Vince Gilligan is currently at the top of its game. Over the past fifteen years, the writer, producer and director has managed to create not just one, but two of the greatest television shows of all time, Breaking Bad and You better call Saul. It’s hard to remember, but there was a time when people were nervous about You better call Saul; how can it ever reach the same heights as Breaking Bad? Now that the prequel series has come to an end, it’s clear that Gilligan and Peter Gould have created a worthy successor that could be considered even better than the original. Gilligan would be one of the greats of all time if he never wrote another word after that You better call Saul or even Breaking Bad (the reputation of) The Soprano‘s creator, David Chase, is a prime example of that), but he’s already hard at work on his next show.
Deadline recently announced that Apple TV+ has ordered two seasons of Vince Gilligan’s new, currently untitled program from Sony Pictures Television. If Apple’s major investment is any indication of the show’s quality and not just based on Gilligan’s proven track record, we may have another masterpiece on our hands. It appears that the show is still in its early stages of development, so little concrete information about the project has come out. However, the first details are starting to emerge and we’ve collected them here for your convenience. Read on to find out what one of the most important television artists has in store for us.
The plot
The famous lipstick Vince Gilligan has revealed very little about the show, leaving us with only small indications of what the finished product could look like. According to Deadline’s announcement, the project is “[c]compared to The Twilight Zone…[and] would be set in our world as it tweaks, bends reality and focuses on humans and explores the human condition in an unexpected, surprising way.” Despite being described elsewhere as a “mixed, grounded genre drama “, this is a stark departure from the rough and realistic setting of Gilligan’s most famous works, but it makes more sense when you consider his long stint on The X files.
Gilligan has also indicated that he wants to leave the world of crime and antiheroes behind. As part of an in-depth interview with The New YorkerGilligan expressed nostalgia for older programs such as The Rockford Files, Colombo, and The Heroes of Hogan and that in his next show, he’d like “the main character to have an old-fashioned hero, an old-fashioned good guy.” Gilligan also expresses his frustration at the plethora of bad guys on television, “in both fiction and real life,” unlike when he created Walter White fifteen years ago. Given the current trend towards small-screen friendliness, this move makes sense along with the tone changes for the project.
The cast
Vince Gilligan has stated that he wants to avoid returning to the world of Breaking Bad, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t willing to work with the talent portrayed by his iconic characters. Only one cast member of his new project has been announced, but it’s someone who You better call Saul fans will be thrilled. In addition to the show’s unveiling, Deadline also shared that Rhea Seehorn, who is fan-favorite Kim Wexler on You better call Saulwill star in Gilligan’s new project.
Relatively unknown before You better call Saul outside recurring parts on shows like Whitney and Franklin & Bash, Seehorn stunned the audience with an incredibly nuanced and versatile performance. Seehorn gave the constantly conflicted Kim so much depth, all while maintaining her reserved nature. Kim’s internal struggle was seen on Seehorn’s face as she tried to strike a balance between being a good wife, lawyer and person. Gilligan herself is also clearly a fan of her work, telling Deadline:
“[a]after 15 years I felt it was time to take a break from writing antiheroes… and who could be more heroic than the brilliant Rhea Seehorn? It’s been a long time since she had her own show, and I feel privileged to work with her on it.”
Publication date
Unfortunately, we don’t know when this show will come out let alone get a title. With how early in development the project appears to be, it certainly won’t be before the end of 2022. There’s a decent chance the first season could drop sometime next year, but Vince Gilligan’s return may not be until 2024, given the huge budget and expectations surrounding the show. However, it will almost certainly be worth the wait, given Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn’s abundant talents. The good news is you can probably fit into another rewatch of Breaking Bad and You better call Saul before the first episode premieres.