Better Call Saul 6.02

Carrot and Stick

Mike, Tyrus, and a few other men visit Nacho’s place. Mike evicts the two women living there. They break into the safe and then replace it with another safe.

Gus examines the evidence from the hit on Lalo’s place that the Fédérales collected and then calls Juan Bolsa.

Jimmy speaks to Kim about how to proceed with the scam they are running on Howard. He visits Betsy and Craig Kettleman in their place of business. He tells them that he thinks they could bring a civil lawsuit against Howard Hamlin. They hear him out and then tell him take a hike.

Nacho remains on edge, in his motel room. 

Betsy and Craig try to hire Cliff Davis to represent them but he turns them down. He has his doubts that there is any merit to the allegation that Howard is using cocaine. He also points out that he can’t because Davis & Main is partnering with HHM on a big case. 

Gus and Don Bolsa meet with Hector Salamanca. Gus leaves the meeting convinced that Lalo is still alive. 

Don Bolsa and a couple henchmen break into Nacho’s home. They break into the new safe that Mike and Tyrus left there, find a letter that Mike placed there. It leads them to the motel where Nacho is hiding out.

Nacho figures out that something is up. He tries to escape but the twins show up with a few other men. They are looking to take Nacho alive but he escapes in a hot wired pickup truck.

Mike and Tyrus meet with Gus to discuss where things stand with Nacho. Gus wants to use Nacho’s father as leverage against him. Mike refuses. Tyrus pulls his gun on Mike but then Nacho calls Mike. He speaks to Mike and then asks to talk to Gus.

Saul and Kim visit the Kettlemans. Saul tries to offer them a carrot, cash. They refuse to take it. Betsy is on to what Saul is trying to do. Kim offers them a stick. She is on to the little scheme the Kettlemans have going with their tax preparation business. She threatens to sick the IRS on them. Betsy breaks and agrees to do whatever it is that Saul and Kim want.

Saul and Kim leave the Kettleman office, unaware that someone is following them.

Thoughts

I can't decide if I should call him Jimmy or Saul.

Who is following Kim and Jimmy? Someone that Howard hired? Lalo? I'm not sure.

It looked for a moment like Tyrus might kill Mike but I knew that wasn't going to happen. Still, it was a tense scene. They really sold it.

I wasn't too surprised that Gus concluded that Lalo is still alive. Hector would not have been accommodating if he believed that his nephew was dead.

Do the twins know that Lalo is alive? I'm not sure but I'm leaning towards yes. Why else would they want him alive?

I have to admit that I'm chagrinned by Betsy Kettleman. She wants the life back that she had before her husband was arrested for embezzlement of government funds but that life must have been funded (at least in part) with embezzled funds. They are getting used by Jimmy and Kim but its not like they are innocent. I don't feel sorry for the Kettlemans but it's not like I am rooting for Kim and Jimmy to succeed in screwing up Howard's life.

I'm convinced that Nacho's days are numbered. I'm not sure at this point how much time he has left but I can't see him getting out of this alive. If this was Breaking Bad then he would be Jesse Pinkman, but it isn't and he isn't.

I'm starting to wonder if Kim's determination to ruin Howard's life is going to result in her death or her going to prison for an extended period of time.

This was a solid episode.