Skip to main content

AMC's new talk show Talking Saul to pour over Better Call Saul's premiere

Better Call Saul AMC
Image used with permission by copyright holder
First there was Talking Dead, the talk show all about everyone’s favorite Zombie-apocalypse series The Walking Dead. Then came Talking Bad, which did the same for AMC’s epic drama Breaking Bad. Now, AMC has confirmed that Chris Hardwick will host a Talking Saul show to follow the season 2 premiere of Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul.

Before you get too excited, Talking Saul won’t air after every episode of the show. It will only be featured after the premiere (this Monday, February 15 at 11 p.m.) and the finale. And it won’t be a full hour like we’ve come to know and love with Talking Dead, but rather just 30 minutes, as was the case with Talking Bad.

That said, the new show will follow the same format as the others, featuring cast members from the show, producers, and celebrity fans discussing the episode and story development, along with viewer interaction from social media, telephone, and the live studio audience.

Joel Stillerman, President of Original Programming and Development at AMC, says the “Talking” franchise began as a “way to serve the fans by harnessing and providing a focal point for discussion around our original programming.” Given that after the first successful season of Better Call Saul has acquired a loyal legion of devoted fans, the network felt it was time to launch the format for the show.

Not surprisingly, both show lead Bob Odenkirk (Saul) and creator Vince Gilligan will sit on the couch for the premiere episode, alongside co-writer and co-showrunner Peter Gould.

Chances are that if the show goes well, it may be upgraded to every episode of next season. Talking Dead airs in the hour following The Walking Dead every Sunday, and has done so since the show’s second season in 2011. The concept continued when Talking Bad launched in 2013.

A special episode of Talking Dead also aired following the finale of Walking Dead spin-off series Fear the Walking Dead last October — AMC clearly loves its franchises. Hardwick noted at the time that the show could be picked up for every episode of the new season.

Here’s hoping that’s the case for Talking Saul so fans and cast members alike can pick apart and debate every aspect of Jimmy McGill’s transformation into Saul Goodman.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
Jeremiah Bitsui on Dark Winds and returning to Better Call Saul
Hoski leaving a helicopter and holding two bags in a scene from Dark Winds.

Jeremiah Bitsui may have the magic touch in terms of finding roles on iconic television shows. The 41-year-old actor has played memorable parts in both Breaking Bad and Yellowstone. He has since returned to the Breaking Bad universe as Victor, one of Gustavo Fringe's henchmen, in the prequel spinoff Better Call Saul. That's as impressive as it gets especially when you consider Bitsui came to Hollywood at the age of 19 to become a director, not an actor.

Now, Bitsui is making his presence known on another critically acclaimed program, Dark Winds, as the villainous character, Hoski. In conversation with Digital Trends, Bitsui explores his introduction to acting, his inclusion in several iconic shows, the excitement of returning to Better Call Saul, and why playing a Navajo character in Dark Winds has been a dream.

Read more
Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad

Few TV creators have had a more successful 15-year run than Vince Gilligan. Jumping from the career-making Breaking Bad right to Better Call Saul, which was co-created by Peter Gould, Gilligan has proven to be one of the best minds in TV writing, and it is Better Call Saul that cemented that legacy.

Breaking Bad was a staggering achievement, to be sure, but it also came from nowhere. Better Call Saul, on the other hand, had Breaking Bad looming over its shoulder the whole time. Gilligan knew it would be dangerous to return to the same well, and he did it anyway. Why? Because he had an even better story to tell.

Read more
Better Call Saul brings back Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul
Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston in Better Call Saul.

Throughout the first five seasons of Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad prequel has featured the return of several cast members from the original series. Now the original Breaking Bad stars are joining the party for Better Call Saul's sixth and final season. Via Variety, Better Call Saul co-creator and showrunner, Peter Gould, confirmed that Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will reprise their respective roles as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.

The announcement came during the Better Call Saul panel at PaleyFest LA. However, Gould still withheld a few details from the audience.

Read more