The latest chapter of the final season, “Fun and Games,” demonstrated what the show has mastered so well since the beginning. The ability to bring real, significant issues in people’s lives to the surface and allow the characters to have deep and meaningful conversations about them. The characters of Jimmy and Kim have been so well developed, that fans can’t help but be invested emotionally in every aspect of their lives. Everything about the show is done with such flawless execution. From the writing to the directing, it is easy to forget that the show is a prequel and not a stand alone. It easily could be.
One question that fans have been wondering throughout all six seasons, but even more so this season, has been what will Kim’s exit look like? Now that fans are so emotionally invested, it is difficult to imagine Jimmy without Kim and ultimately, the show, without her. After Monday’s episode, we now have our answer.
desperately the entire episode to right the wrong of his indirect responsibility for what happened to Howard, failing each time. Early on in the episode, Jimmy tries to tell Kim that the day will come when they can forget about what happened with Howard and it is obvious that he is trying to convince himself of that fact as well. However, Jimmy’s face is covered in the darkness of the room which reflects the darkness of his demons from the decisions he has made. Just another example of the brilliant work of director, Michael Morris.
The most powerful scene which showcased just how much damage Jimmy and Kim’s schemes have caused, was when they attended Howard’s memorial at HHM. Upon giving their condolences to Howard’s grieving widow, Cheryl Hamlin makes it very clear that she does not believe that Howard was on drugs, and certainly does not believe Jimmy and Kim’s story of the last moments of Howard’s life. Kim fabricates a story of how she caught Howard snorting cocaine one night in the office while working late, back when she worked at HHM. She tells it so confidently, so flawlessly, that even Jimmy looks surprised and uncomfortable. Kim’s decision to tell a hurtful lie to the grieving widow about her deceased husband in order to execute damage control, has her realizing just what she is capable of and how far she is willing to go.
resignation to the bar, and will no longer be practicing law. Once again, Jimmy employs his need to be the “fixer” and tries to reason with Kim and talk her into taking steps to undo the damage and move on with their lives. Kim finally states what everyone has known since the beginning. Jimmy and Kim are bad for each other. They bring out the worst in each other and someone always gets hurt. Kim tells Jimmy that the fun they are having pulling schemes on others is what has bonded them together, but she has made the decision to stop before someone else gets hurt. Not only is she giving up the law, but she is giving up Jimmy, too. She admits to Jimmy that she knew that Lalo was alive, and that she didn’t tell him because she knew he would want to protect her, and that would mean that they would break up. In hindsight, that would have been the better option. She’s making that choice now.
The last few scenes bring us to the Saul Goodman we came to know in “Breaking Bad.” Living in a gaudy, expensive home that was foreshadowed in a previous episode and continuing to use his “Saul magic” to win over his clients and anyone else standing in his way. Up until now, there has always been a part of Jimmy behind the slimy, greedy lawyer that is Saul Goodman. This episode has brought us to the point where any remnants of Jimmy are gone and what we are left with is the Saul that cares only about himself and will not think twice about stepping all over people to get what he wants.
The episode also gave us insight into Gustavo Fring’s inner psyche. Gus goes to Mexico to meet with the head of the Cartel to discuss what became of Lalo. Hector Salamanca believes that Fring was responsible for Lalo’s demise, but because Gus and Mike have done such a masterful job of covering their tracks including having the twins witness Lalo’s burned body, to fabricating bank records in Nacho’s apartment that showed cash transfers made to Peru, Don Eladio believes Gus’s claims and dismisses Hector’s accusation. Having escaped death, Gus heads back to New Mexico and attends a fancy restaurant where he gets into a friendly exchange with a waiter, who he clearly has a past with, about fine wines. Gus appears to be enjoying the moment, until he is hit with the reality that when you work for a cartel, there is little room for happiness and romance and Gus leaves the restaurant before anything can come of their exchange.
Mike also has a moment of reflection, when he decides to go to Nacho’s father’s business to explain to him what happened to his son. Mike tells Nacho’s father that his son was not like the other members of the Cartel. That he was a good man and he died quickly and that there will be justice. Nacho’s dad laughs at Mike’s idea of justice. Stating that all gangsters are alike and that Mike’s idea of justice is just good old fashioned revenge.
The episode ends with Saul saying, “let justice be done though the heavens fall” which is such brilliant writing on behalf of Ann Cherkis as this was the line Chuck said to Howard right before Jimmy’s trial. All that remains now are two burning questions. First, what will ultimately become of Kim Wexler? With four episodes remaining, that cannot have been the last fans will see of Kim. Second, the highly anticipated return of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Will it come sooner rather than later?
What did you think of the episode? What do you hope to see before the series ends? Write your ideas in the comments below.
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