Better Call Saul creator's next show reportedly has X-Files and Twilight Zone vibes
Gilligan wrote 31 episodes of The X-Files during its heyday
Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad co-creator Vince Gilligan has a new TV show up his sleeve – and it sure sounds like a spooky one.
According to Deadline, Gilligan is set to pitch his new original project to at least 8-9 networks and platforms. The project reportedly sees the writer-producer returning to his X-Files roots, which saw him writing 31 episodes over the course of nine seasons. Gilligan also developed The Lone Gunmen, an X-Files spin-off that lasted only for 13 episodes, and ended on a cliffhanger that was partially resolved in a season 9 X-Files episode.
The report describes the new show as a "blended, grounded genre drama" that is "set in our world putting a tweak on it, focusing on people and exploring the human condition in an unexpected, surprising way" and compares it to The Twilight Zone.
Deadline also reports that the show is expected to, much like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, infuse drama with humor. Gilligan is also said to have written material to accompany the pitch to give the networks a sense of what the project will look like.
Prior to Breaking Bad, Gilligan worked with fellow X-Files writer Frank Spotnitz to develop a short-lived show called A.M.P.E.D., which saw police officials work together to stop a destructive and violent virus from spreading. He co-created the CBS comedy-drama Battle Creek with House MD helmer David Shore, which starred Josh Duhamel and Dean Winters as a mismatched duo of a police detective and FBI agent in Battle Creek, Michigan. Given that Gilligan is interested in sci-fi, authority figures, and the human condition (in addition to seedy lawyers and meth labs operating in New Mexico), we're excited to see what he comes up with next.
For more, check out our list of the 100 best TV shows of all time.
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Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for 12DOVE currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.