Well that was quick. AMC has officially greenlit the dramedy series Straight Man, starring Bob Odenkirk, just over two weeks after announcing that the show was in development.
The series is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Russo. It is described as a midlife crisis story set at Railton College in the Pennsylvania Rust Belt. It is narrated in the first person by William Henry Devereaux, Jr. (Odenkirk), the unlikely head of the English department.
“The saying goes ‘the third time is a charm,’ but when it comes to Bob Odenkirk at AMC, the first and second times were as charming, compelling and deeply entertaining as it gets,” said Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “As ‘Better Call Saul’ enters its epic sixth and final season, we couldn’t be more excited to keep Bob at home with AMC and watch him bring another nuanced, intricate and unforgettable character to life. The opportunity to work once again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via is even more icing on a very satisfying cake.”
Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein are adapting the novel for the big screen and will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers on the series. Odenkirk will also serve as executive producer in addition to starring. Peter Farrelly is on board as director and executive producer. Russo, Naomi Odenkirk, Mark Johnson and Marc Provissiero will also serve as executive producers. Produce TriStar TV and Gran Via. The show is set to debut in 2023. The first season consists of eight one-hour episodes.
“I’m thrilled that AMC is incorporating the unique scenario and characters in Paul and Aaron’s adaptation of ‘Straight Man,'” said Odenkirk. “I loved the blend of comedy and drama in ‘Better Call Saul,’ and this is another story with a unique dynamic and the kind of watched character writing and exploration that AMC has become the touchstone of. It will be fun to play and watch!”
Odenkirk first came to AMC when he began playing busbank and attorney Saul Goodman in the show’s second season on Breaking Bad. He began starring in the prequel series Better Call Saul in 2015. The latter show is scheduled to conclude with its sixth season, the first half of which debuted April 18 on AMC. The second half begins on July 11th.
“We are very excited to be working with Bob,” said Zelman and Lieberstein. “We don’t know of any other actor who can conjure up three different emotions on your face at the same time in one reaction shot. We’re thrilled to swim the depths of its reach. And it’s a dream to work with Mark Johnson, who literally has Jedi powers to make anyone think he has his idea. Oh, and did we mention the legendary Peter Farrelly? AMC Networks and Sony/Tristar were unique partners who shared our vision for the show. Ever since Mad Men, we’ve wanted a show on this network where risk-taking is the order of the day. We are honored to bring Richard Russo’s amazing novel to life here.”
Odenkirk is now officially the second Better Call Saul cast member to line up a new series on AMC before the show ends. It was previously announced that Giancarlo Esposito, best known for his role as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, will star in AMC drama series The Driver, which is based on a British format.
“We are thrilled to experience this next adventure with AMC, Bob Odenkirk and Mark Johnson,” added Jeff Frost and Jason Clodfelter, Co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Television Studios. “We’ve had such amazing success and such a remarkable partnership together, and we really look forward to working with Aaron and Paul to bring this compelling series to life.”
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