Comcast dropping network that carries "U.N.C.L.E.," other classics

Channel D out?

Pop-culture nuts and baby boomers who were thrilled to discover cable's AmericanLife Network will be vexed that "U.N.C.L.E.'s" Napoleon and Illya are signing out for good. As of April 3, Comcast is dropping the channel, 123, from its Washington lineup.

Formerly the GoodLife Television Network, AmericanLife TV Network (ALN) (www.goodtv.com) has been a treasure trove of classic shows, many still unavailable on DVD.

In addition to "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," it airs "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." and "I Spy" on Wednesdays as well as "77 Sunset Strip," "Hawaiian Eye," "The Adventures of Superman," "Combat!," "Kung Fu," "Maverick," "Chico and the Man" and many others.

Its cool programming has included the originally unaired "U.N.C.L.E." pilot, titled "Solo," which ran on ALN with pop-up trivia.

Comcast spokesman Steve Kipp says ALN is going, as well as Starz East and Encore East, to make room for: TV One (a lifestyle and entertainment network aimed at black adults and marketed as an alternative to BET), Starz IndiePlex (showcasing independent filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese), and RetroPlex (a movie channel aimed at baby boomers and Gen Xers, whose motto is "Movies so in they'll never be out").

Kipp explains that ALN was part of a subscription tier called "Digital Extra" that fewer than 1 percent of Washington's 1.2 million Comcast subscribers bought. However, he says, "TV One has been in demand across the country. It's an alternative for an audience that really doesn't have a lot of a lot of alternatives."

ALN is seen in about 10 million households and is not available on satellite. "It's all family-friendly," says spokesman Eric Thomas, "and in this environment where Congress is talking about censoring programming on cable, doing family tiering seems like a good idea."

Kipp says viewers can register their opinions with customer-service reps at 888-COMCAST.

Mark Rahner: 206-464-8259 or mrahner@seattletimes.com