AMC has renewed "Breaking Bad" for a second season. The cable network ordered 13 new episodes of the series, which stars Bryan Cranston as a chemistry teacher who begins cooking up crystal meth to make some extra money after he's diagnosed with cancer.

Wednesday's official renewal of "Breaking Bad," AMC's second original drama series after "Mad Men," follows months of expectation.

The series premiered in January to 1.6 million total viewers and went on to average 1.4 million total viewers per episode, according to Nielsen Media Research. By comparison, "Mad Men," which also has been picked up for a second season, averaged 1.1 million viewers.