Better Call Saul S1.03 Nacho Review

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By the high standards of the Breaking Bad universe, “Nacho” is a little disappointing.

That’s largely because it hangs on a mystery – the disappearance of embezzler Craig Kettleman and family – that turns out not to be all that interesting. Jimmy cracks the case pretty easily (simply by wandering round the woods at the back of their house). And it seems implausible that he gets the chance. It makes sense that Kim would press for Jimmy to be allowed to visit the scene – she thinks seeing the family home will prick his conscience. But would the cops let the attorney representing the suspect into the property? This is assumed to be a crime scene, after all. Still, this kind of thing never got in the way of Quincy’s investigations…

Featured Music

The song heard as Jimmy looks for the Kettlemans is “Find Out What's Happening”, a 1967 single by country singer Bobby Bare.

The episode does have its pleasures, though, and they’re chiefly to do with character. The flashback to Jimmy’s past, when he was estranged from his brother and clearly headed for a life of crime, is intriguing; it’s very entertaining to see him struggling to do the right thing by the Kettlemans (he may be “no hero”, but as we saw in episode two, he’s a good enough man not to just stand by and let innocent people die); and it’s also pleasing to finally see Mike Ehrmantraut being given a bit more prominence. One of the minor frustrations of the first two episodes was seeing Mike sidelined – it’s a bit like having one of your star strikers sitting on the subs bench – so it’s good to see his relationship with Jimmy finally starting to develop beyond a cartoonish, two-dimensional petty enmity.

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WriterThomas Schnauz
DirectorTerry McDonough
The One WhereThe Kettleman family go missing, apparently the victims of an abduction.

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Deputy Editor, SFX

Ian Berriman has been working for SFX – the world's leading sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine – since March 2002. He also writes for Total Film, Electronic Sound and Retro Pop; other publications he's contributed to include Horrorville, When Saturday Comes and What DVD. A life-long Doctor Who fan, he's also a supporter of Hull City, and live-tweets along to BBC Four's Top Of The Pops repeats from his @TOTPFacts account.