COMEDY COMEDY COMEDY DRAMA

In his third book, the acclaimed actor, writer, and director examines his career through comedic and dramatic roles.

Odenkirk begins with his intention to chronicle both his successes and his failures, the latter of which constitute “a big part of my slog through the muck of showbiz….I promise that if I can ascertain a pithy truism, I’ll cough it up onto these pages so you can append it to your secret success journal.” The author follows his career from sketch comedy in Chicago to writing for Saturday Night Live and many other series in the 1990s. Odenkirk then examines his partnership with David Cross and the cult series Mr. Show With Bob and David (1995-1998), his forays into directing, and his best-known role, crooked lawyer Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and its spinoff, Better Call Saul. The roller-coaster nature of Hollywood is a consistent theme throughout, and Odenkirk hits on a sentiment that many actors and directors may share: “I tried just as hard at the stuff that didn’t work as I did at the stuff that worked.” He examines why certain projects clicked and others flopped, using both a conversational tone and the occasional direct input of others. Anyone wishing to pursue a career in entertainment, he writes, must “keep making new things in spite of every ‘no.’ To somehow stay in touch with the joy that brought you into the game.” As a writer, performer, director, and producer, Odenkirk gives a fascinating perspective on many aspects of the industry, and his explorations of his later career shift into dramatic roles—e.g., The Post in 2017, Little Women in 2019, and Nobody in 2021—are illuminating about both his own acting process and the creative work of other actors and entertainers.

While clearly aimed at aspiring writers and performers, this fun, thoughtful book will appeal to aspirants in any field.