was because of Jimmy's scam, she had to leave the company she worked with. But it just angers Kim and now she decides to take down Howard with Jimmy's assistance. I love the fact that Jimmy was unsure about the idea because of how he played Kim like a fool in Mesa Verde scam and he doesn't feel like going with it but because he loves his wife, he decides to join the scam. Yet another example of Jimmy and Kim's toxic relationship except it was Kim this time who wanted to do something bad for someone. Their time in this episode is just as important as Nacho and Lalo's plot and because of them, this episode earns another high point from me.

#11: Winner (410)

Better Call Saul" Winner (TV Episode 2018) - IMDb

Season finales back to back you say? Well, I'm just as shocked as you but believe me, Better Call Saul pulls off these season finales magnificently and I love them in their own unique way but this one comes above season 2, 3 and 5's finales. Season 4 is a really underappreciated season that develops Jimmy into becoming who he was in Breaking Bad. And not just him but Mike too. This episode is a great example of how both of these characters enter a road they cannot escape. Jimmy lies to the bar about how law is important to him, so he cheats his way out of it and becomes a full lawyer once more but one another thing is that Jimmy stops disassociating himself with McGill name because that's also Chuck's last name which he used for his company. As we see in the beginning, Jimmy and Chuck actually spending time together after Chuck learning Jimmy passed the bar and become a lawyer. Of course Chuck is not happy with this but regardless of that, the duo spend a great time at a kareoke bar, singing and drinking. After this flashback, Jimmy officially cuts Chuck out of his life and it costs most of his humanity. Becoming Saul Goodman. It hurts so much because at first Jimmy wanted to work with Chuck side by side but because of how Chuck treated him and now he is dead, he wants to create his own legacy and we all know what legacy it turns out.

As for Mike's plot in this season, Mike once again lives the idea that he can work with someone who hates a person just as much Mike does and wants nothing but revenge from him. But regardless of his intentions, he still tries to not commit any horrid acts. But what really pushes him to the edge is his best friend Werner Ziegler being under Lalo's radar, therefore, he has no choice but to kill him. This is how Mike starts to lose his humanity and morality. Killing a person he deeply cares about and it paralels with how he led his son to be killed for being corrupt. There is just no peace for Mike after this episode.

#10-6 coming out tomorrow, stay tuned

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Contiuning again

#10: Waterworks (612)

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 12 Review | Game Live Story

After how prequel era of Better Call Saul ended, we all wondered about a question where Kim would end up after Breaking Bad and this episode answers it so well. The episode is divided into two plots, Kim's plot and Gene's plot. Seeing how much Kim's life has become dull over the years is sad. A husband she doesn't like, a really boring job, her not making her own decisions. It's all heartbreaking to see. Kim's plot started off slow but it built up how much Kim has become shell of her former glory and it gets better once we hear about the phone call Gene did to her in previous episode. The conversation between them once again made me emotional and where Kim goes from here is interesting. She finally admits her mistakes to Howard's wife Cheryl and even to that day, she tries to protect Jimmy at all cost. But the beauty and tragedy of the scene is how Kim finally makes amends with herself. Cheryl can still sue her and take away everything she has but at least, she is free of secrets. And the final scene of her in this episode before Jesse flashback really gets me. Rhea Seehorn does a fantastic job at showing us Kim's relief and sadness over confronting Cheryl and still grieving over Howard's death. Lastly Jesse and Kim scene was really touching. Some might argue Jesse's dialogue and Aaron Paul's delivery feeling forced but I really liked the conversation between them about Saul and how Kim said he was good when she knew him. And of course the imagery of Kim being stuck in darkness whereas Jesse still being in the light shows us that Jesse is gonna go down in the same path Kim had.

And now we go to Gene's plot which is Jimmy at his worst. I loved the conflict of him at crossroads of whether he wants to get caught or not. Part of him really wants to be caught, so he makes really sloppy and dangerous decisions, whereas other side of him wants to get away once again, even to a point of considering to murder a cancer patient. And this isn't Gene at his lowest. The lowest of him was him attacking Marion when she finally learns the truth about him and how he put Jeff into danger (I just loved the scene of Jeff panicking and crashing to a car). Jimmy, once was an icon to elders, now is feared by elders and it was an elder that took him down. I loved Carol Burnett's acting here. She was really important to Gene's story and her telling Gene how much she trusted him always makes me feel cold. That's what happens when you try to be good with Jimmy. He ultimately burns you down. Gene plot was at its most intense whereas Kim's plot was at its most depressing and I love this episode for both aspects.

#9: Bad Choice Road (509)

Better Call Saul season 5, episode 9 recap - what happened in "Bad Choice  Road"?

Now onto penultimate episode of season 5 and man, what a chilling this episode was. Lalo once again shows how much menacing and scary he is. Him being a boogeyman is really highlighted here. Showing up at Jimmy and Kim's apartment and questioning about what happened to him in the desert. Tony Dalton just knocks it out of park here. And not just him but Rhea Seehorn as well for making Kim be fearless and stand up to the bully at their house. Really shows how much brave Kim can be but even at her bravest, her and Jimmy is still terrified by Lalo's presence. Speaking of Jimmy, I loved the conversation between him and Mike about the choices we make along the way and it putting us in a path and how it can be both a good thing or a bad thing. In previous episode, Jimmy agrees to get the money himself and it pretty much blows up in his face but later on, we see that he still has to face the consequences of his actions by making the bad guy question him. I loved seeing Kim asking Jimmy of what happened in the desert and Jimmy still can't tell her the whole truth despite them making vows to each other on no more secrets. But I really get Jimmy not telling her because he wants to protect her and keep her from the nightmare of cartel. This episode is a good example of complexity of Jimmy and Kim's relationship and how it's being put to test.

#8: Saul Gone (613)

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 13 Review: Saul Gone | Den of Geek

Here we are at the series finale. This show had a tough act to follow after how critically acclaimed Breaking Bad's finale was. They could have really made it an explosive and thrilling finale. But they didn't. Instead this is a quiet episode about Jimmy's character study and how it ends for him. He immidiately gets caught by police which was something I did not expect. Later on, we see him putting on a show as Saul Goodman once again. Even to Marie herself whose husband got killed because of Walter. I loved that Jimmy still goes with the lies and deception. Even to a point he made his sentence got down to 7 fucking years + golf and ice cream. Him telling Bill that he wants to see himself on top is nothing but another bad choice for him because in the end, he'll be alienated from everyone and it'll be hard for him to get a job anywhere now that his track record is dirty. But regardless he goes with it until he realizes Kim has confessed about what happened to Howard and it pretty much breaks him. After the phone conversation about how Kim wanted Jimmy/Gene to turn himself in and then Gene telling her why not she does it herself, she finally admits of her crimes and now Jimmy has no else cards to play with. Not only that but he sees that Kim actually changed whereas he still hasn't. So this ultimates becomes Jimmy's one final scheme. Lying about having something that will make Kim's life hell, so Kim can show up at the court and have Jimmy admit all of his crimes and mistakes. What was beautiful about the scene is that Jimmy confessed about meddling with Chuck's job and how he alienated him from the one thing he loves, driving him to suicide. It may not be a crime but it was a really henious act that Jimmy needed to tell Kim. He owed her that much. I was so glad we got a final court scene which made everything feel full circle. And lastly how can I not talk about Jimmy visiting three ghosts. One by Mike, one by Walter and finally one by Chuck. Each scene is about regrets people have made in their lives and how they would love to change it (time travel talk here works out so well). Mike's regret is being about him taking his bribe and how that led to his son's murder. Walter's is about how he made Jesse's life a living hell, especially giving him to nazis to be their slave. And Chuck's scene which isn't about Chuck's regrets but how Chuck telling Jimmy that there is no ashame of going back. I think what he told us about isn't how we need to undo our mistakes but rather going back to what we used to be before we get corrupted. In Jimmy's case, he finally lets go of his Saul persona and becomes Jimmy once again but it's just too late because everyone knows him as Saul now. All but Kim which was all he needed and now the two are at peace. Jimmy and Kim held themselves accountable and now they both are free.

#7: Rock and Hard Place (603)

Better Call Saul 6x03: cómo murió Nacho Varga en el episodio 3 | Rock and  Hard Place | Series de Netflix | FAMA | MAG.

This list wouldn't be complete without adding Nacho's swan song. While I was unfortunate enough to be spoiled by Nacho's fate, how it went down was something I did not expect. Nacho became one of the standout characters in Breaking Bad universe. A cartel member with full of regrets and guilt. How he put himself down to this path and now it's eating him up. Being used by everyone else and him being tired of it. Ever since we got introduced to Nacho, all he wanted to be his own man. Being apart from Tuco's and Hector's business and being free. But of course, he chose to do some bad things on his own which blew up in his face. Getting rid of Tuco got him Hector. Getting rid of Hector got him Gus and Lalo. The circle of manipulation never ends. Last time we see Nacho before he betrays Lalo is about how he wants to be himself and make his own choices. But of course, it isn't just that. He wants to keep his father safe despite his father being mad at him for being a criminal. After betrayal, Nacho was on the run because of Gus setting him up to be the scapegoat. First three episodes of season 6 we see how much pain and sufferin Nacho had to deal with because of his own choices. But every step of the way, he survived but not for long. He knew he was long gone, so he pulled one card up his sleeve. He was gonna be the scapegoat Gus set him up as but he was gonna go out in his own glory. Being killed by no one else but him. So for the first time, Nacho finally makes him control his own destiny and in his final appearance, he accomplished his goals of keeping his father safe. It was such a tragic, yet beautiful episode of Nacho's redemption. Normally I don't like redemption arcs end with character sacrificing themselves but in this case, Nacho had no choice but to sacrifice himself. This was the last time we saw Michael Mando play the character and he did an incredible job at making Nacho go from a coward to be a ballsy man. I'll never forget him raising his voice to call Hector a twisted fuck. Absolutely chilling and I'm mad that Emmys didn't recognize Mando's role in his final episode. Regardless, this was an all-timer episode that made me have Nacho as one of the best characters of Breaking Bad universe.

#6: Plan and Execution (607)

Dirty": Twitter explodes as Better Call Saul Season 6 episode 7 kills off  Howard Hamlin

Poor Howard, you did not deserve any of this evil shit happened to you. Howard meeting Lalo was something none of us could ever consider and yet it happened. This is perhaps the most evil episode of the show. Jimmy and Kim stripped Howard of his reputation. Painting him as this abusive and angry man who is addicted to cocaine. Here we see Jimmy and Kim be insufferable. Villains of their own story and it did not end well for them. This season we saw some insight on Howard's life. His marriage being in shambles, his company dealing with debts, him going to therapy on how unhappy he was with his life. Before this season, and hell even before season 3, we saw Howard be this douchebag who is nothing but pain in the ass to Jimmy and Kim. But really all he was is being a guy who had under his friend's influence and how that influence made him suffer. He lost his friend, he felt guilty of firing him and he couldn't sleep properly anymore. But in the end, he made peace with himself, even to a point of hiring Jimmy to share the company. But of course Jimmy refuses and makes Howard's life a living hell and now Kim is under Jimmy's influence and both of them become this unstoppable scheme machine and made Howard look like a clown. But all ends bad for two of them as Lalo reminds them of their actions and kills Howard in cold blood. It was such a brutal way to end an episode, even to a point of putting the show in hiatus with that cliffhanger. So evil. Although I don't blame them for splitting up the season due to Bob Odenkirk's heart attack after shooting this episode but it did work out for how evil and depressing this cliffhanger was. What went from a funny but evil plot of Jimmy and Kim having fun torturing Howards ends with a complete tragedy.

the final 5 episodes are gonna be tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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#5: Breaking Bad (611)

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 Recap: Breaking Bad, Again

Here it is. The episode everyone has been waiting for. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman's return! It was only fitting they would be back in an episode called Breaking Bad, paralleling Saul's first introduction Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul". I loved the way it started off with seeing Saul's POV on the events of Walt and Jesse kidnapping him and threatening to kill him. Of course this episode isn't great because of Walter and Jesse's return. Though their scene is incredible, this was a wise choice to call it Breaking Bad because Jimmy, or as we call him in this timeline Gene, breaks bad. After how events of Nippy made Gene give up on the dream of Saul Goodman, this episode makes him relapse after talking to Kim on phone. And it's pure tragic. Gene is stealing bank account information on rich folks and he thinks this is for good because rich people are assholes right? Well, Gene's goal is money all to himself, not being Robin Hood. There is nothing noble about what he is doing. What's interesting about this episode is another flashback of Breaking Bad timeline, having Mike show up and warn Saul not to make business with Walter White. But of course, he doesn't listen, he goes to the high school Walter works as a teach and he begins partnership with him. And it parallels with Gene trying to rob a cancer patient because Jeff's friend Buddy told him not to go with it but he instead did and once again, he chose his own doom. I have read an analysis on how this episode feels meta because normally all seasons of Better Call Saul have 10 episodes but this last season has 13. And when we watch the tenth episode, Nippy, we see Gene cfinish his story and he can rest knowing he doesn't have to risk himself again. Tapes he kept on rolling in each season intro are done. But thanks to this episode, Gene continues to be bad like Saul. The story is not over for him and the tapes continue. It's a really haunting commentary on us continuing to make same mistakes and it putting us on a loop once more. While I wasn't that high on Nippy which has become the show's most controversial episode, I fully appreciate that episode a lot more and why i think it's important after seeing this episode. This show really pays off once you go through more slower paced episodes.

#4: Bagman (508)

BETTER CALL SAUL, 5.8 - 'Bagman' • Frame Rated

There would be no way I wouldn't put this episode on top 5. It's just that iconic and there is a reason why this episode is hailed as one of the best episodes of the show. We see Jimmy make a decision to get Lalo out of jail by paying his bail. And it's the most wild decision ever because he gets the money on a friggin desert. And shit goes down from here. Jimmy gets attacked by a gang. And he is saved by none other than Mike. But of course all of this becomes even worse once Jimmy's car gets ruined, their phone doesn't work on desser. And we begin the journey back to civilization with them walking with 7 million dollars. It was a really thrilling episode for seeing how Jimmy and Mike can survive under all of these conditions. Having them make a plan to kill one last member of the gang, sleeping in a desert, drinking piss. It is really difficult but under guidance of Mike, Jimmy pulls it together. Their dynamic is highlighted well here. And I love little details this episode is offering like Jimmy having the need to sleep under space blanket which makes it clear Jimmy still thinks about Chuck. Odenkirk and Banks acted their ass off in this episode and I bet working in a desert was not an easy task for them and the crew, so everyone did their best to make this masterpiece under tough circuimstances. It's a survivial episode and it's a damn good at that.

#3: Chicanery (305)

Cry of the week: Jimmy bests Chuck on 'Better Call Saul' | Mashable

There is a reason why this episode is considered an all-timer among Better Call Saul fandom. It's a full court episode featuring Jimmy going up against Chuck. Despite this taking place in court, it just grips you tight and make you pay attention to it. It's the show's magnum opus. Breaking Bad universe fandom bloom after this episode. Creating bunch of incredible memes around it, even to a point of making a subreddit community which is full of ironic Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul jokes and memes, even poking fun at the fandom sometimes. It's pretty influential mainly due to how it is the climax of Jimmy and Chuck's sibling rivalry. While Chuck tries so hard to take down his brother, Jimmy tries to think of clever ways to get himself out of trouble. What's really sad is that you can both of these characters' POV on how they feel about each other. Jimmy thinks Chuck has been obsessing over him and isn't mentally well. Always him undermining Jimmy. Whereas Chuck believes Jimmy always relapses after making promises to change, so he gave up on believing in him. It's a tragic tale of how both brother shape each other up to what they have become now. Of course we know how Chuck's story ends and it happens sooner than ever but Jimmy's tale continues and because of what Chuck has said all these things about him in court, he continues to make bad decisions throughout. Odenkirk acts the hell out of in this episode but really, the star of this episode is Michael McKean as Chuck. You can see how he makes us convinced of his character being obsessive, cruel and mentally unwell. His speech towards Jimmy is without a doubt the best scene in the entire series. If anyone asks a Saul fan which ep of the show is their favorite, this episode has a 90% chance of being that. And it's well deserved. For a while this was my favorite episode of the show until the last two beat it but regardless of that, I still think this is the most well-written episode of the show and highlights how this show is unique on its own despite being a prequel and a sequel to Breaking Bad.

#2: Point and Shoot (608)

Better Call Saul recap: Season 6, Episode 8, “Point And Shoot”

Ever wanted a horror thriller in a lawyer drama show? Here's your answer. This is the closest this show will ever get to feel like Breaking Bad and I don't mean this to undermine the top quality of this show, it's still its own flavor which is why it's #2 on my list. This episode had me on the edge of my seat, finally furfilling on the promise of Lalo being this scary monster under your bed. This is Tony Dalton's final episode on the show and he goes out with glory. Lalo finally gets what he wanted. Location of the lab. And what's even better is that he gets to be buried inside it. Be careful what you wish for. And he dies laughing, the most cunning laugh Lalo has ever given.

Having Gus be the one to take down Lalo wasn't something i was sure i wanted considering most characters in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul don't get what they want, tho yeah Gus managed to get his revenge on Eladio but I'll make an exception for it because once again we have been shown how much menacing and scary Gus can be. Giancarlo Esposito showed us the vulnerability of Gus but also his courage, his sinsiter nature and above all, his rage. His confession to Don Eladio and Hector is really one of the most iconic scenes not just in this show but in the whole Breaking Bad universe.

As for what goes on in Kim's subplot, it's just as engaging. This was Kim at her worst moment, being forced to kill Gus as a subversion for Lalo to go inside the lab. Dave Porter's score in this episode is one of the best he has ever done. I was already feeling scared by the haunting music. In Kim's scene and Gus pulling his final move on Lalo. And finally the last scene which has Howard and Lalo be buried inside. Music goes from thrilling to sadness. Howard being buried with his killer is absolutely the most evil way to be buried. Poor Howard, going from having his life ruined to being killed by a psychopath and buried with him. Mike's voice cracks down in this scene because he is not okay with how things have gone down. He'll carry this guilt to his grave. 

This episode is an all-time classic. It has horror, thrills, drama, excitement and sadness above all.

So what could possibly be my #1 episode of the show, now that we have covered episodes that fans usually consider to be their favorite episodes ever. Hmmmmmmm.

#1: Fun and Games (609)

Better Call Saul" Fun and Games (TV Episode 2022) - IMDb

Yep, this is my favorite episode in the entire show. The crew weren't kidding when they said this episode would break us. This not only wraps up arcs of Kim, Mike and Gus in the show but it pretty much ends the prequel era of the show, giving us the final transformation of Saul Goodman. So where to begin with this masterpiece? I think doing it chronologically makes sense. So let's start with Gus.

Gus' plot ends with him having the final glory. Taking down Lalo once and for all. We see him confront Don Eladio, Bolsa and Hector which shouldn't be easy for him to do. If he slipped, he would definitely recieve death but Gus knows how to be calm in a stressful manner. I loved the way Don Eladio talks to him. He obviously knows Gus killed Lalo, he has a secret meth lab and Gus has a huge hatred of him and despite all of that, he allows him to continue. As long as Gus' loyality is to him, he can have some hate in his life but not too much. And finally, we see Gus' final scene in the show which finally confirms he is gay and he has a crush on a wine guy. Normally I would get bored by a full wine talk but Gus' attention to it makes me captivated as well. Seeing him awed by this man and wanting him to never stop talking was engaging to see. So Gus had two options to make. Leave all of this revenge goodbye and move on to becoming a boyfriend to the wine guy. Or let him carry his rage and continue his revenge on Eladio and Hector for killing his boyfriend Max. But as we know of Gus, cycle of revenge doesn't stop until the end. And it becomes even clearer with Mike's end here.

Mike's story ends in a complete depression. Feeling awful about Nacho's death, he decided to confront Nacho's dad and the conversation between them was just sad. Here we see Nacho's dad grief his son's death but not letting it consume him like how it consumed Mike with his son's death. I loved the parallels between them on how they both react to losing their sons. Nacho's dad chooses peace whereas Mike chooses revenge. As Nacho's dad pointed out, all gangsters are same. No matter what good we think we are doing with bad people, it doesn't change the fact that we keep hurting people. Mike enables Gus' terrible choices and aides him on creating his drug empire. Such a good decision to make that his legacy isn't it? While this isn't gonna be the last time we see Mike on the show, his prequel arc ended well but not for him.

And finally we move to Jimmy and Kim's arcs paying off in prequel which is my favorite plot in this episode. Here we see them mourn over Howard's death but still keeping a secret of how he died. Kim becomes her most scummy with gaslighting Cheryl on how he died and what he was like before he died. To keep her and Jimmy safe, she had to lie to her but at what cost? Hurting people more and more. Which makes us get to the climax of this episode where we see Kim feeling disgusted by what she told Cheryl and her deciding Jimmy and her need to break up. What's tragic about this scene was how Kim highlights of her relationship with Jimmy poisoning everyone. They both enable their worst insticts. So it isn't just Jimmy that does bad things to Kim, its also Kim who felt like torturing Howard was fun. This was at her most honest with herself. She knew both her and Jimmy were bad for each other. So she finally breaks up with Jimmy. This was Rhea Seehorn at his best performance if we exclude Waterworks and I hope we see her win an emmy next year either because of this episode or Waterworks. And the episode doesn't just end with the break up. Oh no. It ends with Jimmy finally completing his transformation to become Saul Goodman. Empty, heartless son of a bitch who doesn't care about anything other than himself. And we all know this is all just an act for him to deal with losing Kim, Howard and Chuck. He felt he needed to put on a mask to continue making people suffer, especially after working with Walter White. It was a very hopeless way to end this prequel era and yet it was a powerful episode because of that.

This episode may not be as gripping as Chicanery or as exciting as Point and Shoot or as tragic as Plan and Execution but it's my favorite episode in the entire series due to not just how this shapes up Saul, Mike and Gus in Breaking Bad but also showing us Kim at her worst and having the need to end this charade unlike other characters in this episode. Every actor in this episode does their best here, even actors with their smaller characters. It was a gut punching and depressing episode that proved that we can become our worst selves if we don't make decisions to get better and not let others suffer because of our trauma.

Thank you for reading this list. I really loved making it and I hope you enjoyed it just as much. Better Call Saul is one of my favorite shows ever and I'm happy to highlight this wonderful show with explaning why I love it so much. See ya next time on another list.

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