Bingo (Better Call Saul)

"Bingo" is the seventh episode of the first season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on March 16, 2015 on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

"Bingo"
Better Call Saul episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 7
Directed byLarysa Kondracki
Written byGennifer Hutchison
Original air dateMarch 16, 2015 (2015-03-16)
Running time47 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

Plot

At the police station, Jimmy and Mike return Detective Abbasi's notebook, claiming they found it in the parking lot. Despite Abbasi's accusations, Detective Sanders privately assures Mike that he has little to fear. Jimmy finds Chuck standing outside his home, claiming to be building up tolerance to electromagnetic fields. Jimmy stores legal documents at Chuck's house with the ulterior motive of involving him in cases and restarting his interest in the law. Jimmy brings Kim to an office suite he is considering for his practice and asks her to be his partner. She turns him down due to her loyalty to Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill.

Kim meets with the Kettlemans and proposes a plea deal that includes a sixteen-month prison sentence, return of the $1.6 million in embezzled money, and an admission of guilt. Since losing a trial would mean a thirty-year prison sentence for Craig, she recommends this course of action. However, Betsy rejects the deal, maintaining her husband's innocence and denying there is any money to return. They fire Kim and hire Jimmy, who initially urges them to accept the plea bargain. Betsy blackmails Jimmy by pointing out that the "retainer" the Kettlemans paid Jimmy would implicate him in their crime. While picking up records from HHM, Jimmy discovers that Kim has been demoted as a result of losing the Kettlemans as clients.

Jimmy enlists Mike's help, and Mike sprays a fluorescent liquid on a stack of bills, which he plants on a toy truck left outside by one of the Kettleman children. The Kettlemans find it, assume it came from the embezzled $1.6 million, add it to the rest of the cash in their hiding place. Mike breaks in and uses a blacklight to trace the stolen money to a false bottom in a bathroom cabinet. Jimmy has Mike deliver the money to the district attorney, and Mike tells Jimmy that completing this task will satisfy the debt he owes Jimmy for Jimmy's aid in stealing the detective's notebook. The next day, Jimmy visits the Kettlemans. When they discover the money missing, Betsy again threatens to reveal that Jimmy is also guilty. Jimmy replies that if she does that, she will be guilty of a crime for having given him the bribe money. If Betsy and Craig are both convicted, the Kettleman children will grow up without both parents. The Kettlemans agree to return to HHM and accept the plea deal Kim negotiated, deciding that only one parent going to prison is their best option. A frustrated Jimmy returns to his prospective office space to release his anger.

Production

This was the second episode written by supervising producer Gennifer Hutchison for the series. It was directed by Larysa Kondracki.

Reception

Upon airing, the episode received 2.67 million American viewers, and an 18–49 rating of 1.3.[1]

The episode received generally positive reception from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, based on 24 reviews, it received a 92% approval rating with an average score of 7.69 out of 10. The site's consensus reads, "A more low-key episode than the heart-wrenching one that came before, "Bingo" feels like a turning point in Jimmy's ongoing quest to be a better person."[2] IGN gave the episode an 8.8 rating.[3] The Telegraph rated the episode 4 out of 5 stars.[4]

References
  1. Bibel, Sara (March 17, 2015). "Monday Cable Ratings: 'WWE Raw' Wins Night, 'Better Call Saul', 'Bates Motel', 'Love & Hip Hop', 'The Fosters' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  2. "Bingo". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  3. Cornet, Roth (March 16, 2015). "Better Call Saul: "Bingo" Review". IGN. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  4. Power, Ed (March 3, 2015). "Better Call Saul: Bingo, episode seven, review: 'a turning point'". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
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