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.

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.