Breaking Bad creator and Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan insisted after the legendary crime dramas ended that he’d never return to the universe of Walter White, Saul Goodman, and New Mexico for a third time. While he’s kept his word so far, Gilligan has executed some loopholes in his promise that should appease fans of the franchise. Apple TV+ has greenlit a new science fiction series created by Gilligan that will film in Albuquerque and star Saul’s standout leading lady, Rhea Seehorn.
These ties to the setting and acting of Gilligan’s most recent show should create enough anticipation that many fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have been dying for fresh details on the ambiguous series that has been hinted at being like old school shows like The Twilight Zone. The series has a working title of Wycaro 339 right now, but there is no confirmation that this will be the final name. Here’s everything else we know about Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn’s upcoming series!
What is Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn’s show about?
Vince Gilligan has been intentionally uninformative about his new show, instead relying on his audience’s loyalty to his creative liberties and hoping the high expectations will pay off. The attention to detail exhibited in both of Gilligan’s previous series resonates with viewers who get sick of seeing the same old thing on their TV screens.
Gilligan did hint a little about the themes in the series in an interview with Variety. “The world changes very abruptly in the first episode, and then it is quite different. And the consequences that reaps hopefully provide drama for many, many episodes after that. . .there’s no crime, and no methamphetamine.”
Vince Gilligan’s love for cinema and science fiction showed in his biggest gig before Breaking Bad: working on The X-Files. This pioneering sci-fi series helped elevate the FOX network during the 1990s and demonstrated the value of science fiction on the small screen. Big streaming series like Battlestar Galactica, Lost, and more were beneficiaries of The X-Files. Expect some of the same mystery elements and wonky action in Wycaro 339.
Using Albuquerque as a filming location is more of a logistical decision than anything else. Gilligan’s comfortability in the region resonates with his crew, and it’s also a financially intelligent choice. Competing for time and space in Los Angeles can be tricky. New Mexico isn’t a hotbed for the film industry, therefore Gilligan’s shows always benefit from having this unique setting that other programs don’t.
Who is starring in Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn’s show?
Rhea Seehorn is the headliner through and through. Her name was immediately attached to the project the second it was announced and fans have already begun to anticipate whether her character will be similar to Kim Wexler on Better Call Saul. Seehorn told the Hollywood Reporter that her character “is extremely unlike anything I’ve done before.” She says the show itself “doesn’t have anything to do with Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul.”
The only other confirmed actress right now for the series is Karolina Wydra according to UPROXX. Wydra has previously worked in genre series such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and True Blood. Gilligan’s previous series was criticized at times for catering to a hyper-masculine audience and not giving enough attention to female characters. The fact that both confirmed leads in Wycaro 339 are women makes the series a fresh one for Gilligan and his crew members.
There are no rumors about any other returning cast members that Gilligan has worked with before. This doesn’t mean he won’t send in the call for a cameo from Bryan Cranston or Bob Odenkirk. Gilligan loves to stay close to his previous contacts, as seen by Seehorn starring in this show and Cranston playing Walter White after working on The X-Files.
When will Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn’s show premiere?
There is no release date for Wycaro 339 yet. The show started its writer’s room in 2023 but was interrupted by the WGA strike. Filming began earlier in 2024 and is supposed to wrap up in the fall of this year. Assuming there will be some post-production and special effects added due to the nature of sci-fi shows, we can predict that the untitled series will debut no earlier than sometime in 2025. Apple TV Plus has shown confidence in the prestigious resume of both Gilligan and Seehorn by giving the series a two-season order before its premiere.
Although Reddit is usually used for speculation, one writer on the message board for the show shared rumors that filming will start for the second season immediately after the first season’s filming concludes. This should mean that the second season will premiere much quicker than we’ve come to expect from other shows recently.
