Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul is now shooting in Albuquerque, and, even before the first season has premiered, US cable channel AMC has renewed the show for a second. Now, according to co-creator and executive producer Peter Gould, the show – originally thought to be a straight prequel about sleazy lawyer Saul Goddman (Bob Odenkirk) – will jump around in time and could therefore feature more appearances from the likes of Bryan Cranston.
Talking to the New York Daily News, Gould explained the reasoning: “One of the great things about having a time line which is flexible is that perhaps some of it takes place before Breaking Bad, during Breaking Bad, and after Breaking Bad. That gives us the ability to bring back characters that were killed on the show.”
But while the chance to feature more of Walter White, Jesse Pinkman and other favourite characters alongside Saul is a tasty one, all involved – including Breaking Bad overlord Vince Gilligan – want the new series to live up to the original show.
“We want to make a show that stands on it own, is its own story and is a brand extension. “We think we have a story that is worth making. We could never dream of the kind of success that Breaking Bad had and the love we got from the fans. But with Saul at a certain point you have to do the best job you can and tell the best story that entertains you, get a good response and hope people like it.”
The first season will arrive next year, followed by the second in 2016, with Odenkirk as Saul and Jonathan Banks as fixer Mike Ehrmantraut, and Michael McKean will play a new character named Dr. Thurber.