Bryan Cranston

LOS ANGELES -- "Breaking Bad" is going to end so good. At least that's the near promise of creator Vince Gilligan, who was part of a "goodbye" panel at Friday's TV Critics press tour.

Gilligan said he thinks the audience will be satisfied with the final episode. If the first of the last eight episodes, airing Aug. 11, is any indication, it is indeed going to be a spectacular end to one of the greatest dramas of all time.

Bryan Cranston, who plays the show's meth-cooking antihero, joked that the series will conclude on a high note: "Jesse and Walter hug it out."

In other AMC news, the network announced the launch of two new dramas that will debut next year. "Halt & Catch Fire," starring "Pushing Daisies" star Lee Pace, will be set in the early 80s and look at the rise of personal computers. "Turn," based on the book "Washington's Spies," starts in 1778 when a farmer organizes a group of co-horts to help turn the tide in America's quest for independence.

"Black Sails" hasn't even debuted, but Starz is going ahead and greenlighting a second season. The pirate adventure series, produced by Michael "Boom Boom" Bay, will premiere in January 2014. Starz president Chris Albrecht also announced that the mini-series "Dancing on the Edge," starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and John Goodman, will air in October 2013.

MTV is working on a documentary on Miley Cyrus. Let's hope she doesn't change her personality again between the time shooting is done and the show airs.

The new network Pivot introduced itself to skeptical writers who aren't quite sure that the audience wants so much interactive television. We all remember how well Current TV turned out, right? The network, which debuts Aug. 1, will features an interactive news show, an interactive talk show and a series hosted by Meghan McCain.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who will host the talk show "HitRECord," said that the old way of watching TV is over, at least for young people.

"20th century TV was a monologue," he said. "We don't want that any more. We want to be involved."

I asked him if there's room for television for those who just want to sit back and watch quietly.

His answer: "Do you know any young people who want to sit back and be quiet."

Also appearing at the press tour Friday: Common, Mark Strong, Sean Combs and Julia Ormond.

Coming up next: Checking out the new "Transformers" ride at Universal.