AMC is teaming up with Bob Odenkirk once again for a new series called Straight Man. The show, which should be coming in 2023, is based on the novel of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo. Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein are adapting the book for the screen. Odenkirk has previously worked with AMC on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Peter Farrelly is on board to direct and Executive Produce.

Straight Man is a mid-life crisis story set at Railton College, told in the first person by protagonist William Henry Devereaux Jr. (Odenkirk). He’s the unlikely chairman of an English department that is in shambles and greatly underfunded in the Pennsylvania rust belt.

Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios had this to say about the project:

Bob Odenkirk is just as good as it gets. We feel so fortunate to be developing a new show that would keep him at AMC after Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, two iconic series that have been beloved by millions of fans and helped define AMC and its reputation for unforgettable characters and high-quality storytelling for adults, We’re also thrilled to be working again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via to explore this compelling material.

Bob Odenkirk had this to say about the new series:

I loved Paul and Aaron’s take on Richard’s excellent, entertaining novel. Once again a project with AMC with a focus on character depth and sensitivity. This milieu (academia) seems very pertinent to the conversations we’re all having.  I am drawn to the tone of humanity and humor in the novel and I look forward to playing this role – something lighter than my recent projects but still closely observed and smart.

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