Coushatta (Better Call Saul)

Last updated
"Coushatta"
Better Call Saul episode
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 8
Directed by Jim McKay
Written by Gordon Smith
Featured music"Tempter" by Stereolab
Original air dateSeptember 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)
Running time53 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Something Stupid"		Next →
"Wiedersehen"
Better Call Saul season 4
List of episodes

"Coushatta" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul , the spinoff series of Breaking Bad . The episode aired on September 24, 2018, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on the streaming service Netflix in several countries.

Contents

This episode marks the first appearance of Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca. Dalton would go on to be promoted to the main cast for the fifth season.

Plot

Kim Wexler enlists Schweikart & Cokely employees to aid Huell Babineaux's defense and previews a plan to bury prosecutor Suzanne Ericsen in paperwork if she seeks a prison sentence. Jimmy McGill takes a bus to Huell's hometown, Coushatta, Louisiana. He and other passengers use Kim’s office supplies [lower-alpha 1] to write supportive mail for Huell.

When Judge Munsinger receives the mail, which has Coushatta postmarks, he insists that Suzanne and Kim reach a plea deal. Suzanne investigates, but Jimmy has arranged for pay-as-you-go cellular phones to receive Suzanne's calls, which he and his film crew answer with scripted lines that vouch for Huell as a hometown hero. Suzanne makes a deal favorable to Huell.

Kim, Kevin Wachtell, and Paige Novick discuss Mesa Verde’s expansion. Kevin wants to change the building plans for an upcoming branch, but an uninterested Kim sides with Paige in dismissing the idea, as it would mean refiling the application, which would result in a delay. Later that day, Kim reminisces over the tequila bottle stopper she kept as a souvenir of a previous scam she ran with Jimmy. [lower-alpha 2] Jimmy scouts for new offices in anticipation of having his law license restored. Kim is elated by the success of their recent con and tells Jimmy she wants to do it again.

Mike Ehrmantraut arranges a strip club outing for Werner Ziegler and his crew. Mike and Werner head to a quieter bar, but Mike returns to the club to mediate after Kai causes an altercation. Back at the bar, a drunk Werner discusses with strangers the details of underground concrete construction. The next day, Mike explains that even though he did not expose details about the meth lab, the men Werner spoke to would likely remember him, making it possible to connect the lab to Gus Fring and him. Mike makes a veiled threat that Werner will be killed if he makes a similar mistake again, which Werner acknowledges. Mike informs Gus about Werner's bar conversation and assures Gus he is keeping a watchful eye on Werner.

Nacho Varga has recovered from his wounds and has a more prominent role in the Salamanca organization but also stashes cash and fake Canadian identification cards for himself and his father. During weekly collections, Nacho trains Domingo Molina to handle dealers short in their payments the same way Hector taught Nacho to do when Domingo was short. [lower-alpha 3] Eduardo "Lalo" Salamanca arrives to aid in running the business. Unlike Hector, who was unconcerned with day-to-day details, Lalo is interested in every aspect, which worries Nacho.

Production

This episode marks the first on-screen appearance of the character Lalo, portrayed by Tony Dalton. The character was first mentioned in the Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul," which also referenced the character "Ignacio" (Nacho) and introduced the character of Saul Goodman. [1] Prior to the show's airing, Vince Gilligan mentioned in an interview that the writers had envisioned Lalo to become a major character, acknowledging that, like on Breaking Bad, they must "keep close tabs on what our characters have done in the past and make good use of it here in the present and the future." [2] In an interview with Den of Geek , actor Michael Mando described the character of Lalo as "a Salamanca in every way, just like Tuco and Hector had their own flavors to the erratic Salamancas." [3]

Reception

"Coushatta" received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a perfect 100% rating with an average score of 9.28/10 based on 13 reviews. The site's critical consensus is, "'Coushatta' sensitively highlights the aches of relationships, most effectively accentuating Jimmy and Kim's uneasy arc." [4]

Regarding Dalton's debut performance as Lalo, Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone said he "makes a solid first impression in the role, so hopefully this will turn out to be more than filling in a blank most viewers had long since forgotten existed." [5]

Ratings

"Coushatta" was watched by 1.37 million viewers on its first broadcast, earning a 0.5 ratings for viewers between 18 and 49, which was an increase from the previous week. [6]

Notes

  1. ↑ As seen in "Something Stupid".
  2. ↑ As seen in "Switch".
  3. ↑ As seen in "Off Brand".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saul Goodman</span> Fictional character in Breaking Bad series

James Morgan "Jimmy" McGill, better known by his business name Saul Goodman, is a fictional character created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould and portrayed by Bob Odenkirk in the television franchise Breaking Bad. He appears as a major character in Breaking Bad (2009–2013) and as the titular protagonist of its spin-off Better Call Saul (2015–2022).

<i>Better Call Saul</i> American legal crime drama television series (2015–2022)

Better Call Saul is an American legal crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould for AMC. Part of the Breaking Bad franchise, it is a spinoff of Gilligan's previous series, Breaking Bad (2008–2013), to which it serves primarily as a prequel, with some scenes taking place during and after the events of Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul premiered on AMC on February 8, 2015, and ended on August 15, 2022, after six seasons consisting of 63 episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Fring</span> Fictional character in the Breaking Bad franchise

Gustavo Fring is a fictional character portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito in the Breaking Bad franchise, serving as the main antagonist in the crime drama series Breaking Bad and a major character in its prequel Better Call Saul. He is a Chilean-American businessman and major narcotics distributor in the Southwestern United States who uses several legitimate businesses, including a chain of successful fast food restaurants called Los Pollos Hermanos and an industrial laundry facility called Lavandería Brillante, as fronts used to launder money for a vast drug operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nacho Varga</span> Fictional character in the television series Better Call Saul

Ignacio "Nacho" Varga is a fictional character who appears in the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a prequel spin-off of Breaking Bad. He is portrayed by Michael Mando and was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.

<i>Better Call Saul</i> season 4 Fourth season of the AMC crime drama television series

The fourth season of the American television drama series Better Call Saul premiered on August 6, 2018, and concluded on October 8, 2018. The fourth season consists of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 9:00 pm (Eastern) in the United States on AMC. A spin-off prequel of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, both of whom also worked on Breaking Bad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Ehrmantraut</span> Fictional character from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul

Michael Ehrmantraut is a fictional character portrayed by Jonathan Banks in the television series Breaking Bad and its spinoff prequel Better Call Saul. Mike is a former Philadelphia police officer and United States Marine Corps veteran who works for Gus Fring—and, on occasion, Saul Goodman—as a private investigator, head of security, cleaner, and hitman. While an officer in Philadelphia, he engaged in corrupt activities that indirectly led to the death of his son Matt, leading Mike to move to Albuquerque to watch over and financially support his daughter-in-law Stacey and granddaughter Kaylee through jobs in the criminal underworld.

"Something Stupid" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on September 17, 2018, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on the streaming service Netflix in several countries.

"Wiedersehen" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the fourth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on October 1, 2018, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lalo Salamanca</span> Character from the TV series "Better Call Saul"

Eduardo "Lalo" Salamanca is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists in the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spinoff of Breaking Bad. He is portrayed by Tony Dalton, with the character being created by Peter Gould and screenwriter Gordon Smith. Lalo is introduced in the show's fourth season but was originally mentioned in dialogue from the Breaking Bad episode "Better Call Saul" that introduces Saul Goodman, though Lalo does not appear in the series.

<i>Better Call Saul</i> season 5 Fifth season of the AMC crime drama television series

The fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul premiered on February 23, 2020, in the United States, and concluded on April 20, 2020. The ten-episode season was broadcast on Mondays at 9:00 pm (Eastern) in the United States, except for the premiere which aired on a Sunday. Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, and Giancarlo Esposito reprise their roles from previous seasons and are joined by Tony Dalton, promoted to the main cast from his recurring role in the previous season. Better Call Saul is a spin-off prequel to Breaking Bad and was also created by Vince Gilligan; co-creator Peter Gould also worked on the series.

Magic Man (<i>Better Call Saul</i>) 1st episode of the 5th season of Better Call Saul

"Magic Man" is the first episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">50% Off</span> 2nd episode of the 5th season of Better Call Saul

"50% Off" is the second episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on February 24, 2020, on AMC, in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on the streaming service Netflix in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Guy for This</span> 3rd episode of the 5th season of Better Call Saul

"The Guy for This" is the third episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on March 2, 2020, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on the streaming service Netflix in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Choice Road</span> 9th episode of the 5th season of Better Call Saul

"Bad Choice Road" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the fifth season of the AMC crime drama television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on April 13, 2020, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Something Unforgivable</span> 10th episode of the 5th season of Better Call Saul

"Something Unforgivable" is the tenth and final episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. The episode aired on April 20, 2020, on AMC in the United States and Canada. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrot and Stick</span> 2nd episode of the 6th season of Better Call Saul

"Carrot and Stick" is the second episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, the spin-off television series of Breaking Bad. Vince Gilligan directed the episode written by Thomas Schnauz and Ariel Levine. The episode aired back-to-back with "Wine and Roses" on April 18, 2022, on AMC and AMC+. In several countries outside the United States and Canada, the episode premiered on Netflix the following day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock and Hard Place</span> 3rd episode of the 6th season of Better Call Saul

"Rock and Hard Place" is the third episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, the spin-off television series of Breaking Bad. It was written and directed by Gordon Smith. The episode aired on April 25, 2022, on AMC and AMC+. In several countries outside the United States and Canada, the episode premiered on Netflix the following day.

Black and Blue (<i>Better Call Saul</i>) 5th episode of the 6th season of Better Call Saul

"Black and Blue" is the fifth episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, the spin-off television series of Breaking Bad. Melissa Bernstein directed the episode written by Alison Tatlock. The episode aired on May 9, 2022, on AMC and AMC+. In several countries outside the United States and Canada, the episode premiered on Netflix the following day.

Point and Shoot (<i>Better Call Saul</i>) 8th episode of the 6th season of Better Call Saul

"Point and Shoot" is the eighth episode and mid-season premiere of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, the spin-off television series of Breaking Bad. It was written by Gordon Smith and directed by series co-creator Vince Gilligan. It screened at the Tribeca Festival in New York on June 18, 2022, and aired on AMC and AMC+ in the United States and Canada on July 11, 2022, before debuting online in certain territories on Netflix the following day. In the episode, Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler react to the death of their colleague Howard Hamlin at the hands of Lalo Salamanca, who orders them to help him carry out his plan in proving Gus Fring's disloyalty to the cartel.

References

  1. ↑ Gallagher, Caitlin (September 24, 2018). "Who Is Lalo On 'Better Call Saul'? This Character Referenced In 'Breaking Bad' Is Going To Cause Major Trouble For Nacho". Bustle . Archived from the original on March 9, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  2. ↑ Tannenbaum, Rob (February 5, 2015). "Vince Gilligan Gives Us a Glimpse of Where Better Call Saul Is Headed". Wired . Archived from the original on March 9, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  3. ↑ Kurland, Daniel (August 21, 2018). "Better Call Saul Season 4: Nacho's Dark Path". Den of Geek . Archived from the original on March 9, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Coushatta". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (September 25, 2018). "'Better Call Saul' Recap: Let's Do It Again". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  6. ↑ Welch, Alex (September 25, 2018). "Monday cable ratings: 'Monday Night Football' stays firmly on top, 'WWE Raw' falls". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.