Why ‘Better Call Saul’ Co-creator Peter Gould Worried That Wedding Wouldn’t Work
Episode 6 of Better Call Saul ended with a major suggestion by Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn). Episode 7, “JMM” begins with Kim and Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) following up on that decision. Co-creator Peter Gould was on pins and needles about it.
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul.]
At the end of “Wexler v Goodman,” Kim suggested the only way they can resolve their fight without breaking up would be to get married. “JMM” opens with Jimmy and Kim getting married at City Hall before a judge. Gould and Odenkirk were on The Better Call Saul Insider Podcast released March 31, the day after “JMM” aired, discussing the previous night’s episode.
Peter Gould had reservations about the ‘Better Call Saul’ wedding
Thomas Schnauz wrote the Better Call Saul episode “Wexler v Goodman.” When Gould got to the end of that script, he got nervous. The nerves continued as they filmed the beginning of “JMM.”
“This teaser had me greatly worried because I was so concerned that it would end up being sappy or cute, that it would just kind of be a little saccharine in some way,” Gould said. “One of the things I’ve loved about these two is it’s a very real relationship. It’s not super touchy feely. We haven’t been hitting romantic notes. There’s love there beyond the trappings of romance. To have them actually go and get married made me jumpy the whole time.”
Bob Odenkirk thinks Jimmy hopes the marriage is real
Kim proposed marriage as a business arrangement. Being Saul Goodman’s wife gives Kim immunity against testifying against him when he gets into trouble. Odenkirk thinks there’s more going on in Better Call Saul.
“Part of him is utterly earnest about it and feeling great, genuinely feeling great but also knowing that it’s a transaction or an arrangement, but kind of hoping that there’s something real inside it,” Odenkirk said. “Obviously the two characters have genuine affection and love for each other and also frustrations and resentment and desire for something better. If you lean too hard into any direction, you just could be a mess.”
Peter Gould finally approved of the ‘Better Call Saul’ wedding
When they finally filmed Kim and Jimmy’s wedding, it sold Gould. There were a lot of elements that resonated with him.
“I like the fact that you see people getting married in City Hall,” Gould said. “That’s the way my parents were married. They’re not using any of the trappings. They’re saying it’s all for legal reasons but then there’s that great moment when they’re facing each other and the judge forces them to face each other. There’s a lightness to it, a connection. I just love it.”
Episode director Melissa Bernstein was also on the podcast. She addressed the moment where the judge makes Kim and Jimmy face each other, culminating in Better Call Saul‘s most romantic kiss.
“We talked at length about Kim and Jimmy facing one another in the courtroom and how that would come to play?” Bernstein said. “We come to it with different ideas and different thoughts and we talk about the absolute minutia for hours if we need to.”
