“The Day Jimmy Died”
Better Call Saul’s latest episode showed us “the day Jimmy died”. The birth and death of a man’s identity is no simple matter. It takes a measured, careful approach to even attempt this sort of thing. ..
The Gilligan and Gould episode is a masterpiece that defies convention. It doesn’t start or end the way most stories do, and it has a lasting impact that speaks to us on a personal level. More about this in our recap and thoughts about the episode ahead. ..
‘Fun and Games’ Recap
The opening montage of episode 9 is a reminder that Howard is dead and life goes on. It also shows the various characters who are still dealing with the aftermath of his death.
The lawyers – Kim and Jimmy – get on with their work at court and office, respectively. The memory of last night’s horror slightly blurred; the suffocation of knowing the truth a little loose. But will it last? Can a conscience as morally upright and philosophically ideal as this bear to stay shut? If yes, for how long? Time answers all. Mike, meanwhile, cleans up the bloody mess in their apartment. He tries his best to leave the apartment as it was, even using a photo to get the slightest detail right. The lawyers come back to normalcy in the apartment. Everything looks clean and in place, just the way it was.
Jimmy reacts differently to coming back. The former almost freezes, the sight of Howard falling dead on the floor unravelling in front of her eyes. It is almost as if she froze in time. Kim, on the other hand, does what is “expected” of her and goes to Howard’s side. ..
Jimmy mentions something about “one day, we won’t even think about forgetting that day” while Kim lies unmoved with her back to him. Mike burns away the secrets from the apartment, unceremoniously on the beach. In pitch blackness, with the fire’s light barely uncovering his face, Mike contemplates. His mediation is internal - like it always has been - and not disabling, as is the case for most of us. ..
He still has a job to do and no one can do it better. A shot from below the fire shows him looking down to ensure every last piece is burnt. Some say it’s a religious shot, while others believe it could be interpreted any way they please. What is certain is that salvation is the hardest to find when you go looking for it. ..
Anyway, Gus is called by Eladio to discuss Hector’s accusations. The Salamanca boss is found wanting for lack of evidence. His nephews, Leonel and Marco, sitting behind him watch on, helplessly. Eladio dismisses the allegations and Hector is forced to “bite his tongue”, at least for now. The supremo also sounds off a warning to Gus. “Hate is okay. But never forget who the boss is”.
Gus is relieved to be back home. He has been through so much and now has a chance to focus on his grand plan to build a meth lab. ..
Gustavo Fring is a criminal mastermind who has chosen a life of crime to explore his interests. He is comfortable in a bar, where he can talk about wine with other connoisseurs, but he must abide by the rules set by the police.
A man in his early twenties sits at a stool in a dark room, staring at a computer screen. He’s lost in thought, and his smile has disappeared, replaced by sadness. Suddenly, he’s thrown out of the room by a disciplinarian, and we see the tragic death of another man on the computer screen. ..
Mike is a stoic man, but he’s not always that way. We’ve seen this season that he can be vulnerable, especially when it comes to Banks. Banks’ nuanced act always lets you in through the slightly open door that remains so and lesser by the minute. Before you know it, he has gone back to being the muscle man for an ambitious drug overlord. ..
In this instance, we see Mike the father; Mike the human, trying to connect with another grieving soul. Varga’s father, Felipe. Mike’s choice of words says it all. He lets Felipe in with marked sentences that delicately guide him to the realization that his son is never coming back. No, he “won’t be found”. But don’t worry, it was “quick and painless”. He didn’t feel a thing, you know.
Varga was a good kid. He fell in with the wrong kind of people, but never became “them”. Felipe looks at him from the other side of the fence, another beautiful metaphor put in there for the ones like me. “Revenge, not justice”, he says. The man might just be a tailor but his wisdom and sense of being, belong in another man – probably one that should be calling the shots.
Howard Hughes Memorial Service Lawyers Attend: The long-awaited memorial service for Howard Hughes will take place at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute offices soon, but many lawyers involved in his case are not looking forward to it. The years of hard work and dedication that went into the memorial service for Hughes have all been for naught, as he will now be remembered by a bland name. ..
Howard Hughes Medical Institute now belongs to the people who cannot be mentioned in the same sentence as him. Cheryl, Howard’s wife, still doubts her husband’s fate. She feels a disconnect from the reality that is being forced down her throat. Jimmy, Howard’s friend and caretaker, tries to add strength to the lie, but when that is not enough, Kim intervenes. ..
The director’s face in a frame is a trope often used to communicate something. In this case, the director is likely trying to tell the audience something before she even starts speaking. However, her words don’t match up with what was expected, and this causes confusion or frustration for the viewer. ..
Kim Kardashian’s superficial story betrays our idea of her. We look at the screen, incredulous and indignant. Kim probably looks at herself like that in hindsight. But at the moment, she doesn’t have the advantage and trudges on. ..
Jimmy and Kim are in the parking lot of a restaurant when Jimmy proposes they have done enough to “keep up their innocence.” Kim is again quiet, kisses him, and drives off in her car. It feels like a tipping point in their relationship. For once, it felt like Kim was done playing Jimmy’s script.
This instance felt different than the other times she has supported him like a loyal partner. Jimmy felt it too. He doesn’t move after she is gone, wondering if she will “come back” this time.
The nightmare comes true the next morning in court. Kim, who had been restless – and uncharacteristically – tapping her pen against her submissions, was asked to leave by the judge. “I am no longer an attorney”, she said before leaving. ..
Kim calmly smokes a cigarette as she awaits Jimmie’s arrival. She knows that he will come in a haphazard fashion, but it won’t make a difference. Kim has already made up her mind and is leaving him. ..
‘Fun and Games’ Ending Explained
Jimmy is the one who has always been there for Kim. He’s been her best friend since they were kids, and he’s always been there for her when she needed him. But lately, Jimmy seems to be losing touch with what it means to be a good friend. He’s become more of a professional lawyer than a friend, and he’s not sure why.
The fact that he does not ask her to stay for “him” in stronger words than we would have imagined tells another story than the one we have been seeing. All the internal deliberations that were never seen on screen – only in fleeting moments that we saw as extensions of the scenes – were piling up. Love is not enough to keep her here. The person she has become staying with Jimmy is someone she enjoys and loathes at the same time.
To Kim’s credit, she does say that “it has been the time of her life” with him. That gratefulness is present and shows her genuineness. Remember how they came together? The scam in the bar in the hotel? Even then, the truth was no different. It is just that Kim has now gone through enough to not be able to live with it. And with Kim, we also lose Jimmy.
The man we knew is gone, and with him the warmth, care, and love he brought to our lives. We see Saul now: waking up in a bed next to a hooker, in an expensive bed. His apartment has changed and matched his success status. He is constantly on his Bluetooth, wearing it with pride and like his precious souvenir.
This is Saul Goodman, the man who always seemed like he had something to lose. He was always cheerful and slightly intimidating, and he loved nothing more than taking people to court. His work was his religion and the trappings of his luxury a reminder of the gaping void in his life. Of what he once had and now has lost. He surrounded himself with figures from history, thinking he was himself one in the making. But poor, lost soul… we feel you.
The Episode Review
This is a watershed moment for television, as Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould have created a universe that is both unique and powerful. This is TV history in the making.
However, in the past few episodes, something has changed. The world has become too easy. Too comfortable. Too safe. We have become numb to the pain and suffering that is going on around us. We have stopped caring about what is happening in the world and instead we are content to just sit and watch TV. This is not good for our mental health or our physical health because it’s not healthy to be content with what doesn’t feel good.
The truth about “Fun and Games” is that it is nothing more than a shameless advertisement for the show. If there was just one episode that someone needed to see before making a good/bad call on the show, it would be this one.
This episode is a showcase for photography, and the stillness of the portraits scream out at you. They beckon you to look closer and feel, most importantly. You are not allowed merely to sift through images, plot, and story.
Your attention is constantly drawn to the small details that make a difference. Sometimes, the act itself isn’t as frightening as what comes after it. That terror has its own language - a complex, unyielding, difficult one that is not so easily forgotten. ..
“Fun and Games” is a well-acted show with moments of great intensity and subtleness from Jonathan Banks. Every actor in the cast gives a remarkably refined performance. ..
The film is so powerful and epic in its scope that it will leave you feeling inspired to relive the moments again and again. It’s all worth it, because the film is telling the truth about life - something filmmakers dream of telling. It’s more than just a movie; it’s an experience that can change your life.
