Rainn Wilson/Instagram
Walter White may be barreling towards disaster, but "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston is only improving his game.
After Rainn Wilson tweeted a photo of the actor with the caption, "Free meth for The Office! (look who's directing...)," the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the artist-also-known-as Heisenberg will direct an episode of the series called "Work Bus."
While details are limited, what NBC has confirmed is that the episode will air on Oct. 18, which is only four weeks after the show's Season 9 premiere on Sept. 20 (in case you wanted to mark your calendars). Oh, and more big news -- showrunner Greg Daniels confirmed today that the upcoming ninth season of "The Office" will be its last.
How the arrangement between Cranston and "The Office" developed remains a mystery, but the actor is actually no stranger to the director's chair. On top of having directed four episodes of "Breaking Bad" so far, he helmed an episode of "Modern Family" last spring, and directed several episodes of "Malcolm In The Middle." The 2011 Emmys also saw an "Office"-"Breaking Bad" crossover, which one can only hope sparked this collaboration in the first place.
As for the 2012 Emmys, "Breaking Bad" fans can hopefully expect a few wins for the series, considering Cranston, Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman), Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring), Anna Gunn (Skyler White), and the show itself are all nominated for awards.
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And just like Walter White, Bryan Cranston is busy. He's seemingly starring in almost every movie ever made -- or, more specifically, "Total Recall," "Rock Of Ages," and "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" within the last year, and he's at no loss for options once "Breaking Bad" ends. His turns as director might also fortell a new direction, especially since, aside from his own show, he's been involved in quality shows like "Modern Family" and "The Office."
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Not that anybody can blame him. Considering "Breaking Bad" gets progressively darker as the series moves forward, to have seen Cranston on comedies like "The Simpsons," "The Cleveland Show," and "Archer" throughout the year is a much-needed reprieve from the manipulative, terrifying Walter White. Even his upcoming turn in Ben Affleck's "Argo" seems less intense than what "Breaking Bad" offers, and it's almost a relief to see him alongside names like Alison Brie and Anna Kendrick in next year's comedy, "Get A Job."
However, there's something to be said for knowing the actor will be directing the likes of Dwight Schrute and Andy Bernard on "The Office." After all, NBC seems to embrace all types of crossovers, so we hope Cranston fans will see him mosey onto "Parks and Recreation" or "30 Rock" as the 2012-2013 TV season progresses.