Bob Odenkirk reflects on Better Call Saul and looks forward to Lucky Hank with teaser and release date

AMC knows a good thing when they see it (for the most part, at least). That’s why the cable network has invested in yet another TV drama led by Bob Odenkirk. The Emmy-nominated actor starred as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takovic in Better Call Saul for six seasons, a role he played on Breaking Bad before that. Now, Odenkirk leads a new show, somewhat ironically titled Lucky Hank, which arrives this spring.

Created by Paul Lieberstein and Aaron Zelman, Lucky Hank is based on Richard Russo’s novel, Straight Man. The eight-episode season unravels the midlife crisis of William Henry Devereaux, Jr. (Odenkirk), the unlikely chairman of the English department at Railton College, an underfunded university in Pennsylvania’s rust belt.

During the Television Critics Association’s (TCA) winter press tour, Odenkirk told reporters that the script came to him while he was filming Saul’s last season. “It happened so quickly, my head was spinning a bit. It’s a gift if the network making your show wants it badly, it’s a rare occurrence,” he joked, adding that he could’ve also chosen to be a zombie on one of the many The Walking Dead shows.

Odenkirk said he was drawn to Lucky Hank because of how differently it portrayed loneliness as opposed to his BCS character. “Saul was really alone. He wanted Kim [Rhea Seehorn] to love him, but they were never going to fully embrace each other. It was a tough guy to play for so long,” Odenkirk said. “I liked that here, this guy truly loves his wife and daughter. He has humor; he’s a wisecracker who laughs at his situation while he suffers it. Saul was funny, too, but he wasn’t aware of that. He wasn’t part of the joke.”

Lucky Hank also stars Mireille Enos, Diedrich Bader, Cedric Yarborough, Sara Amini, and Suzanne Cryer. The show premieres March 19 on AMC and AMC+.