Bob Odenkirk leading episodic adaptation of ‘Straight Man’

Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk has already set up his next series with AMC ahead of the premiere of the final season. Odenkirk has signed on to star in the adaptation of the 1997 novel Straight Man by Richard Russo. He will play William Henry Devereaux, the chairman of an underfunded college in Pennsylvania.

Deadline describes Straight Man as “a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College and told in the first person by Devereaux, whose reluctance is partly rooted in his character – he is a born anarchist – and partly in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans.”

The series comes from Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein. Lieberstein is best known for portraying Michael Scott’s nemesis, Toby Flenderson, on NBC’s The Office, but also executive produced Space Force, The Newsroom, and Ghosted. Zelman was a producer on HBO’s Silicon Valley, Netflix’s Bloodline, and AMC’s The Killing.

This would be Odenkirk’s third show with AMC following Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Odenkirk had this to say about the project:

“I loved Paul and Aaron’s take on Richard’s excellent, entertaining novel. Once again a project with AMC with a focus on character depth and sensitivity. This milieu (academia) seems very pertinent to the conversations we’re all having. I am drawn to the tone of humanity and humor in the novel and I look forward to playing this role – something lighter than my recent projects but still closely observed and smart.”

Peter Farrelly has joined to direct and executive produce the series, along with Richard Russo, Naomi Odenkirk, and Marc Provissiero. Dan McDermott, the president of entertainment and AMC Studios, had nothing but praise for Odenkirk.

“Bob Odenkirk is just as good as it gets. We feel so fortunate to be developing a new show that would keep him at AMC after Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, two iconic series that have been beloved by millions of fans and helped define AMC and its reputation for unforgettable characters and high-quality storytelling for adults.”

The series is currently being written, but has not been greenlit for production as yet.