Bob Odenkirk says Better Call Saul is a drama with 15 percent comedy

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

We are only a few months away from the premiere of Better Call Saul and we still don’t know a whole lot about the new show. That could be for the best considering if it was overly hyped with a figurative "remember Breaking Bad?" banner being shoved in our faces, it could be a letdown when it turns out it's actually a show that plans to stand out on its own. Saul Goodman was arguably the best part of Breaking Bad a lot of the times as a great source of comedic relief; as it turns out though, we can expect less laughs for his upcoming solo venture.

Speaking with THR about the tone, Odenkirk said:

“It’s total drama, man.  It’s 85 percent drama, 15 percent comedy.”

I’m no mathematician, but according to my calculations, that’s a lot of drama. Could it be that just five years before Saul’s dealings with Walter White (that's when this show takes place), he was a dry, uptight lawyer? My guess is his math, unlike mine, could be a little off and he’s underestimating just how funny that character is; even in his most desperate moments on Bad we would still laugh. The bad haircut helps a lot too.

He also talked about the benefit of turning Saul into a main character, where he can react now:

“That doesn’t happen so much with secondary characters because they don’t need to have that depth … One of the cool things about playing Saul now is that I get to have those moments.  I’ve certainly gotten a chance to dig deep in Better Call Saul.”

Better Call Saul premieres in February 2015 and AMC has already ordered a second season.