What TV am I missing by streaming?

Deset Gled · Sep 13, 2019

Getting rid of cable a few years ago changed how I watch TV. One of those changes is that I am exposed to a lot less new shows every fall. I'm also aware that there are a lot of shows on basic cable that simply don't make it to streaming services. So, who can tell me about some entertaining shows that I'm missing by not having cable (or watching almost any live broadcast TV)?

One that I know of (that got me thinking about this more) is BattleBots. I love that show and watch it whenever I get access to it. Near as I can tell it's not available for legal streaming at all. I also recently learned that an animated version of Uzumaki is coming to Adult Swim, and I know I must find a way to get it when it comes out in 2020.

It's worth noting that I reside in the US. For the purposes of this thread, please include only stuff that can't be streamed at all; shows that are pay-per-episode or require a specific subscription (i.e. CBS stuff) are annoying, but still technically available.

Umbran · Sep 13, 2019

Deset Gled said:
One that I know of (that got me thinking about this more) is BattleBots. I love that show and watch it whenever I get access to it. Near as I can tell it's not available for legal streaming at all.

BattleBots | Watch Full Episodes & More! - Discovery

BattleBots Official Site. Watch Full Episodes, Get Behind the Scenes, Meet the Cast, and much more. Stream BattleBots FREE with Your TV Subscription!

go.discovery.com

Scroll down to where it says, "Full Episodes".

cmad1977 · Sep 13, 2019

The only thing I really seem to be missing is a couple local sports teams. Thanks to TV broadcasting rights, getting the local team on a streaming service isn’t possible most times.

Celebrim · Sep 13, 2019

In the past 20 years, there hasn't been a whole lot of TV worth watching. Since the cancellation of Firefly, I can only think of 'Avatar the Last Airbender' in the category of 'can't miss TV'.

Honestly, I watch more youtube hosts than I do TV shows these days. I find looking back that TV was something I usually watched because it required no effort, and not because I was usually enjoying what I was watching. When I have access to cable these days, I find I spend more time changing the channel repeatedly than I do watching anything.

Deset Gled · Sep 13, 2019

Umbran said:
BattleBots | Watch Full Episodes & More! - Discovery

BattleBots Official Site. Watch Full Episodes, Get Behind the Scenes, Meet the Cast, and much more. Stream BattleBots FREE with Your TV Subscription!

go.discovery.com

Scroll down to where it says, "Full Episodes".

Episode 1 is free. All the others go to a link that says "Sign In To Unlock All Shows! This service is Free with your TV subscription", and require you to use your cable provider to gain access. And, unfortunately, streaming cable like YoutubeTV or Sling are not listed as options.

There are a lot of cable TV channels that have apps that let you stream content, but require an active cable membership to watch (Comedy Central, etc). I guess I didn't specify it in my original post, but any such services really don't count for someone like me to who uses streaming as a replacement for cable (instead of a supplement).

Celebrim said:
In the past 20 years, there hasn't been a whole lot of TV worth watching. Since the cancellation of Firefly, I can only think of 'Avatar the Last Airbender' in the category of 'can't miss TV'.

Off the top of my head, I would call True Detective (season 1) and Hannibal "can't miss TV". Pushing Daisies, The Good Place, and Rick and Morty sift towards the top. Community, American Horror Story, and The Walking Dead would be examples of "great at their peak, but inconsistent". The thing is, I know the only reason I started watching Hannibal and American Horror Story was because I saw commercials for them. I'm curious to know what I'm missing.

Also, not all TV has to be "must see" to be worth watching an episode or two. I'm not ashamed to admit I watched more than my share of public access cable in the 90s. And just before I cut cable I caught a show called "Ice Goes Amish", which was about ex-rapper Vanilla Ice teaming up with Amish carpenters to do home makeover projects. Amazing TV? No. Worth watching an episode of for the experience? Totally.

Legatus Legionis · Sep 14, 2019

MarkB · Oct 6, 2019

The only thing I'll potentially miss by no longer having a UK TV licence or satellite TV subscription is Doctor Who. When the next season of that swings around, I'll consider whether it's worth getting a licence for long enough to catch up with the series on iPlayer, then cancelling it again.

I was hoping that BritBox would be a viable alternative, but the twelve month period before migrating shows from iPlayer to BritBox makes it less attractive.

Morrus · Oct 6, 2019

I guess the flagship non-streaming shows are/were Game of Thrones and Walking Dead. A lot of the upcoming good stuff (Picard, LotR, the Star Wars and Marvel stuff, etc) looks like it’s all streaming stuff.

I guess there’s the DC Arrowverse if you’re into that. I’m pretty bored of it, though Crisis looks amazing.

Doctor Who (when it’s not on an off-year).

MarkB · Oct 6, 2019

Morrus said:
I guess the flagship non-streaming shows are/were Game of Thrones and Walking Dead.

Even those you can get via streaming in the UK. I used a NOW TV subscription to watch the last season of Game of Thrones.

ccs · Oct 7, 2019

Morrus said:
I guess the flagship non-streaming shows are/were Game of Thrones and Walking Dead. A lot of the upcoming good stuff (Picard, LotR, the Star Wars and Marvel stuff, etc) looks like it’s all streaming stuff.

I guess there’s the DC Arrowverse if you’re into that. I’m pretty bored of it, though Crisis looks amazing.

Doctor Who (when it’s not on an off-year).

Here in the USA Walking Dead & the Arrowverse stuff streams on Netflix.
The DC stuff streams shortly after the season wraps up. Walking Dead about a month before the new season begins.
The Arrowverse stuff also streams on the CW site the day (or is it the week?) after it originally airs.
And I think you can pay per episode on Amazon.

GoT? Streams on HBOs service or by episode via Amazon.