| "Bagman" | |
|---|---|
| Better Call Saul episode | |
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Bagman_promotional_poster.jpeg) Promotional poster | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Vince Gilligan |
| Written by | Gordon Smith |
| Featured music | "I Got The..." by Labi Siffre |
| Cinematography by | Marshall Adams |
| Editing by |
|
| Original air date | April 6, 2020 |
| Running time | 53 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
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"Bagman" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the American crime drama television series Better Call Saul, the spinoff series of Breaking Bad. Written by Gordon Smith and directed by Vince Gilligan, the episode aired on April 6, 2020, on AMC in the United States. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered in several countries on Netflix.
In the episode, Jimmy McGill agrees to travel to the desert as a "bagman" to pick up the $7 million that will serve as bail money for Lalo Salamanca. While returning with the money, Jimmy finds himself in the middle of a shootout, where he is saved by Mike Ehrmantraut. Together, the pair begin their journey back to civilization, while Jimmy's wife, Kim Wexler, begins to get worried.
The episode's director, Gilligan, said that "Bagman" was one of the most challenging episodes he had to direct in his career. "Bagman" took 18 days to film, which was nine days more than average episodes, and was shot on location at the Tohajiilee Indian Reservation, with Marshall Adams serving as a cinematographer for the episode. Additionally, Daniel and Luis Moncada made guest appearances in the episode as the Cousins, Leonel and Marco Salamanca.
In its initial airing, "Bagman" was seen by 1.42 million viewers in the United States. The episode received universal acclaim from critics, who called it one of the best episodes of Better Call Saul. At the Primetime Emmy Awards, the episode received three nominations, for Outstanding Sound Editing, Outstanding Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.