Following the Talking Dead model, AMC is premiering Talking Bad following each of the remaining eight episodes of the network’s unique fall-from-grace series Breaking Bad. Also new is Low Winter Sun, starring Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Jericho), in which events are precipitated by the murder of a Detroit cop by a fellow police detective; Showville, an unscripted series about putting on a local talent show in small town America, and Owner’s Manual – pitting manual users against manual ignorers.
Returning shows include Breaking Bad, Comic book Men, Freakshow, Hell on wheels, Small Town Security, Talking Dead, The Killing and The Pitch. For deates, times and series descriptions, follow the jump.
AMC Announces Breaking Bad’s Final Return Date, a New After Show, and More New Series
As part of its ongoing commitment to providing a place for original stories and characters that defy expectations, AMC made a number of announcements on the day of its Upfront. The network that currently boasts the most-watched drama series in basic cable history with The Walking Dead as well as one of television’s most award-winning series with Mad Men, unveiled its second live after show, Talking Bad, numerous new projects in development, a first-look pact with Scott Free Productions as well as an overall deal with writer Rolin Jones, Spring and Summer programming premiere dates and several series renewals.
"Six years ago at AMC, we set a goal to create premium television on basic cable and we began to develop and nurture shows that would set us apart," said Charlie Collier, President and General Manager, AMC. "As we lay out the year ahead for advertisers at our 2013 Upfront, it is an honor to have such a breadth of development and programming to share and to be in business with such a high caliber of talent in front of and behind the camera."
Below are details of today’s announcements:
Talking Bad
AMC announces that it will air a special weekly, half-hour live after show to accompany the conclusion of its Emmy Award-winning series, Breaking Bad. Talking Bad will analyze and dissect every detail of Breaking Bad’s final eight episodes beginning Sun., Aug. 11 Talking Bad will air at 11/10c, and will be produced by Michael Davies’ Embassy Row with Sony Pictures Television serving as the studio partner.
New Spring and Summer Programming Premieres:
Small Town Security Season 2
Thu., May 9 at 10/9c
Produced by Left/Right Films (This American Life,Boomtown, Mob Wives); Executive Producers: Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver.
Small Town Security explores the inner workings of a small, family-run security and private investigation company in Ringgold, Georgia called JJK Security. The series returns for a second season of straight-up and serious security work, love triangles with a twist, sarcasm served over easy, and a generous helping of stranger-than-fiction scatological humor that will draw you in and make you look away, all at the same time. Season one premiered in July 2012 to critical acclaim, with USA Today hailing it as a reality show that "manages to defy the stereotype" and the Associated Press saying it "bristles with authenticity even as it feels deliriously (and sometimes hilariously) hyper-real with its larger-than-life characters." The season two premiere will be preceded by a marathon of all eight episodes from season one beginning at 6/5c.
Showville
Thu., May 23 at 9/8c
From Sony Pictures Television and Produced by Storyvision Entertainment; Executive Producer: Laurie Girion (Cheerleader Nation, Welcome to Sweetie Pies)
Fame meets Main on AMC’s new unscripted competition series, Showville. The series centers around a small town talent show featuring local acts, who get the chance of a lifetime to be in the spotlight. Showville is a celebration of performing, and a fond, funny look at the lives, workplaces and families of these acts and what happens to them when Hollywood comes to town. Each week, a one-hour episode of Showville touches down in a quintessentially American small town and puts together a talent show in a mere four days.
Breaking Bad
Sun., Aug. 11 at 9/8c
Kicks off its final eight episodes. Produced by Sony Pictures Television; Creator and Executive Producer: Vince Gilligan; Executive Producer: Mark Johnson (Gran Via); Executive Producer: Michelle MacLaren
Breaking Bad has garnered seven Primetime Emmy Award wins and a Peabody, and been named to the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the "Top 10 Programs of the Year" (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012). The explosive series that The Hollywood Reporter called "one of the greatest dramas in TV history," returned to AMC for the first part of its final season on July 15, 2012 with its most watched episode to date with 2.9 million viewers (up 14% over the season four premiere). Breaking Bad stars three-time Emmy Award-winner Bryan Cranston; two-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul; Anna Gunn; Dean Norris; Betsy Brandt; RJ Mitte and Bob Odenkirk.
Low Winter Sun
Sun., Aug. 11 at 10/9c
Co-production from Endemol Studios and AMC Studios; Executive Producer and Writer: Chris Mundy (Criminal Minds,Cold Case) Starring Mark Strong (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, Zero Dark Thirty) and Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Jericho, Snatch), Low Winter Sun is a contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption in a world where the line between cops and criminals is blurred. The series begins with the murder of a cop by a fellow Detroit detective. Seemingly the perfect crime, in reality the murder activates forces that will forever alter the detective’s life, and pull him into the heart of the Detroit underworld. The ten-episode series is based on the 2006 award-winning British two-part mini-series of the same name written by Simon Donald and produced by Tiger Aspect Productions (an Endemol Company).
Owner’s Manual
Thu., Aug. 15 at 9/8c
Produced by Asylum Entertainment (The Kennedys, Addicted, The Locator); Executive Producers: Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch and Alex Piper.
Owner’s Manual will test one of the most common divides among man – those who read the owner’s manual and those who do not. Representing each side of this divide, Ed Sanders (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) and Marcus Hunt (HGTV’s Hammer Heads) are put to the test in a weekly challenge where they attempt to operate today’s most advanced, dangerous and powerful machinery and technology – from a stunt plane to an off-road racing car to a locomotive, and more. With opposing points of view and conflicting methods of practice — one man works strictly from the rule book, while the other uses only his instincts — the real test will be how this "everyman" duo can collaborate to accomplish their challenge.The series premiere will feature two new episodes, back-to-back, from 9/8c-10/9c, with one new episode and one repeat episode airing from 9/8c-10/9c each week thereafter.
The Pitch
Thu., Aug. 15 at 10/9c
Produced by All3Media America (Undercover Boss); Executive Producers: Eli Holzman, Stephen Lambert, Aaron Saidman and Domini Hofmann.
The Pitch chronicles numerous interesting characters as they prepare unique creative campaigns, with big personal stakes, at their advertising agencies to try and win a major new piece of business. The show focuses on the characters who are putting their best work forward and shows the personal stakes involved in winning each client. The Pitch first premiered on AMC in April 2012 and earned a Critic’s Choice nomination for Best Reality Series – Competition.
As previously announced, the network will also debut the third seasons of its scripted dramas The Killing, which kicks off with a special two-hour premiere on Sun., June 2 at 8/7c and Hell on Wheels on Sat., Aug. 3 at 9/8c. Following its two-hour premiere, The Killing will return to its regular time on Sundays at 9/8c.
Series Renewals:
Talking Dead
Renewed for a third season.
Produced by: Embassy Row; Executive Producers: Michael Davies and Jennifer Kelly Patton and Co-Executive Producer Brandon Monk
AMC’s live after show, hosted by Chris Hardwick (Nerdist; G4), serves as a platform for discussion of the network’s hit series The Walking Dead.
Comic Book Men
Renewed for a third season.
Produced by Original Media (LA Ink, Storm Chasers, Swamp People); Executive Producers: Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy), Charlie Corwin, Elyse Seiden (Red State) and Brian Nashel.
The series follows the crew of fan boys from Kevin Smith’s iconic comic shop, Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, as they geek-out over rare memorabilia and discover treasures of the comic collecting world.
Freakshow
Renewed for a second season.
Produced by Endemol USA; Executive Producers:R. Greg Johnston and Todd Ray
Freakshow follows Todd Ray’s quirky family business — the Venice Beach Freakshow. Leaving behind a successful career in the music industry, Todd realized his true passion: bringing together all things bizarre and unique, including two-headed animals, strange artifacts, eccentric performers and human wonders.
Photo courtesy of AMC