Not too long after Better Call Saul concluded its seven-year run, showrunner Vince Gilligan and star Rhea Seehorn already have their next project together lined up with Apple TV Plus. Even though the details at the moment are understandably scarce, this new show already has one of its most ardent supporters: Bob Odenkirk.
Gilligan's new series landed on Apple TV Plus after a contentious bidding war. Shortly after the announcement was made, Odenkirk, who played the titular character Saul Goodman from 2009 to 2022, voiced his excitement to see the Better Call Saul creator's next project.
On Twitter, Odenkirk showed his excitement while relaying the headline of what was to come. "OMG this is gonna be so great!! All the best people! Vince Gilligan’s Next Series Starring Rhea Seehorn Lands At Apple TV+ – Deadline." It's no hidden secret that Odenkirk developed a strong rapport with the people that he worked with during his time on Better Call Saul. For all fans know, Odenkirk may very well get involved with this new show in some capacity. Of course, that's up to Gilligan, but whether Odenkirk is involved or not, it's no hidden secret that he probably will tune in to support his former(?) co-workers.
Gilligan has gone on the record saying that, after making a name for himself by creating two of the most compelling antiheroes in television, he wants to revolve his next show after Better Call Saul around a good guy. That could potentially be Seehorn in this upcoming series, seeing how Seehorn mastered how to portray Kim Wexler's well-meaning nature as well as her indulging her addiction to pulling off cons. Even if it won't be her, Gilligan has created characters who were fundamentally flawed but good people in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad. He just didn't make those characters the main character in his shows.
However, as excited as fans of Gilligan's work should rightfully be given his track record, it's far from a guarantee that his upcoming show will be as good as his previous ones were. Both of his shows masterfully captured the downfall of both of their main characters and the effects of both their choices and those around them. Gilligan has shown he is among the greatest show creators ever with his success in Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, but if this new show truly is going to be a change of pace compared to them, it may suffer from Gilligan not being in his wheelhouse. Not to mention it will inevitably have big shoes to fill.
Then again, there were a lot of doubts about Better Call Saul when the public first heard that the show was in the works. Saul Goodman was strictly a comic relief character whose main role in Breaking Bad was to help Walter White continue his criminal enterprise without avoiding any legal consequences. When Better Call Saul came out, audiences came to realize that he genuinely wasn't always like that, and only became who he was because of how much misfortune he had to go through first. This upcoming show is going to be Gilligan starting from scratch. Considering what he managed to build since Breaking Bad's pilot, there's no reason to believe Gilligan won't be capable of doing it again.
Better Call Saul can currently be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Bob Odenkirk/Twitter