AMC Greenlights Bob Odenkirk Dramedy Series ‘Straight Man’
variety.comJoe Otterson TV ReporterWell, that was fast. AMC has formally greenlit the dramedy series “Straight Man” starring Bob Odenkirk a little over two weeks after announcing the show as in development.The show is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Russo.
It is described as a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College in the Pennsylvania Rust Belt. It is told in the first person by William Henry Devereaux, Jr. (Odenkirk), the unlikely chairman of the English department.“The saying goes ‘the third times 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 Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “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.” Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein are adapting the novel for the screen and will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers on the series.
Odenkirk will executive produce in addition to starring. Peter Farrelly is onboard to direct and executive produce. Russo, Naomi Odenkirk, Mark Johnson, and Marc Provissiero will also executive produce.
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