Better Call Saul: Mijo

 "I'm not a criminal! I'm a lawyer."

Yeah, Jimmy. You go on thinking that. But you've already started rolling down the slippery slope to criminality, which has its huge price. It's fascinating that this programme is more than just a prequel to Breaking Bad: it's a parallel. Saul, here back in 2002, is on the same trajectory as Walt, only without the psycopathy.

The episode is full of Easter eggs, especially regarding Tuco and his gang, all of whom survive at this point. But the way Jimmy uses the gift of his gab to not only survive his moment of extreme peril in the highly visually effective New Mexico desert is magnificent. He even manages to earn Tuco's respect. He's very fortunate that Tuco is so bleeding thick.

We move straight from extreme peril to a long, hilarios montage of day in, day out lawyering to petty criminals for a pittance, with Mike again being a strangely appropriate jobsworth.

We also get clues about Chuck. He's mentally rather than physically ill?

This is absolutely superb telly from Vince Gilligan. There are, of course, so many continuities in visua and thematic style from Breaking Bad. Yet Jimmy as the central character, and the profoundly amazing Bob Odenkirk as the star, is what makes this. The show, and Odenkirk's performance, is based on the grammar of comedy withoit necessarily being comedy. And it works so very well.