'Better Call Saul' season 3 spoilers, plot news: Michael McKean on discovering Chuck's fate; writers talk feminist character
Because Chuck McGill, the character he plays in the spin-off/prequel "Better Call Saul," wasn't in the original series "Breaking Bad," actor Michael McKean is just as in the dark as fans are about his character's future.
"Better Call Saul" is set roughly six years before titular character Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) makes his first appearance in the cult-favorite AMC series "Breaking Bad."
In "BCS," McKean plays Chuck, the brother of Jimmy and a partner at the law firm Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill. In the show's second season finale, Chuck orchestrated a great deception to get in the way of Jimmy's professional success, secretly recording Jimmy's confession about bribing the copy shop clerk. Sadly, Jimmy's confession was brought about by pity and concern for Chuck, who had just resigned from HHM and was seemingly losing his mind.
"[Y]ou have to love him to understand him," McKean told Gold Derby. According to the actor, while he "love[s] Chuck even if nobody else does," it doesn't mean that he fully understands the character.
The actor did explain that Chuck's feelings towards Jimmy is a long-standing thing arising from the fact that Chuck has always had to get Jimmy out of trouble. Accompanying this responsibility/burden is the fear that he will be dragged into his brother's mess.
McKean also spoke about learning what happens to his character down the road. "I'm curious," he said, "but it's not an overwhelming curiosity."
"If I open the script that tells me where he went, I'll try to act like I knew all along, but I have a feeling I'll be kind of astonished," he explained.
Meanwhile, in a recent panel at the Writers Guild Foundation event at the WGA Theater in Los Angeles, the "Better Call Saul" writers spoke about Jimmy's love interest Kim Wexler, who Bustle says is one of TV's most feminist characters.
Speaking to the audience at the WGF event, "BCS" executive story editor Ann Cherkis said that while she wasn't thinking of Kim as a feminist when she was developing the character, she appreciates how fans have responded to her.
"You approach every character the same, male or female," she explained. "No, she's not talking about wanting to have a baby or getting married, and it never even occurred to us, because it doesn't feel like who she is."
The third season of "Better Call Saul" is expected to premiere in early 2017.
