Coushatta (Better Call Saul)
"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 date | September 24, 2018 |
Running time | 53 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"Coushatta" is the eighth episode of the
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
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,
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.[c] 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
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Coushatta". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
External links
- "Coushatta" at AMC
- "Coushatta" at IMDb