Saul Calls Kim

A much better episode of Better Call Saul premiered last night than last week's. Once again, the show's much better when it focuses on Saul and Kim.

We get a little glimpse of Kim's childhood this time and witness something that may partially explain her current compulsion for wrongdoing. She's not the lifelong goody-two-shoes driven mad by repression. It's in her family history.

I love how clearly she hates the classy makeover Francesca gave to Saul's office. I actually kind of like it. It looks a bit like a Bergman film or--probably quite intentionally--like Twin Peaks.

The subplot with Lalo clearly seems to be echoing Twin Peaks this week as we find Lalo battling a woodsman somewhere in Germany. It was a decently directed scene by none other than Gus himself, Giancarlo Esposito. But it's undercut by its silly premise running from the previous episode.

Why the hell did Lalo go to Germany? Why does he care if Gus had secret dealings or an underground structure? Is he planning to get revenge by nailing Gus on building code violations? The show has consistently overestimated how interesting that underground structure is. And I know Lalo attacking the woodsman with the razor was supposed to be badass but it was too implausible. It came off as just silly.

But mainly the episode was a win. I love how Saul actually seems to be the one with the levellest head in his life.

Better Call Saul is available on Netflix.