It was just back in 2022 that Bob Odenkirk and company ended Better Call Saul on AMC, but they are already teaming back up for a brand new series, Lucky Hank. How do you follow up one of the best TV shows of all time (in this writer's humble opinion at the very least)? Well, our Lucky Hank review indicates that they may have figured it out.
In addition to Odenkirk, Lucky Hank (formerly known as Straight Man) has a handful of big names behind the camera. That includes Aaron Zelman (Silicon Valley, The Killing) and Paul Lieberstein (The Office, The Newsroom) as showrunners, with Oscar-winner Peter Farelly and Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) onboard as some of the executive producers; Odenkirk is also an executive producer.
Here is everything that we know about the new AMC/Bob Odenkirk collaboration, Lucky Hank.
How to watch Lucky Hank
Lucky Hank has concluded its run, with all episodes now streaming on AMC Plus. To catch up with the series you can sign up for AMC Plus as a standalone service or add it through a handful of different streaming services, including Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Apple TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.
Lucky Hank plot
Lucky Hank is based on the book Straight Man by Richard Russo. Here is the official synopsis for the show from AMC:
"Lucky Hank is a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College, told in the first person by William Henry 'Hank' Devereaux, Jr. (Odenkirk), the unlikely chairman of the English department in a badly underfunded college in a working-class American town. Hank's discontent is rooted in unresolved issues with his father, a mediocre and entitled student body, and in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans. Enos stars as Lily Devereaux, the emotionally grounded, unflappable wife of Hank and the Vice Principal of the local high school in rural Pennsylvania where they live. As Hank's life starts to unravel, Lily begins to question the path she's on and the choices she's made."
For some added enticement, Paul Lieberstein said at AMC's Winter TCA presentation, per The Wrap, that part of his inspiration for telling the story of Lucky Hank was to do something that was like "The Office, just with smarter people."
Lucky Hank episode recaps
Here are the synopses and our recaps for all of the Lucky Hank episodes that have aired to date:
Lucky Hank episode 1, "Pilot"
"Hank rants against Railton College, calling it "Mediocrity's Capitol," and the administration is pressured to fire him. Hank and Lily contemplate a future outside of Railton." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 1 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 2, "George Saunders"
"When George Saunders visits Railton College, the professors scramble to impress the celebrated writer, while Hank is reminded of his own failed writing career. Hank and Lily anticipate an announcement from their daughter Julie." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 2 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 3, "Escape"
"Hank spirals when a storage pod full of his father's belongings is dropped in his front yard; the professors spiral when rumours of budget cuts threaten their tenured jobs." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 3 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 4, "The Goose Boxer"
"Amid firing rumours, the professors look to the union to protect their jobs, while Hank tries a different approach; Lily interviews for a job at a prestigious New York prep school." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 4 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 5, "The Clock"
"Hank and Lily host the annual English department dinner; Lily has a decision to make; Hank's past involving his troubled relationship with his father catches up to him." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 5 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 6, "The Arrival"
"Hank and Tony travel to an academic conference, where their differing philosophies on work and life cause friction; Lily mediates trouble in Julie and Russell's marriage." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 6 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 7, "The Count of Monte Cristo"
"Hank contends with the return of his father to Railton. Lily hunts for apartments in New York. Julie looks to Hank for help in Lily's absence." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 7 recap.
Lucky Hank episode 8, "The Chopping Block"
"Hank is faced with an impossible decision at work, as his department's jobs are on the line. Lily settles into a new normal in New York City." Read WTW's Lucky Hank episode 8 recap.
Lucky Hank cast
Bob Odenkirk will forever be associated with his role of Saul Goodman that he played in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Turning a character seen as a complete scumbag in the original series into a tragic figure was a masterwork by Odenkirk, which makes this next turn as Lucky Hank's leading man of William Henry Devereaux Jr. an enticing one. Besides Better Call Saul, Odenkirk has also recently been seen in the action movie Nobody, Little Women, Long Shot and The Post.
Co-starring with Odenkirk in Lucky Hank is Mireille Enos, who stars as his wife Lily Devereaux. Enos is probably best known for her work on The Killing, but she has also starred in Hanna, World War Z and Big Love.
Other actors appearing in the series include Oscar Nunez (The Office), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Tom Bower (Raymond & Ray), Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley), Sara Amini (Future Man), Diedrich Bader (Office Space), Suzanne Cryer (Silicon Valley), Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911!), Alvina August (Animal Control), Shannon DeVido (Difficult People), Lilah Fitzgerald (Monster High: The Movie), Jackson Kelly (We Have a Ghost) and Arthur Keng (As We See It)
Lucky Hank trailer
Get ready to meet Lucky Hank by watching the official trailer for the new series from AMC, which proves that college professors can be just as moody and petty as their students:
Also check out some of the previously released teaser trailers right here:
