Talk (Better Call Saul)
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"Talk" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series ''
Better Call Saul ''Better Call Saul'' is an American crime and legal drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, ''Breaking Bad'', and serves as a ...
'', the spinoff series of '' Breaking Bad''. Written by Heather Marion and directed by
John Shiban John Shiban is an American television writer and producer. He worked in both capacities on ''The X-Files'' and its spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', '' Smallville'', '' Supernatural'', '' Legend of the Seeker'', '' Breakin ...
, "Talk" aired on
AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...
in the United States on August 27, 2018. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
in several countries.


Plot


Opening

In a flashback, Mike Ehrmantraut pours concrete for a
carport A carport is a covered structure used to offer limited protection to vehicles, primarily cars, from rain and snow. The structure can either be free standing or attached to a wall. Unlike most structures, a carport does not have four walls, and us ...
and allows his young son Matty to write his name in it. Mike is revealed to be discussing Matty at a group therapy session with Stacey Ehrmantraut and ends by saying "You wanted me to talk. I talked."


Main story

Jimmy McGill James Morgan Jimmy McGill, better known by his business name Saul Goodman, is a character created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould and portrayed by Bob Odenkirk in the television franchise ''Breaking Bad''. He appears as a major character ...
is offered a manager’s position at a cellular phone store. He initially declines, but when Kim Wexler suggests he see a therapist, he accepts. The store sees little traffic and Jimmy becomes bored. Ira pays Jimmy his share from the sale of the stolen
Hummel figurine Hummel figurines (also known as M.I. Hummel figurines or simply Hummels) are a series of porcelain figurines based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, O.S.F. History The sketch art of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel began to appear ...
and offers to steal again. Ira says he uses a new phone for every job, so the best way to reach him is through Dr. Caldera. Jimmy is inspired to re-sell pay-as-you-go phones on the street. Kim spends the day in Judge Munsinger's courtroom. During a recess, he warns her that if he sees her again, he will assign her '' pro bono'' work. When Munsinger returns to the bench, Kim is still there. As part of covering up the fake attack on
Nacho Varga Ignacio "Nacho" Varga is a fictional character who appears in the AMC television series ''Better Call Saul'', a prequel spin-off of ''Breaking Bad''. He is portrayed by Michael Mando and was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Dialog ...
and Arturo Colon, Victor sells the Salamancas' portion of the drugs to the Espinosa gang. After Nacho tips them off, the Cousins raid the Espinosas, killing most of them and recovering the drugs, then returning to Mexico to avoid the police. Nacho recognizes that Gus Fring can now expand his drug territory but does not yet see the full scope of Gus’s plan. Nacho convinces his father to let him stay with him while he recovers from his wounds. Mike tells Anita that Henry, another member of their support group, is lying about his past, falsely claiming to have a wife who died. At the next meeting, which was shown in the opening, Stacey says she was able to get through most of the day without thinking of Matt, causing Mike to confront Henry. Having been exposed, Henry wordlessly leaves. Mike then condemns the group for being so self-absorbed they were unable to see through Henry's falsehoods. After performing another Madrigal site inspection, Mike meets with Gus, who feigns anger that Mike did not tell him Nacho intended to kill
Hector Salamanca ''Breaking Bad'' is a neo-Western crime drama franchise created by American filmmaker Vince Gilligan, primarily based on the television series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–13), its prequel/sequel series, ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–22), and its s ...
. Mike points out that he previously promised only not to kill Hector himself. Mike guesses Gus has another motive for the meeting and asks for details about "the job" Gus wants to be done.


Production

The episode was directed by
John Shiban John Shiban is an American television writer and producer. He worked in both capacities on ''The X-Files'' and its spin-off '' The Lone Gunmen'', ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', '' Smallville'', '' Supernatural'', '' Legend of the Seeker'', '' Breakin ...
, his third directing credit for the series. Shiban was a writer and producer during the second and third seasons of ''Breaking Bad''.


Reception

"Talk" received critical acclaim, with many critics praising
Jonathan Banks Jonathan Ray Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Chillum Heights, Maryland, while attending Indiana University Bloomington Banks did theatre. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles where he be ...
's performance in the episode. On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, it garnered a perfect 100% rating with an average score of 7.93/10 based on 13 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Ugly feelings loom large in 'Talk', an installment that manages to lay foundations for future episodes without losing its dramatic own hold."


Ratings

"Talk" was watched by 1.53 million viewers on its first broadcast, earning a 0.4 ratings for viewers between 18 and 49.


Accolades

This episode was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, Larry Benjamin,
Kevin Valentine Kevin Valentine is an American rock drummer who is best known for being a member of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. Valentine played drums on all of the band's early albums during the 1980s. Valentine has recorded as a member of Breathless, The ...
, and Phillip W. Palmer were nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series, while Kurt Nicholas Forshager, Kathryn Madsen, Mark Cookson, Matt Temple, Jane Boegel-Koch, Jason Newman, Jeff Cranford, and
Gregg Barbanell Gregg Barbanell is an American sound editor. He has been nominated for twelve Primetime Emmy Awards in the category Outstanding Sound Editing. In 2004 he won a Primetime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or ...
were nominated for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series.


Notes


References


External links


"Talk"
at
AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...
* {{Better Call Saul Better Call Saul (season 4) episodes