The fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul premiered on February 23, 2020, in the United States, and concluded on April 20, 2020. The ten-episode season was broadcast on Mondays at 9:00pm (Eastern) in the United States, except for the premiere which aired on a Sunday. Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, and Giancarlo Esposito reprise their roles from previous seasons and are joined by Tony Dalton, promoted to the main cast from his recurring role in the previous season. Better Call Saul is a spin-off prequel to Breaking Bad and was also created by Vince Gilligan; co-creator Peter Gould also worked on the series.
The fifth season picks up where the fourth left off, also taking place in 2004, four years before Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk) meets Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). The season shows the further evolution of Jimmy into the titular character, criminal defense lawyer "Saul Goodman", after regaining his law license, while fully rejecting the goodwill that Howard Hamlin (Fabian) extends to him in the wake of his brother Chuck's death. Kim Wexler (Seehorn) is dismayed by Jimmy's secretive and sporadic nature as well as her own willingness to go along with Jimmy's morally ambiguous motives to move ahead in her casework. Lalo Salamanca's (Dalton) presence in Albuquerque disrupts Gus Fring's (Esposito) legitimate restaurant business and his reputation with the drug cartel. Both Nacho Varga (Mando), fearing for his father's safety, and Mike Ehrmantraut (Banks), who is struggling to cope with his killing of Werner Ziegler, are caught between Gus and Lalo's conflict, eventually drawing Jimmy and Kim in.
The fifth season received universal acclaim from critics, particularly for its performances and heightened tension compared to earlier seasons, and four nominations at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, including for Outstanding Drama Series.
Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, primarily a corporate banking lawyer with a moral passion for public defense cases and Jimmy's girlfriend/wife and legal confidant.
Michael Mando as Nacho Varga, a lieutenant in the drug cartel, now overseeing daily operations in Albuquerque; torn between the vicious Salamanca enforcers and Gus Fring's ambitions for removal of Don Eladio, his allegiance is co-opted by Fring, after trying to kill Hector Salamanca.
Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca, acting head of the brutal Salamanca family of cartel enforcers and a "fixer" for Don Eladio's Albuquerque distribution.
Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring, Chilean national, now Albuquerque narcotics distributor under Don Eladio's cartel; using his fried chicken chain, Los Pollos Hermanos, as a legitimate front.
Recurring
Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca, a once brutal drug enforcer who, following a stroke, has been left unable to walk or speak.[2]
Robert Forster as Ed Galbraith, a vacuum cleaner repairman who creates new identities for fugitives; reprising his role from Breaking Bad and El Camino.[3]
Norbert Weisser as Peter Schuler, the CEO of Madrigal Electromotive, the parent company of Gus's Los Pollos Hermanos restaurants; reprising his role from Breaking Bad.[5]
Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, a Madrigal Electromotive executive and a liaison to Gus Fring; reprising her role from Breaking Bad.[5]
Roy Wood Jr. as Grant, an Albuquerque public defender.
John DiMaggio as a construction foreman, who oversees the demolition of Everett Acker's home.
Production
Development
On July 28, 2018, AMC renewed Better Call Saul for a fifth season, just prior to the airing of the fourth season.[6] At the time of renewal, the number of episodes had yet to be specified, and even after the conclusion of the fourth season in October 2018, series co-creator Peter Gould said they were still in discussions with Sony Pictures Television for how long the fifth season would be, given that Better Call Saul had a finite amount of content.[7] In November 2019, AMC confirmed that the fifth season would have ten episodes and would debut on February 23, 2020.[8][9] On what to expect in the fifth season, Gould said that Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman's first move is "to try to leverage all the contacts he has in the world of selling drop phones." He also posed a question about Saul's reputation "as not just a criminal lawyer but a criminal lawyer?".[10]
Casting
Breaking Bad actors Dean Norris (left) and Robert Forster (right) reprised their roles in this season.
In the first scene of the season, Jimmy hides his real identity under his Gene Takavic alias while working at a Cinnabon in a shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska.[20] The Cinnabon scenes in Better Call Saul are set in Omaha, but are filmed at the Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque.[21]
Series co-creator Vince Gilligan, who is also the creator of Breaking Bad, said that the episode "Bagman" was the most "challenging" episode he has had to direct so far.[22]
In a flash-forward, the taxi driver (Jeff)[a] says he knows about Gene's past. A nervous Gene proceeds to call Ed, "the disappearer", but changes his mind, saying he will handle the problem himself. In 2004, Jimmy tells Kim the "Saul Goodman" alias he used for his cell phone business[b] gives him an instant criminal law client base. Nacho reports rumors that some cocaine Gus provides the Salamancas is inferior, which Lalo confirms. Gus tells Lalo and Juan Bolsa that Werner was building a chiller on the chicken farm under Mike's supervision but fled with stolen cocaine, which Gus replaced with locally acquired meth. Lalo accepts Gus' cover story but remains suspicious. Saul gives away his remaining cell phones to publicize his criminal law practice. Gus shuts down lab construction because of Lalo's suspicions, and Mike sends Werner's crew home. Upset over Gus's lack of compassion for Werner, Mike refuses to accept payment during the downtime. Saul's camera crew helps generate publicity for his practice by faking a confrontation with Deputy District Attorney Oakley. Kim's client refuses a favorable plea bargain. Jimmy offers to help trick him into accepting. Kim refuses, but after Jimmy leaves she successfully runs the con herself.
Gus wants Nacho to provide inside information about Lalo's intentions. Two drug users who received Saul's 50% off business card go on a multi-day binge. As they attempt to buy more cocaine at the Salamanca drug house, the bags get stuck in the drainpipe. Domingo's attempt to solve the problem causes the drugs to fall out just as the police arrive. Nacho gains Lalo's favor by climbing over rooftops to sneak in and retrieve the drug stash before police enter. Mike remains upset over Werner's death and drinks heavily. He babysits Kaylee, who asks questions about her father, causing Mike to lash out angrily. Jimmy attempts to get back into Kim's good graces. She tells Jimmy she appreciated his effort to persuade her client to accept a plea bargain but does not want to lie to succeed. As Saul, Jimmy turns on the charm at the courthouse and makes several favorable plea bargains, then tricks Assistant District Attorney Ericsen into making more after he arranges to be stuck with her in an elevator. Howard invites Jimmy to lunch and the reminder of his past leaves Jimmy unsettled. As Jimmy leaves the courthouse, Nacho suddenly appears and coerces Jimmy into his car.
Nacho delivers Jimmy to Lalo, who wants him to make sure Domingo is freed from prison without talking. Jimmy as Saul sets up a ploy that draws in DEA agents Hank Schrader and Steven Gomez. Though they suspect a trick, Saul arranges for Domingo to go free in exchange for becoming Hank's confidential informant and revealing the locations of Gus' dead drops. Jimmy discovers that Lalo plans to use him more in the future. Nacho tries to have someone purchase his father's upholstery shop so his father can retire safely away from the drug world, but his father sees through the ruse. Nacho reveals Lalo's plan for Domingo to Fring, and Gus decides not to interfere because doing so would reveal that he has a mole in the Salamanca organization. Mike continues wallowing over Werner's death. Kim is pulled from a day of pro bono criminal defense work to deal with a stubborn homeowner who refuses to leave his land to make way for a Mesa Verde call center. Initially demanding he accept the court judgment, she returns with a sincere offer to help him move, but the homeowner accuses her of only pretending to help and refuses.
Jimmy meets with Howard over lunch, where Howard offers Jimmy a position at HHM. Jimmy is unnerved by the offer and later uses three bowling balls to damage Howard's expensive car, which sports a vanity plate reading "NAMAST3". Kim tries to convince Mesa Verde to use an alternate development plan and leave Mr. Acker's home standing, but Kevin insists on evicting him. Kim decides to bring in Jimmy as Saul, who represents Acker in a suit against the bank. Gus works with Victor and Diego to ensure that the DEA finds the three dead drops Domingo told them about after his arrest. Stacey tells Mike she does not yet feel comfortable having him babysit Kaylee. That night Mike is beaten up and stabbed by the local gang he previously fought with and wakes in an unknown pueblo.
Mike wakes up on a ranch in Mexico which has ties to Gus, including a fountain dedicated to Max. Dr. Barry Goodman treats him and recommends he stay and heal. Gus later arrives and asks for Mike's help in Gus' war against the Salamancas. Mike refuses to engage in killing simply to further Gus' aims, but Gus says he wants Mike because Mike understands Gus' need for revenge. Jimmy as Saul creates delays in Mesa Verde's eviction of Acker. Kim tries to recuse herself by claiming a conflict of interest, but Kevin insists she remains and refuses any compromises. Howard asks Jimmy to accept his offer to join HHM, and Jimmy claims he is still considering it. Jimmy suggests there are no options left for Acker but to find "dirt" on Kevin and tries to persuade Kim to move on, but she decides to proceed. Jimmy hires Sobchak who thinks his search of Kevin's home revealed nothing damaging, but Kim’s knowing smile as she looks through Sobchak's photos indicates she notices something useful. Rich Schweikart suggests that Kim should disengage from Mesa Verde's business, correctly deducing her heart is not in it, but she angrily refuses.
Kim tells Jimmy she does not want to follow through on blackmailing Kevin and wants to reach a settlement between Mesa Verde and Everett Acker. Jimmy agrees, but at the meeting to finalize the settlement, he stuns everyone by asking for $4 million. Kim's insight into Sobchak's photos is that Mesa Verde's logo was inspired by a photograph the bank never obtained permission to use. Jimmy pressures Kevin by threatening an injunction against displaying the logo and threatening to run TV ads seeking plaintiffs for class action suits against the bank which negatively depict Kevin's father. Kevin meets privately with Jimmy and accepts a deal to pay Acker and the photographer. Kim angrily confronts Jimmy, upset that he made her the "sucker" for his con. She suggests getting married. Gus, Victor, and Mike meet with Nacho, who reports Lalo's plan to reveal the locations of Gus's street dealers to the police. Gus directs Victor to give up low-level employees while ensuring nothing leads back to Gus. Mike secretly points the police to Lalo's involvement in the murder of Fred the money wire clerk,[c] and they converge on Lalo while he is driving.
Jimmy and Kim get married, applying spousal privilege to their conversations. Lalo is charged with murder under an alias and directs Saul to obtain bail. Kim and Rich apologize for the outcome of Acker's case. Kevin indicates he will let them know later whether he will retain them. Kim and Rich return and Kim reminds Kevin he ignored their advice. She says that whether he retains them or hires new counsel, she hopes he will be willing to listen, and Kevin indicates his approval. Mike tells Stacey he is over the problem that caused his recent anger. Nacho tells Mike that Lalo wants Nacho to burn down one of Gus' restaurants. Gus and other subsidiary owners provide updates to Peter, Madrigal's CEO. Gus briefs Peter and Lydia on the meth lab's status. Nacho and Gus destroy a Los Pollos Hermanos to preserve Nacho's role as Gus' mole. Saul uses Mike's information to accuse police of fabricating evidence against Lalo. Bail is set at $7 million, which Lalo says he can pay. Howard confronts Jimmy and rescinds his job offer. Jimmy blames Howard for Chuck's death and says that as Saul he has grown too big for the constraints of HHM.
The Cousins pick up Lalo's bail money at a cartel site in Mexico. An informant makes a telephone call to report their presence. Lalo directs Jimmy to a remote pickup site and pays him $100,000 to transport the cash. Kim says she does not want him to go because he is a lawyer, not a "bagman" for drug dealers, but he says it will be an easy job. The Cousins deliver two bags of cash to Jimmy, then depart. As Jimmy starts his return trip, he is cut off by several gunmen. They take the money and prepare to kill him but are attacked by an unseen sniper. All but one are killed and the survivor escapes. The shooter is Mike, who drives off with Jimmy and the cash. Jimmy's car breaks down, so they push it over the edge of the road, then walk cross-country to avoid the gunman. They camp overnight, then continue their trek. When Jimmy fails to return, Kim asks Lalo for his location, but Lalo refuses. The gunman continues searching, so Jimmy acts as a decoy and draws him in. Mike shoots the gunman, whose vehicle flips and is destroyed. Mike and Jimmy resume walking.
Jimmy and Mike make their way to a truck stop where Tyrus and Victor pick them up. Jimmy posts Lalo's bail and tells Lalo he was alone and walked after his car broke down. Lalo plans to return to Mexico. Gus realizes the men who ambushed Jimmy were hired by Juan Bolsa to protect Gus's business. Jimmy lies to Kim about what happened, but Kim realizes the truth after she sees the bullet hole in his coffee mug. Kim quits Schweikart & Cokely to focus on pro bono clients. Mike tells Jimmy his post-traumatic stress will pass with time. Lalo discovers Jimmy's car and returns to Albuquerque instead of waiting for The Cousins to bring him to Mexico. Mike calls to warn Jimmy just before Lalo arrives at Kim's apartment. As Mike trains his sniper rifle on Lalo from a nearby roof, Lalo has Jimmy repeat the story of his desert walk, then asks about the bullet holes in Jimmy's car. Kim tells Lalo the car was probably destroyed by passersby and berates him for not trusting Jimmy. Lalo appears satisfied with Kim's argument and departs. He tells Nacho to head for Mexico, but not the original pickup site.
After Lalo leaves, Jimmy tells Kim the truth about his desert trek with Mike. Kim and Jimmy hide at a downtown hotel. Mike tells Gus that Lalo and Nacho went to Lalo's Chihuahua home. Gus suggests Nacho can help the assassins he is sending. Kim accepts 20 pending felonies from the public defender pro bono. Nacho receives a call telling him to open Lalo's back gate at 3 am. Kim tells Howard she quit Schweikart & Cokely. Howard warns Kim about Jimmy's recent harassment and suggests Kim should stop following his lead. Kim says she is insulted by the notion that she cannot decide for herself. Mike tells Jimmy that Lalo will be killed, and Jimmy later informs Kim. They discuss forcing a Sandpiper case resolution by sabotaging Howard, which would enable Jimmy to receive his seven-figure share of the settlement sooner. Lalo introduces Nacho to Don Eladio, who gives his blessing to Nacho's plans for the Salamanca drug business. Nacho opens Lalo's gate and runs away as the assassins attack Lalo. Lalo kills all but one of the assassins. He instructs the survivor to call the middleman who arranged for the murder and report that Lalo had been assassinated.
Broadcast
In the United States, the season debuted with a two-night premiere on Sunday, February 23, 2020, and Monday, February 24, where it returned to its regular timeslot.[4] In the weeks prior to the premiere, AMC had aired a Breaking Badmarathon leading into the AMC premiere showing of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie as lead-in to Better Call Saul's fifth season.[37] Regarding the decision to air the fifth season nearly a year and a half after the fourth, Sarah Barnett, the president of the entertainment networks group at AMC Networks, said the long hiatus was "driven by talent needs, which we would not override if it would result in a worse show".[38]
In certain international markets, like previous seasons, the fifth season was released on Netflix with episodes available the day after the episodes were broadcast on AMC.[39]
Reception
Critical response
The fifth season of Better Call Saul received universal acclaim from television critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 99% based on 184 reviews, with an average rating of 8.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Grounded by Bob Odenkirk's endlessly nuanced, lived-in performance, Better Call Saul's fifth season is a darkly funny, vividly realized master class in tragedy."[40] On Metacritic, the season has a score of 92 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[41]
Kelly Connolly of TV Guide gave it 4.5/5 stars and wrote that Better Call Saul is better than other prequels, saying that the series "understands that the tragedy of fate is baked into the story."[42] Writing for Collider, Adam Chitwood gave it a perfect 5/5 star review, stating that the series might have become even better than Breaking Bad, and describing its execution as "unparalleled by anything on television right now".[43] Daniel D'Addario of Variety gave the first few episodes a positive review, saying "Better Call Saul, in the early going of its fifth and penultimate season, remains the picture of white-knuckled but real restraint."[44] Jen Chaney of Vulture said that Kim's development into a similar character as Jimmy made viewing the fifth season a more "nerve-wracking experience than usual, in the best, albeit still anxiety-provoking way."[45]
The final few episodes of the season were highlighted by Alison Herman from The Ringer, as she mentioned that they finally had the two stories of Better Call Saul, Jimmy's story involving legal work, and Mike's story involving the drug cartel, fully intersect after several seasons to a great effect.[46] The episode "Bagman" received universal acclaim from critics and audiences, with some considering it to be the series' best episode.[47][48][49] The following episode "Bad Choice Road" received similar acclaim.[50]
Rhea Seehorn's performance as Kim during the fifth season was seen by some critics as the stand-out performance of the season. Both from Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall described her as the "MVP of Better Call Saul",[51] and Brian Tallerico referred to Seehorn's work as "one of the best performances on any show in the last decade".[52] Liz Shannon Miller of Collider wrote in regards to her Emmy snub, "Seehorn in particular hurts after turning in career-best work; Kim Wexler's journey in Season 5 was a heartbreaking, even chilling experience".[53] The final scene from "Bad Choice Road" in which Kim stands up to Lalo for Jimmy was highlighted by CNN's Brian Lowry, saying that it has "really been Seehorn's year, crystallizing what has drawn Kim to Jimmy" and that it showed the "character's strength".[54]TVLine named Seehorn their "Performer of the Week" for her performance in "Bad Choice Road", particularity the final scene. They wrote that Seehorn was "delivering one of the best performances on TV" and "is the best thing that ever happened to Better Call Saul."[55]
In response to the Emmy nominations, several critics felt that Odenkirk (who had been nominated for each previous season) and Seehorn were significant snubs.[80][52][81][53][82]
Home media
The fifth season was released on Blu-ray and DVD in region 1 on November 24, 2020. The set contains all 10 episodes, plus cast and crew audio commentaries on every episode, deleted scenes, and various behind-the-scenes featurettes.[83][84]
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