In July 2021, Bob Odenkirk suffered a heart attack while filming Better Call Saul season 6, episode 8. Thankfully, Odenkirk made a full recovery and Better Call Saul resumed production. However, when news of Odenkirk’s health scare broke, many fans were concerned about the future of the show. It turns out that Odenkirk was just as worried as everyone else. As part of a bonus feature for the Blu-ray release of Better Call Saul season 6, Odenkirk revealed that he was concerned not just about his personal health, but also continuity of the show in his absence.
The actor was adamant that the show’s production should not be halted due to his absence and hence preferred being recast than canceling over show. Below is a quote from Odenkirk, via IndieWire:
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
RELATED: Bob Odenkirk Has ‘Mixed Feelings’ About Better Call Saul Ending
“ It was a scary day for everybody there. I really went down, I really turned gray. It really seemed over. They would have just stopped the show if I wasn’t capable of doing it. They wouldn’t have tried to go on, which makes me feel bad! If that’d happened, I would have liked it if they got some actor to play him. Just to tell the story that they had written. It wouldn’t have been great, but it would have been better than nothing. ”
Was Recasting Bob Odenkirk on the Cards?
AMC
Bob Odenkirk has been a member of the Better Call Saul family since the beginning. He first played Saul Goodman on AMC’s breakout series Breaking Bad. When Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould created a prequel spin-off focused on Goodman’s early years as a sleazy Los Angeles lawyer, they knew they wanted Odenkirk to reprise the role. Odenkirk’s performance as Goodman is iconic, and it would be hard to imagine anyone else in the part. While there are other actors who could potentially play the part, they would likely lack the same chemistry with the rest of the cast that Odenkirk has.
Additionally, his performance is so unique that it would be hard to replicate. As a result, during his recovery, it was unanimously decided that the show couldn’t carry on without Odenkirk. He returned to reprise his role after a five-week break. Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan also stated that the show would have ended if Odenkirk had not returned.
The show would not be the same without Odenkirk’s unique brand of humor and sleaze, so fans were happy they made that choice. His wish for Better Call Saul to continue even if it meant recasting him after his heart attack is definitely laudable.
