"Five-O" is an amazing episode and a very important episode. It helps if you have knowledge of Breaking Bad because you will need to apply it here. In that second season, we are introduced to Mike, Saul's cleaner. Mike instantly became a fan favorite and is essential piece for the father series. This episode, directed beautifully by Adam Bernstein, is the episode we have all been waiting for. The backstory of Mike and how he came to be. It is a haunting story with performances you'll never forget.
Mike is a former Philadelphia cop and he relocated to Albuquerque after his son, Matt was murdered. He wanted to be close to his daughter-in-law Stacee (Kerry Condon) and his granddaughter Kaylee. Mike, who possessed poor morals as a Philly cop, was partners with Matt. He said corruption is necessary to survive in the precinct, which ultimately led to Matt's death. He later seeks revenge on these cops. Months later, detectives from Philly are at his doorstep inquiring about these missing cops. If he wants to make it out of here in good shape, Mike will need to rely upon Jimmy McGill.
I loved this Mike-based episode. It pauses the main story as we focus more on Mike as a character. Jonathan Banks was always a great actor and this episode's performance deserved him an Emmy. I'll never forget his haunting quote as he wails, "I lost my boy." Mike took control of the episode as Odenkirk appears for only about eight minutes. But his character makes an important choice regarding his future. The teaming of Mike and Jimmy. This is an emotional, character-driven episode that is one of the major highlights of Better Call Saul's first season.
My Grade: A+
