Talk (Better Call Saul)
"Talk" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. Written by Heather Marion and directed by John Shiban, "Talk" aired on AMC in the United States on August 27, 2018. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.
| "Talk" | |
|---|---|
| Better Call Saul episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | John Shiban |
| Written by | Heather Marion |
| Featured music | "Grazing in the Grass" by The Ventures |
| Original air date | August 27, 2018 |
| Running time | 47 minutes |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
| |
Plot
Opening
In a flashback, a younger Mike pours the concrete for a car port and allows his son to write his name, "Matty," in the wet concrete. Mike is revealed to be discussing his son at a group therapy session with Stacey, and ends his time by saying "You wanted me to talk. I talked."
Main story
Jimmy is offered a position as a shift manager at a cellular phone store. He initially declines, but when Kim suggests he see a therapist instead, he accepts the position. The store sees little traffic, and Jimmy soon becomes bored. Ira meets with Jimmy to hand over his share of the stolen Hummel figurine and offers to steal others in the future.
Kim avoids Mesa Verde work by spending the day in Judge Munsinger's courtroom. He calls her to his office during a recess, warning her that if he sees her again in his courtroom, he will assign her pro bono work. When Munsinger returns to the bench, he spots Kim again waiting in the audience.
As part of covering up the fake attack on Nacho and Arturo, Victor sells the Salamancas' portion of the drugs to the Espinosas, their rivals. After Nacho tips them off, the Cousins raid the Espinosas' headquarters, killing most of the gang and recovering the drugs. After returning the drugs, they retreat back to Mexico to avoid police scrutiny. Nacho recognizes that Gus had planned for this, as Gus is now able to expand into the Espinosas' territory without resistance. Nacho convinces his reluctant father to let him stay with him while he recovers from his wounds.
During lunch with Anita, Mike explains that Henry, another member of their support group, has been lying about his past, falsely claiming to have a wife who died. At the next meeting Mike is put in a bad mood when Stacey says she was able to get through most of a day without thinking of Matt, so he angrily confronts Henry about his lies. Having been exposed, Henry wordlessly leaves the room. Mike then condemns Anita, Stacey and the other participants for being so self-absorbed they are unable to see through Henry's obvious falsehoods. This is revealed to be the scene from the opening of the episode.
After performing another Madrigal site inspection, Mike meets with Gus, who feigns anger that Mike did not tell him Nacho intended to kill Hector, but Mike points out that he had promised only not to kill Hector himself. Mike then asks Gus bluntly for information about "the job" he wants done.
Production
The episode was directed by John Shiban, his third directing credit for the series. Shiban was a writer and producer during the second and third seasons of Breaking Bad.[1]
Reception
"Talk" received critical acclaim, with many critics praising Jonathan Banks's performance in the episode. On Rotten Tomatoes, 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."[2]
Ratings
"Talk" was watched by 1.53 million viewers on its first broadcast, earning a 0.4 ratings for viewers between 18 and 49.[3]
References
- Sepinwall, Alan (August 27, 2018). "'Better Call Saul' Recap: Talking Points". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- "Talk". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- Welch, Alex (August 28, 2018). "Monday cable ratings: 'Better Call Saul' holds steady, 'Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood' ticks down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 29, 2018.