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UPDATED: AMC has closed a deal to renew Vince Gilligan's dark drama Breaking Bad for a fourth season. The network is expected to make the announcement tomorrow, following tonight's third season finale. The deal had been in the works for almost two months, after the network first notified the auspices on the Sony TV-produced series of the pickup in April. I hear the sticking issue between AMC and Sony was the budget for the upcoming season, with the network eyeing a production budget of about $3.1 million per episode, while the show's creative team was pulling for $3.3 million. After weeks of crunching numbers, I hear the two sides came to an agreement, splitting the budget gap in the middle. Breaking Bad earned two Emmys for star Bryan Cranston and a best series nomination last year. It is considered a formidable drama contender again this year, with its nomination chances boosted by the fact that its third season culminated during the Emmy voting period. Gilligan has said that he intends to set an end date for the series, which would likely run for two more seasons.
UPDATE MONDAY AM: AMC just issued a press release announcing the pickup:
New York, June 14, 2010 – AMC announced today the renewal of its Emmy Award-winning and critically acclaimed drama series “Breaking Bad” for a fourth season. From acclaimed writer/producer/director Vince Gilligan, the series follows the story of a desperate man who turns to a life of crime to secure his family’s financial security. “Breaking Bad’s” first two seasons awarded Bryan Cranston the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, which marked the only time an actor from basic cable has ever been recognized with back-to-back Emmy Awards.
Last night, AMC premiered the final episode from season three. Household ratings are 20% stronger than season two and season three is delivering 18% more total viewers and over 30% more adults 18-34 than last season. “Breaking Bad” is filmed on location in Albuquerque, NM.
“AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the most layered and intense dramas on television today,” said Joel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital content. “Vince Gilligan and his team deliver bold storylines that truly push the psychic envelope and create a mesmerizing, exhilarating television experience.”
“Breaking Bad’s” third second season premiered on Sunday, March 21 to the highest ratings ever for the series. “Breaking Bad” stars Cranston, Emmy-nominated Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito and Jonathan Banks. “Breaking Bad” is produced by High Bridge Prods. and Gran Via Prods. in association with Sony Pictures TV. Executive producers are Vince Gilligan and Mark Johnson.
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Sweet. This is one of the few shows that I really look forward to each week.
Yeah good show but their advertising and promotion POP UPS and TEXT for it during other programming especially movies every f*#king 2 minutes is really annoying. It’s gotten to the point we won’t even watch movies on the channel anymore. How they don’t see this as alienating viewers to the point of reducing their audience is beyond me. Enough already! WE GET IT!
I hadn’t been interested in a long time for the series types shows only for movies till i started watching the first and second season of Breaking Bad on dvd, My husband and I watched them all.we enjoyed them so much! It is the best show on televison! Can’t wait till the next Season Four!
If you don’t watch this show you really really really really really should.
The cast is what makes the show. RJ Mitte who plays the son is fantastic. I saw him at Rene Taylor’s auction for the Motion Picture Home Long Term Care residents. He’s what’s best about the up and coming actors. Talented and shows a commitment to the residents who are still facing eviction. I hope his character is brought out more in the fourth season. He rocks.
BREAKING BAD is the best show in TV. The writing and character development are superior to MAD MEN. I don’t get why Matt Weiner gets the love where Gilligan doesn’t. It baffles me.
Anyway this is the far better show and I hope it gets some more awards love soon.
MAD MEN gets more praise than BREAKING BAD for the same reason SOPRANOS got more praise than THE SHIELD: Critics like the ILLUSION of “edginess”, but not the real thing.
Awesome – This show is GRADE A entertainment. One of the best dramas out there. Love the direction and DARK content. Bravo Bravo!
Best characters on tv at the moment are a meth cooking chemistry teacher dad and husband, a drug addict cheating, lying, selfish nurse, a multi-personality mom, whore, therapist, sister and of course, returning none too soon, a serial killer whose son was last seen sitting in a big pool of his mother’s blood…like father like son. Can I get an AMEN!
I hope new season is better, this season was dull like Dexter.
you think dexter is dull? wow…the reason i gave up on breaking bad was because of how boring it was but in no way is dexter dull
LOL! Breaking Bad = boring? That’s the most hilarious thing I’ll read all week.
Definitely not boring, though I could have lived without the gratuitous box episode of fly-killing.
I guess this episode was much more about than “fly-killing”… more like on “loosing focus”!
First season was awesome. Second season was incredible. Third season was killer and the season finale still has my mouth agog.
Smart writing… great acting… I love this show.
I love breaking bad, i need to watch this show everyday, its like a drug, i really need to see whats next.
Love the show. It is a real nail biter. I am totally stoked about next season. The writers are genius! The actors/actress’ are fab!
Unbelievable that Sony wouldn’t happily throw some more money at this most successful of shows. I listen to the podcasts and it’s heartwrenching to hear the producers talking about all the compromises they need to make to stay within budget. (“The Fly” anybody?)
Mad Men better have it’s A game in place this season or all the writing awards are going to Breaking Bad next year.
That’s how you do a season finale folks.
Brilliant.
That was the same sentiment I had after watching the finale. I’m sure Mad Men is up to the challenge though
This is the best show on TV, but I worry that it will be unable to maintain it’s high-tension, edge-of-your-seat action in perpetuity. I wonder if it would benefit the series to announce an end date several years out, like Lost did in 2007.
Vince Gilligan says he wants to end the show after four seasons, MAYBE a fifth. But no more than five seasons.
whoever said this season was “dull” must have been watching another show.
I hate everything, and I LOVE THIS SHOW. Congrats to everyone involved on a worthy pickup. Gilligan is a genius. Season Two was perfect on every level, and while I’m not sure season three surpassed it, it was still an incredible accomplishment. Bravo, guys, all of you. Pat yourselves on the back, from Vince down to the PAs. You’re working on one of the defining shows of the golden age of TV. Be proud. Can’t wait for season four.
Bob Odenkirk was the star of the 3rd season! Spin-off series for Saul!
Don’t you mean 2nd season? I know Mad Men is going into its 4th season.
The last episode was for the 3rd Season. Next Season would be its 4th. If you haven’t Seasons 1 & 2 your really missing out.
BB kicks the ass of MM. And then some.
BB = best show on TV. Period.
Best show on TV!!!(and that’s including Showtime and HBO) I hope there are 2 more seasons. I would be really really really disappointed if it ends next season. The story is just getting so action packed, I can totally see it continue for a while longer without it becoming dull. If Breaking Bad doesn’t get awarded for this unbelievably amazing writing and acting then someone must be smoking meth on the award panel. Keep up the great work!!! You’ve got a dedicated fan and more and more people I know are getting sucked into it as well.
BTW, great article.
Awesome!
Looking forward to season 4 and more.
Papa Rellena, alas de Pollo, B.B.Q Chicken with rice and beans pollo a la barbacoa con arroz y habichuelas, two large rootbeers.
Made hungry by the show that kept me thinking.
$3.2 million a show? Amazing. I love the show, but christ that feels like a lot of money.
This season, and the show as a whole, has been great with the exception being that piss poor episode that centered about Cranston trying to kill a fly.
GC,
You think $3.2 is a lot of money to spend on an episode of television?
LOL! OMG, if you had ANY IDEA what it costs to do an hour of “Fringe” or “The Good Wife.” And with this show, you know the money is mostly on screen — not to say the cast doesn’t deserve it, but you know they’re not making “Friends” money.
HALLELUJAH! Grateful this news awaited me this morning after last night’s abrupt (?) ending…..
Breaking Bad…..The most genius show on TV.
Breaking Bad Rocks! Kinda of a silly name though. How is Hank going to get himself out of this pickle? I don’t want to ruin Season 4 (Don’t make me wait a whole year)for you guys, but you know Jesse didn’t shoot Gale, right?
NO i dont know that. please explain
I think it was pretty obvious when Jesse had shifted his aim slightly. I predict that goon who was dispatched to intercept Jesse at the apartment had somehow broke in through a back window. By the look in Jesse’s eye – something surely distracted him.
~
Coat
The camera panned, actually, not Jesse’s aim:
Vince Gilligan: When you say “ambiguous” do you mean ambiguous in the sense of did Jesse shoot Gale or not?
AVC: Among other things, yes.
Vince Gilligan: Gotcha. That’s interesting, because I’m hearing that from some folks, that question. To me, for what it’s worth, it’s not actually meant to be ambiguous. It’s meant to be, “Oh my god, Jesse shot poor Gale.” But I’m realizing now that when people see the camera come dollying around so it’s looking down the barrel of the gun, some are reading that as maybe he’s changing his point of aim. But that’s not what we intended. Apparently it’s not as clear as I thought it would be. [Laughs.]
I think Walter White Jr. shot Gale! How fuckin’ cool would that be?
I am a bad ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why do people hate the Fly episode? It made me think of that amazing Homicide: Life on the Streets episode that was shot almost entirely in the “box” (interrogation room). To me, the episode was brilliant and multilayered. The fly on the wall. The fly of conscience that won’t leave Walt alone.
Agreed, people who didn’t like that episode must have been to dumb to understand it. And I will not take the time to explain, just go read their blog or watch videos.
BREAKING BAD IS THE BEST SHOW ON TV, MAYBE THE BEST DRAMA IN THE PAST 20 YRS.
Can’t think of a single show among the others on today’s tv horizon that competes in this league. “Best” is a word that comes easily when describing the series. Hugh Laurie is magnificent, but overall, I have to hand it to Breaking Bad.
And . .all this complaining about the ‘fly episode’ seems far too harsh. Really? Great acting and character development. In no way a throw-away. The best aspect of this show is its unpredictability. I loved the change of pace. In the overall arc of the series, it’ll be remembered fondly, not decried.
Yeah, I agree. One of my favorite devices, if that’s the right word, on this show is that every season includes at least one really high-tension episode in which the characters are locked into one location — the one where Walter and Jesse were cooking all weekend in the desert and got stranded in the RV, the one where Walter and Jesse were trapped with Tuco and his maniacally awesome bell-ringing paralyzed father, the one where Walter had to decide whether or not to kill the man tied up in his basement. Granted, the fly episode was a lesser example, but still an exciting kind of high-wire act of writing. Love this show.
Nothing new in this post; Breaking Bad is definitively one of the best shows on television. Character depth and, as AMC advertises, story, is what matters.
When the RUBICON sneak started immediatedly I actually felt like I wasn’t given proper time to recover from way the season ended. It’s that good.
Find out what Breaking Bad would be like with a laugh track:
http://bit.ly/b53oik
When will season 4 start?
How much of a bump is this? What was the BB budget for season 3?
Polly was with Gale and Jesse moved and shot pollo, now Walt is the head kind pin
I don’t think that many of the people who disliked the fly episode noticed much of Walt’s mannerisms when upset or feeling nervous or whatever. When he was in the hospital waiting to hear the news on Hank’s wounds, he was shown loudly ripping apart a magazine in order to steady the wobbly table. Every morning before work he was shown cutting his sandwiches very precisely….The fact that he focuses in on one thing to make it perfect is simply because of the fact that his family life…his life in general…..is the exact opposite of perfection. He does these things so that he can have SOME contentment with his life. Don’t you guys get it? The fly episode showed his personality perfectly….And it also gave Walt/Jesse an opportunity to have some much needed one on one dialogue without there being shooting, drugging, and just overall craziness that usually drowns it out.
It seems like Breaking Bad has copied the show Weeds. They just made it less comical and replaced weed with meth. Each show has a parent that would never think they would produce and deal drugs. Their actions towards drugs are both caused by death. Another example is the fact that they both have a very respectable, powerful boss that ends up keeping them alive because they have something they need. One more thing; they both go through the troubles of laundering money. They are both great shows, but we need some original ideas.
We just started watching Breaking Bad and have just completed season 2. My husband and I are totally hooked and will begin season 3 tomorrow. One comment on the 2nd to last episode in season 2 when Jesse finds his lover dead from choking on her own vomit. When the ‘clean up guy’ that Saul sent enters the bedroom, you can see the dead womans body rise as she takes a breath. Need closer editing -because otherwise you are pure perfection!
Breaking Bad is the bomb. I was a former meth cooker myself using the old biker recipe back in the 1970’s. Way to go Walt with the switch to P2P and methylamine. This show is so accurate and hell yes it is a lot of money. I never got caught, made millions but it took years off my life just trying to sleep at night. Hide in plain site, have a legit business, don’t take the stuff and Count the money. The hardest part is laundering all the money. Yes, being in the drug business changes your personality into one big bad ass. The thrill of the life is much more than the high of the drug. When you come out of it (My partner died of natural causes) You feel that you just got spit out of an f-5 tornado. Would I do it again under same circumstances? Hell yes.I was in it for over ten years. My partner was from New Mexico, drugs were made in Georgia and sent back to texas on hay trucks. Many layers of the business was involved but stay at least ten steps from the street level. Act like a straight John, don’t get stepped on. Ours started pure, got cut 50% by first wholesaler and again by each level till it hit the retail market (street) and it was still potent shit. Statue of limitations has expired for me. Last big cook was 1993. I don’t care if you believe this post or not, it is dead on true. The story can’t have a good ending because on television Walt will have to pay, he can never walk away.
After 3 seasons, I still don’t understand how vince gilligan has so completely and scientifically, captured the story of my life!……seriously, the parallels are uncanny……I can almost predict what’s next in season 4!!!!!!