Breaking Bad

9:30pm – Thursday, December 16 on ABC1

Thursday, 16 December 2010 As the frustrating search for a legitimate job lands Jesse (Aaron Paul) in a new drug dealing partnership with his friend, Badger (Matt Jones), Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler (Anna Gunn) are invited to a birthday party at the estate of his former research partners, Elliott and Gretchen Schwartz.

No one feels more out of place at the lavish event than Walt, especially after he sees the trappings of wealth and fame accumulated by his old friends. He’s put at ease, however, when Elliott is genuinely touched by the cheap package of ramen noodles that he gave him in honour of their many years together as struggling young chemists.

Meanwhile, Jesse finds that Badger isn’t the kind of business partner that he’s grown accustomed to, and when Walt, Jr. (R. J. Mitte) is threatened with arrest after soliciting an off- duty cop to buy beer, he turns to Hank (Dean Norris), and not his dad, for help.

With her son’s predicament forcing Skyler to reveal that her husband admitted to smoking marijuana, she decides that the only way to get Walt to accept Elliott’s offer to pay for his cancer treatments is by staging an intervention. Surprised to find his family waiting for him, Walt has no choice but to hear them out.

After listening to everyone, Walt announces that he doesn’t want to go ahead with something that might only keep him alive for a year or two longer, but he has second thoughts about his decision. And now that he’s facing a huge medical bill, Walt arrives at Jesse’s house offering to renew their business arrangement.

Golden Globe nod good for Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston has suggested that his recent Golden Globe nomination for the show will open it up to an international audience. The drama series has had a limited broadcast outside of the US, nut Cranston hopes that audiences outside of the country will soon to be hooked by the series. “We would like the world to look and see the nature of this man’s plight,” he explained. “It’s a universal condition that he finds himself in [and] it’s not just an American story. We would love it to be exposed to the international public.”

Edgar Wright hopes to direct Doctor Who episode

British film director Edgar Wright has expressed an interest in taking charge of an episode of Doctor Who after admitting that he was a massive fan of the series as a child. Wright, whose film credits include Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and the recent Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, says he was approached in the past was but unable to take part due to other projects.

German stunt-man paralysed after TV accident

The German man who was injured in a live TV stunt earlier in the month has been lefty paralysed by the accident. 23-year-old Daniel Koch suffered neck fractures after the car jumping stunt went wrong and has been told by doctors that he will not be able to walk unaided again. The show’s broadcaster has been slammed by the country’s media for deliberately endangering its participants in order to drive up ratings.

Oprah departs Australia after intense few days

Oprah Winfrey has departed Australia following her week-long stay in the country. The chatshow host, along with the 302 American fans she flew out, have left the country after an intense few days which had the country’s media constantly in a spin.

Desperate Housewives creator developing new series

Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry is developing a new series called Hallelujah which will centre on a small town “which finds itself being torn apart by the forces of good and evil.”

The nominees have been announced for the 68th Golden Globe Awards which will be hosted by Ricky Gervais on January 16, 2011.

The complete list of nominees in the television categories is as follows.

Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series or TV movie

Hope Davis (The Special Relationship), Jane Lynch (Glee), Kelly McDonald (Boardwalk Empire), Julia Stiles (Dexter), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

Best Actress in a TV series, comedy

Toni Colette (United States of Tara), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Laura Linney (The Big C), Lea Michele (Glee)

Best TV movie or mini-series

Carlos, The Pacific, Pillars of the Earth, Temple Grandin, You Don’t Know Jack

Best Actor, TV series comedy

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carell (The Office), Thomas Jane (Hung), Matthew Morrison (Glee), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

Best Actress in a TV series drama

Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

Best Supporting Actor in a series, mini-series, or TV movie

Scott Caan (Hawaii Five-0), Chris Colfer (Glee), Chris Noth (The Good Wife), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), David Straithairn (Temple Grandin)

Best TV Series, comedy

30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, The Big C, Glee, Modern Family, Nurse Jackie

Best Actor in a mini-series or TV Movie

Idris Elba (Luther), Ian McShane (Pillars of the Earth), Al Pacino (You Don’t Know Jack), Dennis Quaid (The Special Relationship), Edgar Ramirez (Carlos)

Best Actress in a mini-series or TV movie

Hayley Atwell (Pillars of the Earth), Claire Danes (Temple Grandin), Judi Dench (Return to Cranford), Romola Garai (Emma), Jennifer Love Hewitt (The Client List)

Best Actor, TV series drama

Steve Buschemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Hugh Laurie (House)

Best TV Series, drama

Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, The Good Wife, Mad Men, The Walking Dead

Source: Broadcastingcable.com

Breaking Bad, 30 Rock and Modern Family lead awards nominations

Breaking Bad, 30 Rock and Modern Family lead the nominations in the 2011 Writers Guild of America Awards, set to take place on February 5. Breaking Bad will compete against Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights and Mad Men for the Best Drama Series title while Modern Family and 30 Rock will battle Glee, Nurse Jackie and The Office for Best Comedy Series.

US Inbetweeners cast and director named

Kiwi director Taika Waititi will helm the pilot of the new US adaptation of UK comedy series The Inbetweeners. Actors Bubba Lewis, Joey Pollari, Zack Pearlman and Mark L. Young have just been confirmed to feature as the four lead characters.

24 fans set new Guinness World record

A trio of 24 fans have set a new Guinness World Record for the longest continuous period watching television. The three Americans spent a total of 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds watching the first six seasons of 24. The event, which was organised by American network Fox, began with 100 fans but only three remained watching the entire marathon.

Gervais says “don’t replace Carell on The Office”

Ricky Gervais has insisted that producers of The Office should not try to replace Steve Carell on the comedy series but rather concentrate on replacing his character Michael Scott. “There’s a lot of talk about who’s going to replace Steve Carell,” he said. “You should never think like that. Steve Carell is an actor. You should [instead] think about who’s replacing Michael Scott. You’ve got to suspend disbelief, [as] it’s meant to be a fake documentary and it’s all about the story. Even though we know what’s going on behind the scenes… it’s what’s good for the show that counts.”

Brent Bolthouse developing series

Nightclub and restaurant mogul Brent Bolthouse is developing a new series for American network Starz which will centre on the lives of several Los Angeles residents who cross paths. Bolthouse featured in a minor role on the early seasons of The Hills, “playing” the boss of Heidi Montag, along with various other small acting roles on various series.

9:30pm – Thursday, December 9 on ABC1

Thursday, 9 December 2010 Now that he’s told Skyler (Anna Gunn) his secret, and unaware that Hank’s (Dean Norris) search for his missing informant, Krazy-8, is leading the DEA closer to exposing his drug dealing, Walt (Bryan Cranston) reveals the news about his cancer at a family barbecue.

Although Skyler insists that they will get through it as a family, and Marie (Betsy Brandt) offers to set him up with an oncology ‘dream team,’ Walt still refuses to borrow money from Hank to pay for the first appointment. So, after telling Skyler that he will draw on his pension, he takes the cash from the money he and Jesse (Aaron Paul) ended up with following their aborted drug deal.

Meanwhile, Jesse seeks refuge at his parents’ house, but it’s clear that he’s living in the shadow of his overachieving younger brother, Jake. As Jesse does his best to obey his parents’ rules to keep from being thrown out, he’s surprised when Jake says that he is actually the one that their mom and dad are always talking about.

After Jesse gets a call from his friends looking to buy more meth, Walt adamantly refuses to resume their partnership. Meanwhile, Walt’s first visit to see Dr. Delcavoli makes it clear that he is facing a rocky road ahead.

Finally, after telling Skyler that he needs to give more thought to committing to an expensive series of cancer treatments, Walt vents his rage over his circumstances on an arrogant young businessman’s expensive sports car.

9:30pm – Thursday, December 2 on ABC1

Thursday, 2 December 2010 As Walt (Bryan Cranston) is hard at work helping Jesse (Aaron Paul) clean up the mess that was once Emilio, Skyler’s (Anna Gunn) cryptic enquiries lead Marie (Betsy Brandt) to conclude that Walt, Jr. (R.J. Mitte) is smoking pot. Though Skyler insists that her questions are just research for a story she is writing, her sister doesn’t believe it and asks Hank (Dean Norris) to have a talk with Walt, Jr.

As the clean-up proceeds, Krazy-8 tells Walt that Jesse has revealed some potentially compromising details about his life. But when Walt complains about his lack of discretion, Jesse angrily reminds him that he is responsible for seeing that Krazy-8 disappears for good.

Reluctantly agreeing to scare his nephew straight, Hank takes Walt, Jr. for a firsthand view of the drug culture. While Walt, Jr.’s reaction isn’t quite what Hank had been hoping for, their ride-along comes close to exposing Jesse and his meth-addict prostitute/girlfriend.

Meanwhile, forced to admit that he’s been living a lie, Walt puts off any further discussion with Skyler so he can deal with Krazy-8. But after Krazy-8 tries taking advantage of his compassion in order to escape, Walt has no choice but to kill him.

As Walt calls in sick at school and Jesse heads home to see whatever became of their hostage, Hank’s search for a missing informant guides him and his partner to evidence that could lead them to the mobile drug lab. So, as his DEA agent brother-in-law gets close to uncovering the truth about what happened to Krazy-8 and Emilio, Walt heads home to tell Skyler that he is dying of cancer.

Starring Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle), Aaron Paul (Mission: Impossible III) Anna Gunn (Deadwood), Betsy Brandt (Shelf Life) and Dean Norris (Little Miss Sunshine).

9:30pm – Thursday, November 25 on ABC1

Thursday, 25 November 2010 Now that his initial foray into the world of drug dealing has ended in the deaths of Krazy-8 and Emilio, Walt (Bryan Cranston) is no longer sure that he has what it takes to be Jesse’s (Aaron Paul) partner. While he’s determined to end the arrangement just as soon as they dispose of the corpses, things take an unexpected turn when Krazy-8 slowly comes to life.

Storing their makeshift motor home drug lab at Jesse’s, Walt heads home to plan his next move. However, after Jesse calls to demand that he take care of their unfinished business now, Skyler (Anna Gunn) suspects that her husband is up to something. And with Skyler looking to satisfy her curiosity, Walt arrives at Jesse’s just in time to stop Krazy-8 from wandering off.

Unaware that Skyler is hot on his trail, Walt prepares to use some powerful acid he swiped from school to get rid of Emilio’s corpse. Though Walt wonders if they could possibly persuade Krazy-8 to join their fledgling drug ring, once Jesse points out his penchant for deadly revenge, it becomes clear that they are going to have to finish him off, too. So, after using a motorcycle lock to make sure Krazy-8 stays put, Walt gets the task of killing him, leaving Jesse to dispose of Emilio. Meanwhile, when confronted by Skyler, Walt claims that Jesse is a local drug dealer who has been selling him marijuana.

After an unexpected driveway confrontation with Walt’s angry wife, Jesse decides to cut a few corners and use his upstairs bathtub to liquefy Emilio. Once Walt returns, Jesse takes him to task for having revealed too much to Skyler. But as the two are arguing, Jesse gets a harsh lesson in chemistry when the acid dissolves Emilio’s body, the tub, floor, and ceiling before depositing a gooey, bloody mess on his kitchen floor.

9:30pm – Thursday, November 18 on ABC1

Thursday, 18 November 2010 Once a successful research chemist, but now relegated to teaching in a New Mexico high school, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is diagnosed with cancer and given only two years to live.

Choosing to keep the bad news from his wife, Skyler (Anna Gunn), and their disabled teenage son, he vows to do whatever it takes to provide for his family’s future.

Opportunity knocks when his DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent brother-in-law busts a local meth operation, inspiring Walt to start his own mobile drug lab and enlist a former student, Jesse (Aaron Paul), as his partner. When forced to kill a pair of vengeful drug dealers and then tell Skyler about his illness, he’s left with nothing to lose.

Desperate to stay one step ahead of the law and his drug-dealing rivals, Walt undergoes an exhilarating transformation from struggling husband and father to ruthless competitor in the drug trade’s criminal underworld.

Starring Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle), Aaron Paul (Mission: Impossible III) Anna Gunn (Deadwood), Betsy Brandt (Shelf Life) and Dean Norris (Little Miss Sunshine).

Repeat

9:30pm – Friday, November 5 on ABC2

Now that Walt (Bryan Cranston) has been given some hope by his oncologist, Skyler (Anna Gunn) aims to get him to rest up before going back to work as she plans a party to celebrate the good news. While surprising Jesse (Aaron Paul) with word that he’s still alive and then collecting his share of the proceeds from the sale of the meth they cooked during a marathon session that nearly killed them both, Walt makes it clear that he’s retiring from the drug trade once their current supply is sold.

But at the party to celebrate his progress, Walt is upset by how much Walt Jr. (RJ Mitte) looks to Hank (Dean Norris) for approval – and he ends up showing a very different side of himself.

After getting his son drunk on tequila, Walt embarrasses himself and his family when he angrily rebuffs Hank. Meanwhile, although Jesse thinks there is something developing between him and Jane (Krysten Ritter), he’s troubled by her cool attitude toward him when her father drops by unannounced.

Though Walt does his best to atone for his behaviour, Skyler is in no mood to hear about it and hunkers down at work. Determined to prove his worth, especially now that he has some money from the drug sales, Walt spares no expense to replace the family’s aging water heater. And after apologising to Walt Jr., he becomes obsessed with home improvement as he sets out to replace some rotting floorboards. Meanwhile, when Skyler realises that the good news about Walt’s health hasn’t made her feel any better about their marriage, she seeks comfort from her boss, Ted Beneke (Christopher Cousins).

9:30pm – Friday, October 29 on ABC2

During tests to see how his cancer treatments are going, a bloody coughing fit leaves Walt (Bryan Cranston) certain he doesn’t have much time left to live. Determined to provide for Skyler (Anna Gunn) and Walt Jr.(RJ Mitte), he turns to his lawyer, Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), for advice before approaching Jesse (Aaron Paul) about a marathon meth cooking session to raise some cash.

So, telling Skyler he is going to visit his mother – a trip he knows she would never want to make – Walt interrupts Jesse’s plans with his new girlfriend and orders him to round up all the supplies they’ll need. After meeting up at the airport, they take their mobile meth lab into the forbidding terrain outside Albuquerque for several days of nonstop cooking. However, Jesse puts the keys in the ignition for safekeeping, leaving him and Walt unaware of the peril they’re in as the RV’s battery is slowly drained.

After their meth cooking marathon leaves them exhausted but potentially over a million dollars richer, Jesse persuades Walt to head into town to gas up their generator and have a decent meal before completing their final batch. But when they try to start the RV, it’s clear that they’re stranded in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery. And when they try to jump-start the battery using the generator and some gas from the RV’s tank, Jesse’s carelessness ignites a fire that leaves them without any water either. Although wary of using his cell phone lest Skyler discover what he’s really up to, Walt has no choice but to let Jesse call a friend to arrange for a rescue.