"Breaking Bad" fans who have the misfortune of subscribing to Dish are in luck.
Though Dish dropped AMC networks from its slate after a prolonged war of words, AMC is making the much-anticipated Season 5 premiere of its "Breaking Bad" available to Dish customers online for free.
Also read: Dish Announces Replacements for AMC Networks, Beginning This Weekend
Beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dish subscribers can begin registering for access to the live stream of the premiere at www.amctv.com/breakingbad4dish. The premiere, which airs Sunday at 10 p.m., will stream on AMCtv.com.
Also read: "Breaking Bad" Star Aaron Paul: In the Palm of Walter White's Hand
Ironically, AMC's announcement came the day after Viacom — which has been dropped by DirecTV in a fee dispute — yanked much of its online video, including "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."
“Every cable, phone and satellite company other than Dish carries AMC and its popular programming, including 'Breaking Bad,' 'The Walking Dead' and 'Mad Men,' in their basic package," AMC said of the stream. "AMC wants its loyal Dish viewers to experience the excitement of the 'Breaking Bad' premiere at the same time as their friends and neighbors, and we want to give DISH customers an extra week to switch providers so they can enjoy the rest of the season.”
Dish dropped AMC's networks — including IFC and WE tv, at the beginning of July, claiming that the ratings for the programs didn't justify the expense of keeping them.
AMC, which waged a campaign urging viewers to contact Dish and tell them to keep AMC's networks, claims that the pay service removed the programming in retaliation for an unrelated lawsuit filed against Dish by Zoom HD, an indirect subsidiary of AMC Networks.