Jimmy McGill, Kim Wexler, Mike Ehrmantraut, and Gus Fring return tonight for Better Call Saul’s sixth and final season, which will show seven episodes in a row before taking a little hiatus before returning on July 11 with the final stretch.
In the congested world of current television, two years is about a lifetime, and even die-hard fans might be forgiven for forgetting where this Breaking Bad prequel (and, in a sense, sequel) last left its characters.
It doesn’t help that creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, as well as their writers, have never been fans of holding viewers’ hands when it comes to recounting prior season events.
That’s where we come in, telling you all you need to know as we prepare to return to one of television’s greatest series. Given the program’s complex tapestry of character work, going through the cast one by one is the best way to go about getting a refresher, starting with the man who gives the show its name.
In season five, Jimmy McGill fully transformed into Saul Goodman, abandoning all pretence of preserving the more “legitimate” side of the legal ledger in favour of his “Slippin’ Jimmy” skill set. He spent much of the season cultivating his clientele by using his Saul charm, which brought him further into the criminal underground than ever before.
His worth became clear to the cartel, notably Lalo Salamanca, the new head of the pack, when he assisted a Salamanca drug dealer avoid prosecution by becoming an informant for Hank Schrader (Dean Norris). Later in the season, he was obliged to fly to Mexico with Mike to gather $7 million for Lalo’s bail, nearly dying in the process.
Jimmy McGill finally morphed into Saul Goodman in season five, forsaking any pretence of keeping the “legitimate” side of the legal ledger in favour of his “Slippin’ Jimmy” skill set. Using his Saul charm, he spent much of the season building his customers, bringing him further into the criminal underworld than ever before.
When he helped a Salamanca drug dealer avoid punishment by becoming an informant for Hank Schrader, his usefulness became evident to the cartel, particularly Lalo Salamanca, the new cartel boss (Dean Norris). He was forced to go to Mexico with Mike later in the season to collect $7 million for Lalo’s bail, nearly dying in the process.
Mike was gripped by sadness and dread during Season 5, but he fought both with his conscience and instincts. Mike was driven in season five to ensure that no more lives were lost beyond what was absolutely necessary on his watch, still reeling from his role in the death of Werner Ziegler.
Season five was pivotal in terms of Mike becoming the no-nonsense guardian who first emerged on that programme, one who wants to get the job done with as little loss of life (or words uttered) as possible, as much as it was about Jimmy becoming more like the Saul presented in Breaking Bad. When his anguish caused him to hit the bottle too hard, he struck rock bottom with his daughter and granddaughter.
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