At this point, Bryan Cranston is an A-lister, and one of the most respected actors currently plying his trade in Hollywood. It's almost hard to remember that he spent the 1980s and 90s as a fairly anonymous TV journeyman, appearing on shows as diverse as Walker, Texas Ranger, The X-Files, and Seinfeld. It wasn't until the 2000 debut of long-running FOX sitcom Malcolm in the Middle that Cranston gained widespread fame with the character of wacky dad Hal.

That career path is not exactly the one that most would expect to lead to A-list status, but things for Cranston changed drastically following his casting as chemistry teacher turned drug lord Walter White in AMC hit Breaking Bad. Cranston gave a performance that earned him multiple Emmys, and led to the series becoming one of the most acclaimed dramas of the modern era. With his profile raised, Cranston has since gone on to star in movies like Godzilla, Argo, and Trumbo, but that has never stopped fans from awaiting the actor's eventual return to series TV.

Leave it to Cranston, then, to make his return to the small screen in a decidedly stealthy way, in Amazon Prime's new crime drama Sneaky Pete. First made as a pilot written and produced by Cranston and House creator David Shore, Sneaky Pete was initially passed on by CBS back in 2015, before eventually getting picked up to series by Amazon. Despite only being announced as a recurring guest star, Cranston has gone on to appear in every episode, playing an entirely different type of crime boss. As reported by Deadline, less than a week after  the season 1 premiere on Amazon Prime Video, the streaming service has opted to renew Sneaky Pete for season 2.

For those yet to check it out, Sneaky Pete stars Giovanni Ribisi as the titular character, an ex-convict who adopts the identity of his cell mate in order to hide from his own past mistakes. The biggest of those mistakes would definitely be scamming ex-cop turned crime boss Vince (Cranston) out of a ton of money, prior to winding up behind bars. Complicating matters further is the fact that Vince is holding "Pete's" brother hostage, in an attempt to bait his prey out of hiding.

According to Amazon, Sneaky Pete season 1 is its second-most streamed original series on release day, behind only The Man in the High Castle. Considering that, the quick renewal makes sense, as there's no reason not to strike while the iron is hot. Now under the watchful eye of showrunner -- and Justified creator -- Graham Yost, one wonders if Sneaky Pete might end up being the latest high-profile success to add to Cranston's ever-growing resume.

Source: Deadline