The one downside to Better Call Saul's methodical brilliance - its utter devotion to quiet processes, whether the removal of tape from a mural or the slow disintegration of a man's entire character - is that anticipation can sometimes fade a little.
This point in Breaking Bad's history, the start of the penultimate season, was like being caught in a panic attack. Walt, on the cusp of being murdered by Gus Fring, had ordered the assassination of sweet, blameless Gale to buy him a stay of execution; the 13-month wait before the consequences were revealed felt like torture.
Fortunately for all of us, on the basis of today's new episode, Better Call Saul is back on top and no momentum has been lost. Season five picks up moments after the climax of the previous episode, with McGill rubberstamping his new legal identity as Saul Goodman. And because no time has passed, Kim is still as stunned as the rest of us.
