Bob Odenkirk refuses to kill Carol Burnett in Better Call Saul

To Bob Odenkirk’s credit, Carol Burnett lived another day on “Better Call Saul.”

The Emmy winner has threatened to “walk out” of the production of the sixth and final season of “Better Call Saul” if his character is killed off.

Burnett joined the AMC series as the mother of a cab driver who is targeted by Saul for a scam.

“They rewrote that scene exactly the way I wanted it, but not the way your so-called good friend, ‘Better Call Saul’ executive producer Vince Gilligan, wrote it,” Odenkirk said on NBC’s “90 Years of Laughter + Love.” in his special show. On Burnett’s 90th birthday (via Entertainment Weekly).

Odenkirk continued, “Carol, there’s something you need to know: Vince wanted my character to kill me in that scene. Look at him, he’s shaking his head. He said exactly that to me: “Saul is going to kill Carol Burnett.” And if I remember correctly, he didn’t say “Kill Carol’s character”, he said “Kill Carol Burnett”. But I refused and told him I was walking.

Odenkirk added: “Carol, I was willing to put my career on the line and never work in this town again. Because I didn’t want the little kids who watch our show—and I hope a lot of them did—to see me on the street and say, “Mom, that’s the man who killed Carol Burnett.” That’s all I wanted to say. That I’m your real friend and Vince isn’t. And one more thing, Vince and I and everyone on our show, we think you’re the best.”

Burnett said Vulture that he knew Gilligan through “The X-Files” after his daughter Carrie was cast in an episode.

“He said he was his favorite X-Files guest star, so we talked about that when I first met him,” Burnett said. Then I was a big fan of Breaking Bad and at one point we had dinner with him and his wife Holly. I told him how much I loved “You Better Call Saul.” And he said, “I might write you something.” I said, “I don’t care if it’s a sentence – I’ll be there.” And that’s why this part was written for me.”

He added: “I was in New Mexico for two months and I loved everyone. It was a family.”

Comedy legend Burnett will next star in the upcoming Apple TV+ series “Palm Royale” alongside Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig and Allison Janney.

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