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"Fall" is the ninth episode of the third season of Better Call Saul and the twenty-ninth episode of the series altogether.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

BCS 309 01

Jimmy visits Sandpiper Crossing to see Irene Landry, the class representative in the Sandpiper lawsuit. Over cookies, Irene tells him that Erin Brill, his former co-worker from Davis & Main, told her that the suit is years from a resolution. When Irene lets Jimmy look at Erin's settlement offer, he is taken aback by the figure and tries to persuade her to accept the proposal right away, against Erin's advice. Jimmy sees Irene off as she leaves with her chair yoga group. As he walks out of the Sandpiper building, Jimmy calculates the numbers and realizes he stands to gain $1.16 million from the settlement.

Act I[]

BCS 309 02

At the offices of Madrigal Electromotive GmbH in Houston, Texas, Mike meets Lydia to make arrangements for his hiring by Gus as a "security consultant." Mike expresses concern about being exposed if Madrigal were subjected to an audit, but Lydia assures him that he will not attract any outside attention and that his name will be kept off the books. He asks why Lydia is risking her job for a "drug dealer," but she replies that Gus is much more than that. Mike signs off on the deal.

BCS 309 03

At HHM, Chuck and Howard meet with two representatives from the Santa Rosa insurance group. Having learned of Chuck's illness and subsequent breakdown at Jimmy's bar hearing, the representatives inform Chuck and Howard that they will be doubling the malpractice premiums on every practicing attorney at the firm. When Howard balks at such a massive increase, the reps offer a compromise solution whereby only Chuck's malpractice premiums will be increased, provided he agrees to work under the supervision of a co-counsel on any future cases he picks up. Chuck is offended by the notion of having to be "babysat" and threatens litigation, much to Howard's discomfort. After the representatives leave, Howard broaches the possibility of Chuck taking a job offer as a college lecturer as a favor to a friend of his at UNM, while becoming partner emeritus at HHM. Chuck becomes irate as he realizes that Howard wants him to retire. Howard firmly insists that he can no longer trust Chuck's judgment, meaning the two cannot be partners.

Act II[]

BCS 309 04

At a remote oil field, Kim meets with a prospective client named Billy Gatwood on Kevin's recommendation. Billy fills in Kim about his tax issues, stemming from the fact that a mineral deposit on the New Mexico side of the New Mexico-Texas border had broken off from underground drilling. Kim promises to propose a solution to Gatwood's tax problems within two weeks. After he leaves, Kim finds that her car has become stuck in the dirt. Kim uses a piece of plywood to force the car free, but it goes out of control and narrowly avoids rolling into an oil well. Kim records her meeting notes in a tape recorder as she drives away.

At the parking garage of HHM, Jimmy confronts Howard about the settlement offer, pointing out that HHM stands to gain over a few million dollars from the offer that they want to put off. Jimmy asks Howard to settle immediately, saying it would be the right thing to do for the clients. Howard refuses, seeing that Jimmy is feigning concern for the clients and is primarily interested in his cut of the money. He warns Jimmy against employing any dirty tricks to get the settlement approved.

Hector and Gus meet at a remote location, flanked by their respective henchmen. Through a phonecall, Juan Bolsa tells Hector that Don Eladio is satisfied with the new "consolidated transportation method" of shipping drugs over the border, and wants the practice to continue using Gus's distribution network exclusively. Hector angrily smashes the phone, wanting to have his own distribution method instead of Gustavo's. Hector's heart problems act up, leading him to open the bottle containing Nacho's fake pills. However, the pills have no apparent effect, and Hector curses Eladio, Bolsa, and Gus before leaving.

Act III[]

BCS 309 17

Donning a tacky headband and tracksuit, Jimmy goes to a shopping mall and intercepts Irene as she is walking by with her chair yoga group. Jimmy gives Irene an expensive pair of new track shoes. After this, Jimmy embarks in a prolonged scheme to indirectly pressure Irene into settling by turning her friends against her, telling them that she has taken improper advantage of being the class representative in the Sandpiper suit and citing the running shoes as proof. As a result of Jimmy's manipulation, Irene's friends ostracize her, much to her surprise and confusion. 

BCS 309 09

Nacho, seeing that the pills have failed to kill Hector, goes to his father Manuel's house and comes clean to him. He admits that he fell in "again" with Hector, who will soon be coming to take control of Manuel's upholstery shop. Nacho pleads with his father to do what Hector wants and not do anything "stupid," meaning approaching the police. Manuel refuses and asks Nacho to leave the house, which he obliges.

BCS 309 12

Howard's secretary delivers him an envelope from Chuck, which he assumes is Chuck's resignation letter. He directs his secretary to make plans for a big retirement party. Unfortunately, he's spoken too soon, as he opens the envelope to find Chuck's plans to sue HHM for breach of contract. Howard goes to Chuck's house to confront him, noticing that Chuck has reinstalled some of the electrical appliances. Chuck insists that he is overcoming his EHS delusion, and vows to fight Howard in court in order to retain control of the firm he built from the ground up, threatening to liquidate the firm if he doesn't get his way. After Howard leaves, Chuck is forced to put down an electrical cooking implement, showing that he is still struggling with living around electricity.

Act IV[]

In the middle of the night, inside the bingo hall at Sandpiper Crossing, Jimmy tampers with some of the balls used for the bingo game. The following day, Jimmy uses the rigged balls to ensure that Irene wins. However, when no one else in the room applauds her, she runs out of the room and is reduced to tears. Jimmy approaches her and, under the guise of trying to help, suggests that it is in the best interest of the group and her relationships that she accepts the settlement offer right away.

BCS 309 16

Jimmy returns to Wexler McGill with a bottle of Zafiro Añejo tequila, telling Kim that the Sandpiper case will be settling and he wants to celebrate. However, Kim is late to a meeting with Gatwood and is too distracted to listen to Jimmy or share his celebratory mood. After she leaves, a dejected Jimmy shares tequila shots with Francesca. Meanwhile, while driving to her meeting with Gatwood, Kim falls asleep at the wheel which causes her car to crash into a ditch. Kim stumbles out of the car, miraculously only coming out with a broken arm and facial injuries.

Official Photos[]

Trivia[]

  • There was a store in the mall called 'Crazy 8' and many fans think this is a reference to Krazy-8. However, this may be a coincidence since Crazy 8 is a real kids clothing store.
  • There is a potential timeline inconsistency in this episode: A scene in the mall shows Jimmy strolling through wearing a style of shoe similar to Skechers Shape-Ups. These shoes were not released until much later than when the show takes place.
  • In an interview, Peter Gould explained that the writers hesitated on whether to show Kim getting out of her car after the accident in this episode. The viewers would then have to wait until the next episode with anguish to know if Kim was alive. Out of respect for the audience, this idea was rejected.
  • Irene compares Erin to a young Mary Martin.
  • Howard saying to Chuck that he can't be partners with someone whose judgment he doesn't trust, echoes Gus at first refusing to work with Walter in Breaking Bad: "You have poor judgment. I can't work with someone with poor judgment." ("Mandala")
  • In Better Call Saul Insider Podcast, it is revealed that the road on which Kim has an accident is close to the studios and has also been used for several scenes of Breaking Bad:
    • when Walter is pulled over and given a citation for driving with a broken windshield ("Caballo Sin Nombre")
    • when Walter, feeling empowered and reckless, floors the Aztek's gas pedal and closes his eyes, but finally avoids colliding with a semi-trailer ("Kafkaesque")
  • When Jimmy returns to Wexler McGill offices with a bottle of Zafiro Añejo tequila, he wears a red and white striped tie on which is written "We the people". This sentence is written wholesale on the walls of his office in Breaking Bad.
  • When Kim is at Gatwood Oil and realizes her car is stuck in the dirt, the transmission is still set to park. She doesn't put the car in drive until she says "Begin scheduling."

Production[]

Credits[]

Co-Starring

  • Kelley Lewallen as Bingo Assistant
  • Christopher Hagen as Big Paul
  • Allan K. Edgar as Grumpy
  • Ruth A. Ward as Mall Walker #1
  • Jo Estrada as Mall Walker #2
  • Ann Harper Reed as Yoga Instructor

Filming Locations[]

  • Final Scene Kim awakens in her crashed car. In the distance the interstate highway and several oil tanks can be seen. This location is on Bobby Foster Road, just off I-25.
    • The location is just a few hundred feet away from the shot of Jesse and Jane's conversation at the end of El Camino

Featured Music[]

  • McCanna by Les McCann
  • Lowdown by Boz Scaggs
  • Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited
  • Popcorn by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass
  • Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz

Memorable Quotes[]

"One million, one hundred sixty thousand dollars. Holy shit!"
―Jimmy calculating the amount due to him in the Sandpiper Crossing case.

Lydia: "So to that end, I have you down as a "logistics consultant"."
Mike: "What is that?"
Lydia: "It's a person who consults on logistics. Does it matter?"
Mike: "I'm not long on logistics. "Security consultant" would be better. I used to be a cop."
Lydia: "That'll look better on your work history than your current employer, SMQ Parking."
Mike: "So... you take my money... run it through this joint, it comes out clean? That it?"
Lydia: "Yes."
―Mike and Lydia about Mike's job at Madrigal Electromotive GmbH.

Mike: "You seem to be risking a lot for a drug dealer."
Lydia: "Drug dealer? If that's all you think he is, then you don't know Gustavo Fring."
―Mike and Lydia about Gus.

Chuck: "Look. You see? I'm better! Howard, I'm fine!"
Howard: "This is not what 'fine' looks like."
―Chuck and Howard about Chuck's condition.

"Chuck, you are the best legal mind I've ever known. Hands down. But your decision-making has become unpredictable. I can't be partners with someone whose judgment I don't trust."
―Howard asking Chuck to retire for the good of HHM.

"Fuck Eladio! Fuck Bolsa! And fuck you!"
―Hector losing his temper after the Cartel decided to exclusively use Gus's distribution network.

Manuel Varga: "Salamanca?"
Nacho: "I've been working for them again. I know what you're thinking. You can scream at me, disown me, never speak to me again. But whatever happens, you must do what he says. I know what you're gonna want to do. But you can't. You can't, Papa. Do what he says, this will blow over in a few weeks. If you don't... I swear. I swear it will be over soon."
Manuel Varga: "How can I believe anything you say?"
Nacho: "Promise me you won't do anything stupid. Promise me, Papa. Please."
Manuel Varga: "Get out of my house."
―Nacho explaining the situation to his father.

Chuck: "Yes, I'm suing HHM for breach of contract."
Howard: "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
Chuck: "I believe I do. I'm calling your bluff. This is MY firm. I built it. Your father was working in a 2 room office when I joined him, and you, I tutored for the bar exam. You're not kicking me out. If you can't trust my judgement then, as you say, so be it. But you're going to have to pay me for my share. I believe it comes to around 8 million dollars. We both know the firm doesn't have the money."
Howard: "You'd rather tear down HHM than retire?"
Chuck: "You think I'm trouble now, as your partner? Imagine me as your enemy."
―Chuck and Howard arguing after Chuck decided to sue HHM.
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