"For ten minutes today Chuck didn't hate me..."
This opening episode of the season was written and directed by Vince Gilligan himself. That certainly explains the quality of the writing, and the direction, upon which Mike's subplot depends to a huge extent. That this is a superb piece of television hardly needs mentioning.
Let us begin with Mike. His arc is extraordinarily based on visuals, montage, facial reactions, superb direction, Jonathan Banks being an actor of the very first rank. The upshot seems to be that this season will follow Mike's pursuit of who lies behind Hector Salamanca, whom we know to be Gus. Is this episode a statement of intent from Gilligan himself to that effect? Or am I entirely wrong?
Then there's Jimmy. Oh, Jimmy. We start with a flash forward to the monochrome life of "Gene" in Nebraska, deeply frustrated and unfulfilled, in a deeply revealing scene. Gene, Saul, Jimmy: all are very different personas.
We have the fascinating contrast, as a marker in the season opener, between Kim and Jimmy. Kim is professional, agonising over a bit of puntuation while taking on some of Jimmy's tiresome old clients while Jimmy just... well, does his thing. And receives a visit from an aitr force captain that harbinges that monochrome future.
Then there's Chuck. There's the brothers bonding over childhood stuff... but Chuck has the recording. And a plan. Is this brother versus brother, step vs, counterstep, to define this season? Is this episode a statement of intent from Gilligan himself to that effect? Or am I entirely wrong?
Be that so or be it not, this is a triumph of the televisual art.
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