I would watch the hell out of such a show. Pull the trigger, AMC. We really have no idea who’s going to be left standing at the end of Breaking Bad, but smart money’s on one character walking away from the whole mess relatively unscathed. Saul Goodman, the lawyer played by Mr. Show‘s Bob Odenkirk, is the Teflon man, able to profit while everybody around him is suffering. Show creator Vince Gilligan has mentioned his love for the character in the past, and now it looks like AMC is seriously looking into the possibility of keeping him around after the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad have aired.
Deadline has the scoop, which reveals that Vince Gilligan and writer-producer Peter Gould, who co-created the character, are working on a pitch for the show, which is being imagined as a comedy. The series would probably take place after the events of Breaking Bad chronologically, and it’s unknown whether it would still take place in New Mexico or transplant the character elsewhere.
No deals have been signed for casting, as the project is still in the very early stages. Aside from Odenkirk, I have no idea who could fill out the show’s supporting cast – Saul’s two idiotic associates Huell and Kuby are possibilities, and he’s gonna need a new receptionist.
Gilligan’s previous interview on the subject shed some light into what we could expect from a Saul Goodman show – here’s a quote:
“I like the idea of a lawyer show in which the main lawyer will do anything it takes to stay out of a court of law. He’ll settle on the courthouse steps, whatever it takes to stay out of the courtroom.”
There are already so many lawyer shows on TV that another one would need a hell of a hook to stand out, and having the lead be an ambulance-chaser who just tries to get people to settle all the time is a pretty good one. What do you think? Would you watch a Saul Goodman spin-off even if there was no meth involved?