Over the years, few actors have embodied the tough, straight-talking, no-nonsense archetype quite like Jonathan Banks. Banks appeared in ten seasons of two of the best shows of the 21st century – four on “Breaking Bad” and six on “Better Call Saul.” Long before he stepped into the role that made him an icon, however, he courted laughs on a show that’s since been all but forgotten.
“Fired Up” was a short-lived sitcom starring Sharon Lawrence as a pushy boss and Leah Remini as her sassy assistant. When both are fired from the company they work for, they decide to start a business as equal partners to make ends meet. Despite the talent involved with the show — including Banks — “Fired Up” was a complete bomb with critics. The ratings were initially strong, but a lot of that could be attributed to it being placed after “Seinfeld” on the schedule. Once that timeslot changed, the ratings tanked, and “Fired Up” was canceled after its second season.
Jonathan Banks is no stranger to comedy
On “Fired Up,” Banks played Guy Mann, a bar owner who constantly hits on Sharon Lawrence’s character. He was a series regular on the show, appearing in all 28 episodes, and seemed to fit in well with his sitcom surroundings. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, however, because this was far from Banks’ first rodeo in the world of comedy. Earlier in his career, he had scored roles in several comedic movies, including “Airplane” and “Stir Crazy.” And this wouldn’t be the last time Banks went for the laughs, either.
In between his time on “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” Banks spent a season on the off-beat comedy show “Community.” More recently, he’s returned to the comedy realm as a voice actor on shows like “F is for Family” and “Kite Man: Hell Yeah.” Clearly, Banks is as comfortable cracking jokes as he is getting gritty; it might even be fair to say that, if it wasn’t for a scheduling issue with “How I Met Your Mother,” the world might well know him more as a comic actor than anything else.
