History Creator / AMC

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 UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood and [[UsefulNotes/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''.

* '''[=SundanceTV=]''' -- Largely focused on classic and critically-acclaimed programming, alongside original documentaries [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers and]] [[NetworkDecay crime drama repeats]]. Previously known as Sundance Channel.

* ''[[Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022 Interview with the Vampire]]'' (2022-present)

* ''Series/BlackSnow'' (2023)[[note]]Originally streamed on the Australian streaming network Stan.[[/note]]

* DoingItForTheArt: The network's commitment to high-quality dramas, despite their low ratings.

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 (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), but the main reason for the shift was an effort to appeal to a younger demographic.

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]]. In 1999, AMC would premiere its second scripted series called ''The Lot''. The previous year, the network ended its long-standing policy of showing movies uninterrupted and began running commercials during movies. AMC also had a short-lived PanelGame, ''The Movie Masters'', moderated by Gene Rayburn. 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 (the vast Turner, Warner Bros., and MGM libraries were now exclusive to that network), along with Fox taking their rights for the Fox Movie Channel, but the main reason for the shift was an effort to appeal to a younger demographic.

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 Oughts]]. 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}}''.

* ''Series/MayfairWitches (2023-present)

* ''Series/KillingEve'' (2019-2022)[[note]]Season 2 onward; shared with original network BBC America[[/note]]

* ''Series/ThePact'' (2021 mini-series)[[note]Initially aired on BBC[[/note]]

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 Creator/{{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.

* ''Film/BrokenTrail'' (2006 mini series)

* ''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]]

* ''Series/{{Humans}}'' (2015-2018, co-produced with British network Creator/{{Channel 4}})
* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'' (2022-present)

* ''Series/KevinCanFuckHimself'' (2021)

* ''Series/KillingEve'' (2019-present)[[note]]Season 2 onward; shared with original network BBC America[[/note]]

* ''Series/TheNightManager'' (2016 mini series)

* ''Series/ThePact'' (2021 mini) [[note]] initially aired on BBC, mini-series [[/note]]

* ''Series/{{The Prisoner|2009}}'' (2009 mini series)

** ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' (2015-present)

** ''Series/{{The Walking Dead|2010}}'' (2010-present)

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]]. In 1999, AMC would premiere its second scripted series called ''The Lot''. The previous year, the network ended its long-standing policy of showing movies uninterrupted and began running commercials during movies. AMC also had a short-lived PanelGame, ''The Movie Masters'', moderated by Gene Rayburn. 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 (the vast Turner, Warner Bros. and MGM libraries were now exclusive to that network), along with Fox taking their rights for the Fox Movie Channel, but the main reason for the shift was an effort to appeal to a younger demographic.

The final sign of AMC's decay — and perhaps proof that Administrivia/TropesAreTools — was the network's investment in original series late in [[TurnOfTheMillennium the Oughts]]. 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}}''.

Today, AMC has become better known for their original programming, which many consider to be 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.

** '''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 stake-holder.

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 Creator/{{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.

* BritishBrevity: One of the few American companies who 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.

** A case of NetworkDecay/MajorShiftsThatFit, as the channel transitioned from an old-time movie channel to a movie channel of larger variety. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools This did bring some good shows on the table]].
** When ''Talking Dead'' became a success, it resulted in a new phase of unscripted shows. However, by 2014, AMC had all but ditched their entire unscripted slate. The only shows that survived were the aftershows and ''Series/ComicBookMen''. AMC wouldn't introduce any new unscripted shows until 2017.

* 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.
* WhiteMaleLead: The current original series on AMC feature 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]].

** ''Tales of the Walking Dead'' (2022)

* ''WesternAnimation/UltraCitySmiths''