Inflatable (Better Call Saul)

"Inflatable" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American television crime drama series Better Call Saul, a spin-off series of Breaking Bad. Written by Gordon Smith and directed by Colin Bucksey, the episode aired on AMC in the United States on March 28, 2016. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on the streaming service Netflix in several countries.^[1]

In a flashback to 1973, Jimmy McGill is working in his father's store when a grifter enters and attempts to pull a con by telling Jimmy's father he has a young child and is in financial need. Jimmy disbelieves the grifter and tries to warn his father, but his father is more concerned that suspicion could cause him to turn away someone who really requires help. While Jimmy's father is distracted, the grifter admits the con and tells Jimmy there are only wolves and sheep in the world, and he will have to choose which to be. Disillusioned by his father's gullibility, Jimmy steals money from the register.

Jimmy represents Mike Ehrmantraut when Mike tells the prosecutor that the gun found during his fight with Tuco Salamanca was not Tuco's. Jimmy decides to quit D&M but learns that this will require him to repay the signing bonus he received upon joining. Jimmy finds a loophole to keep the money if he is fired without cause. While waiting at a stop light, he sees an inflatable tube man outside an oil-changing shop. Inspired by the colorful display, he executes a plan to get fired by doing everything he can think of to be irritating at work, from dressing in flashy suits to playing the bagpipes in his office to not flushing the toilet after trips to the bathroom. Clifford Main finally fires Jimmy and tells him losing the signing bonus is worth it just to be rid of him. Jimmy then moves back to his old office at the nail salon.

Jimmy approaches Kim Wexler and attempts to convince her to partner with him in their own law firm. Kim agrees, but only on the condition that Jimmy plays it "straight and narrow". Jimmy admits that he can only be himself, which means pushing the envelope on what is legal and ethical, so Kim politely refuses.

Mike promises to buy Stacey Ehrmantraut a new house in a better neighborhood and begins scouting Hector Salamanca's restaurant. After interviewing with Schweikart & Cokely, Kim tells Jimmy that she will not take the job but will instead set up her own solo practice. Kim proposes a compromise to Jimmy, suggesting they start separate solo firms, but share office space to save on expenses and support each other if needed. Jimmy considers her offer and does not immediately respond.

The episode features Stephen Snedden as the grifter during the flashback. Snedden was previously a starring cast member of The Lone Gunmen, a spin-off of The X-Files that Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan wrote and developed. He would also appear in The X-Files episode "Jump the Shark", also co-written by Gilligan, to resolve some of the hanging plotlines of The Lone Gunmen after the series was cancelled.^[2] The scene was originally filmed two years earlier for the season 1 episode "Pimento", but was dropped due to time constraints.^[3] The writing staff chose not to release the scene as a bonus feature during the first season Blu-ray release out of hopes of using it further down the line, and found "Inflatable" a good fit to use it.^[4]

Upon airing, the episode received 2.03 million American viewers, and an 18–49 rating of 0.8.^[5]

The episode received very positive reviews from critics. It holds a perfect 100% positive rating with an average score of 8.88 out of 10 on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus reads: "Rich in character (and colorful suits), "Inflatable" is a funny and profound turning point for several key figures with life-altering decisions to be made."^[6]

Terri Schwartz of IGN gave the episode a 9.3 rating, writing: "Jimmy decides to set out on his own solo path – but Kim isn't willing to fully walk it with them."^[7]

• "Inflatable" at AMC
• "Inflatable" at IMDb