"Fifi" is the eighth episode of the second season of Better Call Saul and the eighteenth episode of the series altogether.
Summary[]
[]
At the U.S.-Mexico border, dozens of cargo trucks await their turn to cross. The camera tracks as a Regalo Helado truck approaches a checkpoint and is redirected to an inspection station. There, Border Patrol agents comb the truck in search of possible contraband while the driver, Ximenez Lecerda, looks on nonchalantly. After his cargo and documentation are approved, Ximenez is allowed to go on his way. Ten miles after the border, Ximenez pulls to a stop on a rural roadway and walks a short distance to a drop site marked by a loose rock. He takes a revolver stashed in a lockbox hidden underneath, then returns to his truck and drives off. The tally of popsicle sticks Ximenez leaves at the drop site shows that he has done at least twenty prior runs.
Act I[]
Jimmy and Kim eat hot dogs at the Dog House, celebrating their new partnership in law. Jimmy laments that their new partnership required a proper celebration at a more high-end establishment, but Kim reminds him they have to minimize their expenses. He advises her to send a letter of resignation to HHM that night to officially give notice and not break her contract when she calls Mesa Verde the next morning to bring them along to her new firm. Kim replies that she needs to do things in a way that are right for her.
The next day, Kim visits Howard's office and hands him her letter of resignation. He shows no surprise, since he heard through the grapevine that Kim would be joining Schweikart & Cokely. When she instead tells Howard that she'll work as a solo practitioner, he deduces that she will be working together with Jimmy. He voices his admiration over Kim's "fresh start." Kim expresses her gratitude towards HHM, especially with regard to her law school tuition, and says that she's willing to pay for the remainder of her loan. Howard tells her that she won't have to pay them back, wishing her good luck as she leaves his office. Outside, Kim overhears Howard order his secretary to get him in touch with Mesa Verde, anticipating her intent to take her client with her. Realizing that time is of the essence, she sprints back to her office and calls Paige to set up a meeting with her and Kevin Wachtell.
At the ice cream store, Mike, sitting in his car across the street, observes Ximenez delivering boxes of ice cream. After the store closes, he's about to leave for the night when he sees Hector arrive with Arturo in his car. Mike takes some notes and continues his stakeout.
Act II[]
A few days later, Kim meets with Kevin and Paige in a restaurant, arguing that she knows Mesa Verde's needs in regard to their expansion and that having the bank as her sole client will take up the entirety of her attention. Later, she meets Jimmy at a former dentist's office, which he claims is perfect to serve as their new offices: two separate rooms with a mirrored layout, equipped with soundproof walls and sharing one lobby and reception area. Since Kim is visibly absent-minded, he comes to the conclusion that Mesa Verde said no. Kim flings her arms around him, kisses him and says that the meeting "kicked ass."
Meanwhile, Chuck is working on a filing for Mesa Verde at his house when Howard drops by to inform him that HHM may lose the bank to Kim. Chuck is surprised upon hearing that she is pooling her resources with Jimmy, comparing him to Svengali. Howard has managed to set up a meeting with Kevin that afternoon to try and keep Mesa Verde, but needs Chuck's help since compliance law is not his strong suit. He asks for arguments and bullet-points, but Chuck decides to attend the meeting himself, reassuring Howard that the lights will stay on and he will behave as normal.
Meeting with Kevin and Paige at HHM, Chuck initially tells them that Kim is indeed the right and obvious choice to handle Mesa Verde; he himself reads FEC and ISO reports for entertainment, since the rules are always changing and the penalties for even the most honest of errors can be devastating. Slowly but surely, Chuck gets his point across - he is far more experienced than Kim and, no matter how talented one individual may be, the needs of Mesa Verde are too big to handle alone and that their government contacts would save on money and legal issues. Kevin is persuaded to stay with HHM. As he leaves, Howard congratulates Chuck on his success. Chuck, however, collapses into Howard's arms, the prolonged exposure to the electricity finally taking its toll on him.
Act III[]
Jimmy and his film crew, accompanied by a wheelchair-bound elderly man called Fudge, arrive at a military base and view a B-29 bomber named FIFI. They are accompanied by Captain Bauer, who is under the impression that Fudge is a war hero; in truth, he is merely a client Jimmy once defended for public masturbation. Bauer expresses his admiration for Fudge and asks several detailed questions about his service. To not let him get exposed, Jimmy asks Bauer to get some water for Fudge, to which he happily obliges. While Bauer is away, Jimmy and his crew begin filming another bit for Jimmy's commercial with Fudge standing in front of FIFI. As they are filming, Ernesto calls Jimmy for help on how to treat Chuck's condition. They finish the scene and the call just in time for Bauer to return with a group of soldiers, who wish to take a photo with Fudge. Jimmy agrees to it.
After the shoot, Jimmy returns to the dentist's office to sign the lease. Kim is sitting on the curb, telling Jimmy that she lost Mesa Verde because of Chuck's interference. Jimmy assures Kim that they are a team and that "there will be other Mesa Verdes." Meanwhile, Mike follows Hector to an auto repair shop and observes the ice cream truck entering the garage. The garage doors are then rolled shut, but he waits and after a few minutes he hears the distinctive, repeated sound of an impact wrench. He realizes Hector is using the truck's tires for cross-border smuggling of drug and money shipments.
Later that evening, Jimmy goes to Chuck's house to check up on Ernesto, who is worried that Chuck isn't getting any better. Jimmy reassures Ernesto and asks him to go home. Chuck lies on the couch, unresponsive and wrapped in a space blanket. In his study, Jimmy finds the Mesa Verde files and takes out thirteen documents, carefully marking their exact folder of origin. He drives to a copy shop, has the clerk get some supplies, and begins to meticulously alter the address of Mesa Verde's proposed new branch: 1261 Rosella Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona. Making copies of every page, Jimmy cuts out and swaps the last two numbers of the address, changing it to 1216 Rosella Drive. After hours of work, he returns the forged documents to the filing boxes at Chuck's house and falls asleep in an armchair.
The next day, Chuck awakens and is surprised to find Jimmy sitting in his living room. On Jimmy's reproach about Chuck swiping Mesa Verde from Kim, he states that HHM simply "retained their client" and that he is too tired to fight with Jimmy. He thanks him though for staying with him, claiming that if things were reversed, he would do the same for him.
Act IV[]
During an afternoon playdate, Mike and Kaylee tinker with a garden hose: Kaylee makes dots at regular intervals, through which Mike drills holes. While Mike teaches Kaylee to use the drill, Stacey comes to pick up her daughter. As they leave, Mike continues the project. After dark, Mike inserts iron nails through the holes of the hose.
Official Photos[]
Trivia[]
- The scene where the truck driver retrieves the hidden gun was filmed on the same stretch of road that both Los Pollos Hermanos truck attacks ("Bullet Points" and "Cornered") were filmed on.
- Jimmy and Kim are eating hot dogs at the "Dog House", the place where Jesse Pinkman used to sell meth before meeting Walter White.
- This episode shows how the Salamancas originally smuggled drugs across the border.
- Chuck compares Jimmy to Svengali in his influence over Kim. The term refers to a person who, with evil intent, dominates, manipulates, and controls another person.
- We see FIFI, one of the last two surviving Boeing B-29 Superfortresses.
- Mike is watching His Girl Friday at the end of the episode.
- In the 8th episode of the 2nd season of Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman mentions that he mixed up Brandon Mayhew with a public masturbator, excusing it as a transpositional error. This episode, the 8th episode of the 2nd season of Better Call Saul, not only features a public masturbator ("Fudge") but also showcases Saul Goodman transposing address numbers on important Mesa Verde documents.
Legal notes[]
- Chuck mentions the Community Reinvestment Act, the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 and the Sarbanes–Oxley Act.
Production[]
Credits[]
Starring
- Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill
- Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut
- Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler
- Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin
- Michael Mando as Nacho Varga (credit only)
- Michael McKean as Chuck McGill
Guest Starring
Co-Starring
|
Uncredited
- Lorus Allen as Customs Agent
- Harona Ceesay as Patron
- Shawn Lecrone as Airman Jackson
- Jon McGarrah as Flightline AF Airman
- Gustavo Montes as Border Patrol Agent
Featured Music[]
- "Samba Dans Tes Bras" by Paris Bossa Nova (plays in the restaurant where Kim meets with Kevin and Paige)
- "Why Don’t You Do It" by Little Barrie
- "Border Crossing" by Dave Porter (plays as the truck is being searched by the Border Patrol)
- "Watching and Waiting" by Dave Porter
Memorable Quotes[]
- Joey Dixon: "Where the hell did you find this guy? You couldn't get a real war hero?"
- Jimmy: "Yeah, like they grow on trees. So this guy owes me. I defended him a while back when he couldn't pay."
- Joey Dixon: "Defend him for what?"
- Jimmy: "You want to be a lawyer when you grow up? Just fix the—"
- Fudge: "Public masturbation. Total bullshit."
- ―Joey Diwon, Jimmy and Fudge.
- "When you've specialized in this kind of work for decades on end, you tend to get kinda stale. You forget about things like, oh, I don't know, the Community Reinvestment Act. Any bank such as Mesa Verde looking to open a de novo branch is definitely going to need to show a healthy portfolio of CRA compliance. Duh. Obviously. You guys have all that covered, I'm sure. Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act, there's another mouthful, huh? Boring! Still, if you were to run afoul of it, it could hold you up in court for years. And by the way, if that were to happen to you folks as you go forward without us, which it will not, Howard has contacts at the Fed who could help sort things out."
- ―Chuck explaining to Kevin why HHM is the right choice for Mesa Verde
- Jimmy: "You're part of the Greatest Generation. You fought the Nazis."
- Fudge: "Fought Japanese."
- Jimmy: "What?"
- Fudge: "I fought the Japanese. This machine was used in the Pacific, where the Japanese are."
- Jimmy: "Why don't you shut up and learn to take some direction?"
- Fudge: "[indignant] ...Japanese."
- Jimmy: "All right, fine. You fought all the...dirty...Axis Powers."
- ―Jimmy and Fudge in front of Fifi.