The stakes are higher and the suspense is heightened as everyone ‘breaks bad’ in the third season of AMC’s Emmy® Award-winning drama “Breaking Bad,” debuting on Sunday, March 21 at 10 pm EST/PDT. Created by acclaimed writer/producer/director Vince Gilligan and produced by Sony Pictures Television, “Breaking Bad” has garnered widespread critical acclaim, numerous awards and accolades, including four Emmys and a Peabody, and has been heralded as “the best show on television” (Los Angeles Times). Suspenseful, volatile and shocking, “Breaking Bad” pairs the vibrant look and feel of a modern western with darkly comic moments that show just “how thrilling TV can be when it lives on the edge” (TV Guide).
Featuring television’s best actor, Bryan Cranston, who earned back-to-back Emmy wins for Lead Actor in a Drama and also serves as director of the season three premiere, “Breaking Bad” earned its first-ever Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama for season two, and included a breakout performance from Aaron Paul, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama.
Season two’s finale left viewers riveted with the shocking scene of an airplane collision over the White’s household – the fault of air-traffic controller Donald Margolis (John De Lancie), who was devastated and distracted by the sudden death of his daughter Jane (Krysten Ritter). A stunned Walter White (Cranston) looked on as debris showered his backyard and neighborhood. Prior to the crash, Walt’s wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) confronted him about his habitual lying and decided to leave him. As Walt pleaded with her to stay and hear his explanation, Skyler revealed she was terrified to know the truth. Reeling from his girlfriend Jane’s drug-related death, Jesse – distraught and heartbroken – was checked into a rehab facility. At the DEA, Hank (Dean Norris) copes with his post-traumatic stress disorder and remains suspicious that the elusive “Heisenberg” is still at large.
In its third season, Walt – an unrepentant ‘everyman’ who has embraced his kingpin alter ego “Heisenberg” – continues to battle dueling identities: a desperate husband and father trying to provide for his family, and a newly appointed key player in the Albuquerque drug trade. As the danger around him escalates, Walt is now entrenched in the complex worlds of an angst-ridden family on the verge of dissolution, and the ruthless and unrelenting drug cartel.
Beautifully shot against the desert landscapes of Albuquerque, NM, “Breaking Bad” season three stars Emmy winner Bryan Cranston; Emmy nominated Aaron Paul (“Big Love”); Anna Gunn (“Deadwood”); Dean Norris (Little Miss Sunshine); Betsy Brandt (“CSI”); RJ Mitte (“Hannah Montana,” “Weeds”); Bob Odenkirk (“Mr. Show with Bob and David”); Giancarlo Esposito (Gospel Hill) and Jonathan Banks (“Wiseguy”).
“With exceptional writing, award-winning performances and breathtaking cinematography, “Breaking Bad” continues to deliver some of television’s boldest and most entertaining stories,” said Charlie Collier, president and GM of AMC. “This season, Vince Gilligan’s brilliance and creativity brings viewers a new level of thrilling action, and the type of high-suspense drama and unexpected moments that make this series so addictive. Viewers will not be disappointed.”
Leading into the season three premiere, AMC will air a “Best of Breaking Bad” Marathon, featuring six of the series’ best episodes, on Friday, March 19 beginning at 8pm EST/PDT. In addition, all 13 episodes of “Breaking Bad” season two will be available On Demand beginning in February.
The series is Executive Produced by Gilligan and Oscar® winner Mark Johnson. Joining Gilligan and Johnson are Co-Executive Producer/Director Michelle MacLaren; Line Producer/UPM Stewart A. Lyons; Producers Melissa Bernstein, Sam Catlin, Peter Gould, George Mastras and Tom Schnauz; and Co-Producer Moira Walley-Beckett. Kelley Dixon and Skip MacDonald are editors. Michael Slovis serves as director of photography and Mark Freeborn is production designer. The series is produced by High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television for AMC.
About AMC
AMC reigns as the only basic cable network to win back-to-back Primetime Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Drama Series and the first drama ever to win three consecutive Golden Globe® Awards for Best Television Series. The network boasts a comprehensive library of the most entertaining movies of all time. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original productions, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC’s original stories include the Emmy® Award-winning dramas “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” the miniseries “The Prisoner” and insightful non-scripted programming such as AMC News. AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with curated movie franchises like AMC Hollywood Icon and AMC Complete Collection. Available in more than 95 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and Wedding Central. AMC is available across all platforms including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM.
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry’s leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication and digital distribution. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT also owns one-half of cable channel GSN and is a partner in FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service. Sony Pictures Television oversees all of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s (SPE) domestic digital distribution efforts across all electronically delivered platforms, including the internet and mobile, and manages the studio’s video website, Crackle. Sony Pictures Television’s advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series, as well as in all of SPE’s digital businesses in the United States, for Sony Music Entertainment and for the Tennis Channel, and is part owner of national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.