‘Better Call Saul’ recap: Lawyers Jimmy and Kim go solo, together

Risking their finances and careers, attorneys Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) and Kimberly Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) boldly launch their solo practices under a shared roof on “Fifi,” Episode 208 of AMC’s “Better Call Saul.”

No longer employed by the upstanding firm of Davis & Main, ethically “flexible” Jimmy follows his own, twisted path. Accordingly, when Jimmy decides to film a TV commercial for his fledgling law practice, he cons his way onto a New Mexico Air Force base.

Passing himself off as a wheelchair-bound World War II hero during the shoot is “Fudge” (Robert Grossman), a criminal Jimmy defended pro bono. Providing the impressive backdrop is “Fifi,” the world’s last airworthy B-29 Superfortress bomber.

In sharp contrast with Jimmy, Kim adheres to strict professional standards. That’s why she doesn’t attempt to land a lucrative client, Mesa Verde Bank and Trust, until after submitting her resignation at Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill.

“I’m not the safe choice,” Kim admits to Mesa Verde representatives Kevin (Rex Linn) and Paige (Cara Pifko). “I believe, however, that I am the right choice” for providing tailor-made service as the bank undergoes an ambitious expansion. Kevin and Paige seem to agree.

“I got it,” Kim excitedly tells Jimmy while checking out their spacious new office. But Kim’s enthusiasm proves premature because her onetime mentor, Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian), takes a Hail Mary shot at retaining Mesa Verde.

Howard taps the legal expertise of Jimmy’s brother Chuck (Michael McKean), who’s usually homebound with a debilitating case of electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Not wanting to appear deranged, Chuck discards his space blanket, summons his courage and joins Kevin and Paige in a brightly lighted conference room with cellphones present.

Chuck initially praises Kim as being young, brilliant and the bank’s “obvious choice” for an attorney.

“But no matter how talented one individual may be,” Chuck cautions, “the needs of Mesa Verde are too big to handle alone.”

That compelling argument seals the deal for HHM. Then, just seconds after Kevin and Paige depart, Chuck collapses in agonizing pain. He immediately returns to his darkened house devoid of all electronic devices.

Now Kim dejectedly tells Jimmy that she lost what would have been her only client. Suddenly that office lease looks too expensive.

“You still up for doing this?” asks Kim, wondering if they should slow down and think carefully about their next step.

“That’s why we’re a team,” Jimmy says reassuringly. “Something like this happens, you’re there to help me, I’m there to help you.”

Helping Kim, in Jimmy’s mind, means sabotaging HHM. So while Chuck remains incapacitated on his sofa, Jimmy searches through a box of Mesa Verde files and pulls out building permit applications.

By altering the bank address on each document, Jimmy sets a legal fiasco in motion.

In other developments, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) will stop at nothing to protect his beloved granddaughter Kaylee (Abigail Zoe Lewis) and widowed daughter-in-law Stacey (Kerry Condon).

So when their safety is threatened by vicious drug kingpin Hector Salamanca (Mark Margolis), Mike takes action.

Using surveillance skills he honed on the Philadelphia police force, Mike tracks Hector to a warehouse in the desert. It’s not long before a truck arrives from Mexico after passing a rigorous inspection at the Santa Teresa U.S. Border Patrol Station.

Since this is one of Hector’s trucks, it’s obviously transporting illegal drugs.

Mike’s next move? At first it seems he’s simply drilling holes in a garden hose so he can soak a flowerbed. But then he pushes nails through those holes and creates a spike strip.

Looks like Mike plans to blow out some tires — and bring down Hector.