Cable channel AMC - Great original programs, crap programming decisions

Cafe Society
1

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.

2

Years and years ago, I had HBO and Showtime. They’d run something great like Citizen Kane, or Dr. Strangelove, or 2001 once a month, usually 3 am on a Wednesday. The rest of the time, they ran the then equivalent of Tom Green movies. I gave up on 'em, even though I did manage to watch Larry Sanders.

So I know what you mean about AMC. Ever see “Remember WENN”? That was also a good show, back when it was American Movie Classics.

I’ve recently discovered This TV, and my cable system has RTV as well. Both are worth wasting time on, or watching, depending on your preference.

3

I didn’t know AMC was regularly showing Stooges again. I used to watch them every night at 7pm for an hour.

4

THANKS! I’ve been trying to remember the name of that show and the network it was one for YEARS. I never think to look when I’m near a computer.

5

They want their viewers to buy their big shows on DVD.

6

Maybe it’s their subtle way of saying Paul Hogan will be joining the cast of Breaking Bad as Gus’s boss. “That’s not a meth distributorship, mate… THAT’s a meth distibutorship.”

7

Do they really make more money from DVD sales than advertising? That’s bizarre. Hmm, I guess that would explain it, though. It still seems like poor business sense to sabotage building an audience for a show just so a minority of viewers will be forced to buy a DVD. (Which I will never do–what a waste to buy a DVD that you’ll only watch once.)

Anyway, it’s not helping AMC to be stingy in this case because Season 3 of Breaking Bad isn’t even out on DVD yet, and won’t be until the summer. If I miss this episode in the middle of the season, I’m more likely to lose interest between now and the summer than pre-order the DVD from Amazon.

8

Why isn’t Remember WENN on DVD? Or being rerun? Curse you short sighted executives.

9

As long as AMC does not show their remake of The Prisoner!

Gawd, that sucked!