We mentioned a few weeks ago that AMC was fast-tracking a new series starring Bob Odenkirk, now they’ve officially greenlit the series. The new series, which should debut sometime in 2023, is a one-hour comedic drama starring Odenkirk as William Henry Deveraux Jr. He’s the unlikely chairman of the English department in a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt. It comes from Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein, who adapted the project from the novel of the same name by Richard Russo. Peter Farrelly is on board to direct.
The first season will be eight one-hour episodes. Here’s what Dan McDermott, President of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC had to say.
The saying goes ‘the third times a charm,’ but when it comes to Bob Odenkirk on AMC, the first and second times were about as charming, captivating and viscerally entertaining as it gets. As Better Call Saul begins its epic sixth and final season, we could not be more excited by the prospect of keeping Bob at home on AMC and watching him breathe life into another nuanced, complicated and unforgettable character. The chance to collaborate once again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via is even more icing on a very satisfying cake.
Bob Odenkirk had this to say about the new project.
I am thrilled that AMC is embracing the unique scenario and characters in Paul and Aaron’s adaptation of Straight Man. “I have loved the mix of comedy and drama in Better Call Saul, and this is another story with a unique dynamic, and the kind of closely observed character writing and exploration that AMC has become the touchstone for. It’s going to be fun to play and watch!
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