AppSnap: AMC lets fans catch up with episodes - but there are limits

With a recent history of enormously popular shows, there's a lot to watch on AMC these days.

The channel has a new mobile app that aims to make it easier to catch up on the latest "The Walking Dead" or watch old favorites, such as "Breaking Bad."

But it won't do much good for those fans who don't have a satellite or cable subscription already, and it's still limited for subscribers.

The new app is easy to use, opening to a homescreen that displays the available shows.

Users will have to suffer through a short commercial before the video, and there are regular commercial breaks peppered throughout the episode.

Without logging in, users can play most pilot episodes of AMC's original programming. Several Web extras - short videos with the cast, for example - are available for each series.

To watch anything beyond that, viewers need to log in with their cable or satellite provider.

But don't think of the new app as a way of binge-watching "Breaking Bad" or even catching up on an old season of a current show.

AMC keeps the options fairly limited. The previous season of "The Walking Dead" is available right now, though the first four seasons are missing. Once the sixth season starts up next month, the app will only have current episodes available to stream.

Only five episodes from the third season of "Breaking Bad" are on the app right now, and one of AMC's best shows, "Mad Men," isn't available on this app at all.

Bottom line: AMC fans will like the ease of using this new option to catch up with an episode, provided it's in season or available to stream at the moment. But most of us would be better off subscribing to Netflix if we want access to previous seasons and old shows on demand.

Rating: 3 out of 5