AMC is an American TV channel owned by AMC Networks. It is mainly focused on providing movies which have been released in theaters, along with some original programming. AMC used to stand for American Movie Classics, but since its shift in programming in 2002, the full name is not used anymore. In 2015, more than 94 million households in the US had access to AMC.

From 1984 to 2002, AMC broadcast classic films. Initially, it was a premium channel with pre-1950s movies that aired in the early evening with uncut, unedited, and ad-free formats. It was not uncommon to watch the original 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera or marathons of Marx Brothers films.

From 1990, AMC started to diversify its offering. The first step it made was increasing its hours of operation to 24 hours a day. Cablevision’s Rainbow Media division became one of the owners of the AMC channel in 1993. While the first 18 years of its existence offered only commercial-free movies that were uncolored and uncut, AMC started to accept traditional advertising from 1998.

Between 2002 and 2009, AMC went through numerous changes in terms of format, by departing from the content slate of classic movies and instead expanding into original productions. AMC was lauded by critics innumerable times, especially for its two most popular series, Mad Men and Breaking Bad.

Movies are an integral part of AMC’s broadcasting schedule. Some of the most popular titles include The Walking Dead, Geeking Out, Ride with Norman Reedus, and more. Apart from numerous films, AMC also broadcasts original series. The first one, The Movie Masters, ran between 1989 and 1990.

Mad Men and Breaking Bad, which came out in 2007 and 2008 respectively, boosted AMC’s reputation to the extent that many consider it to be on par with premium channels, such as Showtime and HBO. The channel also airs purchased programming, including classics, such as The Three Stooges and The Rifleman, but also popular contemporary series, such as CSI: Miami.

Lastly, there is a vast movie library on offer, which is available thanks to licensing rights agreements with Warner Bros. Other notable content sources include Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios and more. The content has been edited to remove elements such as profanities; movies which air on AMC are made suitable for all ages so that the whole family can tune in.

Sling TV

• Competitively priced at $30 per month with 47 channels on offer
• Premium plan costs $45 and provides 53 channels, including favourites such as ESPN
• Great access to live local programming from broadcast networks
• Can be streamed on numerous devices
• Cannot create multiple accounts for the same subscription
• The basic plan allows for one stream, while the premium plan offers three screens at the same time

FuboTV

• Priced at $54.99 per month and offers a wide range of channels
• The standard plan offers more than 100 channels
• Slick and well thought out user interface
• 30 hours of Cloud DVR storage
• Offers a family plan for $59.99 per month
• 500 hours of DVR storage
• Can handle three streams at once
• Available on most platforms and devices

YouTube TV

• Easy to navigate and intuitive user interface
• Is available on all major platforms, such as Android, iOS, PS4, Xbox, and more
• Unlimited DVR storage that saves recordings for up to 9 months
• Offers access to YouTube originals, such as Cobra Kai
• Requires a Google account to use
• Free 14-day trial, priced at $49.99 a month afterwards
• More than 70 channels available
• Offers premium add-ons

Philo

• Highly competitive with 58 channels for only $20 per month
• Includes all major channels from Discovery, A&E Networks, Viacom, and much more
• Does not include sports or local channels
• Compatible with all major streaming devices such as Roku, Android, iOS, and major browsers
• Has a 7-day free trial
• Clean and simple user interface