Better Call Saul Season 6, Episode 7 Review, Recap & Ending Explained: Better Call Saul is back after a mid-season hiatus. It almost went on for a month but the eighth episode in the final saga just dropped on Netflix. Howard Hamlin became a victim of “being in the wrong place at the wrong time”. Lalo’s thunderous return to Jimmy and Kim’s life has certainly shaken them. They’d want this nightmare to be over soon (and it might just happen in this episode itself). But the clever cartel leader has a trick up his sleeve that no one sees coming – except us. Read on to get a quick recap and review of episode eight of Better Call Saul’s season six below!
BETTER CALL SAUL (SEASON 6), EPISODE 8 RECAP:
EPISODE 8 – POINT AND SHOOT
Like all the other episodes in this season, “Point & Shoot” opens with another serene set piece that has a direct correlation with the story. From the looks of it, Howard’s death has been made to look like a suicide. His car with the “Namaste” plate is the biggest indication. Lalo is unsurprisingly blase about the whole ordeal. He wants to execute his plan to kill Gus and requires Jimmy for the job. Not wanting to leave Kim alone with lalo in the apartment – unaware that he doesn’t want to stay in it anyway – Jimmy persuades Lalo to nominate Kim to go instead. Quick-thinking and passionate lawyering save the day; if you can call it that. Kim takes Lalo’s car and is instructed by him to go to an address and shoot a man with his gun. Now alone with Jimmy, Lalo hints at why he is targeting the couple. It has to do with the fact that Jimmy was the one who introduced Lalo to Ignacio, who, in the end, betrayed him.
Jimmy’s assumed complicity aside, Lalo leaves right after Kim does. When she does reach the location, we see that it is Gus’ apartment. Mike overpowers her, anticipating Lalo to visit in any case but is surprised to know that Lalo is at their apartment. He immediately goes to Gus, advises him to stay put, and leaves with a handful of men to get Lalo. As they leave the house, we see the shot of an empty car – Jimmy’s car – and lalo emerging from the front seat to execute his real plan. He has studied the schematics of the laundromat and enters the premises by unscrewing an exhaust fan’s box. Mike reaches the apartment and gets his men in position. They barge in and find that Lalo is not there.
Mike instantly realizes his mistake and lalo’s real plan. Gus, after a phone call with Kim, himself goes to inspect. While in the laundry, he notices something is off. The fan, moving bags of clothes; an uneasiness sits heavy in the room. Before he is able to do anything, lalo emerges from behind Gus and his four men, shooting them. Gus is saved for the last – Lalo’s savory humiliation and revenge. He has his camcorder out and berates the drug lord. He shows Eladio and other members of the cartel that Gus has planned to take over the empire himself by building this new facility. They eventually make their way to the meth lab downstairs, still under construction but mostly complete. He asks Gus for his last words. If you harken back to episode five, we saw Gus place a gun behind the wheels of the construction machine.
Also, Read – The Six Stages Of The Evolution Of Walter White
His plan is to create a distraction and use the gun Lalo does not know about. He is successful. First, he creates a revealing rant about Eladio and the Salamancas. He then cuts the power in the room by stepping on the power plug. Gus leaps towards the gun, having an upper hand over Lalo because of knowing the place intimately – and of course, the location of the gun. Shots are fired but we only know after Gus puts on some lights that he has emerged victorious. Lalo breathes his last having been shot fatally in the neck. Gus calls in Lyle to cover for him at the Los Pollos joint for the week. Kim and Jimmy are reunited but their refrigerator is used to transport Howard’s car. Mike spins a story for them to follow and takes care of the rest. Lalo and Howard are buried together in the warehouse. The first scene was accurately predicted – Mike has made it look like Howard committed suicide, a further dent in his identity and repute.
BETTER CALL SAUL (SEASON 6), EPISODE 8 ENDING EXPLAINED:
There is seemingly nothing too special about episode eight’s ending. From a distance, it seems simple enough: Mike taking care of things. Cleaning up the mess is his job. But if you look a bit closer, you will see nuanced, complex emotions. This is the second “good man” Mike has had to bury in this season. Notice when his men were throwing Howard’s body in, he firmly says, “Easy”.
It is s show of respect for him. He was unexpectedly caught in the crosshairs and certainly didn’t have it coming for him. Mike respects that fact. He is no maniacal killer like Lalo. In most situations, he tries to find the lesser option that won’t be to harmful. That is one thing that makes us respect him even more.
BETTER CALL SAUL (SEASON 6), EPISODE 8 REVIEW:
I mentioned how there was an atmosphere of mourning when Igancio had to be the scapegoat despite doing everything right. The show’s cinematic universe treats him unfairly as one of the good guys getting butchered to protect the higher-ups. Howard was unceremoniously written off in the last episode; we never had a chance to bid him farewell. Nevertheless, there was a sense of levity in this episode until the very end. He received genuine sympathy, especially from Mike.
Looking back, going after him might not have been the best decision for Jimmy and Kim. It would have been better if he hadn’t fallen so dramatically in the minds of his peers. Imagine doing everything right in life, and then be viewed as a drug addict who committed suicide because of severe humiliation. There is no fairness in life, but his fate wasn’t the one he deserved. There was certainly no disappointment in Lalo and Gus’ confrontation here. Gilligan’s practicality upheld the characters’ intelligence and attitude despite a more flashy dramatization anticipated. Though they had the considerable financial muscle and criminal flair, it was a duel that leveled things.
The show is finally without Lalo. There is no denying that the devil incarnate was formidable. His intimidating nature truly resembled that of an apex predator. His departure, however, will leave a big void. Unlike during this season, we won’t feel any tension from the looming threat he presented. The remaining episodes will require Gilligan and company to develop a new subplot that integrates with the overall narrative. Walter and Jesse are yet to come but are unlikely to have a significant impact on this season. Better Call Saul is back with a bang. Tune in next week again for a new episode!
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BETTER CALL SAUL (SEASON 6) LINKS – IMDB, WIKIPEDIA
BETTER CALL SAUL (SEASON 6) CAST – BOB ODENKIRK, JONATHAN BANKS, RHEA SEEHORN, TONY DALTON, MICHAEL MANDO, PATRICK FABIAN
Where to watch Better Call Saul
