Having had luck extending the huge ratings numbers of “The Walking Dead” with “Talking Dead,” an hour-long live talk show about the episode airing directly after it and hosted by Chris Hardwick, AMC announced today that it would be offering the same sort of treatment to the last eight episodes of “Breaking Bad.”
The half-hour “Talking Bad” will analyze and dissect the goings-on of the just concluded episode of Vince Gilligan’s meth drama, the final half-season of which has finally been given a premiere date — Sunday, August 11th.
“Breaking Bad” will air at 9pm, new scripted drama “Low Winter Sun” will be at 10pm, and “Talking Bad,” the host for which has yet to be announced, will follow at 11pm.
READ MORE: Trailer for AMC’s New Crime Drama ‘Low Winter Sun,’ Starring Mark Strong
AMC had its upfronts today, making multiple announcements about the future of the channel, including an overall deal signed with writer Rolin Jones (“Boardwalk Empire,” “Smash,” “United States of Tara”) to script and executive produce projects specifically for the network. Also unveiled were a slate of series in development.
Scripted Development:
“Ballistic City”
Writer and Executive Producer: Travis Beacham (Clash of the Titans, Pacific Rim); Executive Producer and Director: Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion), Executive Producers: Steve Golin, Bard Dorros and Michael Sugar of Anonymous Content (Oblivion)
A futuristic drama, “Ballistic City” is the story of a former cop thrust into the criminal underworld of a city housed in a generational space ship destined for an unknown world.·
“King”
Executive Producers: Joe Scarborough (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”) and Mika Brzezinski (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”); Writers and Executive Producers: Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider (“Boardwalk Empire,” “The Sopranos”)
In the early 1960s, Floridian King Carmichael sells his soul to a corrupt, racist political machine to win a seat in the Senate. Having run as a segregationist, he is then tapped by Lyndon B. Johnson to champion civil rights in the South.“Ashland”
Writer and Executive Producer: Allison Anders (Gas, Food, Lodging, Mi Vida Loca) and Terry Graham; Co-Executive Producer: Shana Eddy
Set in 1950 in Ashland, a tiny mining town in Kentucky, the Evans family has just relocated from California and the matriarch, Del, must hide her family’s secrets and find a way to support her three children at the height of the Red Scare.·
“White City”
Executive Producer: Tom Freston (MTV); Writers and Co-Executive Producers: Nick McDonell (Twelve, The Third Brother, An Expensive Education) and John Dempsey
The drama series follows western diplomats and journalists living in Afghanistan.·
“Untitled Dahvi Waller Project”
Writer and Executive Producer: Dahvi Waller (“Mad Men”)
Set against the New York automobile industry of the 1920s, two brothers struggle to keep their family-run company afloat with a class-hopping Ziegfeld girl and the daughter of an English competitor blurring the line between love and business.“Untitled Tim Lea/Anonymous Content Project”
Writer and Executive Producer: Tim Lea (“Flash Forward,” “The Riches”); Executive Producers: David Kanter and Matt DeRoss of Anonymous Content (Winter’s Bone, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
In America’s near future, one family is nearly torn apart in the conflict between a repressive government and the emerging movement for a second American Revolution.·
“The Wall”
Writers and Executive Producers: Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton (Thorne); Executive Producer: Red Arrow; Executive Producer: Alan Greenspan (Donnie Brasco, High Fidelity)
In 1960s Berlin, an American businessman becomes embroiled in a web of East-West espionage.
Unscripted Development (all show titles are working titles)
“Majority Rules”
Produced by ALL3 Media America; Executive Producers: Stephen Lambert, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman
“Majority Rules” is a docu-style, unscripted series that celebrates the American democratic process. At the most grass root level, whether it’s an election for president of the birdwatchers club or a small-town city council, it will take a light-hearted look at democracy at work as the candidates vie for votes – because, in America — Majority Rules.·
“All-Star Celebrity Bowling”
Produced by High Noon Productions; Executive Producers: Chris Hardwick and Peter Levin of Nerdist; Executive Producers: Jim Berger and Patrick Jager from High Noon
“All-Star Celebrity Bowling” is the battle royale of celebrity talk shows – an unscripted, hilarious, tongue-in-cheek format that features celebrity bowling matches. In each episode, celebrity teams compete to win big money for charity while letting loose and showing how even the highest profile stars can get competitive, while letting fans in on their lives and current projects.·
“Cancelled”
Produced by Lion Television; Executive Produced by Tony Tackaberry and Allison Corn
“Cancelled” is a social experiment that will attempt to determine just how far people will really go for fame. Over the course of eight weeks, six households will be outfitted with cameras that will give them the chance to compete for ‘ratings’ that will determine which household has the most-watched reality show.
AMC’s recently also greenlight for the pilot of “Geek Out,” an unscripted project from Ernest Cline that pairs the ultimate super-fans of a specific film, comic book, author, actor, athlete, musician, video game, or television series with an adventure that connects them to the source of their obsession.
Season two of “Small Town Security” premieres on May 9, as does new small town talent competition reality show “Showville.” “Owner’s Manual,” another unscripted series, is slated to premiere on August 15th, and will put two guys head to head in the use of powerful tech or machinery, one of whom hasn’t read the manual. It’ll be paired with the new season of ad company competition show “The Pitch.”
“The Killing,” as previously announced, will be back for a third season on Sunday, June 2 at 8pm, with a third season of western “Hell on Wheels” starting on Saturday, August 3rd at 9pm.
Receiving renewals are “Talking Dead” and Kevin Smith’s “Comic Book Men,” both of which will get third seasons, and Venice Beach Freakshow reality series “Freakshow,” which will be back for a second.
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