‘Breaking Bad’ gets badder in third season

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Walter White, the tortured chemistry teacher turned meth dealer at the center of AMC’s groundbreaking drama ‘Breaking Bad,’ will undergo a major transition when the series returns in March for its third season.

‘He’s a different person than the milquetoast that he was in the pilot,’ said Bryan Cranston, who has won two consecutive Emmys for outstanding lead actor in his portrayal of White. ‘We’re getting closer,’ Cranston said, to creator Vince Gilligan’s plan of ‘turning this guy ... from Mr. Chips to Scarface.’

Added Gilligan: ‘We’re taking Walter from Point A to Point Z.’ He said several key revelations from the show’s last season, in which Walter’s wife (Anna Gunn) confronted him about her suspicions regarding his illegal activities, would play a significant role in the upcoming season.

Another major transition revolves around Cranston -- he is directing the show’s season premiere, the second time he has helmed an episode of the series.

[Update Jan. 20 11:32 a.m.: An earlier version of this post said that Bryan Cranston was directing his first episode of ‘Breaking Bad.’ Cranston, in fact, also directed the second season premiere.]

-- Greg Braxton