The producers of Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul (Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould) have been fielding questions during the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, so we now have fresh information on this eagerly-anticipated AMC drama...
- The big news is that the show will be set in 2002, six years before the start of Breaking Bad. This presumably allows the show to end as Walter White's story begins, in true prequel fashion. (This also dates the year's events of Breaking Bad for the very first time!)
- Bob Odenkirk will reprise his role as Saul Goodman, but we'll learn this is actually a pseudonym. Saul's real name is Jimmy McGill, and he's a small-time lawyer hustling people with the help of Mike Erhmantraut (Jonathan Banks).
- In addition to Odenkirk and Banks reprising their Breaking Bad roles, Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap) will be playing Saul's brother Chuck (pictured above). Also cast are Rhea Seehorn (Franklin & Bash) as Kim, Michael Mando (Orphan Black) as Nacho, and Patrick Fabian (Grey's Anatomy) as Hamlin.
- Despite being set primarily in 2002 (for the first season anyway), Better Call Saul will likely jump around in time. This could allow cameos from Breaking Bad characters, and potentially even from beyond that show's end-point. Could we indirectly learn what happened to Jesse, Skyler, Walt Jr, and Marie?
- The look of the show will be different to Breaking Bad's, taking inspiration from The Conformist and Stanley Kubrick.
- Vince Gilligan confirmed that an appearance from Walter White isn't out of the question, but will only happen "if it makes sense". Bryan Cranston himself may direct an episode one day, too.
- One character from Breaking Bad appears to be more likely to return, beyond all the others: infamous fast-food restaurateur-turned-drug-lord Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
- Better Call Saul has been pushed back for a 2015 premiere because Vince Gilligan is "slow as mud as a TV writer".
- Breaking Bad director Michelle MacLaren is returning for episode 2, Terry McDonough (who directed Saul's debut) will helm episode 3, Colin Bucksey returns for episode 4, and Adam Bernstein will direct episode 5. Vince Gilligan has directed the first instalment of a planned 13.
