Apple to refunding purchases of iTunes "Breaking Bad" season pass

Probably a little more than a barrel but less than eight.



Breaking Bad fans have seen things get pretty dire as the show has moved towards its closing moments, but those that watch the program on iTunes have something to smile about. Apple is sending out emails to users that paid for both halves of the show's final season, refunding their second purchase.

Breaking Bad's fifth and final season was split into two eight-episode halves, each airing a year apart. However, when those episodes were sold through online services like Amazon and iTunes they were made available separately, under the names "Season 5" and "The Final Season." Because of the change, users that had purchased season-long bundles for the first eight had to pay a second time for the final set of episodes. Considering AMC had marketed the show as one, drawn-out season, there was reason to expect that an iTunes Season Pass, for example, should cover all 16; one fan was so outraged that he actually filed a lawsuit against Apple earlier this month.

In an email that started going out to customers today, Apple provides a redemption code in the amount of $22.99, while also stating that it was not responsible for choosing the season names nor the episodes contained within. (It's important to note that the initial run of eight have already been made available on DVD and Blu-Ray under the name Breaking Bad: The Fifth Season.) It's not clear whether Apple is doing the right thing on its own or whether AMC is behind the refund, but the news will certainly be welcome for fans of the Emmy-winning series. Another double-dip may be just on the horizon, however: the final season of Mad Men will also be split up, with the first set of episodes released under the name "The Beginning," and the final set under the moniker "The End of an Era." We're including Apple's email below.

Dear Customer,

We apologize for any confusion the naming of "Season 5" and "The Final Season" of Breaking Bad might have caused you. While the names of the seasons and episodes associated with them were not chosen by iTunes, we'd like to offer you "The Final Season" on us by providing you with the iTunes code below in the amount of $22.99. This credit can also be used for any other content on the iTunes Store. Thank you for your purchase.

Detailed instructions for redeeming the code can be found at http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1574.

Source: Apple.com/itunes