The 15 best AMC original shows, ranked

AMC is still relatively new to original programming in the grand scheme of things, and no network hits it out of the park every single time. They’ve had some bad shows (looking at you, Low Winter Sun), and the bottom of this list is less “good” and more “not bad.” Hell on Wheels was a foray into Westerns that was…fine. They got to tell a full story through five seasons and 57 episodes, which is why it gets on the list.

Originally just called Turn, AMC tried to juice viewers by letting them know what the show was about. A show about people spying for George Washington during the Revolutionary War? On paper, that’s exciting. In execution, it was adequate.

A lot of “look how dark we are!” vibes from The Killing. It could verge into self-parody. It was nothing but rain and moodiness. However, it also had a strong cast, which papered over the cracks. The Killing felt boilerplate and heavy-handed but not without quality moments. Shout out to Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman. You did your best.

The Walking Dead has been spun off a few times. Tales of the Walking Dead is fresh, having debuted in 2022. What makes it work is that it is an anthology series set in the Walking Dead universe. That gives it some freshness. Sometimes it is even funny! On purpose!

Dispatches from Elsewhere is a limited-series, one-season thing, but there was intent on telling this story in one season, so we got closure. We also got quite the cast, including Jason Segal and Sally Field. The show was a little heavy on the quirk, but it was fun if you were on its wavelength.

A tale of two seasons. The first season of The Terror is about a lost Arctic expedition, and it rips. The second season is totally different, taking place in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. It’s not good. Thus, we balance the two and end up with this spot on the list for The Terror.

Fortunately, a second six-episode season of Dark Winds has already been announced because we definitely want more from this show. It’s a police thriller, not unlike The Killing, but better. Part of that is the freshness of a story about two Navajo police officers, and we don’t mind a 1970s period piece. Plus, Zahn McClarnon is a great actor getting a chance to shine as a lead.

You are either on the wavelength of Preacher, or you aren’t, and that’s totally understandable. It’s weird, transgressive, and intense. However, it’s the kind of show that yields intense devotion due to all those things. A show this polarizing can’t be too high on this list, and some of the show’s bigger swings didn’t work for us, so it gets kudos but can’t be higher than this.

This was the first time an AMC original was canceled abruptly, and people were disappointed. A throwback to ‘70s conspiracy thrillers, Rubicon was not perfect, but it was gripping and enticing. They put together a great cast for the show, and the first season was strong enough that, ideally, it would have kept going. Alas, it did not.

We’re entering the big time now. The Walking Dead is AMC’s biggest hit. Commercially speaking, it has been huge for the network. However, that popularity ended up being a bit of a drawback. Had The Walking Dead known when to walk away, it might have finished higher. By continuing on and eventually dragging on, it hindered its overall quality. Still, those first couple of seasons were worth a lot.

A true gem that sadly only lasted two seasons. Lodge 49 was odd, the right kind of quirky, funny, heartfelt, you name it. The most underrated show in AMC’s history, unfortunately, it ends on a cliffhanger, but you should still track Lodge 49 down and watch it. You won’t be disappointed.

The “Big Three” are coming, but Halt and Catch Fire is no slouch. It’s “the best of the rest,” as it were. The first season has some iffy parts, but then the show found its footing. Seasons two through four are excellent and made Halt and Catch Fire a really good show. Plus, there isn’t really anything like it in TV history in terms of subject.

A spinoff featuring Bob Odenkirk as a sleazy lawyer character who was secondary comic relief? Better Call Saul could have been a whiff. In fact, at first, Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan weren’t quite sure how the show would take shape. It ended up being less comedic than expected but absolutely thrilling. Odenkirk proved himself a capable dramatic lead, and Rhea Seehorn turned herself into a total star playing Kim Wexler. Better Call Saul is one of the best spinoffs and arguably the best legal show ever.

The show that first got people into AMC’s original programming, by and large. Mad Men was an Emmy darling and gave AMC prestige. Jon Hamm’s Don Draper became an iconic character. This show about the advertising industry and America in a bygone era looked great but had depth beyond that exterior. One of the two big lodestones of AMC, along with the show ranking just above it.

Breaking Bad had to be atop the list. It’s just so good. The story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin, worked in so many ways. It could be funny. It could be the best thriller on TV. It could be searingly emotional. You name it. The cast crushed it, led by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, but we could go on and on. Breaking Bad is a true gem of TV history and the best show AMC likely will ever produce.