Straight Man, Bob Odenkirk’s new television program, and Better Call Saul, his magnum opus, are comparable. Odenkirk is a renowned actor in the televised game who has shown a preference for playing characters that, on the outside, appear innocent but are ethically dubious.
The six-season run of Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, starring his character Jimmy McGill, whose official birth name is Jimmy, ended in August 2022. Odenkirk gave Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad a distinct and subtle comedic flair. Saul was cunning and quick with a joke; he was always brilliant at making fun of one of his dishonest clients.
In 2023, a debut season of Straight Man with eight episodes will premiere on television. The show is based on the 1997 book of the same name by Richard Russo, which involves a retired English professor who served as the inspiration for Straight Man. Odenkirk will portray the professor.
In an interview with EW, Odenkirk discussed Straight Man’s tone and how the show compares to Better Call Saul. He emphasized his brand-new program’s recently famous, half-dramatic, half-comic tone. According to Odenkirk, it is “more fun,” so the actor will have a chance to deliver the comedic performances that helped define his early career. Younger fans who may only be familiar with Odenkirk from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad will witness a different, maybe lighter side of him in Straight Man.
It’s more comical. I think I’m referring to the main character, the cynic. He’s a cranky type, but you like him, And I think he’s excellent. It feels like a new mix of comedy and drama that we have been on the verge of for a long time. It’s a great mix of humor and the kind of drama we got to do in Better Call Saul, and it has become more prevalent in streaming shows, and I think it will be clean. I hope the audience is ready.
