| "Rock and Hard Place" | |
|---|---|
| Better Call Saul episode | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 3 |
| Directed by | Gordon Smith |
| Written by | Gordon Smith |
| Featured music | Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" – III. Rondo. Allegro by Beethoven |
| Cinematography by | Marshall Adams |
| Editing by | Joey Reinisch |
| Original air date | April 25, 2022 |
| Running time | 47 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Rock and Hard Place" is the third episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, the spin-off television series of Breaking Bad. It was written and directed by Gordon Smith. The episode aired on April 25, 2022, on AMC and AMC+. In several countries outside the United States and Canada, the episode premiered on Netflix the following day.
In the episode, Nacho Varga is forced to choose sides while on the run from the cartel. Meanwhile, Jimmy McGill questions his reputation as a lawyer when he involves his friend Huell Babineaux in his scheme to ruin Howard Hamlin's life.
Filming for the episode took place between April and May 2021. Actor Michael Mando, who plays Nacho, described his character's journey and the allusions in the episode to the ancient legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, practices in the Aztec and Mayan cultures, and the religious motif of weighing a person's soul. A series of misfortunes arose in the process of shooting the final scenes, such as Mando having to be rushed to the hospital after severely cutting his finger and a sandstorm hitting the set. Smith's approach as director was to meet audience expectations and focus on maximizing the tension in the episode's finale.
"Rock and Hard Place" was met with critical acclaim for its themes, story, Smith's direction, and Mando's performance. It marked the final appearance in the series for Mando (Nacho Varga). An estimated 1.16 million viewers saw the episode during its first broadcast on AMC.