I don’t know what AMC’s problem is. The channel has two of the best shows on TV (Mad Men and Breaking Bad) and one of the most popular new shows (The Walking Dead) and yet they still run their channel like it’s CSPAN 8 - The Ocho.
You’d think that with this impressive stable of original programming, they’d, you know, actually show these programs once in a while. No such luck.
After The Walking Dead ended, I got drawn into Breaking Bad, as AMC started showing two episodes a week, starting from the beginning. AMC airs these reruns from midnight to 2 am on Wednesday nights. That’s it. Once a week in the middle of the night. If you miss it, you’re out of luck.
Fine. I just set my TiVo and watch whenever I want. Last night, however, AMC decided to start a half-hour late. Still on the DVR schedule as midnight. Still listed as midnight on the AMC website. So I missed half an episode. Are they going to show that episode again? Nein. Is the episode available on DVD? Nein. I have to go to Amazon and purchase an electronic copy and watch on my computer.
I just don’t get it. Look at AMC’s schedule for the next two weeks:
Mad Men - 0 episodes
The Walking Dead - 0 episodes
Breaking Bad - 2 episodes
Crocodile Dundee - 4 showings
Crocodile Dundee II - 3 showings
Highlander: Endgame - 2 showings
Exit Wounds - 3 showings
The Three Stooges - 17.5 HOURS
That’s one impressive line-up. Here’s a suggestion, AMC: how about you trim down the Stooges to a lean 15 hours and show some of your goddamn hit shows more than once?
And it’s not like AMC only shows the Breaking Bad reruns once a week to ensure a prime audience and expensive advertising for one showing. It’s the middle of the night, and most of the commercials are for a penis pump that they claim Medicare will pay for. WTF? (It’s not my bag, baby.)
In short, AMC sucks and should sublet their excellent original programming to a cable channel with half a brain.