For twelve years now (though not all in a row), actor Giancarlo Esposito has served as one of TV's most iconic villains, Gus Fring. The Breaking Bad-originated character is most definitely still causing waves of mayhem on Better Call Saul, but AMC will soon be utilizing Esposito in a different way to continue exploring the ins and outs of the Vince Gilligan-created universe.
Along with news of an upcoming Better Call Saul marathon, AMC announced a new docu-series named The Broken and the Bad, which Giancarlo Esposito has been tapped to take on hosting duties for. For those who ever wondered how closely Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul paid homage to the real-life criminal underworld and other situations, this project will likely be a godsend. (Or a Heisenberg-send, if you wanted to play into Walter White's narcissism.)
Given how hugely popular Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have each been for AMC – to say noting of the near-endless critical acclaim heaped onto both – it's only fitting for The Broken and the Bad to exist as a way of letting fans deeper into the themes behind the storytelling that Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould and the various writers have brought to the table. With Giancarlo Esposito as a guiding host, the new project will dig into the psychological makeup of assassins and career con men, as well as breaking down the skewed economics that fuel drug operations.
For those who have been missing the Jimmy's often judgmental brother Chuck McGill across the past two seasons of Better Call Saul, The Broken and the Bad will definitely stoke those flames. Though there's no word on whether or not Michael McKean will show up, one of the docu-series installments centers on the one town in America where anyone suffering from electromagnetic sensitivity are able to live healthily and peacefully. So you know that means Chuck isn't anywhere around.
Check out Giancarlo Esposito's post about the new show below, which has already been "#GusApproved."
While it's likely that The Broken and the Bad's creative team could probably fill hours-long episodes with footage and discussions covering everything that inspired Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the docu-series will be of the short-form variety. Episode counts and run-times haven't been revealed just yet, but fans will be able to watch installments via AMC's website. It's not clear yet if the episodes will ever air on TV proper, but here's hoping.
In the wake of Independence Day, AMC will also be giving viewers a chance to catch up (or revisit) Better Call Saul Season 5 with a marathon for all ten episodes that will feature special appearances from stars Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn. The marathon will air on Thursday, July 9, starting at 9:00 a.m. ET. Odenkirk and Seehorn will be appearing during "hosted breaks" for the final two episodes, where they'll discuss Season 5's extremely suspenseful final arc, as well as Jimmy and Kim's potentially doomed relationship throughout the season. They will also be answering fans' questions from social media, which should make rewatching the hellish "Bad Choice Road" and the game-changing "Something Unforgivable" even more informative and intriguing.
Beyond The Broken and the Bad and the Better Call Saul marathon, AMC will also be tapping into some Bryan Cranston love with back-to-back airings of Godzilla and Wakefield on Monday, July 6, at 5:15 p.m. ET. During some commercial breaks for those films, Cranston will be appearing with special content. Here's hoping a Godzilla suit is involved.
Remember, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fans: The Broken and the Bad will Giancarlo Esposito will debut on AMC.com on July 9. While waiting for more Season 6 news, and hopefully an announcement about a Mike-centered spinoff, be sure to check out our Summer 2020 TV premiere schedule to see what other shows are debuting soon.
