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Magic Man (Better Call Saul)

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"Magic Man"
Better Call Saul episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 1
Directed byBronwen Hughes
Written byPeter Gould
Featured music"Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves
Original air dateFebruary 23, 2020 (2020-02-23)
Running time54 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Magic Man" is the first episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on February 23, 2020 on AMC, in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

Plot

Opening

After being discharged from the hospital, Gene suspects he is being followed and spends a few days away from Omaha. He returns and stakes out his apartment to determine whether anyone is surveilling him, but returns to his normal routine after finding nothing suspicious. After Gene returns to work, Jeff, the cab driver who drove him home from the hospital[a] stops to say he recognizes Gene as Saul Goodman from Albuquerque. Gene plans to flee and calls Ed Galbraith for help, but changes his mind in mid-call and hangs up.

Main story

Jimmy explains to Kim that the "Saul Goodman" alias from his prepaid cell phone business gives him an instant client base for a criminal law practice. Kim is wary but supportive, and presents Jimmy with gifts to celebrate his return to practicing law. Saul gives away his remaining phones in a promotion to generate publicity for his law practice, calling himself the "magic man" who can keep guilty people out of jail. He later uses his film crew to generate more publicity by faking a confrontation with Deputy District Attorney Oakley.

Kim's pro bono client unwisely rejects a favorable plea bargain. Saul offers to help coerce him into accepting. Kim declines, but uses Saul's idea to coerce the client herself. Kim steps into the stairwell and throws her briefcase, frustrated at herself for letting Jimmy talk her into another executing con.

Lalo wonders about Werner Ziegler's identity and reason for being in Albuquerque. Nacho and Domingo inform him of quality issues with some of the cocaine the Salamancas receive from Gus Fring. Lalo confirms that some Salamanca product is inferior and meets with Gus and Juan Bolsa. Gus falsely claims Werner was constructing a chilling system under Mike's supervision at the Los Pollos Hermanos farm, but fled after stealing cocaine. Gus claims he then attempted to cover for the loss by replacing the cocaine with local, inferior methamphetamine. Gus's cover story explains events of which Lalo is aware, including Werner fleeing, Mike's pursuit, and Werner's death. Lalo accepts Gus's version of events and apology, but remains suspicious. Juan privately warns Lalo that Eladio and the cartel trust Gus, or at least consider him a valuable earner, so he should consider the matter closed.

Because of Lalo's suspicions, Gus shuts down work on the underground meth lab. Mike sends Werner's men home, warned to remain silent, and paid in full for the half-completed job. Gus informs Mike that Werner's widow has accepted the fabricated story about a fatal construction accident and that she was well-compensated. Gus offers to continue paying Mike during the construction delay, but Mike declines, frustrated with Gus's seeming lack of compassion about Werner.

Production

"Magic Man" was dedicated to Robert Forster, who played the disappearer Ed

The episode was dedicated to Robert Forster, who died in October 2019. Forester played Ed, the fugitive disappearer from Breaking Bad, reprising his role in this episode, as well as the film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie .[1] According to showrunner Peter Gould, who had written and directed Forster's prior appearance on Breaking Bad in "Granite State", he had wanted to bring Forster's character into Better Call Saul for some time but could not figure out a way to do so. As his writing team found a way to do so within the fifth season premiere, he learned that Vince Gilligan had written in the character for El Camino.[2] Originally, Forster's role was a vocal cameo only, given the cost of rebuilding the vacuum shop. According to Gould, producer Melissa Bernstein recognized they would be shooting the vacuum shop as part of El Camino, and thus arranged for Gilligan to film the Better Call Saul scene concurrently, as Gould was busy in Los Angeles at the time, months before any other Better Call Saul 5th season scenes were to be filmed. Gilligan's production role was uncredited in the episode.[1][2] In addition to dedicating the episode to Forster, Gould invited several of Forster's family and friends to the screening of the premiere.[2]

The episode was directed by Bronwen Hughes, who had directed the 2008 Breaking Bad episode "Crazy Handful of Nothin'".[1]

The background music used during the quick-cut montage in which Saul sits in a tent and gives away his remaining phones is trumpeter Lee Morgan's 1964 soul-jazz hit "The Sidewinder",[3] and the song played during the flashforward is "Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves.[4]

Reception

"Magic Man" received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a perfect 100% rating with an average score of 8.7/10 based on 20 reviews. The site's critical consensus is, "Jimmy McGill is dead, long live Saul Goodman in a doom-laden premiere that wrings heartbreaking juxtaposition between the 'Magic Man' himself embracing his sleazy stride and the haunted fugitive he will inevitably become."[5]

Ratings

An estimate 1.6 million viewers watched "Magic Man" on its first broadcast, a 4% increase over the fourth season finale episode, though down 10% from that season's premiere. Viewership was aided by the mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead that led in the show.[6][7]

Notes

  1. ^ During the events of "Smoke".

References

  1. ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (February 23, 2020). "'Better Call Saul' Season Premiere Recap: 'Magic Man'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Snierson, Dan (February 23, 2020). "Better Call Saul creator on that game-changing Gene scene, return of Breaking Bad character". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  3. ^ Better Call Saul S5E1 Soundtrack at What-Song.com
  4. ^ Blistein, Jon (January 29, 2020). "'Breaking Bad' Favorites Return in Tense New Trailer for 'Better Call Saul'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 12, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Magic Man". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (February 25, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.23.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  7. ^ Baysinger, Tim (February 25, 2020). "'Better Call Saul' Ticks Up to 1.6 Million Viewers for Season 5 Premiere". TheWrap. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
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