Better Call Saul Uno Pilot
Better Call Saul Uno Pilot
Better Call Saul Uno Pilot
Cinnabons are being cut up and cooked by Cinnabon workers.Close up on a sign reading
Omaha. The customers are handed their Cinnabons, then we cut to the manager of the
place, Gene. The camera pans up to his balding head, then down to reveal this is Saul
Goodman with a moustache and thick spectacles. He performs various tasks around the
kitchen, then looks up over the counter to see a burly man staring him down. The man
walks to the counter, gets a good look at Saul, and then walks out to meet a group of
friends.
Saul puts two ice cubes in a glass then fills it with a concoction of alcohol. He sits down on
the couch and watches TV. He flips between channels, the weatherman tells him Omaha’s
going to get hit with snow which causes him to go to his window and check on the snow. He
goes into his cabinet and grabs a box filled with Polaroid photos and a passport and grabs a
tape that he puts into the VCR.
TV SAUL (O.S.): Don’t let false accusations bully you into an unfair fight! I’m Saul Goodman
and I’ll do the fighting for you! No charge is too big for me. When legal forces have you
cornered, better call Saul!
TV SAUL (O.S.): I’ll get your case dismissed! I’ll give you the defense you deserve! Why?
Because I’m Saul Goodman, attorney at law. I investigate, advocate, persuade, and most
importantly, win! Better call Saul!
TV SAUL (O.S.): Do you feel doomed? Have opponents of freedom wrongly intimidated you?
Maybe they told you that you’re in serious trouble and there’s nothing you can do about it.
I’m Saul Goodman, and I’m here to tell you that they’re wrong! It’s never too late for justice.
Better call…
Close up on the judge. Shots around the courtroom. Three defendants sit next to an empty
chair. The prosecutor doodles a man wielding a sword on horseback in his notebook. The
judge looks at his watch then gives the security guard a look. The guard gets up and walks
out of the courtroom.
SAUL (O.S.): Think about it. Their brain...it’s not all there yet. Now if we were all held
responsible for what we did when we were 19… (laughs). I remember what it was like being
a kid. Think back to when you were 19. (more nervous laughter and hand motions)So judge,
what do you say?
Security guard opens door and sees Saul talking to the urinal.
INT. COURTROOM
SAUL: Oh to be 19 again! You with me ladies and gentleman, do you remember 19? Let me
tell ya, the juices are flowing, the red corpuscles are corpuscle-ing, the grass is green and
soft, and summer’s gonna last forever. Now do you remember? Yeah you do.
SAUL: But if you’re being honest, I mean, really honest, you’ll recall that you also had an
underdeveloped 19 year old brain. Me personally, if I were held accountable for some of the
stupid decisions I made when I was 19, oh boy, wow. And I bet if I were in church right now
I’d get a big amen!
Silence
SAUL: Which brings us to these three. Now these three knuckleheads, and I’m sorry boys
but that’s what you are, they did a dumb thing. I’m not denying that. However I would like
you to remember two salient facts. Fact 1: nobody got hurt! Not a soul! Very important to
keep that in mind. Fact 2: now the prosecution keeps dangling this term “criminal
trespass”. Mr. Spinazo, property owner, admitted to us that he keeps most portions of his
business open to the public - both day and night. So trespassing? Bit of a reach, don’t you
think Dave?
SAUL: Here’s what I know. These three young men, near honor students, were feeling their
oats one Saturday night and they just went a little bananas. I don’t know, call me crazy, but I
don’t think they deserve to have their bright futures ruined by a momentary, minute (points
at the three boys) never to be repeated, lapse of judgement. Ladies and
gentleman...you’re bigger than that.
Saul takes his seat next to the three boys who seem impressed with his defense. The
prosecutor gets up without saying a word and puts a tape into the VCR on the courtroom’s
TV. The screen shows the three boys cutting the head oL of a dead body being used for a
biology class as they brag about it and laugh into the camera. Members of the court begin
walking out.
EXT. COURTROOM
SAUL: No no no. Defen—dant. Dant. 3 defendants, $2,100. Which, by the way, a bargain for
what I did for them.
SAUL: So, since when does that matter? They had sex with a head!
LADY: Didn’t somebody tell you not to try all three of them together? 1 trial, $700!
SAUL: You’re gonna miss me, you are gonna miss me, cause it’ll be a cold day in hell before
I do any PD work for this shitty court! Sayonara, baby!
Saul storms by a white Cadillac to get into a beaten-down yellow Suzuki Esteem with one
red door. His phone rings.
SAUL (speaking as an Irish woman): Law ofices of James McGill, how may I direct your
call?...Yes, Mrs. Kettleman, so good of you to return!...Actually I don’t have Mr. McGill at the
moment, but I know he...Oh, splendid. Unfortunately our ofice is being painted, and the
fumes are quite horrid, could he meet you and your husband at, say, Loyola’s café at
Central?...4 o’clock it shall be, cheers!
Saul checks his watch, gets into the car, then starts his car and sputters away. He hands his
ticket to the man working the toll booth.
MIKE: Well, I see five stickers, you’re one shy. Three dollars.
SAUL: They gave me, look, I’m validated for the entire day, ok? Five stickers, six stickers, I
don’t know stickers because I was in that court back there, saving people’s lives, so…
MIKE: Well, gee, that’s swell. And thank you for restoring my faith in the judicial system.
Now you either pay the three dollars, or you go back inside and get an additional sticker.
SAUL: Son of a bitch… Fine! You win! Hooray for you! (to car behind him) Backing up, I’m
backing up, I need more stickers! I don’t have enough stickers! Thank you, thank you, very
nice! Employee of the month over here! (claps) Hooray, give him a medal! (to cops) don’t do
anything guys, just relax.
BETSY KETTLEMAN: Well, I’m just fuzzy as to why you think he needs a lawyer. I mean,
Craig, the way you run your ofice is beyond reproach.
BETSY: Yes, he’s a stickler with the money, he’s definitely a stickler. I mean he’s certainly
not guilty of some…
SAUL: Certainly not. He’s innocent of any wrongdoing. It’s abundantly clear to me, and
frankly, I don’t go looking for guilty people to represent. I mean, who needs that
aggravation, right?
SAUL: Look, all I know is what I read in the paper. Typically, when money goes missing from
accounting treasury, and the number is, uh, $1.6 million…
SAUL: Discrepancy, absolutely. But typically, when that happens, the police look at the
treasurer. And since that person is, uh (gestures at Craig). I just think a little proactivity may
be in order here.
SAUL: Actually, it’s getting arrested that makes people look guilty, even the innocent ones.
And innocent people get arrested everyday. And they find themselves in a little room with a
detective who acts like he’s their best friend. “Talk to me” he says. “Help me clear this up”.
“You don’t need a lawyer, only guilty people need lawyers”, and BOOM! That’s when it all
goes south. That’s when you want someone in your corner, someone who will fight tooth
and nail. Lawyers. We’re like health insurance. You hope you never need it, but man, oh,
man, not having it? No!
SAUL: Well this is a letter of engagement. It’s very simple. Straightforward. Please read it
closely, but, uh, if you sign it I can get started on that defense strategy of ours this very
afternoon.
Close up of Craig’s hand hovering with the pen above the contract. He looks ready to sign
before his wife takes his hand
CRAIG: Oh, and you know, Craig, we gotta pick up the kids.
BETSY: At the…
CRAIG: Oh...right. Well we will be in touch. Thank you for the cofee and for the advice.
SAUL: You’re very welcome. Here, take this, it’s got my phone number on it.
BETSY: Ok.
SAUL (on the phone): The number is 9456-0054-4896-0643. And the expiration is 11/04.
OK, and the key word here is classy, alright? Shoot for classy. Use only flowers that look
expensive. But, you know, aren’t. And the note should say “Dear Betsy and Craig, best
wishes from your stickler for justice. -James McGill”. OK, and McGill’s spelt M-C… Well run
it again. Well no, no, no, it’s paid up, run it again.
A skater goes crashing into Saul’s car breaking the windshield. Saul pulls over and
hyperventilates.
LARS: Oh god, oh god, Cal! Look at me, look at me! (to Saul)what did you do?!
LARS: You freaking hit him man! You ran him over! You ran over my brother! I got the whole
thing on video!
LARS: It’s broken! You broke his leg! You’re driving around and not looking? Breaking
people’s legs? Somebody call the cops!
Starts dialing.
SAUL (desperate): Don’t call the police, don’t call the police!
SAUL: No!
LARS: How are you gonna fix this? What are you gonna do to make things right?
SAUL: Listen, Starlight Express, I’m gonna give you a 9.6 for technique, 0.0 for choice of
victim! I’m a lawyer! Furthermore (points at his car) does this steaming pile of crap scream
payday to you, huh? The only way that entire car is worth $500 is if there’s a $300 hooker
sitting in it! Now let’s talk about what you owe me for the windshield.
SAUL: Chao chi c’ung ladies, Chao chi c’ung. Chao chi c’ung Mrs. Nguynen, you look… My
mail?
NAIL SALON OWNER: You work for people who have sex with chopped of head?
Saul puts the cup down and head to the back room. Next to the washing machine is a door
with a taped on sign reading “James M. McGill Esq. A Law Corporation"
Saul’s desk is right next to the hot water heater. There’s only enough room for his desk and
one folding chair. He checks his phone and finds that he has no new messages. He sifts
through his mail - all bills except for an envelope from Hamlin Hamlin & McGill with a check
for $26,000 enclosed. Saul rips it into pieces
Saul is waiting for an elevator. Camera cuts to a dented trash can. Saul goes up the elevator
and heads to the secretary’s desk
SAUL: Brenda, looking good. Nice ‘do. Uh, where’s Lord Vader?
FRANCIS: James.
FRANCIS: Ok.
Saul heads up the stairs passing former co-workers as he goes.
SAUL: YOU HAVE MEDDLED WITH THE PRIMAL FORCES OF NATURE, MR. HAMLIN, AND I
WON’T HAVE IT!
SAUL: I’m sorry, this table (knocks on it). Something just come over me.
HOWARD: That’s money for Chuck. Isn’t that what you wanted?
SAUL: A measly 26 grand? Jesus you’re like Peter Minuit with the Indians, throw in some
beads and shells while you’re at it.
HOWARD: It’s just a start, they’ll be more. Unless you’re just gonna tear them all up.
SAUL: And why was it made out to me, why not Chuck?
Silence
HOWARD: I just assumed it was best to have the money go through you. We can do it any
way you want.
SAUL: This isn’t going away, Howard. What Chuck did for this firm, and damn near
singlehandedly, one-third of this place belongs to him. What do you got 12 chairs here? 4 of
these chairs are Chuck’s. You got 5 of these light thingamajigs? Uh, 1 and ⅔ are Chuck’s!
How many danishes, six danishes?
HOWARD: You can have all the danishes you want Jimmy.
SAUL: No no! They’re Chuck’s danishes! And he isn’t greedy so he’ll just take two...plus $17
million dollars. In that ballpark. I mean we’ll know once we get the accountants poking
around here. Until then no penny ante checks trying to make it look like Chuck still works
here, he doesn’t. He never will again. It’s time to do right by him and cash him out.
HOWARD: So he personally told you that it’s his wish to withdraw from the firm?
SAUL: It’s been nearly a year since he stepped foot in here. I’m just doing what’s in his best
interest.
HOWARD: So am I. And I, for one, believe he’s gonna lick this thing. Until then, his ofice is
just how he left it. His secretary’s still on payroll. If Chuck can call this an extended
sabbatical then so can we! He’s that important to us.
SAUL: You know what? Let’s let a jury figure it out. They’re gonna love you, Howard. You’re
so down to earth! And relatable!
No reaction
HOWARD: Jimmy! I almost forgot. This month’s filings. You could save me the postage.
SAUL: Weren’t you listening in there? Chuck doesn’t work here anymore. You think I’m
gonna help you establish a paper trail?
HOWARD: Jimmy…
HOWARD: Jimmy...You know, Jimmy, sometimes in our line of work you can get so caught
up in the idea of winning that you forget to listen to your heart. Give Chuck my love. Would
ya?
Saul looks to the bottom of the stairs and sees the Kettlemans talking to Howard. Saul
takes the elevator down then starts kicking the already dented trash can. He walks out the
door and stands next to a woman against the wall who’s smoking a cigarette. Her face is
hidden in the shadows.
Saul pulls out front and checks Chuck’s mail for him. He puts his watch, car keys, and
phone inside the mailbox.
Chuck lights an oil lantern. We see his house is completely devoid of electricity. He puts a
grocery bag into a cooler.
SAUL: You gotta stop putting bacon on the list, that cooler’s looking like a trichinosis stew.
CHUCK: Perfect timing.
CHUCK: Finnish.
CHUCK: Vogelson’s been working on the efects of electromagnetic fields on zebra fish,
and oh!
SAUL: Yeah, I knew you missed it, so I figured, "what the heck?"
SAUL: Thanks.
SAUL: Hey, Chuck, um, can you not read that for a second? Can we talk?
Chuck puts down the paper and holds a lantern to Saul’s face.
SAUL: There’s no other way. I know you don’t wanna hear it, but you got to.
CHUCK: You know I’m gonna beat this. You know I’m going to get better.
CHUCK: Well then there’s nothing more to talk about! I will beat this. Ergo, a falsis principiis
proficisci. Meaning? (gestures to Saul)
SAUL: That’s the one about false principles, but it’s not…
CHUCK: You proceed from false principles. Your argument is built on quicksand, therefore
it collapses.
CHUCK: Fine. Let’s take this to its logical conclusion. In order to pay out my share, suppose
the partners are forced to liquidate the firm? Then what?
CHUCK: My clients are out in the cold! My cases are scattered to the winds, and 126
people lose their jobs. What happens to your cronies in the mail room? The assistants,
paralegals, the janitors? All of them, out on the street. Your friend Kim. A promising career
over and done with.
SAUL: Hamlin owes you everything. You built that place single-handedly while he was out
at four hills working on his bunker shot.
CHUCK: All the more reason not to tear it down just for a little bit of cash.
SAUL: Look Chuck, I'm going under, okay? For the third time with these bull-crap contract
counsel -
SAUL: I just had a case, Chuck, with three clients Uh, arraignments, voir dire, jury trial, the
whole nine yards. You know what I took home? 700 bucks. Yeah, I might as well head down
to skid row and sell plasma.
CHUCK: You're representing people who have nowhere else to turn. The money is beside
the point.
CHUCK: I keep telling you Have patience. There are no shortcuts. Do good work, and the
clients will come.
SAUL: “The clients will come”. Yeah, I know. OK. Hand to God, I wasn’t gonna say this, but
you are broke. I can’t carry both of us, I’ve been trying like hell but I can’t.
CHUCK: Well, you're saying what? You think you have to provide for me? I never asked you
that.
SAUL: You didn't have to ask, okay? I've been doing my damnedest, but the day of
reckoning is here. Soon, Chuck, you're gonna be out on the street with all the
electromagnetism in the world raining down on you. Now, please, please, picture that, then
tell me that money is beside the point.
CHUCK: Jimmy.
CHUCK: I'm gonna pay them back. Every penny. I didn't want to take anything, but Howard
was very insistent. And I'm gonna pay you back, too.
CHUCK: Of course!
SAUL: And the two of you agreed that since, as everybody knows, you're going back to work
any day now, that the firm should help you make ends meet.
CHUCK: I'm going to get better! I'm gonna go back to work, and I'm picking up where I left
of!
(beat)
SAUL: Sorry. Sorry Chuck.
CHUCK: I understand that you're trying to look out for me, but you're missing the bigger
picture.
SAUL: What?
CHUCK: You have to admit It could be confusing Hamlin, Hamlin, Mcgill? James M. McGill?
SAUL: Wait, wait. So I'm not supposed to use my name on Hamlin's say-so? What's he
gonna do, sue me?
CHUCK: Nobody wants to create an adversarial situation. I'm sure Howard would gladly
pay the cost of new matchbooks and so on. It's simply a matter of professional courtesy.
CHUCK: There are no sides. But, Jimmy. Wouldn't you rather build your own identity? Why
ride on someone else's coattails?
Saul grabs his keys, phone, and watch from the mailbox and gets in the car
SAUL: Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Give me thirty seconds. Could be the most profitable
thirty seconds of your lives.
SAUL: Let me tell you about a young guy. Actually, he's about your age. He lived a long way
from here in a town called Cicero, Illinois. And in Cicero, he was the man. I mean, when he
strolled down the street, all the corner boys would give him the high five. All the finest
babes would smile at him and hope that he would smile back. They called him "slippin'
Jimmy," and everybody wanted to be his friend.
SAUL: Well, I'll tell you, now Winters in Cicero are murder. You guys growing up out here in
the golden west. You don't know, okay? I'm talking cold that'll freeze the snot right in your
nose. I'm talking wind that'll cut through your jacket and carve you up like a Ginsu knife. In
fact, most folks in Cicero were scared of winter, but not Jimmy. Jimmy waited around all
summer, and when September finally rolled around and he'd feel that first cold wind come
sweeping of Lake Michigan, he knew it was coming. Was it Christmas? Was it Kwanzaa?
Better. It was slip 'n fall season. Soon as it was cold enough, he'd find a nice, smooth patch
of ice. State Street was good. Michigan Avenue was better.He'd pick his spot, wait for it to
get busy, then he'd walk out on the ice, and boom! He would bif it so hard, people would
come running from five blocks away.
SAUL: "Did he collect?" Slippin' Jimmy had it dialed in, all right? One good fall He'd clear 6,
8 grand. That'd keep him in old Milwaukee and Maui Wowie right through labor day. Now,
see, I look at you guys, I see potential. The skateboard's a nice wrinkle. That makes it a year-
round gig. And clearly, you know how to take a header, right? But I got to ask you. Your best
day ever, how much did you clear?
LARS: Two.
SAUL: Two falls in one day? Even at your age that’s gotta hurt.
SAUL: One hit. Plus you get to learn from the best.
SAUL: Yeah, discreet. Like a stripper pole in a mosque. Forget the boat. Look at the car. You
know what that is?
SAUL: It's a Mercury, a 1988 Mercury sable wagon. Remember it. Burn it into your brains.
You got it?
SAUL: No, it's medium sandalwood. Keep your eyes closed. How does the license plate
start?
SAUL: Betsy Kettleman’s her name. Every weekday between 2:25 and 2:50, she comes
through here on her way to pick up her kids at Kit Carson Elementary. Now, you need a
place where she's gonna slow down, am I right?
LARS: Yeah.
SAUL: Alright, well there you go. She slows down. She hangs a right. You come shooting out
of there. You do what you did to me. You go ass over teakettle. You make it a blue-ribbon
special. When she gets out of the car, you're suferin' St. Sebastian, right? You're the
hammer, okay? You get in her face. You scare the bejesus out of her. Give me your phone.
SAUL: Well, witnesses are good. Witnesses are pressure, all right? Now, once you've got her
good and rattled, then you call for an ambulance, but really, you're calling for me. I'm
number one on your speed dial, right next to your weed dealer. You call me. I hotfoot it over
here. I just "happen" to be driving by. I stop to see what the trouble is, and this is the most
important part: You don't know me. We've never met. You got it?
LARS: Sure.
SAUL: OK. Now, I'm Mrs. K's white knight. We go mano a mano. You light into me, okay? Get
nasty. And no touching. Leave the hair alone. But otherwise, you know, open season. Yell.
Stomp. Call me a douche bag. I'm gonna play it cool, give you back some of the
razzmatazz. And once she's seen the fireworks, you fold like a lawn chair. Happy ending.
SAUL: After.
LARS: After.
SAUL: After. You get paid when I get paid. I'm the rising tide that raises all dinghies. Now,
pop quiz What's the car?
SAUL (rehearsing to himself): Well, I'm just glad I happened to be passing by. Happy to be of
help, Betsy. May I call you Betsy? Please, call me James. Oh, the kid will be fine. Don't
worry. He just got his bell rung a little. I'll handle that. Oh, no. Oh, no, no. I wouldn't think of,
uh, taking your money for this.
SAUL: The embezzlement case? Mm, yes, I'd I'd be happy to talk it over.
SAUL (ducking down): Oh shit! (calls Lars) two minute warning, two minute warning!
Lars gets the camera ready and Cal gets ready to be hit. A light brown Ford Taurus takes a
turn and Cal skates in front of it.
LARS: Oh my God, Cal! Look at me, buddy! Are you ok? Say something!
CAL: What is she doing in there, making a sandwich? Where’s her sense of responsibility?
SAUL (to himself): Funny to run into you, Betsy. I was just, uh, strolling the neighborhood.
You were in accident. Oh it’s… (checks watch) Come on.
Phone rings
SAUL: Yeah?
LARS: It was textbook, man, we were diamonds. But then she just took of.
SAUL: OK, just stay where you are, I’ll come get you.
Camera cuts to Cal and Lars on their skateboards, holding on to the back of a truck.
SAUL (over phone): OK, new plan, new plan, you do know me, I’m your lawyer, you got that?
I’ll meet you at the school.
LARS: She’s way past the school. She hooked a left on Juan Tabo, and she's coming into
Holiday Park.
SAUL: Okay, stay with her. When she gets where she's going, wherever that is, just don't do
anything. Wait for me.
LARS: Wait for what? You haven't been right even once! Slippin' Jimmy, my ass!
SAUL: You fell into the honeypot, kid. You get it? Hit-and-run is a felony.
LARS: So what?
Saul is trying to call Lars but only getting voicemail. He hangs up and gets his car to finally
start.
The Taurus finally pulls into a driveway. The driver gets out just as Lars and Cal roll through
on their skateboards. Cal fakes a leg injury and Lars carries him. The driver is an elderly
Hispanic woman.
CAL: Yeah what is the matter with you? You hit and run?
LARS: I see you hit him. You see that? That windshield? You did that.
ABUELA: No entiendo!
ABUELA: Dinero?
LARS: Sí.
SAUL: C’mon, c’mon, where are you? (sighs) Holiday Park. (rehearsing) Mrs. Kettleman,
Betsy, what are you doing here? Hit and run? That’s very serious. I can mediate, I represent
their parents.
Saul parks out front, sees the cracked windshield, runs to the front door and knocks.
SAUL: Open up, oficer of the court! Open up in the name of the law!
A gun is stuck in Saul’s face, a hand pulls him inside the house. TUCO SALAMANCA checks
that no one was looking then closes the door.
END