Better Call Saul Season 1 Recap: Justice, Deception, and Family

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Better Call Saul season 1
Better Call Saul season 1 (AMC)

Better Call Saul made television history when it premiered on AMC on February 8, 2015, proving that a prequel could stand equal to its predecessor. Following the massive success of Breaking Bad, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould took a bold risk by focusing on what was originally a supporting character, with the first season breaking cable records with 6.9 million viewers for its debut. The show’s unique approach to legal drama, combined with neo-western elements and dark comedy, earned widespread critical acclaim, with The Hollywood Reporter praising its “confident, compelling transformation” from Breaking Bad’s world.

The success of this experimental spin-off helped redefine television’s approach to expanded universes, demonstrating that patient character development and thoughtful storytelling could rival the original series that inspired it. This first season would go on to receive seven Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor for Bob Odenkirk, setting the stage for what would become one of television’s most celebrated dramas.

The first season of Better Call Saul takes place in 2002, six years before the events of Breaking Bad. During this period, Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) was still known by his real name, James McGill, working primarily as a public defender and legal consultant for lower middle-class clients. When Jimmy attempted to represent Craig (Jeremy Shamos) and Betsy Kettleman (Julie Ann Emery) in their USD 1.5 million embezzlement case, they opted instead for Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill (HHM), one of Albuquerque’s premier law firms.

HHM was established by Jimmy’s older brother Chuck McGill (Michael McKean) and Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian), though their relationship was far from harmonious. The brothers frequently clashed due to their conflicting viewpoints and equally strong egos. Jimmy harbored resentment toward HHM, believing they had overlooked Chuck’s instrumental role in building the firm’s reputation. This family tension was further complicated by Chuck’s year-long leave of absence due to what he called electromagnetic hypersensitivity—a psychosomatic disorder causing him severe distress around electronic devices.

Determined to win the Kettlemans’ business after their rejection, Jimmy orchestrated an elaborate scheme involving skateboarding twins Lars (Steven Levine) and Cal (Daniel Spenser Levine). His plan was to have one of them fake an accident by pretending to be hit by the Kettlemans’ car, hoping to leverage the incident into securing them as clients. However, the plan backfired when the twins targeted the wrong vehicle, leading to a dangerous encounter with local gangster Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz).

The situation escalated when Tuco discovered Jimmy’s connection to the twins and took them hostage. Through intense negotiation, Jimmy convinced Tuco that killing a lawyer would draw unwanted attention. Tuco ultimately agreed to a compromise: breaking one leg of each twin before releasing them.

The plot thickened when Nacho Varga (Michael Mando) approached Jimmy with a proposal to steal the Kettlemans’ embezzled money. Jimmy declined, asserting his commitment to legitimate practice. However, he soon became embroiled in the Kettlemans’ kidnapping case after suspecting they had staged their own disappearance, leading to complications with both Nacho and law enforcement as he straddled the line between struggling lawyer and occasional con artist.

The Kettlemans had indeed orchestrated their disappearance to avoid trial. Jimmy shared his suspicions with Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn), hoping she could secure Nacho’s release and alert authorities, but the matter exceeded her jurisdiction. His frustration peaked during an altercation over unpaid courthouse parking fees, which unexpectedly brought him closer to Kim. She listened to his theories about the Kettlemans and, drawing from her law enforcement experience, suggested they might be hiding nearby.

Following Kim’s insight, Jimmy discovered the Kettleman family camping in the woods with their embezzled money. He attempted to offer his legal services, but Betsy Kettleman rebuffed him, instead proposing a bribe for his silence about their hidden cash.

Building a Law Practice

After the Kettlemans’ return and subsequent clearing of kidnapping suspicions, Jimmy underwent a professional transformation. He attempted to establish his own firm to rival HHM but faced legal challenges for trademark infringement after mimicking their branding. When a judge ordered him to remove his billboard advertisement within 48 hours, Jimmy orchestrated a publicity stunt, hiring a multimedia student to film him “rescuing” a worker from the billboard. The viral incident generated public sympathy and attracted numerous clients.

Among his new clientele were some unusual cases, including a man seeking to secede from the United States and another wanting to patent a child-friendly toilet with sound sensors. However, Jimmy found his true calling when a middle-aged woman sought help with her will, leading him to focus on protecting elderly clients from fraudulent heirs.

Chuck McGill in the Hospital
Chuck McGill in the Hospital (AMC)

Meanwhile, Chuck’s condition deteriorated, resulting in his hospitalization. During this crisis, Jimmy confronted Chuck’s doctor about his brother’s electromagnetic hypersensitivity. While the show portrays Chuck’s symptoms as genuine to him, the medical community generally considers this condition psychosomatic rather than a recognized diagnosis. The doctor suggested psychiatric evaluation might be more appropriate than physical treatment, highlighting the complex dynamic between the brothers as they navigated Chuck’s perceived illness and their strained relationship.

Despite mounting pressure, Jimmy refused to sign a referral letter committing Chuck to a mental hospital, believing it would be cruel to isolate his brother among psychiatric patients. Though this decision preserved their relationship, it failed to resolve their fundamental disagreement over Jimmy’s advertising methods. Chuck, a strict adherent to professional ethics, viewed Jimmy’s promotional tactics as dishonorable, even though they technically remained within legal boundaries of the state bar’s regulations.

Elder Law and Justice

Seeking redemption, Jimmy pivoted his practice toward elder law, adopting a more ethical approach to client acquisition. He began building relationships with elderly clients through genuine care and subtle marketing strategies, such as distributing food with his law firm’s branding on the containers. This new direction seemed promising until he became unexpectedly entangled in a police investigation involving Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), a potential witness in a murder case concerning corrupt officers.

During Mike’s police interrogation, Jimmy’s presence as legal counsel led to a pivotal moment when he accidentally spilled coffee on an officer recording the session. This apparent mishap allowed Mike to gather crucial information about the investigation. The case ultimately culminated in Mike confronting two corrupt officers involved in his son’s death, leading to his decision to retire and relocate to Albuquerque rather than remain silent about the corruption he had witnessed.

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As Jimmy’s elder law practice flourished, he secured enough income to rent a luxury apartment for his office. Throughout this period, Kim Wexler remained a steadfast supporter, though her scholarship obligations prevented her from leaving Schweikart & Cokely when Jimmy offered her a partnership. Their relationship had deep roots, dating back to Jimmy’s time as a mailroom clerk while secretly pursuing his law degree online.

The Kettleman case reached its climax when the family faced serious embezzlement charges carrying a potential 30-year sentence. The prosecution offered a reduced sentence of 16 months in exchange for a guilty plea and return of the embezzled funds. When Betsy Kettleman rejected this favorable deal and fired Kim as their representative, Jimmy intervened out of loyalty. Recognizing the complexity of the situation, given his own involvement in potential bribery, Jimmy collaborated with Mike Ehrmantraut to recover the stolen money using an elaborate fingerprinting scheme.

When confronted with evidence of their crimes and the mysterious disappearance of their money, the Kettlemans initially threatened to expose Jimmy’s past involvement. However, they ultimately chose to cooperate, rehiring Kim as their attorney and accepting the plea deal. This resolution strengthened Jimmy’s relationship with Kim while highlighting his growing ability to navigate complex legal and ethical dilemmas.

Despite his professional progress, Jimmy continued to face rejection from the established legal community, particularly when Chuck blocked his application for partnership at HHM. This disappointment pushed him to further develop his independent practice. While working on cases involving vulnerable clients, he uncovered potential fraud at Sandpiper Crossing, an assisted living facility managing elderly residents’ benefits. His growing commitment to advocacy became evident as he pursued justice for those with limited means.

The Sandpiper Case Emerges

Jimmy at Sandpiper Crossing
Jimmy at Sandpiper Crossing (AMC)

Jimmy’s legal career took a significant turn when he consulted Chuck about his suspicions of pension fund mismanagement at Sandpiper Crossing. Chuck validated his concerns, prompting Jimmy to investigate the facility’s financial practices. When Sandpiper’s management blocked his attempts to gather information and allegedly destroyed crucial documents, Jimmy demonstrated his resourcefulness by digging through garbage dumps to recover shredded files.

This dedication impressed Chuck, who joined Jimmy in painstakingly reconstructing the scattered documents throughout the night. Their collaborative effort yielded compelling evidence of systematic overcharging, strengthening Jimmy’s case against Sandpiper. The breakthrough led to a meeting with Rich Schweikart (Dennis Boutsikaris), Sandpiper’s attorney, who initially attempted to dismiss the overcharges as mere accounting errors and offered a USD 50,000 settlement.

Jimmy, however, presented evidence showing Sandpiper had deliberately overcharged residents for items readily available at lower costs locally, invalidating the “accounting error” defense. When Rich pressed for a settlement figure, Jimmy boldly demanded USD 20 million, signaling his readiness to pursue the case in court.

Meanwhile, Mike Ehrmantraut ventured into security work through connections with a veterinarian moonlighting as an underground business broker. His first assignment involved protecting a pharmacist during an illegal sedative transaction. Despite being underestimated for his age and lack of firearms, Mike’s confidence proved well-founded when the deal, involving Nacho Varga from the Salamanca organization, proceeded smoothly.

As the Sandpiper case progressed, the court acknowledged its complexity by temporarily suspending proceedings. Sandpiper’s legal team responded by overwhelming Jimmy with documentation, suggesting he partner with HHM to handle such a substantial case. Despite his historical tensions with Howard, Jimmy’s determination to win led him to consider the collaboration.

The prospect of Jimmy working with HHM prompted an unusual development: Chuck, despite his electromagnetic hypersensitivity, felt compelled to return to the office. The firm made extraordinary accommodations, collecting all electronic devices and turning off lights to create an “electromagnetically sterile” environment for Chuck’s arrival. His return was met with enthusiasm, particularly as Howard expressed optimism about the Sandpiper case’s potential.

HHM offered generous terms, including a 20% commission and USD 20,000 in service fees. Initially encouraged, Jimmy requested office space within the building. However, his optimism turned to disappointment when he realized Howard intended to exclude him from the case’s management. This revelation led Jimmy to withdraw from the cooperation agreement, highlighting the ongoing tensions between his ambitions and the established legal community’s resistance to fully accepting him.

HHM Denies Jimmy a Role
HHM Denies Jimmy a Role (source)

The truth behind Jimmy’s exclusion from HHM emerged through a seemingly minor detail: his mysteriously drained cell phone battery. Despite his habit of turning off his phone and placing it in Chuck’s mailbox during visits, the battery had inexplicably died. This oddity led Jimmy to investigate, revealing that Chuck had secretly used his phone to call Howard and subsequently deleted the call history, orchestrating Jimmy’s removal from the Sandpiper case.

Brothers Divided, Jimmy Changes

When confronted, Chuck delivered a devastating blow to Jimmy’s aspirations, declaring that his brother’s past as a con artist made him fundamentally unsuitable for the legal profession. “A lawyer with the morals of a chimp with a machine gun” were Chuck’s exact words, suggesting that allowing Jimmy to practice law would be dangerous. This betrayal by his own brother, whom Jimmy had cared for throughout his illness, cut deeper than any previous setback in his career.

Wounded but dignified, Jimmy informed Chuck that he had prepared four days’ worth of supplies and left him to fend for himself. The next day, Jimmy returned to HHM, apologized for any misunderstandings, and formally handed over the Sandpiper case. Though he noted Chuck’s improving health, he emphasized his brother’s ongoing need for daily assistance, masking his profound hurt with professional courtesy.

The emotional toll of Chuck’s betrayal began manifesting in Jimmy’s work, particularly during a senior center event where his usually charismatic presence was noticeably dimmed. Seeking escape from this pain, Jimmy returned to Chicago, where he reunited with his old friend Marco Pasternak (Mel Rodriguez), his former partner in countless cons that had earned Jimmy the nickname “Slippin’ Jimmy” for his staged falls and fraudulent insurance claims.

Though initially resistant to Marco’s suggestion of running one last con, maintaining his commitment to his legal career, Jimmy eventually yielded to nostalgia and the allure of their former life. Their final scheme together ended tragically when Marco suffered a fatal heart attack mid-con. His last words—that his time running scams with Jimmy represented the best days of his life—profoundly affected Jimmy’s worldview.

This loss, combined with Chuck’s rejection, triggered a fundamental shift in Jimmy’s character. When reflecting with Mike about the Kettleman case, Jimmy expressed regret that they had turned over the money to the Attorney General instead of keeping it. Mike’s simple response that he was “just doing his job” seemed to crystallize something in Jimmy’s mind. Marco’s death and Chuck’s betrayal had unleashed something darker within him, leading to a pivotal decision: from this point forward, he would forge his own path, regardless of conventional ethics or his brother’s approval.

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