Although they have been very tense, the negotiations to renew Breaking Bad, one of the two best shows on TV, have not been as nearly as fierce as the negotiations for the renewal of Mad Men.
With only 11 days left on the contract, Sony Pictures and AMC seem to be reaching a deal that will extend Vince Gilligan the privilege of finishing his show on his own terms. His original plan was to finish the show after 5 seasons and that looks like it will now happen.
Despite initial tensions between Sony and AMC, which prompted Sony to look elsewhere to house its critical darling, things are now patching up, despite intrigue from FX. However, despite the offer from AMC to give a 13 episode deal, Sony and the creators are looking for a deal somewhere between 13 – 20 episodes, which could then be spread over two seasons. Or they could do what HBO did for The Sopranos, where the final season had 20 episodes but split into two parts and given a season hiatus.
Negotiations for this season are reportedly less tense than last time, given the huge ratings boost the show has experienced at the start of this season and the massive DVD sales on Season 3. AMC are still asking Sony to aid in the production cost, which is apparently $3.2 million per episode, though that will likely drop. And although the show is nearing renewal, after that deal is done, Gilligan’s contract also has to be negotiated.
Have no fear though as we will most likely see the end of Breaking Bad the way the creator wants it.
Source: Deadline
