Better Call Saul Gets A Second Season

It has been nine months since the end of Breaking Bad, and the show is still earning awards for its final season, all while it has a spin-off show in the works. Better Call Saul, focusing on the life of Saul Goodman before he was Walter White’s attorney, is in production for AMC who have announced news that will both please and disappoint fans.

First up, the show has been delayed from November until early 2015. The exact date is unknown, but the network has said it will air alongside The Walking Dead, which typically returns from its mid-season hiatus in February.

The good however, is that the show has been renewed for a second season before it has even filmed a pilot episode. The first season will contain ten episodes, with the second airing up to thirteen. Season two will arrive in early 2016.

“Production on Better Call Saul is underway and we could not be more proud of nor more excited about the work to date. We join the fans in eager anticipation for this series and today we happily confirm that our initial Saul order is for two seasons and a total of 23 episodes,” said AMC president Charlie Collier in a statement. “When introducing any series, especially one with the DNA of Breaking Bad, there are countless factors to consider in making sure the show gets the launch it deserves. We have a strong history with Vince, Peter, Bob, the studio and so many involved with this production; we are enjoying the process on Saul and all share a focus on making it a true television event. No half measures.”

The network also announced that Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan will direct the pilot and serve as a showrunner alongside Peter Gould, the writer who created the character of Saul Goodman in the original show. Both men, alongside Bob Odenkirk – who plays Saul – can be seen above in the first image released from the set of the show. Fellow Breaking Bad writers Thomas Schnauz and Gennifer Hutchinson will also write for the spin-off prequel.

Meanwhile, Aaron Paul – who played Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad – has said that there are no plans for him or Bryan Cranston to reprise their roles in the prequel show, despite their desires to do so.

“Let’s be honest, I don’t think we’re going to see more Breaking Bad, but I hope we might be able to play our character again in Better Call Saul, but that’s not solidified,” Paul said to HuffPost Live. “It’s not set in stone, there’s no plan of Jesse or Walt making an appearance in the first season of Better Call Saul. [But] who knows? Maybe in the future seasons.”

He was quick to shoot down his optimism later that day, speaking this time to HuffPost Entertainment. “To be honest, it’s not gonna happen,” he clarified. “There’s rumors floating around that I’m going to be doing it, but that’s simply not the case.”

He even shot down his own previous claims that he had met with Gilligan to negotiate a return. “We haven’t talked about it,” Paul said. “I mean, we’ve joked around about it, but it’s a prequel. I have no idea how [Jesse] would show up. I’m much older now. But I don’t look older, I look kinda younger, which is strange.”