Hector Salamanca returns, and causes some real trouble.
Full spoilers for Better Call Saul continue below.
"Sabrosito" is just the sort of fun I was hoping for when we learned that Gus Fring would be officially joining Better Call Saul in Season 3. As much as this episode dealt with the problems in Jimmy and Mike's lives, an important new focus is how they -- and specifically Mike -- get pulled into the orbit of our favorite Los Pollos Hermanos owner.
Almost halfway through Season 3 and with Gus being such an important figure in the larger Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe, it makes sense to have an episode really pull him to the forefront. "Sabrosito" is that episode, all the way to the title, and it started to underline a bigger Fring/Salamanca conflict brewing. Some of the best scenes in this episode, like the showdown in the Los Pollos Hermanos, didn't feature either of the show's central characters.
I'm curious if Better Call Saul is going to now start splitting its screentime real estate between Gus, Jimmy and Mike instead of just the latter two, especially with Gus now being so central to Mike's storyline. Through Gus, Mike's storyline has real physical stakes, as we see when Hector walks into the Los Pollos Hermanos and starts threatening Gus's employees. As Gus and Hector work to undermine one another in their work with the cartel, it shouldn't be long now before Mike becomes Gus's right-hand man as we knew from Breaking Bad. That, and the chemistry between Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito, make for some engaging storytelling.
But there's still nothing quite like the chemistry between Jimmy and Mike, and that's why it was such a blast to see them teaming up to screw with Chuck. I couldn't help but wonder the same thing Jimmy asked Mike after Mike's adventure to Chuck's house: What did he think of the older McGill, after all these years of Chuck dogging Jimmy's life?
Seeing Banks and Michael McKean share screentime in that great scene at Chuck's house made me realize how little these pivotal characters on this show actually interact, and that sequence was a real treat. (It helped that Mike was screwing with Chuck, which is good karma for Chuck screwing with Jimmy.) For all that Jimmy told Mike that all debts are paid, my hope is we get to see more interactions like this throughout the show; sooner than later, Jimmy will have to really meet Gus.
For all that the Mike/Gus storyline is picking up steam fast, the courtroom showdown between Jimmy/Kim and Chuck/Howard is proving to be engaging. I do think there are some inherent general balance issues for Jimmy's storyline being the B-story on a show called "Better Call Saul," but for all that the stakes aren't as high, it's doing a good job of maintaining suspense and intrigue. For all that we know something will eventually drive Jimmy and Kim apart by the time Breaking Bad picks up (and what that will be is one of the great mysteries of Better Call Saul), it's thrilling watching them work together as a dynamic duo.
Bob Odenkirk did some great, subtle acting during that table scene opposite McKean as he continued showcasing Jimmy's frustration and hurt feelings toward Chuck. Better Call Saul works well in these quiet moments, and even though there were flashier scenes throughout the episode, that sequence was a real standout. Whatever "bingo" moment Kim got at the end of the episode, it felt like a real moment of victory for these characters who are frequently underdogs. Is it too much to hope that they get a win out of this one?
The Verdict
Better Call Saul brings Gus Fring to the forefront in "Sabrosito," and has us hoping it will continue to do so until the show completes its run. This increased focus on Gus brings Mike's storyline more to the forefront, but fortunately Jimmy's B-storyline as he and Kim battle Chuck in court still makes for some great TV.
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