As the old adage goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ You could easily make the argument that AMC has has done wonders for the career of Bob Odenkirk, thanks to his role as Saul Goodman on “Breaking Bad” and its prequel spin-off “Better Call Saul.” By the same token, Odenkirk has certainly kept viewers’ eyes on the cable network and they hope to keep that success going with the new series, “Straight Man.”
Originally a novel by Richard Russo, the story revolves around a man working in a university as the chairman of the English department. He also happens to be going through some tumultuous life experiences that lead to some zany antics. Basically he’s going through a mid-life crisis and it’s causing him to do some crazy stuff. It actually sounds right up Odenkirk’s alley, especially after his memorable turn in 2021’s surprisingly strong, “Nobody.”
While the premise alone sounds promising enough, the talent behind the camera makes the prospects for the series even better. The showrunners and writers for the upcoming show are Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein. Zelman has previously written for “Damages,” “Resurrection,” The Killing,” and “Criminal Minds.” Lieberstein meanwhile was not only Toby on the US version of “The Office” but also one of the show’s writers and producers. He also has written for “King of the Hill” and “Space Force.”
The dramedy is set to premiere in 2023 with a slate of eight, one-hour episodes. Meanwhile, AMC is wrapping up Odenkirk’s “Better Call Saul” this year with its sixth and final season. It’s good to see Bob going strong with all these projects, especially after the massive health scare he had with a cardiac incident last year in 2021. We look forward to seeing him play the straight man in both the literal and figurative sense when his new series premieres next year.
