Forever Favorites: 10 AMC Shows That Deserve a Spot on Your Rewatch List
We can have these AMC shows on repeat 24/7!
Networks like HBO and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu get all the attention, but AMC is responsible for some of the biggest hit TV shows of the last few decades. Some are more well-known and high-profile than others. But what makes a few stand out is their re-watch value.
Just like movies, some shows are prime for watching a second, even third time. There are many reasons. For more complex shows, it’s to pick up on subtle nuances that may have been missed the first time around. For others, it’s simply to enjoy the humor of pivotal moments, perhaps seeing them from a different lens now knowing what is to come. Whatever the reason, the good news is that the most rewatchable AMC shows are available to stream, some on AMC+ and some on other streaming services.
10‘Preacher’ (2016-2019)
Created by Sam Catlin, Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg
Fans of The Boys will appreciate seeing Dominic Cooper portraying a completely different yet somewhat similar character. He’s Jesse Cutler in Preacher, a preacher and former criminal who realizes he possesses a superpower: he can command others to do exactly as he asks. Based on the comic book series of the same name, Preacher delivers a character who should be squeaky clean, but is anything but. He smokes like a chimney, drinks heavily, and questions his own faith. But Jesse believes that his new gift may help him finally find God and come to terms with who he is.
Preacher started strong with some of its best episodes and continued to get better as fans of both the comics and those new to the story immersed themselves in thrills and a combination of horror and comedy. Violent and profane, Preacher is a great show to watch while awaiting the return of Cooper as Billy Butcher in The Boys.
Preacher
9‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ (2021-2022)
Created by Valerie Armstrong
A unique concept that some have drawn comparisons to elements of WandaVision, Kevin Can F**k Himselfpresents a dark story with humor in a compelling way. Episodes shift back and forth from the style of a traditional ‘80s or ‘90s sitcom, complete with laugh tracks, to a darker, black & white drama. At the center is Allison (Annie Murphy), a bored wife who is sick and tired of her lazy, unambitious, man-child of a husband. While she puts up with his antics by day, by night, she starts to joke about having him killed. The silly idea, however, started to materialize into a real plan.
Kevin Can F**k Himself is a powerful social commentary about the un-heard, unappreciated spouse. While Kevin (Eric Petersen) comes across as silly and harmless in the sitcom version, it’s clear there’s a darker version of him that only Allison sees. Watching the show’s 16 episodes over two seasons a second time provides a deeper look at the underlying issues. Knowing where the plot goes, fans can pick up on subtle hints and hidden meanings the second time around, not to mention many clever sitcom tropes.
Kevin Can F**k Himself
8‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ (2023-)
Created by David Zabel
It has been less than a year since the first season of this The Walking Dead spin-off premiered. But with a second season coming in summer 2024, it’s the perfect time to re-watch and get refreshed on the story to date. The second season called The Book of Carol will pick up where season one left off and focus on Carol’s (Melissa McBride) journey to find her friend Daryl (Norman Reedus) as well as his journey traveling to new locales and facing new (and old) dangers.
Get reacquainted with the events from season one, including Carol’s shocking and surprising cameo in the final scene. With fabulous fight sequences, a compelling story, and interesting new characters, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is a spin-off that’s always worthy of a re-watch.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
7‘Halt and Catch Fire’ (2014-2017)
Created by Christopher Cantwell & Christopher C. Rogers
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An intriguing and topical period drama, Halt and Catch Fire is set in the ‘80s during the early days of the development of the personal computer as well as in the ‘90s during the emergence of the World Wide Web. The show follows a group of employees working on a project to build an IBM PC clone in the first season and evolves into a story about the development of web search engines by the fourth season.
The series takes viewers through some of the most critical periods of time in the development of technology that society relies heavily on today. Halt and Catch Fire was well reviewed but didn’t bring in the viewership numbers to make it one of AMC’s more memorable shows. Interestingly, however, as the show progressed through its seasons, many sources, including Rolling Stone, named it among the best shows of all time. For those who might have started watching and never finished, or didn’t appreciate it the first time around, now is the perfect time to check out Halt and Catch Fire again, particularly as we experience the AI revolution within the computing space.
Halt and Catch Fire
6‘Fear the Walking Dead’ (2015-2023)
Created by Robert Kirkman & Dave Erickson
Fear the Walking Dead ended up running for almost as long as the original series, for which it serves as a spin-off, The Walking Dead. While the show may have taken too many twists and turns throughout its run with a lot of major cast changes, the story was still an interesting one. Unlike the original that begins with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) waking up from a coma weeks into the apocalypse, Fear the Walking Dead begins just as the virus is spreading and residents begin to scramble, unaware of what’s going on.
The first few seasons are fabulous, introducing fans to favorite characters, while the show progresses to feature crossover characters from the original. It’s interesting to re-watch the entire show to see both how the situation changes and evolves and to consider how the events are running concurrently with the main series. Exciting, action-packed, and emotional, Fear the Walking Dead is among the most successful of the spin-offs.
Fear the Walking Dead
5‘The Night Manager’ (2016-)
Created by David Farr
With a second and third season finally confirmed eight years after the show ended, The Night Manager is one worth rewatching now to recall what happened in season one before diving into the upcoming second season. Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Jonathan Pine, a luxury hotel night manager and former military officer who, in some way, was given the task of taking down arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie).
Winning two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes, The Night Manager is among the best British spy thrillers. Considering how much time has passed since the first season, chances are some fans may have forgotten how it all ended. Even if it’s still fresh in the mind, relive the events that led up to the explosive end in anticipation of the continuation of the story.
The Night Manager (2016)
4‘Better Call Saul’ (2015-2022)
Created by Vince Gilligan & Peter Gould
A prequel series to Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul is more slow burn than fast-paced action. But knowing how it ends, re-watching can provide a new perspective and allow viewers to see different scenes and actions in a different light. Whether it’s the things Chuck (Michael McKean) says to Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) and how he treats him, Jimmy’s various attempts to become better, or Kim’s (Rhea Seehorn) dark side peeking through, there are subtle nuances that are easy to miss the first time around.
The most exciting part of the show is Jimmy’s transformation into Saul and the dangers he gets caught up in that fans know eventually leads him to meeting with and working for Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Was there ever any hope for Jimmy to be something other than who he became? Re-watching might shed light and spark debate with respect to that pressing question.
Better Call Saul
3‘Breaking Bad’ (2008-2013)
Created by Vince Gilligan
Arguably one of the best shows ever on television and undoubtedly one of the best of the 2000s, Breaking Bad solidified Bryan Cranston’s position as a serious dramatic actor and put Aaron Paul on the map. Cranston plays Walter White, a meek high school chemistry teacher who, gutted by the news that he has terminal cancer, becomes desperate to make money fast, so he can leave his wife and two children with something to support them. He turns to making and selling drugs, using his knowledge of chemistry and a former delinquent student and drug dealer named Jesse Pinkman (Paul). As it turns out, however, Walter’s blue crystal meth is as pure as it comes, and no one can figure out how he does it. Suddenly, Walt is thrust into the dark criminal underworld where his star is rising, and so is his ego.
Breaking Bad isn’t just a story about a good guy gone bad, it’s a slow progression of a man’s descent into a dark place, fueled by resentment and his deep need to feel wanted, needed, respected, and powerful. Re-watching the transformation is fascinating, from the moment Walt meets with Jesse to the pivotal turning point when he shaves his head, dons his hat, and demands to be called Heisenberg. “I am the danger” is one of the most impactful quotes in the show, and watching the terror in the face of Skyler (Anna Gunn), Walt’s wife, when he speaks it is a testament to why Breaking Bad is so great. The tension in every scene can be felt on the screen. How everything unfolds is a story fans can watch again and again.
Breaking Bad
2‘Mad Men’ (2007-2015)
Created by Matthew Weiner
Jon Hamm became a household name thanks to his portrayal of Don Draper (a fictional character who also became a household name) in Mad Men, a mysterious, womanizing creative director at an advertising agency in the ‘50s. Don has a knack for devising campaigns that leave jaws dropped and evoke emotions, leading clients to throw money at the firm and clamor to work with him. But he’s also a deeply troubled individual with a secret past that threatens to haunt and expose him.
Mad Men is an exciting look at the inner workings of the print advertising business in New York in the ‘50s. Everything that’s frowned upon, like heavy smoking, drinking in the office, misogyny, adultery, is par for the course in Mad Men. Widely considered to be one of the best TV shows ever made, Mad Men is one of the rare TV series that has remained relevant even 10 years after the final episode aired. From the opening pilot episode to that memorable final scene, it’s worth watching all over again.
Mad Men
1‘The Walking Dead’ (2010-2022)
Created by Frank Darabont
It has been so long since The Walking Dead began that it’s easy to forget some of the smaller details about the show. From Glenn (Steven Yuen) and Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) memorable first meeting to Andrea’s (Laurie Holden) budding relationship with The Governor (David Morrissey) and the subtle glances between Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) that hinted at romance long before it officially started, there are a lot of things even die-hard fans might have either forgotten or missed entirely.
The post-apocalyptic show follows a group of survivors trying to navigate the dangers of both the un-dead and humankind. Fans can relive the introduction of fan favorite characters and re-watch some of the most compelling character arcs, from Carol (Melissa McBride) to Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam). Somehow, even with the passage of so much time, The Walking Dead seems even better when watching it the second time around.
