Straight Man: New Bob Odenkirk project lands series order at AMC

The sixth and final season of Better Call Saul recently kicked off on AMC but Bob Odenkirk has already lined up his next project with the network. It was announced just two weeks ago that Bob Odenkirk would be starring in Straight Man, and the show has now been given a series order by AMC.

“The saying goes ‘the third time’s a charm,’ but when it comes to Bob Odenkirk on AMC, the first and second times were about as charming, captivating and viscerally entertaining as it gets,” said AMC Studios and AMC Networks entertainment president Dan McDermott. “As Better Call Saul begins its epic sixth and final season, we could not be more excited by the prospect of keeping Bob at home on AMC and watching him breathe life into another nuanced, complicated and unforgettable character. The chance to collaborate once again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via is even more icing on a very satisfying cake.” Straight Man is based on the novel by Richard Russo. Bob Odenkirk stars as William Henry Devereaux Jr., the unlikely chairman of the English department in a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt who is going through a midlife crisis. Aaron Zelman (Damages) and Paul Lieberstein (The Office) are penning the script and will also serve as showrunners on the series. Peter Farrelly will direct. In his own statement, Bob Odenkirk said:

I am thrilled that AMC is embracing the unique scenario and characters in Paul and Aaron’s adaptation of Straight Man. I have loved the mix of comedy and drama in Better Call Saul, and this is another story with a unique dynamic, and the kind of closely observed character writing and exploration that AMC has become the touchstone for. It’s going to be fun to play and watch.

This will be Bob Odenkirk’s third series for AMC after Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and in addition to starring in Straight Man, he will also executive produce. The final season of Better Call Saul is currently airing on AMC and you can check out a review from our own Alex Maidy right here.