Vince Gilligan, creator of AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” is hosting a night of classic television on MeTV in what may be the ultimate programming mashup.
The event, dubbed “Vince Gilligan’s Island of MeTV,” will feature four hours of Gilligan’s handpicked favorite classic TV episodes, from “The Honeymooners” to “The Twilight Zone.” The special will air 5-9 p.m. April 5.
“Shows like ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Honeymooners’ made a big impression on me growing up,” Gilligan said in a statement. “Now, decades later, I find myself staying up late into the night re-watching old episodes of those series and many more on MeTV. I’m thrilled to have the chance to share a few of my favorite shows with fellow classic television enthusiasts.”
Gilligan’s “Breaking Bad,” which aired from 2008 to 2013, broke new ground with the compelling story of Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) path from chemistry teacher to crystal meth kingpin. His current series, “Better Call Saul,” is a prequel to that show focusing on shady attorney Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk.
Odenkirk, who was raised in southwest suburban Naperville, will join Gilligan for the MeTV event. The lineup also will include episodes from “Taxi” and “Columbo.”
Owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, MeTV airs classic television programming on the digital subchannels of some 160 affiliated stations. It is the largest multicast network in the U.S.
“To have Vince Gilligan be a super fan of MeTV is thrilling,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting. “Knowing that some of the timeless, memorable programming airing on MeTV helped shape his creative genius and a new generation of classics like ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ is a wonderful thing.”
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