Yeah, I had the same questions.  It seems a bit odd, especially since he left in such a hurry.  But maybe he took a risky weekend drive from Omaha to ABQ (888 miles) and planted in during his six month exile.

I think he’s leaning into it, now. Like, “okay, everyone thinks I’m no good - I’ll show you no good.” It always felt like throughout BCS, Jimmy never thought of himself as basically bad, even with Chuck telling him that. Then, with Howard’s death and Kim leaving and whatever happened in the phone call, he’s kind of…

Howard thought Jimmy could change. Howard was not the one who sabotaged Jimmy’s career, and he was even willing to work with Jimmy after Chuck died. 

I dunno. There was a working payphone on a corner of an empty lot on Rainier in Seattle for like 20 years.

Yes! Never expected to hear Papa Nez on this show.

TY. Loved it.

Yesss I love this kinda shit

How about shout out to Mike Nesmith and Tapioca Tundra.  RIP Mike!

Didn’t take very long, did it?

Me too. He definitely feels like he’s in his element—just like the old days back in Cicero.

That thing floating in the sink that Francesca took the plunger to sure looked like a Teddy bear eye floating in a swimming pool...

I dunno, does Gene have money problem? He has enough that he was willing to pay the Vacuum Salesman double when Jeff first approached him, and Francesca alludes to him bringing a not-inconsequential amount of money with him when he left Albuquerque. Also, there was an early Omaha scene, not referenced since to my…

Ok, it’s definitely Jeffy’s mom who ends up turning in Gene. You don’t bring in someone of Carol Burnetts stature just to have her play a cranky old lady!

That was me, but people more knowledgeable about college football than me nailed the year down to 2010, which makes more sense story-wise as well.

Kind of proves Chuck right, doesn’t it? He warned Kim that Jimmy couldn’t help himself...

Maybe he teaches law in prison...

I find I’m really digging the Omaha story line. The B&W gives it a subtle Film Noir feel, especially in the crime scenes. They even mentioned Hitchcock when Gene was telling Francesca where to find her money, the cement block shaped like New Jersey, or Alfred Hitchcock...

The scene in the phone booth reminded me really uncomfortably of the part in Bojack Horseman (spoilers)

He was Ivan Drago! The bad guy! He should want to break Sylvester Stallone, not make him feel better about the fact that he doesn’t own any part of the film franchise he created!

They wreck their own shit while turning the public against valid causes?