Bob Odenkirk

Almost pitch-perfect. Even though you go in knowing where Jimmy will wind up, watching his evolution into Saul never ceases to fascinate. Like Walter White he's almost congenitally incapable of passivity, but much more likable and charismatic, so you don't get quite the same unsettling feeling of watching someone's evil side take over. The show regularly teases the possibility of redemption so adeptly that you find yourself willing him to zig instead of zagging, despite knowing where he's show more ultimately headed. The acting is flawless, to the point where it feels like an ensemble show even though the fact that it's not is right there in the title. Each character is a perfect foil for different elements of Saul's personality, pulling him in different directions in a way that adds to the sense that his soul is still up for grabs. But of course his personality is so strong that he winds up pulling others down with him. show less

"Inhabit that imagined world fully and the audience will join you there".

This memoir was an utter joy to read. At the time when the world is doing unnerving somersaults, Bob Odenkirk, one of my most favorite actors of today, provided us with a wonderful escape into his world - doing so with the frankness of a child and with superb wit of a seasoned comedian. I had no idea he was a comedy writer and a stand-up comedian before "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" - the two dramas that brought show more him into the limelight (at least for me), and I am so glad they did, with more roles to follow. His genuine humanity comes through so well in the book, notwithstanding his constant wise cracks and fun at his own expense. He also makes it easy to see that there cannot be any other road for him (stumbling as it might have been) but this one. So with the comedy and drama under his belt, he then got a strong desire to perform at least once in an action movie ("Nobody"); I am yet to watch it, but somehow I feel that he rose to the challenge in that one, it being based on a person he actually knew...

Odenkirk is an actor with the last name that doesn't roll off your tongue with ease, but I found myself practicing to enunciate it because he is such a terrific performer, and I know that from now on I will always look forward to his new endeavors. Witty, hilarious, and intrinsically thoughtful, he shares his life in a disarming way that makes one an instant fan. show less

Listening to the cynical and dryly hilarious Bob Odenkirk as he chronicles his time writing on SNL, in Hollywood created cult comedy, and grinding away at failed projects before finding himself in a dramatic role on Breaking Bad. His sheer enthusiasm for the work and disinterest and fame is admirable. My guess is he’s a hard person to work with, but willing to meet the high standards he holds others to.

Great storytelling that gets bogged down often by intricate detailing of seemingly every single project he’s ever written. That stuff is likely interesting to young comedy writers but I am not one of those.