Why AMC Rules TV

The title says it all, really. It's amazing that a small, basic cable channel like AMC can have two of the most critically acclaimed shows on television with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Now, I've never seen Breaking Bad (the thought of a chemistry teacher making meth with a former student is a little out there for me). Plus, I still remember the season 1 poster with Mr. Cranston in his underpants. But, I may be brave at some point and give it a go.

Mad Men, of course, is watched by three people - myself included - but it manages to win every award known to man. I really like it, though I do get tired of "cultural elitists" who say it's God's gift to mankind, because it ain't. It's entertaining, yes. It's often thought-provoking. Yet even you Mad Men lovers have to admit that the show is entirely character driven. Sometimes, there is almost no plot. The closest thing we've ever had to an action sequence was that ego driven brawl between Pete and Lane last season. (I'm still annoyed about Lane's... ending). The point of Mad Men is that the long, occasionally dull stretches will lead to something brilliant, and 80% of the time, the show succeeds. However, when it fails to deliver the emotional punch necessary to keep your interest, you feel pissed because you've just spent ten hours binge-watching it for (apparently) nothing. Not. Cool. The season 5 finale, for example, was a major letdown. But overall, look at this last batch of episodes. (Spoilers be ahead!) Lane kills himself! They pimped out Joan!! - more importantly, Roger was willing to pimp out Joan!? Peggy quit!!! WWHHHAAATT!?

Anyway, you get the idea - spoilers are over, by the way. For the most part, a major success. I've heard Breaking Bad is a real nail biter, but again, I can't comment. (I seriously need to just sit down and watch that thing.) And then, there's The Walking Dead and Hell on Wheels - the channel's two most popular programs, the latter of which is returning tomorrow night! (Tries not to squeal with glee.) Again, I keep meaning to watch TWD, but I have to admit, the whole "futuristic, zombie apocalypse thing" isn't my usual. HoW, on the other hand, has the advantage of being a western. And I love westerns. As in, I grew up watching John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. ("Jacob McCandles" - "I though you were dead!" from Big Jake cracks me up every time.) Now, HoW is often compared to its sister programs Mad Men and Breaking Bad, rather unfairly, if you ask me. According to the critics, HoW is not nearly as deep and meaningful as Mad Men. The main character wasn't born of a hooker, doesn't cheat incessantly on his (ex)wife, pretend to be someone else, or act so slick you think he'd be greasy to touch - because these are deep and meaningful qualities. The aptly named Dick (because sometimes he just pisses me off) Whitman/Don Draper is such a character. Now, Cullen Bohannan of HoW does have certain things in common with Mr. Draper - they both drink and smoke and... umm. Well... that's about it. So how can you compare two completely different programs? Well, television critics? A show about a former Confederate soldier going on the hunt for the Union scum who killed his family can't be compared to a show about Madison Avenue ad execs of the 1960s. And as much as I enjoy Mad Men, I can't watch too much of it because it gets a little (dare I say?) tedious. This makes HoW such a delightful surprise because it's ridiculously entertaining watching the main characters get themselves in disastrous situations. It's got the action and adventure necessary to keep you entertained while following a would-be Edmond Dantes on his quest for vengeance - a man who, if he stopped and looked around, would see that he could leave his past behind and start over with the opportunities given him. And what the heck is gonna happen next after that finale? I sure hope the writers thought this one out... But I'm optimistic. The promos look very promising. Though, I gotta say, Anson Mount's (such an awesome name) hair is crazy. Seriously. Someone needs to cut that.



But I digress... AMC has managed to become one of, if not the most, respected channels on television. With only a handful of shows, their success rate has been darn impressive. Only Rubicon (which was like watching mold grow, it was that exciting - and I'm all for a slow-burning story) and The Killing, which so totally deserved to be canned and I will never, ever watch it, have failed. And look at the variety! Network TV shows have become repetitive and dull. Heck, this upcoming season we're going to get Sherlock 2. I mean, Elementary. Hey CBS, if you wanted people to think of your show as its own animal rather than a ripoff of the British program, you shouldn't have copied Mr. Cumberbatch's wardrobe. Just saying. Four shows: slick ad men, the Transcontinental Railroad, hungry zombies, and drugs. Quite the setup.