From the start of movies and TV, awards shows have become a huge part of world culture, to help mark their legacies in history. However, sometimes, it can be seen that movies, TV shows, and actors who were truly deserving would be overshadowed, ignored, and snubbed by others. They may be equally excellent, but most people would agree that they weren’t true winners. One example of this would be actor Bob Odenkirk. Initially a comedic actor, he rose to prominence in the dramatic world by starring as everyone’s fan favorite smooth-talking lawyer Saul Goodman in the AMC crime drama television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013). After Breaking Bad’s conclusion, Odenkirk reprised the role in the spin-off series Better Call Saul (2015-2022), which revealed the character’s origin and development as to how he transforms into the character in Breaking Bad, and also features a sequel storyline that reveals his fate after the series. The success of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul would launch Odenkirk to newfound fame and popularity, but what may be surprising is that neither he, nor the show won a single Primetime Emmy Award, despite being nominated 53 times, marking the biggest loss record in Emmy’s history, something that deeply outraged fans.
Launching his career in the 1980s, Odenkirk first took a writing job on Saturday Night Live (1975-)and managed to obtain small acting jobs as the 1990s came around. It was around this time he befriended actor Ben Stiller, which would lead to writing and acting jobs on The Ben Stiller Show. He became famous in the comedy industry after he and fellow comedian and close friend David Cross worked on the hit show Mr. Show with Bob and David, which ran in the late 90s. This caused Odenkirk to become very popular and famous. Shockingly, he was originally supposed to portray Michael Scott, the lead character in the hit 2000s mockumentary sitcom The Office (2005-2013), before the role went to Steve Carrell. However, he got his true big break when he was cast as wise-cracking corrupt criminal defense attorney Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad in 2009. The need for a character like Saul came because Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, the show’s main protagonists, needed a guide for them as they got deeper “into” the business of the Albuquerque drug business underworld. Saul was meant to serve as the series’ comic relief. Odenkirk used his comedic background to make Saul the funny guy in a show with drug dealing, violence, and death. Odenkirk claimed his speaking style for Saul is based on Oscar-nominated producer Robert Evans, who produced many famous films during the 60s and 70s, and used inspiration from the autobiography The Kid Stays in The Picture. Eventually, Odenkirk became a main character in the show from his introduction in Season 2, until the fifth and final season, departing in the series “penultimate episode “Granite State”.
After Breaking Bad’s conclusion in 2013, series creator Vince Gilligan and writer Peter Gould were so amazed with Saul’s character and Odenkirk’s performance that they began developing a Saul Goodman spin-off. When Odenkirk was informed about this, he initially declined, saying he wanted to spend more time with his children since he was so busy with his acting career after the success of Breaking Bad. However, his children assured him he would be fine, and “that” he should take the opportunity. Better Call Saul premiered in 2015, and “is” set between two timelines. It focuses on Saul’s origins as an initial honest lawyer under his real name Jimmy McGill, and also features a sequel storyline where Saul is living in witness protection in Nebraska under the alias of Gene Takavic, and explores the consequences of his actions in Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul was a huge critical and commercial success, and ran for six seasons on AMC. For each season, Odenkirk was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Unlike Breaking Bad cast Bryan Cranston, who won 4 Emmys for his performance as Walter White in the original show, Odenkirk failed to win a single Emmy award. The fifth and sixth seasons of the show were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the show managed to keep going. However, it kept failing to win a single Emmy in any category, and it garnered a reputation for being one of the most significant snubs in Emmy history, especially since he failed to win for the first half of the sixth and final season.
On July 27, 2021, Odenkirk was filming one of the last episodes of Better Call Saul, titled “Point and Shoot”. He was on break with his co-stars Rhea Seehorn (Kim Wexler), Patrick Fabian (Howard Hamlin), and Tony Dalton (Lalo Salamanca) in an empty studio where they often took breaks. Odenkirk was riding an exercise bike and watching a Chicago Cubs baseball game, when he suddenly had a heart attack and collapsed. His co-stars were nearby and they immediately called an ambulance, and after spending several attempts with a defibrillator for his pulse to return, he was hospitalized for several days in a hospital in Albuquerque. He then spent the next five weeks taking a break from filming. Odenkirk felt he was delaying filming, and he even considered convincing the show’s creator to hire a replacement actor for Saul to film the final episodes. However, Odenkirk ultimately decided to return, and filmed the final episodes, and the series finale, titled “Saul Gone” premiered on August 15, 2022, ending the show after six seasons and ending the Breaking Bad franchise on a satisfying conclusion for fans. Odenkirk selected the final episode for his consideration for the Emmys, and he and Rhea Seehorn were both nominated. The show was nominated in many other categories, including Best Drama Series. However, in a controversial move that angered many fans and disappointed the creators, directors, writers, and stars of the show, the show lost their final chance to win an Emmy, with Odenkirk losing to Kirean Culkin for the show Succession. Better Call Saul has officially set a record for most losses at the Emmys, with 53 nominations, and 0 wins.
The stars have moved on from the show’s conclusion, with Odenkirk becoming an action star through the critically acclaimed action film Nobody (2021), and its upcoming sequel. He has also returned to comedy with the critically acclaimed series Lucky Hank (2023-). However, his losses at the Emmys are a significant snub that really disappointed fans.
Links:
https://www.kevinkoperski.com/post/hanging-up-on-saul-goodman/- Image 1
https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/better-call-saul-finale-review-1235341967/- Image 2
https://www.vulture.com/2022/08/better-call-saul-finale-other-endings.html- Image 3