‘Talking Bad’: Chris Hardwick of ‘Talking Dead’ to host ‘Breaking Bad’ aftershow
Somehow, Chris Hardwick has managed to find some more time in his ever-busy schedule. In addition to running the Nerdist empire, moderating numerous Comic-Con panels today, taking part in his own, doing stand-up, hosting “Talking Dead,” and also setting up his own Comedy Central show “@Midnight,” AMC announced today at the San Diego convention that Hardwick will host “Talking Bad,” the “Breaking Bad” aftershow that will officially begin airing following the season premiere on August 11.
“Talking Bad” will run for half an hour following each episode of “Breaking Bad,” and should follow a very familiar format. Hardwick (who already knows most of the cast well) will conduct interviews with the actors and producers on of the series, and will likely chat with some other celebrities / comedians who just so happen to also be major fans of the long-running show. It’s clearly a smart way for AMC to make some more money off of their show as these aftershows are extremely cheap to produce, and even if they keep just a third or a quarter of their viewers around, it still has to be considered a win.
This hosting announcement helps to ease some of the pain that came with the “Breaking Bad” panel today, as there was no new footage from the show given to fans who waited in line for several hours to see the panel. Was it still entertaining? Sure, but for very different reason. (Instead, AMC opted to air a trailer featuring some highlights from the show over the years.)
The aftershow tradition is quickly starting to carry over to some other networks. While FX has not confirmed any plans yet, “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter has said that his show will have some sort of similar component, except that it will be online and will have a slightly different format.
Photo: AMC