Line #21 Creator/AMC


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amc.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:''[[{{Slogans}} Something more.]]'']]
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4	American Movie Classics, or AMC, is an American cable TV {{network\|s}} that was established in 1984. Most of the movies it showed in its first twenty years came from MediaNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood and [[MediaNotes/FallOfTheStudioSystem the years immediately after]], such as Creator/MarxBrothers comedies and {{film noir}}s. Starting in 1993, it began running the annual Film Preservation Festival, a multi-day marathon of rare, restored films that were [[MissingEpisode previously lost]], in order to raise money for film preservation. In 1997, AMC also started running ''Monsterfest'', a weeklong marathon of {{horror}} movies that ran before [[UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve Halloween]]; this was replaced in 2008 with ''Fearfest''.
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6	Starting in the late '90s, AMC began to undergo a famous case of NetworkDecay. In 1996, the network debuted its first scripted series, the {{dramedy}} ''Series/RememberWENN'', about [[WorkCom people working at a 1930s-'40s radio station]]. AMC also had a short-lived PanelGame, ''The Movie Masters'', moderated by Gene Rayburn. In 1999, AMC would premiere its second scripted series called ''The Lot''. By 2001, the network ended its long-standing policy of showing movies uninterrupted and began running commercials during movies. The biggest change came in 2002, when AMC became a general movie channel, adding films from the last 30-40 years to its lineup and pushing pre-1970 films to late night, morning, and late afternoon. It's been suggested that rival network Creator/TurnerClassicMovies was responsible for this shift, as that network's establishment cut deeply into AMC's selection of classic films,[[note]]The vast libraries of Warner Bros., MGM, RKO and other films owned by Turner were now exclusive to that network; Fox, for its part, took their library over to the Fox Movie Channel and also had many films from it air on TCM[[/note]] but the main reason for the shift was an effort to appeal to a younger demographic.
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8	The final sign of AMC's decay — and perhaps proof that Administrivia/TropesAreTools — was the network's investment in the original series late in [[TurnOfTheMillennium the 2000s]]. In 2007, AMC debuted ''Series/MadMen'', a critically acclaimed drama that entered the public consciousness and established the movie network as a purveyor of high-quality television shows. AMC would follow up with shows like ''Series/BreakingBad'' in 2008, ''Series/{{The Walking Dead\|2010}}'' in 2010, and ''Series/HellOnWheels'' in 2011. AMC has also crafted several {{mini series}}: including the 2006 [[TheWestern Western]] ''Film/BrokenTrail'', and the 2009 remake of ''Series/{{The Prisoner\|2009}}''.
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10	Today, AMC has become better known for its original programming, which many consider being on par with premium networks like Creator/{{HBO}} or Creator/{{Showtime}}. Creator/{{FX\|Networks}}, whose original programming has also drawn the same comparisons, is considered to be the channel's chief rival.
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12	Not to be confused with automaker American Motors Corporation (long since absorbed into Chrysler), movie theatre chain AMC Theatres, or ''Series/AllMyChildren'', the long-running SoapOpera known by its AMC initials in FanSpeak.
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14	!!AMC Networks
15	AMC is the flagship cable network and namesake of AMC Networks. Other networks and brands include:
16	* [[Creator/TheBBC BBC America]] -- A joint venture with the Beebs, after AMC replaced [[Creator/DiscoveryChannel Discovery]] as managing partner in 2014. It operates as a standalone entity from AMC's siblings.
17	** '''Britbox''' -- a British-centric streaming service from both the BBC and Creator/{{ITV}}. Through their partnership with BBC, AMC serves as an investor and minority stakeholder.
18	* Creator/{{IFC}} -- A comedy and horror-centric movie channel. Formally known as the Independent Film Channel. Notable for being one of the few channels that airs their programming uncensored while still having commercials.
19	* '''[=SundanceTV=]''' -- Largely focused on classic and critically-acclaimed programming, alongside original documentaries and [[NetworkDecay crime drama repeats]]. Previously known as Sundance Channel.
20	** '''Sundance Now'''
21	* '''We TV''' -- Originally stood for '''W'''omen's '''E'''ntertainment '''T'''ele'''v'''ision.
22	* '''Shudder''' -- A streaming service dedicated to {{Horror}} films.
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24	AMC Networks was previously known as ''Rainbow Media'' and was a part of the Dolan family's Cablevision in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Rainbow assets previously included Bravo (sold to NBC in 2002), half of the [[Creator/{{Fox}} Fox Sports]] regional networks (previously owned by Rainbow under the ''[=SportsChannel=]'' name until they sold a half-interest to Fox in 1997), Fuse (which originally began life as an American feed of Canada's Creator/MuchMusic), and several other channels leftover from their failed attempt at an HD-centric satellite TV service: ''Voom''. AMC was spun off into its' own company in 2011; the Dolan family continues to own Madison Square Garden and associated properties, while Cablevision was sold to French telecom firm Altice in 2016.
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27	!!List of AMC shows and {{mini series}}:
28	[[index]]
29	* ''Series/{{Black Snow\|2022}}'' (2023)[[note]]Originally streamed on the Australian streaming network Stan.[[/note]]
30	* ''Series/BreakingBad'' (2008-2013)
31	** ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' (2015-2022)
32	* ''Film/BrokenTrail'' (2006 mini-series)
33	* ''Series/ComicBookMen'' (2012-2018)
34	* ''Series/DarkWinds'' (2022)
35	* ''Series/{{Dietland}}'' (2018)
36	* ''Series/DispatchesFromElsewhere'' (2020)
37	* ''Series/GangsOfLondon'' (2021-present)[[note]]Second-run; initially premiered on the AMC+ streaming service. Initially co-produced by Creator/{{Cinemax}} before [[ChannelHop moving]] to AMC in response to Creator/WarnerMedia distribution shakeups.[[/note]]
38	* ''Series/HaltAndCatchFire'' (2014-2017)
39	* ''Series/HellOnWheels'' (2011-2016)
40	* ''Series/{{Humans}}'' (2015-2018)[[note]]Co-produced with British network Creator/{{Channel 4}}[[/note]]
41	* ''Series/{{Interview with the Vampire\|2022}}'' (2022-present)
42	* ''Series/IntoTheBadlands'' (2015-2019)
43	* ''Series/KevinCanFuckHimself'' (2021-present)
44	* ''Series/TheKilling'' (2011-2013)
45	* ''Series/KillingEve'' (2019-2022)[[note]]Season 2 onward; shared with original network [[Creator/TheBBC BBC America]][[/note]]
46	* ''Series/{{Lodge 49}}'' (2018-2019)
47	* ''The Lot'' (1999-2001)
48	* ''Series/LowWinterSun'' (2013)
49	* ''Series/MadMen'' (2007-2015)
50	* ''Series/MayfairWitches'' (2023-present)
51	* ''The Movie Masters'' (1989-1990; [[Series/MatchGame Gene Rayburn's]] final game show)
52	* ''Series/TheNightManager'' (2016 mini-series)
53	* ''Literature/NOS4A2'' (2019-present)
54	* ''Series/ThePact'' (2021 mini-series)[[note]]Initially aired on BBC[[/note]]
55	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pantheon}}'' (2022)
56	* ''[[Series/Preacher2016 Preacher]]'' (2016-2019)
57	* ''Series/{{The Prisoner\|2009}}'' (2009 mini-series)
58	* ''Series/RememberWENN'' (1996-1998)
59	* ''Series/{{Rubicon}}'' (2010)
60	* ''[[Series/AMCSoulmates Soulmates]]'' (2020-present)
61	* ''Series/TheTerror'' (2018 mini-series)
62	** ''Series/TheTerrorInfamy'' (2019 mini-series)
63	* ''Series/{{Turn}}'' (2014-2017)
64	* ''WesternAnimation/UltraCitySmiths'' (2021)
65	* ''Franchise/TheWalkingDeadTelevisionUniverse'' (2010-present)
66	** ''Series/{{The Walking Dead\|2010}}'' (2010-2022)
67	** ''Series/FearTheWalkingDead'' (2015-present)
68	** ''Series/TheWalkingDeadWorldBeyond'' (2020-2021)
69	** ''Series/TalesOfTheWalkingDead'' (2022)
70	** ''Series/TheWalkingDeadDeadCity'' (2023-)
71	** ''Series/TheWalkingDeadDarylDixon'' (2023-)
72	** ''Series/TheWalkingDeadTheOnesWhoLive'' (2024-)
73	[[/index]]
74	----
75	!!Tropes Associated with AMC as a whole
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77	* AdoredByTheNetwork: AMC's favorite movie must be ''{{Film/Unforgiven}}''. ''Film/TheGreenMile'' comes in at a close second.
78	** AMC was notorious for this trope during the early-2000s. It was quite common at that time for the channel to overplay a certain movie for months. This was usually the case for popular movies such as ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' or ''Film/MadMax1'', but even relatively obscure ones got this treatment also. (Remember ''The Hindenburg'' with Creator/GeorgeCScott?)
79	* TheArtifact: The only trace left of their past as a classic movie channel comes during the odd times they use episodes of ''Film/TheThreeStooges'' as filler. They would have about an hour of stooge shorts a day in TheNineties.
80	* BreakthroughHit: As a provider of original television series, ''Series/MadMen''.
81	* BritishBrevity: One of the few American companies that does this practice. Many of their dramas have fewer than 13 episodes per season; in the case of their former flagship shows ''Series/MadMen'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'', the final season of each show was split into two subseasons.
82	* CashCowFranchise: ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' is by far the most financially successful AMC programming, and has spawned [[Series/FearTheWalkingDead two ongoing]] [[Series/TheWalkingDeadWorldBeyond spin-offs]], an upcoming one, and one aftershow. Even after AMC announced that the original series will conclude in 2022 ([[LongRunner after 12 years]]), it's not going anywhere for a while.
83	* NetworkDecay:
84	** A case of NetworkDecay/MajorShiftsThatFit, as the channel transitioned from an old-time movie channel to a movie channel of the larger variety. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools This did bring some good shows on the table]].
85	** When ''Talking Dead'' became a success, it resulted in a new phase of unscripted shows. However, by 2014, AMC had all but ditched its entire unscripted slate. The only shows that survived were the aftershows and ''Series/ComicBookMen''. AMC wouldn't introduce any new unscripted shows until 2017.
86	** ''Monsterfest'' originally featured more traditional monster movies (vampires, werewolves, the occasional AttackOfThe50FootWhatever or AlienInvasion flick). As time went on, it shifted to slasher films and more recent movies, to the point where they renamed it ''Fearfest''.
87	* SlidingScaleOfContinuity: Most of the various dramas fall into level 5 (Full Lockout).
88	* TakeThat: If the network airs an advertisement for one of their shows, it was followed by a short blurb highlighting the fact that AMC was not available on Dish Network during its parent company's five-month dispute with Dish.
89	* WhiteMaleLead: The current original series on AMC features a particular type of protagonist: [[AntiHero The Strong White Man Who Dares To Be Badass]]. Some of AMC's promos are practically [[LampshadeHanging hanging a lampshade]] on this by drawing explicit comparisons between [[Series/MadMen Don Draper]], [[Series/BreakingBad Walter White]], [[Series/HellOnWheels Cullen Bohannon]], and [[Series/TheWalkingDead Rick Grimes]].

Context Creator / AMC