FlipBoardMel Brooks once wrote: “It’s good to be the king.”
William Shakespeare, in contrast, wrote: “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
The conflict between those two lines regarding the true nature of power also appears to be the central selling-point conflict of AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” which returns to AMC on July 15 to start the first half of its 16-episode final season.
AMC has released the first key art poster for the Emmy-winning drama’s fifth season, featuring the tag line “All Hail The King,” reflective of the tenuous status of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White — morally, professionally, legally, etc — in the aftermath of last summer’s explosive fourth season finale.
If you’re behind on “Breaking Bad,” the most recent season hits DVD on Tuesday (June 5), while AMC will begin a late-night marathon of the entire series starting on Sunday, June 10.
[Side note: The poster makes spectacular use of the Santa Fe Railway Shops in Albuquerque, which I discussed in this “Avengers” set visit report.]
Check out the poster:
Aaron Paul said on twitter that this was season 5, season 6 airs next year. But who knows, AMC hasn’t said anything definitive about the “one season”/”two season” have they? That’s the least of my worries though. With Dish dropping AMC this June I have to find a way to even watch the show..
JeremySollie – I think Aaron Paul was just tweeting a matter of perspective, since there’s a gap in production between the first half of the fifth season and the second half.
But yes. AMC has been entirely definitive that this is the 16-episode fifth and final season of “Breaking Bad,” rather than the 8-episode fifth season and the 8-episode sixth and final season. A lot of that has to do with contractual language and whatnot. But while Paul may opt to express a different POV, officially speaking “16-episode 5th season divided into two parts” is what this is.
-Daniel
After last night’s crushing Mad Men, I can’t wait for the lighthearted antics of the Walt and Jesse show in July.
Slight jab at Game of Thrones? Yes/No?
RyanT – I wouldn’t say that with certainty, but it’s absolutely plausible/interpretable, sure!
-Daniel
I would love a photoshop of Walter White on the iron throne.
Dan, any insight on the AMC/Dish kerfluffle? I have no option other than Dish in my building- should I actually be worried about losing AMC right before Breaking Bad starts? That would be… unfortunate.
Dean – It FEELS like the usual negotiating posturing and negotiating whatnot. And USUALLY those negotiations get settled at the last minutes without the viewers being impacted. Of course, tell that to the FX viewers who lost a month or two when FX went off of… was it DirecTV?
I would guess it won’t happen. But that’s a total guess from this distance…
-Daniel
Dan, thanks for replying. I think this sets me more at ease? Ha, I mean, nothing I can do anyway. Worst case, I guess I’m out of pocket on iTunes.
Looking forward to this week’s pod!
My cable provider(Suddenlink) did the same thing a few months ago. Threatened to drop AMC until a day before the deadline and then came to an agreement. I wouldn’t be too worried.
a beautiful image they’ve caught here – Cranston doing Walt as both imperious and ruined. Doesn’t feel like an accident that he is alone here – I fear for Jessie!
Love how Walt is still wearing those Hush Puppies…
I am so excited! Looks like Gilligan really means business and will keep up the darkness. I am looking forward to seeing Walt as the boss too. Also would like to see Skylar get further involved, maybe do a drug deal of her own.