Sundance TV is a bit of a mixed bag these days. But it’s still a good place to go to see interesting independent films from around the world. And it’s easy to get without cable.
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Table Of Contents
Sundance TV is yet another victim of channel drift, the wandering away of a once-niche TV network from its original wheelhouse. In this case, indie documentaries, short films, and world cinema.
But while Sundance these days does carry NCIS reruns, it also still has some international independent films. Read on for a closer look.
What Is Sundance TV
Sundance TV is indeed named for the famed Sundance Film Festival founded by Robert Redford. Of course, the festival was named for his breakout role in the classic 1969 George Roy Hill western, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
It was first launched as The Sundance Channel in 1996 by Redford, Showtime (which would become part of Paramount Global), and PolyGram (which ended up part of NBCUniversal). In 2008, it was purchased by what is now AMC Networks, which also owned Sundance’s main rival, the Independent Film Channel (IFC).
Sundance TV is joined by its AMC sister-channels IFC in showcasing independent film, AMC for prestige drama series, ShortsTV for exclusively short-form productions, BBC American and BBC World News for Anglophiles, and WE tv for women-centered family and lifestyle reality.
AMC also offers the subscription-based streaming services Shudder (horror movies), Allblk (targeting viewers of color), Acorn TV (British and other English-speaking, non-American film and TV), AMC+, WE tv+, Sundance Now (more on this below), IFC Films Unlimited, and AMC Premiere.
Other non-AMC channels that cover international or independent films or film festivals are Fandor, Cinefest, Magnolia Selects, and Warriors & Gangsters.
Sundance TV Shows
Sundance TV still has some stuff to interest fans of films from the festival circuit, more artistic or avant-garde fare, British film and TV, and high(er)-brow reality shows. Its independent films from around the world include some that appeared at the Sundance Film Festival.
But you won’t find those on the schedule most weeks. Instead, there are classic TV shows from just about every decade going back to the fifties and sixties.
And there are a few movies on the weekends like Young Guns starring Emilio Estevez, Man on Fire and Training Day with Denzel Washington, and Casino and Heat with Robert de Niro. These are all more what you would expect on AMC.
Featured shows on the Sundance TV website (available on-demand with TV provider credentials):
- State of the Union†
- NCIS
- Columbo
- JAG
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- This Close†
- Back (British)
- Green Porno
- Mammas
- Seduce Me
† Sundance TV Original
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Stream Sundance TV
Sundance TV isn’t hard to find. Most streaming services carry it. Channel lineups, prices, and additional features vary widely. But that means you can find a package that fits your viewing style and not pay for extras you don’t want (like with cable or satellite).
Let’s get down to some details.
Philo
Philo is your go-to service for saving money. For $25/mo, you get over 60 channels, a few of them being Sundance TV, AMC, BBC America, BBC World News, IFC, and WE tv.
You also get unlimited cloud DVR and you can stream on up to 3 devices. The trade-off is no NBCUniversal (Bravo, Syfy, USA), WarnerMedia (TBS, CNN, Cartoon Network), Disney (Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform), local stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox), or any sports or news channels (except BBC World News).
For everything you need to know, see our Philo review.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a smorgasbord of channel options. You pick a base package ($40.00/mo), and then customize it with extras and add-ons. The result is a custom package that’s cheaper if you like a few niche channels, but can get more expensive if you really enjoy the options of flipping through 80-140 networks.
Sundance TV fans will have to make a few choices: go for Sundance TV in the Hollywood Extra ($6/mo) or get AMC+ Extra ($7/mo), which includes on-demand access to content from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and Sundance TV as well as full access to IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder, and Sundance Now.
Sling also contains the most robust selection of premium add-on channels, and many feature indie and international movies and TV: Acorn TV, Cinefest, IFC Films Unlimited, Magnolia Selects, Shudder, and Warriors & Gangsters.
All Sling plans come with 50 hours of cloud DVR. The Sling Blue plan comes with streaming on up to 3 devices but the Sling Orange is limited to one. See our Sling TV review.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is the closest you get to traditional cable. If you liked everything about cable except the bill, the contract, and installation appointment, sign up! But it’s better than even that.
Its Entertainment Package ($79.99/mo) has the biggest percentage of the most popular cable channels, including Sundance TV, AMC, BBC America, and WE tv. If you want ShortsTV and IFC, you’ll have to upgrade to the Choice Package ($108.99/mo).
All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR (online sign-up) and streaming on unlimited devices at once. For more details, see our DIRECTV STREAM review.
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YouTube TV
YouTubeTV offers over 85 channels for $72.99/mo, including Sundance TV, AMC, BBC America, BBC World News, IFC, and WE tv. They also have an expansive collection of a la carte premium channels (not as good as Sling TV, however) to choose from: Acorn TV, AMC+, Fandor, IFC Films Unlimited, Shudder, Sundance Now, and WE tv+ are just a few.
Sundance Now
Sundance Now is Sundance’s subscription-based on-demand streaming service. It’s got all the independent, international, original stuff that used to be the focus of Sundance TV.
New content is added every week. Current popular items are Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle (a Sundance Now Exclusive), season 2 of The Split, The Little Drummer Girl, and A Discovery of Witches (a Sundance Now/Shudder Original).
Membership starts at $6.99/mo, or $59.99/yr, and you can subscribe through Sling TV or YouTubeTV or just go to the Sundance Now website and sign up through them.
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TVs and Devices to Watch Sundance TV
Pretty much any smart TV or other streaming device that you’ve purchased in the last few years should be supported by the streaming services we’ve discussed above. These include:
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Android mobile
- Chromecast
- iOS devices
- Roku
- Web browsers
Philo doesn’t support Samsung smart TVs, but the others do. And DIRECTV STREAM doesn’t support Android TV-based devices but the others do. Sling and YouTube both support LG and VIZIO smart TVs as well as Xbox gaming systems.
Don’t see your device listed here? See our streaming service reviews for complete details.
Today’s Sundance TV Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| The Andy Griffith Show – Barney's Sidecar Barney adds a vintage motorcycle to the rolling stock of the Mayberry Sheriff's Department. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – My Fair Ernest T. Bass A mountain-bred would-be Romeo is brought into Andy's home to be taught some manners. | |
| Law & Order – Harvest Prosecutors question a gunman's culpability when a medical report on the victim of a drive-by shooting raises suspicions about a doctor. | |
| Law & Order – Nullification A deadly robbery leads to a suburban militia; McCoy questions his safety when he faces the group leader in court. | |
| Law & Order – Baby, It's You A teen model's death leads Briscoe and Curtis to her parents in Baltimore; there they enlist detectives Munch and Falsone. (Concluding on "Homicide: Life on the Street.") | |
| Law & Order – Blood Briscoe and Curtis investigate a new mother's death and the disappearance of her baby, leading prosecutors to probe the husband's role in the affair. | |
| Law & Order – Shadow A bail bondsman's death leads detectives to a corrupt lawyer with a connection to the district attorney's office. | |
| Law & Order – Burned A killer's confession prompts detectives to reopen a deadly arson case involving a family with ties to Schiff. | |
| Law & Order – Ritual A visiting doctor, thought to be a terrorist, becomes a suspect in the death of an Egyptian man; Ross learns the doctor specializes in female circumcision. | |
| Law & Order – Under the Influence An accident that kills three people hits close to home for Curtis and brings back painful memories for McCoy. | |
| Law & Order – Expert A forensic specialist is targeted by killers, challenging Briscoe and Curtis to find a suspect; McCoy and Ross turn up evidence on the victim. | |
| True Crime Story – It Couldn't Happen Here: New Albany, Mississippi When a beloved member of a tight-knit community is killed, the town cries out for immediate justice; after a young man is sentenced to death for the crime, and an out-of-town lawyer argues they convicted an innocent man. | |
| True Crime Story – It Couldn't Happen Here: Benton, MO After a teenage girl is found murdered in her car on the side of a highway, a stranger from out of town is convicted of her murder; when the deputy who originally discovered the body becomes sheriff, he calls everything into question. | |
| True Crime Story – It Couldn't Happen Here: Wahpeton, ND When the body of a missing student is discovered in the river near a small college town, the community questions the role law enforcement may have played in his death. | |
| True Crime Story – It Couldn't Happen Here: New Albany, Mississippi When a beloved member of a tight-knit community is killed, the town cries out for immediate justice; after a young man is sentenced to death for the crime, and an out-of-town lawyer argues they convicted an innocent man. | |
| Law & Order – Castoff Detectives search for the killer of a physician who had a dangerous sex life; an attorney maintains murders are a result of too much television. | |
| Law & Order – Grief Detectives seek a motive for a man's brutal beating; Ross uncovers an unlikely accomplice in the assault case. | |
| Law & Order – Faccia a Faccia The detectives link a dead FBI witness to an overeager hit man and a gangster; Schiff pushes to prosecute the mob for the murder. | |
| Law & Order – Divorce The stabbing death of a psychologist draws Detectives Briscoe and Curtis into a heated divorce case and pits McCoy and Ross against a manipulative attorney. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Prisoner of Love Andy and Barney fall for the charms of a female prisoner who threatens to crumble the security of the Mayberry jail. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Hot Rod Otis Otis Campbell acquires a car and threatens the lives and limbs of Mayberry's pedestrian population. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – The Song Festers Choir director John Masters decides to give Gomer the solo in the upcoming concert instead of Barney. Gomer fakes laryngitis when he learns how important the part is to Barney. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – The Shoplifters Barney disguises himself as a dummy in an attempt to solve a series of thefts in a Mayberry department store. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Andy's Vacation Andy goes on vacation, leaving Barney and Gomer in charge of Mayberry. However, Andy cannot enjoy his rest as Barney and various townspeople interrupt his peace. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Andy Saves Gomer Gomer believes that Andy has saved his life after Andy wakes him to put out a small fire at the filling station. Indebted, Gomer dedicates himself to repaying Andy in return. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Bargain Day Aunt Bee buys a side of beef from a discount butcher shop to save money. When she gets home, she discovers that her bargain freezer does not work. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Divorce, Mountain Style Charlene Darling-Wash wants to perform a mountain ritual to divorce Dud Wash and marry Andy. When Barney discovers a way to counteract the ritual with another ritual, Andy decides to fight fire with fire. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – A Deal Is a Deal Opie and his friends become involved in a scheme selling worthless salve. Barney and Gomer disguise themselves and head to Mount Pilot to fool two salve cons into buying all their salve back. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Fun Girls Two fun-loving girls from Mount Pilot interrupt Andy and Barney, who are working late doing inventory. They end up in hot water when Helen and Thelma Lou see them with the other girls. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – Return of Malcolm Merriweather Aunt Bee feels unneeded when Malcom Merriweather returns to Mayberry and gets enlisted to help at the Taylor House to give Aunt Bee a break from work. | |
| The Andy Griffith Show – The Rumor Barney sees Andy and Helen sneaking a kiss in the jewelry store and tells everyone they are engaged. Aunt Bee redecorates Andy's room to make it more appropriate for a bride and throws a surprise party for them. | |
| True Crime Story – It Couldn't Happen Here: New Albany, Mississippi When a beloved member of a tight-knit community is killed, the town cries out for immediate justice; after a young man is sentenced to death for the crime, and an out-of-town lawyer argues they convicted an innocent man. |
Wrapping Up
Where can you tune in to see Isabella Rossallini dressing up as a male snail to show mollusk mating habits in a 2 minute short? You know the answer!
Just sign up for one of the services listed above and you can join Colman Domingo and guests for Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s every Sunday morning — and the cable company isn’t invited.
We recommend Sling TV for fans of Sundance TV.
FAQs
Can I watch Sundance TV with AMC+?
The Sundance TV channel is not included with AMC+. Sundance TV is a linear channel — that’s a traditional live TV channel with a schedule. AMC+ is AMC Network’s uber-streaming service, which combines all their other single-channel niche streaming services’ content and adds the best of AMC itself and the entire Walking Dead Universe.
In many ways, AMC+ (or Sundance Now described above) may be much more what you’re looking for. It has the prestige drama series, international selections, and psychological thrillers that used to be on Sundance TV, AMC, and the other channels.
And you can watch episodes a full week before they air on their live channel to everyone else. Subscriptions start at $8.99/mo. It’s cheaper to get it with Sling TV.
Why don’t Hulu + Live TV or FuboTV offer Sundance TV?
Neither Hulu + Live TV nor FuboTV carry any channels from AMC Networks, which owns Sundance TV and AMC among others. Content providers charge a carriage fee per channel per subscriber. Even the larger TV providers have to make hard choices about which channels to carry in order to keep subscription costs down for customers. Fubo also doesn’t carry WarnerMedia or A&E, YouTube TV doesn’t carry A&E, and Fubo and Hulu, for whatever reason, decided not to go for AMC.
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