"Inflatable" is the seventh episode of the second season of Better Call Saul and the seventeenth episode of the series altogether.
Summary[]
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In 1973, a young Jimmy is "working" at his father's store, secretly reading a Playboy magazine. A customer comes in and asks Jimmy's father for $5 and gives a fake story. Jimmy immediately deduces that the customer is actually a con man looking to steal money from the till. He tries to tell his father, but he refuses to listen. When his father goes to retrieve a box of sparkplugs to help the con man, Jimmy watches the cash register. The con man buys 2 cartons of cigarettes and tells Jimmy that there are "wolves and sheep in this world" and that he must figure out which he's going to be. He then leaves the store. As his father follows the con man outside, Jimmy removes the $8 from the register that the con man gave him so that his father will be none the wiser.
Act I[]
In 2002, Jimmy meets with Mike in the lobby of the courthouse. In the office of Suzanne Ericsen, Jimmy delivers Mike's amended statement that Hector had bribed him to make. However, both Suzanne and her assistant question Mike's story, explaining that only Tuco's prints were found on the gun. Jimmy gives unconvincing answers as to how the gun got into Tuco's possession and promises to make Mike available for the defense if Ericsen charges Tuco. When Suzanne asks if Mike was threatened or paid to do this, Jimmy fakes outrage and escorts him out. As they wait for the elevator, Jimmy assures Mike that he's doing the right thing. To illustrate his point, he explains that he once witnessed Tuco break two guys' legs. Offended, Mike tells him to take the next elevator and refuses Jimmy's offer of not being billed for his time.
As he returns to his car, Jimmy calls Kim to see if the offer from Schweikart & Cokely has been finalized. Kim says it won't be until the interview, but mentions that Schweikart is promising to make her partner within two years. Back at Davis & Main, Jimmy begins dictating a letter of resignation to Omar, who points out that Jimmy will forfeit the bonus in his contract if he resigns within a year of employment. Jimmy asks Omar to forget about the letter of resignation. While he is driving home, he stops at a red light and happens to notice a skydancer in a colorful suit advertising for a business on the roadside. This gives Jimmy an idea.
Act II[]
Jimmy replaces his conservative legal wear with several suits of flashy, garish colors. He starts wearing his new outfits every day to work. He also brings a loud blender to the break room that accidentally sprays a coworker while attempting to make a smoothie. He treats a janitor as being Hispanic and gives cleaning techniques in a Mexican accent, much to the annoyance of the custodian (who is from Michigan). He doesn't flush the toilets on a constant basis, and details a list of conservation concerns when Cliff relays a group complaint.
When Jimmy plays pair of bagpipes to "blow off steam," Cliff summons him to his office. He tells Jimmy that he has won and that he is fired. Cliff admits he knew Jimmy's plan of being fired without cause so that he can keep his signing bonus, and while he could fight him on it, it wouldn't be worth his time. He begs Jimmy to explain his actions after Davis & Main gave him everything he asked for. Jimmy admits that he tried to fit in, but just couldn't, as he felt like a "square peg." When asked why he took the job then, Jimmy apologizes and offers to write Cliff a check for the desk. Cliff tells him to take the desk and go. On his way out, Jimmy delivers a final parting shot: he grabs Erin's drink can from her hand and throws it in a non-recycling trash basket.
Act III[]
At HHM, Kim is writing a resignation letter to Howard when Jimmy drops by and asks to talk in the conference room. He offers to make her partner in "Wexler McGill", in which Kim could be her own boss. Kim worries about making such a big gamble, but Jimmy says that the odds are in her favor because she is an amazing lawyer and deserves more than just a lateral move which Howard and Schweikart represent. Kim asks Jimmy about his position with Davis & Main and learns that he quit. He says that he did not fit at the firm, contrary to how he feels around her. Kim asks whether he will play it straight as her partner. Jimmy knows the answer she is hoping to hear, but states he must be himself due to the negative consequences he and others faced when he tried to play by other people's rules. Kim is perplexed as to why Jimmy needs her, but he corrects her by saying that he wants her. She states that he already has her, just not as a law partner.
Meanwhile, Stacey gives Mike a tour of a house she wants to buy. She reports that crime rates are low and the schools are good, but is hesitant because it costs a lot of money. Mike insists that money will not be an issue, and states that the house is hers if she wants it. Stacey tells the realtor that the house is perfect and agrees to meet her to get the pre-approval in order. Relieved that she has a new home, Stacey thanks Mike for everything.
At the nail salon, Omar helps Jimmy bring in his cocobolo desk. Appreciative of his help, Jimmy tries to pay him and even offers to buy a drink, but Omar declines as he has a long drive back home to his kids. Before leaving, Omar asks Jimmy what he is going to do now. "Onward and upward" is his response. In the backroom office, Jimmy puts his supplies on the desk and looks at the landline phone. Aware that he can resume his practice as "James M. McGill, Esq.", he creates a colorful voice mail greeting, speaking in the fancy receptionist tone he used with his old clients. However, he stops himself. He starts over, this time addressing his practice as "the law offices of Jimmy McGill" in his regular voice. Meanwhile, Mike drives to a fenced lot opposite the ice cream shop where he negotiated a $50,000 deal with Hector to spy on Hector and his operation.
Act IV[]
Kim interviews at Schweikart & Cokely. After a lengthy conversation about her law experience, Schweikart wants to change the subject and hear her backstory. She explains that she grew up in a small town near the Kansas-Nebraska border where she had limited prospects, and decided to pursue a law degree at UNM in the pursuit of "something more". After the interview, Schweikart tells Kim that she should expect to hear from them by the following day. Both excited and nervous about the offer, she accidentally calls him "Howard" when bidding him goodbye. Later, while smoking on the parking garage, Kim looks at Jimmy's Wexler McGill business card and has an idea after she rips it in half, separating the W and M in the logo.
Kim drives to the nail salon and is surprised when Mrs. Nguyen tells her that Jimmy is in a meeting. Shortly after, he walks out with his film crew, and it seems like they are planning to make another commercial. Back in his office, Jimmy wants to celebrate Kim's successful interview by ordering out, but is stunned to learn that she isn't going to take the job. Kim admits that Jimmy was right about becoming her own boss, and shares with him her lingering idea: that they share an office space as solo practitioners. This ensures that Jimmy will be free to do things his way while Kim does the same with her own practice. Speechless, Jimmy admits he doesn't know what to say, to which Kim enthusiastically replies, "Say yes."
Official Photos[]
Trivia[]
- This episode marks the earliest chronological appearance of Stephanie Doswell, who first appeared in Breaking Bad.
- The teaser of this episode was originally shot for "Pimento", but was cut due to time constraints.[1] This means a part of the episode was written and directed by Thomas Schnauz, although he is not credited as such.
Production[]
Credits[]
Starring
- Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill
- Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut
- Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler
- Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin (credit only)
- Michael Mando as Nacho Varga (credit only)
- Michael McKean as Chuck McGill (credit only)
Guest Starring
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Co-Starring
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Uncredited
- Aaron Templeton as Valet
Featured Music[]
- "Sweet City Woman" by Stampeders
- "Dancing In the Moonlight" by King Harvest
- "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey
- "Noches Tristes" by Oscar Castanedos
- "Amore Piu Bello" by Stephane Huguenin, Yves Sanna & Christian Padovan
Memorable Quotes[]
- Jimmy: "Backwards only, solo backward-o, yeah? Because, uh, you've got suction that way, leverage. It's physics, el physico! Oh, Don Clifford wants his floors clean - limpio, limpar. Uh. ¿Comprende?"
- Jack: "Dude, I'm from Michigan."
- Jimmy: "So you don't understand a word I've been saying."
- ―One of the misdeeds of Jimmy to succeed in being fired.
- Cliff Main: "Excuse me, can I have everyone's attention please? Everyone can hear me? Good. Frankly, this is not a conversation I ever thought I would have in my professional career. But it's been brought to my attention that we have an ongoing situation in the washroom. Someone is not flushing. Once is an accident, maybe even twice. Three times, nah, it's a pattern. Now I'm not here to shame anyone, nor do I even wanna know who did it, but..."
- Jimmy: "Uh, Cliff, it was me."
- Cliff Main: "Jimmy, I just said I didn't want to know!"
- Jimmy: "Hey, we need the water. I read somewhere the Santa Fe Watershed is down two full inches this year. Every time you flush a toilet, you waste a gallon of water. A gallon! What could be greener than this?"
- Cliff Main: "They're low-flow toilets, Jimmy! From now on, flush!"
- ―Another of the misdeeds of Jimmy to succeed in being fired.
- Jimmy: "Hey, Cliff, for what it's worth, I think you're a good guy."
- Clifford: "For what it's worth, I think you're an asshole."
- ―Jimmy and Clifford Main after Jimmy has been fired