via press release:
AMC ANNOUNCES SUMMER PREMIERES
FOR SCRIPTED AND UNSCRIPTED SERIES
WITH 8 EPISODES
FINAL 8 EPISODES OF EMMY®-WINNING SERIES
TO AIR SUMMER 2013
Network Also Debuts New Unscripted Series, “Small Town Security,”
July 15 at 11pm
New York - May 21, 2012 - AMC announced today its summer programming slate, including the highly anticipated premiere of the first part of “
Breaking Bad’s” final season on
Sunday, July 15 at 10pm ET/PT. The final season of the Emmy
® Award-winning and critically acclaimed drama, produced by Sony Pictures Television, consists of 16 episodes, with the first eight episodes beginning July 15 and culminating with the series’ final eight episodes next summer 2013. Also this summer, the network debuts its newest unscripted series, “Small Town Security,” on
Sunday, July 15 at 11pm ET/PT and season two of the epic western “
Hell On Wheels”
Sunday, August 12 at 9pm ET/PT.
Over four seasons,
“Breaking Bad” has garnered a total of six Emmys
® wins; a Peabody Award; it has been named to the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the “Top 10 Programs of the Year” (2008, 2010, 2011); and been heralded as one of the best TV dramas on television. Filmed on location in Albuquerque, NM, the series stars 2008, 2009 and 2010’s Emmy
® Award winner for Outstanding Lead Actor Bryan Cranston; 2010 Emmy
® winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Aaron Paul; Anna Gunn; Dean Norris; Betsy Brandt; RJ Mitte; Bob Odenkirk; and Jonathan Banks. “
Breaking Bad” is produced by High Bridge and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television for AMC. “
Breaking Bad” Season 4 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on June 5. For more information, visit
www.sphepublicity.com.
Immediately following “Breaking Bad” is AMC’s new unscripted series, “Small Town Security” (formerly “JJK Security”), which focuses on a small, family-owned private security company located in rural Georgia. Executive produced by Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver from Left/Right (“This American Life,” “Boomtown,” “Mob Wives”), season one consists of eight, half-hour episodes.
The second season of “Hell On Wheels” continues its epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Confederate soldier, and his dramatic journey west as he struggles to leave his past behind. Executive produced by John Shiban (“Breaking Bad,” “The X-Files”), Joe and Tony Gayton (Faster, Uncommon Valor) and Endemol USA’s Jeremy Gold, the show depicts the traveling town known as ‘Hell On Wheels,’ a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot that follows and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. “Hell on Wheels” also stars Common as Elam Ferguson; Colm Meaney as Thomas “Doc” Durant; Dominique McElligott as Lily Bell; Christopher Heyerdahl as The Swede; and Robin McLeavy as Eva; Tom Noonan as Reverend Cole; Ben Esler as Sean McGinnes; Philip Burke as Mickey McGinnes; and Eddie Spears as Joseph Black Moon. The series is executive produced by Endemol USA with Entertainment One (eOne) serving as the studio. Season two consists of 10, one-hour episodes.
WTF??? 8 now and 8 in 2013.., I am pissed
@Julia
For what it’s worth, Alan Sepinwall in his write-up, chalked it up to contractual issues:
(As to why they don’t just refer to this as two short seasons: it’s a contractual issue. Same reason the final 21 episodes of “The Sopranos,” which also aired over two years, are considered the show’s sixth “season.”)
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/amc-announces-breaking-bad-season-5-premiere-date
So at least there’s precedent for it. It still seems a little silly, though.
Breaking Bad IMO is the best show on TV period. I can live with the wait until 2013 & will definitely be getting the last season on Blu Ray in June.
I agree it’s all semantics and they can call it what they wish, but to me this means there are two more seasons left of 8 episodes each. Having two more summers of this great series is fine with me.
Robert: I like it better when you respond to the viewer posts instead of Bill. Gorman always seems so bitchy.
So, glad we’ve got a date for Breaking Bad’s return.. but a little off topic: is there going to be a big list of summer premiere dates posted at the top of the front page like last year?
I guess on some level I am glad they have chosen to tell the story in the odd number of 16 episodes. Perhaps if they had two 13 episode seasons (with different contracts) the quality of the climatic season(s) would have been too diluted with filler episodes. At the same time if they tried to wrap everything up in 13 rather than 16 episodes it might have felt rushed. The creative team behind this show hasn’t let me down yet so I trust in them.
I can only imagine there will be separate DVD releases for “season” 5.1 and 5.2.
Does anyone know if AMC is planning to re-broadcast all episodes of Breaking Bad before the new season begins in July? They did that last year showing two or three episodes two nights a week. I would really like to watch the series again. Any information would be appreciated.
Good news! Just checked AMC’s website and it looks like they are showing the series again from the beginning. Pilot will be broadcast on June 11th
@chrisss
hell on wheels will only lead into bb for about 3 eps
AMC should try expanding their programming in 2013 and ordering more episodes for these shows so they can get into syndication a lot quicker.
Breaking bad is the besr show on tv period
Do we know if the Breaking Bad team is filming all 16 episodes in one stretch? My suspicion, besides award shows, is that AMC wants to try to drum up enough viewers and then potentially extend the final stretch of episodes for a couple more weeks. They would term these “bonus” episodes, as opposed to what they are: ca$h grab$.
Season one was 7 episodes. The next 3 seasons were 13 episodes. So going back to 8 episodes for this new season certainly feels like a pull-back from AMC. Clearly their only real motivation in splitting them over 2 years is to squeeze one additional set of Emmy awards out of the show. I can understand that, but it’s certainly a slam to their viewers.
For awhile there, AMC was the network that could do no wrong. Now it’s just one stumble after another. Breaking Bad is one of the best series EVER made for television, and deserves better than this. They should’ve aired the final 8 starting next February.
I saw the first 3 seasons on Netflix.It was an excellent series. Why seasons 4 and 5 are so far apart is amazing to me. I know it’s good but wow. The only way I’ve found to see season 4 is to rent it for $4 per episode. It’s not that good.
So what is the deal with this “Small Town Security” hogwash? Is this another reality show? If so, do we really need yet another of these? These reality shows are giving me gout!
CANT WAIT FOR THE SHOW TO START
I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING IT
ONE OF MY FAVORITE TV SHOWS NOW ADAYS
HOPE THEY MAKE MORE SEASONS ITS A 5 STAR FOR ME