This episode was crunch time for me. I’ve been trying so hard to like Better Call Saul the past three seasons and, in the first half of this most recent one, the show finally seemed to be hitting its stride. This was followed by a little coasting in the later episodes, but the sub-plots conclusions were still hovering there in the background, charged for a thrilling climax – I was ready for Better Call Saul to come good.
Sadly, the climax never came, and it didn’t. Each of the stories were paid off in ‘Lantern’, but all in pretty much the least interesting way possible.
First up, let’s look at the drug cartel side of things. Mike, arguably the best thing about the show, was weirdly absent in the finale, as we saw Hector Salamanca demand fealty from Nacho’s resistant father. Sensing danger for his beloved papi, Nacho dispensed with his poisoned pill long game and set about straight-up shooting Hector from point blank range. He was interrupted by a meeting between Salamanca’s crew and Gus Fring however, which should have been a major showdown, a pay-off for the tension that has been building around the don’s aggression and unwillingness to compromise all season. It should have had unexpected twists and complex machinations. Instead, Hector simply refused to accept Don Eladio’s decision again and keeled over again. Carted away in an ambulance, Gus and Nacho were left standing there, and we weren’t even treated to a first proper conversation between the two unwitting allies, it simply cut away. A perfunctory and disappointing denouement to the season arc…
MORE: Better Call Saul season 3 episode 10 ‘Lantern’ finale review: Is that it? | The Independent
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