TvStreaming
Latest
CW shows like 'Arrow' might be leaving Hulu this year
One of the worst parts about getting your TV fix through services like Netflix and Hulu is that your favorite show can disappear on any given day, with little warning. If you're a fan of the CW (home to shows like Arrow, Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), it unfortunately looks like it's getting a bit harder to stay up-to-date on the network's shows. According to Variety, the CW will pull out of Hulu in favor of putting up its shows on its ad-supported website. As with the current (and expiring) Hulu deal, only the five most recent episodes of any particular show will be available.
The 'Skylanders' TV show will debut on Netflix this fall
Netflix has snatched up another TV show that children will be begging their parents to stream. A new deal with Activision Blizzard will ensure Skylanders Academy, the first TV show based on the toys-to-life video game franchise, will premiere on Netflix this fall. It's not yet clear if the series will be shown elsewhere at a later date. Regardless, it's a major coup for Netflix as it seeks to build a broader, more attractive slate of shows for kids. Previous deals include a long-running partnership with DreamWorks, which has produced series based on Madagascar, Turbo and Voltron.
Netflix bumps older subscribers up to current UK prices
If you signed up for Netflix a few years back, it's possible you're paying a cheaper rate than new subscribers. That's because the company agreed to freeze some of its older members' packages up until May 2016. Now that the magical date is rolling around, these customers -- anyone paying £5.99 or £6.99 per month for the entry-level HD plan -- will soon be bumped up to £7.49. Some accounts are specifying May 9th as the switchover date, although it's possible you'll be moved across at a different point in the month. If the higher monthly fee sounds unreasonable, you've got just over two weeks to binge-watch everything the service has to offer.
'Black Mirror' season three won't be shown on Channel 4
Last September, Netflix commissioned a new season of Black Mirror from Charlie Brooker and the House of Tomorrow team. It was pitched as a "Netflix original," although the company stressed it would premiere internationally "in all Netflix territories outside the UK and Ireland." Here, it said, plans were "still being determined." As The Guardian notes, that's because Channel 4 -- which funded and aired the first two seasons -- was still in the running for first broadcast rights on its home turf. Not anymore. The negotiations have now wrapped up, with Netflix proving the victor. It means the next season of Black Mirror will now premiere globally on Netflix, including the UK. Channel 4, meanwhile, won't be showing the programme at all. "Black Mirror couldn't be a more Channel 4 show," Jay Hunt, Channel 4's Chief Creative Officer said. "We grew it from a dangerous idea to a brand that resonated globally. Of course, it's disappointing that the first broadcast window in the UK is then sold to the highest bidder, ignoring the risk a publically owned channel like Four took backing it." Netflix, on the other hand, is understandably thrilled with the outcome. Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix, said: "Netflix has been the proud home of Black Mirror in most of the world and are thrilled to support Charlie and Annabel's amazing vision for the new season that will premiere only on Netflix globally, including the UK." Black Mirror season three is effectively a Netflix exclusive, so you'll need a subscription to watch each new episode later this year. An exact release date hasn't been given, although the company has teased it'll be coming out "soon." As with earlier seasons, we suspect it'll deliver some pretty dark and unnervingly believable visions of our society in the near future. All new episodes. Coming soon. #BlackMirrorhttps://t.co/Ug5LY66VoY — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) March 29, 2016
Sony's original TV show 'Powers' returns on May 31st
Sony's first PlayStation TV show landed with a bit of a thud. Based on the comic book series by Brian Michael Bendis, Powers struggled to stand out against its superhero peers, especially those on rival streaming networks. The show does have a following, however, which was enough for Sony to commission a second season last May. Almost a year later, the company has announced that the first three episodes will debut in the US and Canada on May 31st, with free access for PlayStation Plus subscribers. A new trailer shows the mess that homicide detectives Christian Walker (Sharlto Copley) and Deena Pilgrim (Susan Heyward) will be trying to untangle this time around. The world's most famous superhero, Retro Girl, is murdered and the pair are told to investigate doing "whatever you need to do." Mayhem ensues, with superpowers and explosions galore. Around the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One, both Microsoft and Sony had grand ambitions for console-branded TV shows. Microsoft eventually abandoned its plans, however, after unbundling the Kinect and refocusing on video games. The TV-specific Xbox Entertainment Studios was closed, although a few shows did sneak through, such as the Atari: Game Over documentary and Halo: Nightfall. Sony was more cautious, green-lighting Powers -- a safe bet, given the interest in superhero adaptations at the moment -- and waiting for the reaction from PlayStation fans. Season two is probably its last chance to prove the concept is worth persevering with.
PlayStation Vue TV streaming is now available across the US
Sony is launching PlayStation Vue nationwide across the US, shaking off the "passion project" image that's haunted the service since its inception. If you live outside Vue's existing seven markets, however, you'll notice that channel availability and pricing is now a little different. Sony is pushing into the rest of the country with three smaller bundles called Access Slim, Core Slim and Elite Sim, the cheapest of which offers around 55 TV channels for $29.99 per month. That's slightly less than the regular Access tier, with the difference being that you'll only get on-demand content from ABC, FOX and NBC. There's no live viewing for these networks.
Vimeo adds Chromecast streaming to its Android app
Before now Vimeo, one of the internet's largest video platforms, didn't support Chromecast streaming through its Android app. It felt like a glaring omission, especially since the iOS app was given this functionality almost a year ago. Never mind, because to quote the company's update notes in the Play Store, "late is better than never." With the latest version of the Android app you can tap the Cast icon and beam whatever you're watching, be it a Staff Pick, On Demand documentary or the Vimeo-funded High Maintenance, to your dongle-powered TV or monitor. Groovy.
'Daredevil' season two trailer is all about The Punisher
Netflix has teased Daredevil's second season before, but today we've got a full-blown trailer showing the return to Hell's Kitchen. Matt Murdock seems conflicted about his actions in season one, but has little time to reflect as The Punisher, played by The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal, enters the fray with guns blazing. The vigilante is taking down crime lords by any means necessary, which worries Murdock as innocent lives are caught in the crossfire. The trailer finishes with The Punisher claiming Daredevil is a "half measure" and "can't finish the job." As you would expect, it ends in more bloodshed as the pair face off in a grisly downtown New York.
Sky Go gets a brand new look
Today Sky unwrapped its "biggest-ever redesign" of Sky Go, a companion service which lets TV customers watch movies and shows on hardware besides their main set-top box. With that sort of claim you would expect a radical new look, but in all honesty it's, well, rather dull and uninspired. Sky says it's the foundation for "new features" though which will make it easier to find whatever channel, box-set or film you're in the mood for. The redesigned website is already live and a new home page will be available on the Android app later today, preceding an iOS update in February. It's an improvement on the old version, but that's really not saying much. Still, a step forward is a step forward, even if it's only a small one.
Watch Amazon's 'Mozart in the Jungle' for free this weekend
To celebrate its two Golden Globe wins, Amazon is letting you watch its original series Mozart in the Jungle for free this weekend. Starting tomorrow at midnight ET, you'll be able to stream the show without a Prime membership until midnight Sunday local time. During the awards ceremony this week, the show won Best Musical or Comedy Series and Gael García Berna won Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series. This brought Amazon's Golden Globe win total to four following Tranparent's wins in the same categories last year. [Image credit: Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images]
Netflix and E4 team up for 'Kiss Me First' gaming drama
Netflix is a proven producer of top-tier TV shows, so it should come as no surprise that traditional broadcasters now want to collaborate on new projects. Today, Channel 4 announced that it's teaming up with the streaming giant for a show called Kiss Me First, which follows two girls and their dual lives in the real world and a video game called Agora. It'll premiere on E4 in the UK before being shown on Netflix around the world. The six-part drama won't be available to British Netflix subscribers, although that shouldn't be too much of a problem given that All 4 is essentially free to use (you'll have to sit through the ads though).
All 4 streaming app arrives on PlayStation 4
If your PlayStation 4 hogs the first or second input on your telly, there's a good chance it doubles as your TV streaming box too. It already has a bundle of apps including iPlayer and Netflix, but today an important service is joining its roster: All 4. The live streaming and on-demand service from Channel 4 (formerly known as 4oD) is now available from the UK PSN store, giving you easy access to programmes like Homeland and Fargo. This particular app only supports catchup viewing though, so you'll need to use another device if you want to tune in live. Given that Demand 5 is already available on the PS4, that means ITV Hub is the only service from the big terrestrial trio now missing on Sony's console.
Sky TV streaming comes to Xbox One a year after PS4
If you're a Sky TV subscriber with an Xbox One console, Christmas has come early. At last, the broadcaster has released a "TV from Sky" app for Microsoft's new console, giving users the ability to stream live TV and catch-up content. It's been an agonising wait, especially as PS4 owners were gifted the same service more than 12 months ago. To get started you'll need a Sky Go Extra account, which is £5 per month for regular Sky TV customers, or free if you're signed up for Sky Multiscreen. It'll count as one of your four registered devices though -- notable if you have multiple TVs in the house and a variety of streaming boxes underneath them.
BBC iPlayer to show trailers before programmes
When you next load up The Bridge on iPlayer, there's a good chance the BBC will try to tempt you with another show. The broadcaster has announced today that short trailers will now be shown ahead of programmes automatically. They'll be skippable, so hopefully the feature won't be too bothersome when you're trying to catch up with Newsnight over breakfast before work. For now these teasers are limited to the iPlayer website, specifically the Flash video player, although the BBC says it'll be rolled out to the HTML version and other platforms next year. To aid discovery, the BBC is also developing a bookmark tool so that you can easily retrieve a show you saw before The Great British Bake Off.
'Top Gear' returns in May 2016 without Clarkson
While Clarkson, May and Hammond develop a new motoring show for Amazon, the BBC is working on its biggest Top Gear reboot in years. Presenter Chris Evans (no, not Captain America) is taking over Clarkson's role and revealed last weekend exactly when the first episode will be airing. Well, sort of. During the BBC's live Saturday Kitchen show he said it would be broadcast on Sunday, May 5th. Which would be fine, if May 5th wasn't actually a Thursday. Whoops. The Guardian seems to have cleared up the issue though, clarifying that filming will finish on May 5th before the first episode airs on May 8th.
ITV launches 'Hub' with a focus on live TV
Wave farewell to ITV Player and say hello to ITV Hub. The British broadcaster has revamped its TV streaming service today with an updated design and navigation. The channels are now separated into different tabs with a large video player at the top of each one, making it easier to click/swipe through and immediately start watching live TV. Alternatively, you can scroll down the page or use the good old-fashioned search bar to see what's available on-demand. You'll find that most of ITV's shows have a limited selection of catchup episodes -- more so than BBC iPlayer or All 4, anyway -- but there's at least something for the nation's favourites such as The X Factor, The Jeremy Kyle Show and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! If none of those are your cup of tea (don't worry, we fall into that camp too) there's always Adventure Time and soon, Family Guy.
DisneyLife rolls movies, music and more into a £10 subscription
Right on schedule, Disney has launched its own streaming service in the UK. For £9.99 per month you'll gain access to many of the company's animated classics, such as The Lion King, Aladdin and The Jungle Book, as well as live-action hits such as Mary Poppins and Pirates of the Caribbean. A selection of Pixar films are also available, including Toy Story, Cars and Monsters Inc. It's not the full Disney library, but the company says more titles will be added over time. And yes, that includes Frozen, which will be arriving next spring.
Channel 4's All 4 will soon support Chromecast streaming
Love Channel 4 shows like Peep Show, Humans and Grand Designs? Own a Chromecast? If your answer to both of those questions is "yes," then we've got some good news for you. From November 24th you'll be able to watch All 4, the broadcaster's live streaming and catchup TV service (and the successor to 4oD) on your TV using Google's tiny dongle. It'll work through the Chrome browser and the All 4 Android app, followed by support in the iOS app around mid-December. If you have a spare TV, the combo could prove particularly useful over the Christmas period. Now, if and when your main TV is occupied, you've got another way to catch up on shows like Homeland and Empire undisturbed.
NBC's comedy streaming service starts free beta preview December 3rd
If you want to give SeeSo a shot before signing up, you'll get your chance next month. NBC's comedy streaming service will be available as a limited free public beta starting December 3rd. During the web-only trial period, viewers can expect to watch classics from Monty Python, including The Flying Circus, The Meaning of Life, Holy Grail, and Life of Brian. There's also the likes of 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Saved By the Bell, and both the US and UK versions of The Office. If that wasn't enough to convince you to check it out, episodes of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will be available the day after they air alongside 40 years of Saturday Night Live sketches.
BBC Store lets you buy and download classic TV shows
Before iPlayer existed, VHS tapes and DVDs were one of the few ways to rewatch BBC shows. Unless you caught a rerun or had diligently prepared the VCR, that is. These days iPlayer reigns supreme, but catchup is limited to a 30-day window -- so there's still a reason to buy your favourites on DVD, Blu-ray or digitally. Today, the BBC is embracing the latter with BBC Store, a new site that lets you buy, download and stream its best programming. Roughly 7,000 hours of TV is available at launch, including shows that have never been available digitally before, like Dad's Army and Morecambe & Wise.
