AMC announces Chris Hardwick to host “Talking Bad” following final episodes of “Breaking Bad” this summer

Chris Hardwick had himself one busy Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend, not just moderating panels that released tidbits on all of your favorite superhero and fantasy movie blockbusters for the coming year, but also making news of his own — AMC announced Sunday that Hardwick will host Talking Bad, a live, weekly half-hour chat show designed to deconstruct each of the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad this August and September.

It’s a no-brainer.

Hardwick already hosts Talking Dead, AMC’s surprisingly hit live talk show that follows its hit zombie series, The Walking Dead. That series returns Oct. 13.

Talking Bad will premiere Aug. 11.

From the AMC press release:

“We have had so much success with Chris Hardwick and Talking Dead, the show-talking-about-a-show that attracted more than five million live viewers after last season’s The Walking Dead finale,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s EVP of original programming, production and digital content. “An after-show hosted by Chris seemed like the perfect way to pay homage to and countdown the final eight episodes of Breaking Bad, giving fans the opportunity to come together and talk about the end of this iconic series brought to life by creator Vince Gilligan and his amazing cast and crew.”

Chris Hardwick said: “Breaking Bad will go down as one of the best shows in television history. Obviously, it’s tonally much different than The Walking Dead, and I will strive to give Breaking Bad the send-off it deserves. I am honored to be able to give fans a peek behind the curtain for the last eight episodes so we can all say goodbye to it together. AMC will tell you that it’s because of the success of Talking Dead or my friendship with the BB cast that they asked me to host this, but I maintain it probably has more to do with my unmistakable resemblance to Jesse Pinkman, BITCH.”

Meanwhile, in addition to presiding over #CourseOfTheForce for the Star Wars team heading down to San Diego last weekend, Hardwick also moderated panels for the past four days at San Diego Comic-Con. Among them: Nickelodeon, Ender’s Game, The World’s End, The Walking Dead, The Awesomes, Marvel (The Avengers), Breaking Bad, and Community.

By Sunday night, Hardwick expressed his gratitude to his Twitter followers @nerdist: “THANK YOU #SDCC!!! I am honored to have pretty much lived in Hall H for 4 days! You were gracious, engaging and FUN. See you next year!!”

Oh, and one other thing. Hardwick’s Nerdist also is getting into the movie distribution business.

At Nerdist’s own Comic-Con panel, the company announced it would co-release Zero Charisma, a D&D-inspired movie directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews. The film won an audience award at SXSW, and will come out thanks to Nerdist Industries and Tribeca Film on Oct. 8, 2013, via digital platforms, and Oct. 11 in theaters.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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