Namaste (Better Call Saul)

"**Namaste**"
"Namaste"
Better Call Saul episode
Episode no.	Season 5; Episode 4
Directed by	Gordon Smith
Written by	Gordon Smith
Featured music	"Diskhat1" by Aphex Twin, "Laventille Road March" by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
Editing by	Skip Macdonald
Original air date	March 9, 2020
Running time	46 minutes
Guest appearances
	Dean Norris as Hank Schrader; Stacey Ehrmantraut; Steven Gomez; Kevin Wachtell; Paige Novick; Barry Corbin as Everett Acker; Harrison Thomas as Lyle; Jeremiah Bitsui as Victor; David DeLaO as Diego; Sasha Feldman as Sticky; Morgan Krantz as Ron; Tim De Zarn as Mr. Harkness; Keong Sim as Ko; Frances Lee McCain as Judge Chapak;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Guy for This"	Next →; "Dedicado a Max"
	Better Call Saul season 5
	List of episodes

"Namaste" is the fourth episode of the

streaming service Netflix

in several countries.

Plot

After a night of drinking and sex,

Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler head to work.^[a] Jimmy convinces Sticky and Ron, two drug users who had his "50% off" business cards,^[b] to keep him as their counsel when they seem ready to accept a free public defender. Jimmy later has lunch with Howard Hamlin, who admits that HHM wronged Jimmy in the past, but says the feud was between Jimmy and Chuck McGill, not Jimmy and the firm. Howard offers Jimmy the chance to join HHM but Jimmy is dubious of the offer given their acrimonious history. As Howard drives away, Jimmy sees he has a vanity plate

reading "NAMAST3".

Kim recommends an alternate building site to

Everett Acker's refusal to vacate his home, but they insist on eviction. Kim looks on as Jimmy uses the Saul Goodman persona in a courtroom con that achieves a mistrial. She asks Jimmy to represent Acker against Mesa Verde, and Acker agrees. After buying three bowling balls at a pawn shop,^[c]

Jimmy flings them over Howard's front gate, damaging his expensive car.

The Albuquerque Police and

Lyle

, the assistant manager, by making him repeatedly clean the fryers. After Gus hangs up, Lyle asks if the fryers are clean enough, and Gus coldly replies that they are "acceptable."

Kaylee Ehrmantraut but finds Stacey hired another babysitter. She tells Mike she does not feel comfortable leaving Kaylee with him as a result of his previous outburst.^[d] As Mike is walking home later that night, he is set upon by the street thugs he previously encountered.^[e] They beat and stab him, and Mike wakes up in a pueblo

at an unknown location.

Production

"Namaste" is the directorial debut of Gordon Smith, who had started off as a production assistant on Breaking Bad before becoming a screenwriter for both that show and Better Call Saul. In addition, Smith wrote the screenplay.^[1] The episode marks the final appearance of Dean Norris in the Breaking Bad franchise as Hank Schrader.

Namaste is a Sanskrit customary greeting; in the episode, it is depicted on the vanity license plate ("NAMAST3") of Howard's car.^[2]

Reception

"Namaste" received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a 92% rating with an average score of 8.21/10 based on 14 reviews. The site's critical consensus is, "Everyone is struggling to keep their cool in a Better Call Saul entry that meticulously sets up the season's storytelling pins, racking up suspense for the impending bowling ball that'll knock everything down."^[3]

Ratings

"Namaste" was watched by 1.22 million viewers on its first broadcast,^[4] which was a slight increase from the previous week of 1.18 million.^[5]

Notes

^ The morning after the closing scene of "The Guy for This".
^ As depicted in "50% Off".
^ As seen in in medias res during the cold open.
^ As depicted in "50% Off".
^ As seen in "The Guy for This".

References

^ Fienberg, Daniel (March 9, 2020). "'Better Call Saul' Veteran on His Journey From 'Breaking Bad' PA to 'Namaste' Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
^ Bowman, Donna (March 9, 2020). "Better Call Saul tours the majestic culverts of Albuquerque as Gus swallows a painful loss". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
^ "Namaste". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 3, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.2.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
^ Metcalf, Mitch (March 10, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9 February 2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

External links

"Namaste" at AMC
"Namaste" at
IMDb

[1] The morning after the closing scene of "The Guy for This".

[2] As depicted in "50% Off".

[3] As seen in in medias res during the cold open.

[4] As depicted in "50% Off".

[5] As seen in "The Guy for This".

[thr_smith-6] Fienberg, Daniel (March 9, 2020). "'Better Call Saul' Veteran on His Journey From 'Breaking Bad' PA to 'Namaste' Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.

[7] Bowman, Donna (March 9, 2020). "Better Call Saul tours the majestic culverts of Albuquerque as Gus swallows a painful loss". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2020.

[8] "Namaste". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

[9] Metcalf, Mitch (March 3, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 3.2.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.

[10] Metcalf, Mitch (March 10, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9 February 2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

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