Better Call Saul Casts Its First Non-Breaking Bad Alum

Better Call Saul has started to fill out its cast list — and the upcoming Breaking Bad spin-off has just added its first non-Bad alum to the show: Michael McKean of This Is Spinal Tap and Planes, Trains and Automobiles fame.

The AMC show, which is billed as a prequel to the drug-crime drama, focuses on the shady but quick-witted lawyer Saul Goodman (played by the excellent Bob Odenkirk) before he gets caught up with the turmoil featured in the original series. Also appearing in the prequel will be Jonathan Banks, who once again plays Saul’s fixer Michael “Mike” Ehrmantraut. Deadline reports that McKean will play an all-new character, Dr. Thurber, describing him as “a brilliant attorney who is now restricted by an unusual affliction.”

The new series is slated to premiere in November, but there’s still no word if either Bryan Cranston’s Walter White or Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman will have some sort of cameo. We don’t think it’s too much to ask for a quick glimpse of a pre-meth kingpin Walt meekly helping out Saul at the car wash.

[Deadline]