New Delhi, Oct 9 : “Breaking Bad” fans who are yet to watch “Better Call Saul”, Bob Odenkirk gets you.
The 55-year-old actor, who plays Jimmy McGill aka Saul Goodman on the show, says there is so much good TV content that it has become difficult for people to choose their next one.
“People are plotting their TV watching because there are so many interesting shows that you have to make a plan for it,” Odenkirk told PTI over phone from Los Angeles.
“I know there are people who have not watched ‘Better Call Saul’ and they are waiting to watch it once it is done. They are literally excited to watch it when it is over,” he added.
Odenkirk agrees that this is the golden period of television but says it would be difficult to predict what the future holds because a few years ago nobody saw the explosion of streaming services.
The show’s fourth season airs in India on every Tuesday at 12pm on Colors Infinity.
“We are all guessing… We don’t know what is to come next because nobody predicted that this would even happen. But yes, there are too many great shows that you cannot do justice to… ‘Fargo’ has a cool idea where the story does not carry over to the next season. Maybe that’s the future.
“But I believe a certain quality is lost in streaming — the excitement of what is going to happen next. I watch ‘Better Call Saul’ every Monday with my wife. It is like a little movie that is fresh every time. You may think that it would not be fresh for me because I acted in it but the truth is, there is so much in the show that I cannot remember and I have to watch it again just to know what is going on.”
“Better Call Saul” has been hailed by critics as one of the best follow-up shows. Many, including Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, have praised it for being “more poignant” than its parent show.
Odenkirk offers a realistic take on the observation that “Better Call Saul” may have surpassed “Breaking Bad” in greatness. He believes “Breaking Bad” success cannot be replicated but by going into a new direction, they have built a legacy that they can be proud of.
“Critics and fans were very nice to us. They really gave us a chance because ‘Breaking Bad’ ended before they were tired of it and they wanted more of it. The wanted the flavour that these guys bring. If there was another two years of ‘Breaking Bad’, I am not sure we would have had the good energy that we had when we premiered,” he said.
Fans have seen Saul Goodman in “Breaking Bad” but the show deconstructs his persona and the backstory responsible for it. Odenkirk considers himself to be lucky to have such a well-written character to play.
“I have done nothing to deserve the wonderfulness and the dynamic range of the writing. The variety and the range that they give me within one script is astounding… I don’t think I have seen a show where a character gets the range that is as wide and quick… He goes from being an utter clown to being totally earnest and desperate within minutes and honest about who he is. I am just enjoying playing him,” he said.
As the story moves forward, it is getting closer to the universe of “Breaking Bad”, which is always an exciting moment for fans but that is not all. “Better Call Saul” has given life to some of the most intriguing side characters from “Breaking Bad” such as Gustavo Fring, Mike Ehrmantraut and Hector Salamanca.
“The ability and the opportunity to explore the side characters and give them depth and home is a really wonderful thing. Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Gus, told Hector a story from his childhood and poverty in one of the recent episodes… It reveals a lot about what drives the character. In the first season, episode six of the show, which is one of our greatest episodes, you learn about how Mike’s choices as a policeman led to his son’s death.”
Diversity is the buzz-word in entertainment industry now but Odenkirk believes the two shows always had characters from every walk of life.
“We have a very diverse cast. All the bad guys of Latin origin are given back stories with dignity and complexity. A lot of women love ‘Better Call Saul’ but a lot of people don’t know that our writing staff is primarily female. It is pretty interesting and might have something to do with the excellence of Kim Wexler’s character.
“She is given a lot to do. She can be tough, sensitive and cunning. She also has a dark side. It has a lot to do with the female writers.”
There is a lot on Odenkirk’s plate — a mini series, movies and a showbiz memoir that will focus on his over three decades of comedic career. The season five of the show begins shooting in April next year.
“I am writing a book on all the comedy that I have work on. I have done comedy most of my life. The book is a showbiz memoir. I am watching my kids grow up and helping them find their way is still a big part of my life.”
Odenkirk has worked as a writer for TV shows like “Saturday Night Live”, “Late Night with Conan OBrien” and “The Dennis Miller Show” before “Breaking Bad” came his way.
He has also directed “Melvin Goes to Dinner”, “Let’s Go to Prison” and “The Brothers Solomon”.(P.T.I)
