Suddenly, Netflix has a trove of AMC dramas

For Netflix viewers, this is an unexpected bonanza.
On Monday (Aug. 19), they’ll suddenly add 13 series. Most are pretty good; some are sort of great.
All arrive from the AMC cable network, for a one-year stay on Netflix. That includes “Walking Dead” and Anne Rice tales (including “Interview With the Vampire,” shown here), plus others – “Dark Winds,” “Monsieur Spade” – that are less-known, but beautifully crafted.
Their journey tells a lot about recent TV changes:
AMC was the first spot to prove that a basic-cable drama could have the same quality as ones on HBO and other premium channels. “Mad Men” won three Emmys for best drama series … “Breaking Bad” won two … “Better Call Saul” didn’t win, but was nominated every year.
Those shows drew huge prestige, but modest ratings. Then AMC’s “The Walking Dead” had three seasons where it was No. 1, with more viewers than anything on broadcast.
But as streaming soared, basic cable receded. It has lost about a third of its subscribers and the ones who remain have more distractions.
Several channels – Pop, Paramount, TNT, USA – have dropped all or most scripted dramas. Only two – FX and AMC – focus on serious ones.
The difference is that FX then puts its shows on Hulu, with 50 million subscribers; AMC shows go to AMC+, with 11.5 million.
So nowAMC takes the big plunge – a year on Netflix, with its 270 million subscribers worldwide. That’s where some shows (especially “Suits”) have been belatedly discovered.
Viewers will find shows that range from fantasy to gritty realism; at either extreme, they tend to be richly crafted. That includes:
— Two “Walking Dead” tales – one season of “Daryl Dixon” and eight of “Fear the Walking Dead.”
— Two based on Anne Rice novels. There’s one season each of “Interview With the Vampire” (sometimes stunningly good in its dialog and acting) and “Mayfair Witches.”
— Another witch tale – three seasons of “A Discovery of Witches.”
— Two exceptional mysteries. There are two seasons of “Dark Winds,” focusing on Navajo Tribal Police, and one of “Monsieur Spade.” The latter imagines that Sam Spade, the hard-boiled detective, tries to live quietly in post-war France. It had remarkable dialog and then a cluttered finish.
— Action shows with cowboys (a season of “That Dirty Black Bag”), samurai (three of “Into the Badlands”) and gangsters (two of “Gangs of London”).
— And shows that defy category. There’s one season of “The Terror,” with Arctic tragedy … four of “Preacher” (a preacher acquires extra powers and a vampire friend) … and two of “Kevin Can F*** Himself,” which alternated between broad comedy (with a lovable lunk) and dark drama (with his mistreated wife).