We have had to wait a solid 18 months to see new Better Call Saul episodes, but, at last, they are here! We were lucky enough to get a two-night premiere with back-to-back episodes at that.
The fourth season finale left a few dangling threads and we now have some answers. But, with those answers, some questions have arrived that we’ll likely be spending the rest of the season trying to figure out. Let’s take a look at them!
Answered: Did The Cab Driver Recognize Saul/Gene?
Each season of Better Call Saul has graced us with just a few precious moments of Gene Takovic, Jimmy’s post-Breaking Bad moniker. In the fourth season, we saw him at his most anxious as his cabbie kept staring into the rearview mirror at him. We were left wondering if Gene was now in trouble of being caught in Omaha.
The season premiere gave us the longest amount of time we’ve been able to spend with Gene so far, and, about halfway through, we learned that indeed his cabbie recognized him. He approaches Gene in the mall where he works during his break and asks him to give his signature “Better call Saul!” signoff. Gene knows he’s been made and starts to make new plans.
Raised: Will Kim Leave Jimmy?
Once the flashforward with Gene concludes, we return right where the last season of Better Call Saul ended with Jimmy choosing to officially adopt the name “Saul Goodman” as his new name for practicing law in Albuquerque. Kim does her best to dissuade him but to no avail.
Kim has always been a substitute moral compass for Jimmy, but, as he relies upon her less and less for that, it is clear she’s becoming more and more uncomfortable with who Jimmy is becoming. There’s been speculation that Jimmy’s potential run-ins with the cartel maybe Kim’s undoing, but will it simply be Saul Goodman himself who drives a wedge between the two?
Answered: What Happened To Werner’s Crew?
One of the most tragic moments of the fourth season’s finale was the murder of Werner Ziegler, the German engineer hired to lead a new construction crew on Gus’ superlab, at the hands of Mike. It all went south so quickly in the final two episodes that it was unclear what the fate of Werner’s fellow German expatriates would be.
As it turns out, Gus decides to compensate them in full with the assurance that they will return to their motherland without uttering another word about their work in Albuquerque. Each one gets sent off in a different car to a different airport, the death of Werner still looming low over Mike and the crew.
Raised: How Will Mike Come Back To Gus?
Though Werner made dumb mistakes that led to his death, Mike took no pleasure in killing him. Perhaps never before had we seen Mike be so conflicted as he pulled the trigger. Werner’s death takes a serious toll on Mike and, in turn, his business relationship with Gus.
Gus offers to pay Mike despite halting further construction on the superlab for the time being. Mike won’t have any of it and instead tells Gus to forget about it. Because of the circumstances in Breaking Bad, we know that at some point the tides will have to turn. We’re very curious to see what will bring Mike back into Gus’ orbit.
Answered: How Long Before Jimmy Practices Law As Saul?
We knew at the end of the fourth season that Jimmy would officially become Saul Goodman this season, but there was still some question as to how far into the season it would be before he starting practicing. Would he take a breather from his work as a cellphone salesman to map out his next move as Saul?
We now know that Jimmy didn’t want to waste any time whatsoever as he sets up a tent, presumably within days of regaining his law license, to attract new clientele. Welcome back, Saul. We’ve missed you.
Raised: Will Nacho Make It Out Alive?
Nacho Vargas, despite his best efforts, has found himself in increasingly hot water as the tensions between the Salamancas and Gus continue. Gus has already threatened Nacho with his life, and, with the entrance of Lalo, things have only become harder for Nacho to stay in Gus’ good graces.
Nacho seems to genuinely regret joining the Salamanca crew, but he’s in too deep at this point to depart quietly. Will he manage to make it out of this season alive, or will the struggle to keep Gus at bay prove to be too difficult? We hope this isn’t the last we see of him.
Answered: Will Lalo Have A Bigger Role?
With the arrival of Lalo in last season’s three final episodes, we got to see a member of the Salamanca family that had only ever been mentioned in name in Breaking Bad. We knew we’d be seeing more of him, but we weren’t sure if it would just be another brief appearance for a few episodes and then he would be back on the other side of the border.
During the premiere episodes of this season, it has become clear that Lalo is here to stay and will be working closely with Tio to make sure their business continues to run smoothly. He is also clearly emerging to be the Salamanca that butts heads with Gus and keeps him from getting too comfortable.
Raised: How Much Trouble Will 50% Off Cost?
To build a new clientele base, Saul decides to offer his potentials a deal they can’t refuse: 50% off his legal services. “What could possibly go wrong?” he wonders.
Well, at least two of his potential clients see an opportunity and decide to go on a misdemeanor spree, causing all kinds of ruckus all over town. It may well give Saul some decent business, but at what cost will it come? He’s already plenty busy without his potential clients. How will he handle the influx?
Answered: How Will Gus Keep The Superlab Construction Under Wraps?
At the conclusion of last season, Lalo came very close to finding Werner and uncovering the construction for Gus’ new drug superlab. Despite Mike getting to Werner and killing him before Lalo captured him, it wasn’t clear if Gus was going to be able to throw off Lalo from the superlab.
We now know that Gus is trying to throw off Lalo by taking him and Juan Bolsa to the alleged construction site of a giant chiller for Los Pollos Hermanos. He’s also decided to put the construction on the superlab on hold for the time being. Smooth move, Gus, but how long will it hold off the Salamancas in this neverending war?
Raised: What Is Gene’s Next Move?
There have been times during the flashforwards of Better Call Saul where we have wondered if Gene really needs to be watching over his shoulder as much as he does, or if his paranoia is unfounded. This season’s premiere showed us that he hasn’t been too careful and now may have to go on the run again because a cabbie noticed him as Saul.
Gene calls Ed the “disappearer” as soon as the cabbie leaves, but just as he’s about to go through with it, he tells Ed to call it off. Gene tells Ed he’s going to take care of it himself. Does this mean Gene is going to do something extreme to make sure that cabbie keeps his mouth shut, or is Gene just tired of hiding and going to turn himself in?
