Better Call Saul: Magic Man

 "Doesn't that sound like you're envouraging people to commit crimes?"

We begin the season- as we haven't for a while- in the monochrome present, in Nebraska, as the artist formerly known as Jimmy continues his life of constant worry and looking over his shoulder, miserable, with nothing to look forward to. We continue in this vein until, suddenly... he's recognised by someone from New Mexico. So what to do? Yet another new life (from the same bloke and the same actor!) would be far too expensive... so he's going to take matters into his own hands.The whole sequence takes thirteen minutes, and only then do the titles kick in.

This is exciting, to say the least. For every other plot thread, we know roughly how things are going to pan out. That Jimmy is going to practise as Saul Goodman, that Gus is going to win out over Lalo, that Kim was nowhere to be seen in Breaking Bad. But for this, in the "present"... this is uncharted territory. It seems this part of the show may get more prominent.

And yet so many more plot treads, potential season arcs, are beginning to unfurl. Nacho, having thought he'd won, now has to contend with Lalo. And Lalo is a problem for Gus too, who is on the back foot in relation to him, and can't overtly act against Lalo without annoying Don Eladio. But Gus is Gus, and it's clear he intends to kill Lalo... an arc for this season?

Interestingly, there's a comment about Gus. he's competent, he gets results, but he's "not one of us". Subtle racism?

Then there's Jimmy, setting up as Saul Goodman to the existing criminal clientele to whom he's been selling phones... and he is, as ever, quite the successful salesman. Kim, of course, being a real lawyer, can't understand what he's up to, and it seems the rift will grow... and yet, at the end, she is again seduced by his tricks despite hereself.

Most interestingly... Mike sends away Werner's very scared crew, and when Kai states that Wener had it coming... he gets hit for his troubles. And yet, when another German tells Mike that Werner was worth fifty of him... Mike lets it slide. Ouch. There even seems to be a rift developing between him and Gus.

Already, this season is sizzling, with so much going on. At last, we really feel as though the world we experienced with Walter White is not too far away. Superb television, as ever.