Slip (Better Call Saul)
"Slip" is the eighth episode of the third season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on June 5, 2017 on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.
| "Slip" | |
|---|---|
| Better Call Saul episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Adam Bernstein |
| Written by | Heather Marion |
| Featured music | "Cold Feet" by Fink |
| Original air date | June 5, 2017 |
| Running time | 48 minutes |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
| |
Plot
Opening
In a flashback, Jimmy and Marco break into the McGills' abandoned store in Cicero, Illinois. Hoping to use an Indian-head penny for a con, Jimmy recovers his childhood coin collection, which he had hidden in an old Band-Aid box inside the panels of the suspended ceiling. He explains that he started his collection of curious-looking coins following his father's futile attempt to return a rare coin to its owner after the owner mistakenly used it at the store.
Main story
Mike drives to the site where he committed the ice-cream truck robbery. Using a metal detector and shovel to search based on information Nacho provided, he digs holes for several hours until he finds the body of the Good Samaritan who was killed after freeing Ximinez, the driver Mike had left tied up at the scene. He makes an anonymous call and reports the location to the police.
At home, Chuck shares with Dr. Cruz journals of his reduced pain levels, hoping that he's close to being cured of his electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Chuck describes the epiphany that caused him to realize his EHS might be a mental illness and Dr. Cruz advises him not to get excited or try to do too much too soon. He later leaves the house on his own to buy groceries at a nearby supermarket, indicating that his condition is improving. On his return, he is greeted by Howard, who informs him that there is an issue with Chuck's malpractice insurance.
After producing a successful commercial for a music store, Jimmy gets into a disagreement with his clients. When the store owners refuse to pay him, Jimmy resorts to a "Slippin' Jimmy" trick, intentionally stepping on a drumstick to create an injury-producing slip-and-fall accident. Kim is having lunch with Paige and Kevin when Howard stops to greet them. Kim tries to pay back the law school tuition loan she owes HHM, which Howard declines. He accuses her of betraying the firm, to which Kim replies that he should not have tried to cover up Chuck's condition.
Kim returns to the office to find Jimmy with his half of the rent, which he can pay because his "accident" coerced the music store owners into paying him off. Despite Jimmy's assurances, Kim expresses doubts about Jimmy's ability to pay and considers taking on another client. Jimmy later makes $700 while performing his community service, which he earns by threatening the supervisor with a class-action lawsuit, enabling a drug dealer who's also doing community service to leave early so he can "see his sick child".
Nacho puts into motion his plan to kill Hector. He breaks the air conditioning unit in the restaurant so that Hector will feel warm and remove his jacket. Nacho pretends some of the money he's collected looks suspicious, and asks Hector to inspect it. While Hector studies the bills, Nacho steals the nitroglycerin bottle from Hector's jacket pocket, and replaces the contents with lookalike capsules containing ibuprofen. He then returns the bottle to Hector's pocket without being noticed.
Mike realizes he cannot spend the remaining $200,000 of the $250,000 he stole from Hector without attracting suspicion. He approaches Gus to seek help in laundering the money so that it can be left to his family. Gus warns him that they should avoid being publicly associated so that the Salamancas don't get suspicious. He tells Mike that the laundering process will be difficult, but agrees to help.
Production
The episode is directed by Adam Bernstein, who previously directed the season 2 episode "Gloves Off", and written by Heather Marion, who co-wrote the season 2 finale with creator Vince Gilligan.
Casting
The episode marks the return of Mel Rodriguez as Jimmy's friend Marco Pasternak, after a season-long absence, and Clea DuVall as Dr. Cruz, who last appeared in "Klick".
Reception
Ratings
Upon airing, the episode received 1.633 million American viewers, and an 18–49 rating of 0.5.[1]
Critical reception
The episode received critical acclaim. It holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews with an average score 9.03/10.[2] Terri Schwartz of IGN gave a 9.2 rating, saying "The acting and direction is top notch in 'Slip,' even if this episode didn't surpass 'Chicanery' as the best episode of the season. It's a strong installment as Season 3 grows closer to the end."[3] James White of Empire rated the episode 4/5 stars, noting the episode "represents yet another great episode, full of little Saul touches, including two wonderful montages—Mike in the desert, show in time lapse with his metal detector, and Nacho's careful pill preparation—examples of the show's continued ability to make the most mundane actions dramatic and watchable."[4]
References
- Welch, Alex (June 6, 2017). "Monday cable ratings: 'Love & Hip Hop' wins the night, 'Better Call Saul' dips". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- "Slip". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- Schwartz, Terri. "Better Call Saul:"Slip" Review". Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- White, James. "Better Call Saul – Season 3, Episode 8: Slip Review". Retrieved June 6, 2017.