Not sure what streaming service suits your needs? Luckily, many of them will allow you to sample their wares gratis before paying to sign up.
Some pro tips from the TV pros: We suggest taking advantage of one free trial at a time and starting it when you have ample hours to really explore the programming (hello, staycations!). And definitely make sure to write down the date you need to cancel by to avoid the credit card you’ll need to enter from being charged if you decide to opt out.
Hulu
The Offer 30 days, then from $6.99 per month
What to Watch Steve Martin and Martin Short’s twisty comedy Only Murders in the Building and the new psychic rom-com Maggie are must-see originals, as are first-rate limited series Dopesick and The Dropout. Binge Bones, Castle, or Elementary. Cherry-pick episodes of The Bob Newhart Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and other classics. Call it recon if you’re debating cutting the cord: Hulu + Live TV (with Disney+ and ESPN+) is $69.99/month.
Brendan Meadows/SHOWTIME
Showtime
The Offer 30 days, then $10.99 per month
What to Watch Start with the buzzy plane-crash thriller Yellowjackets, Vanessa Bayer’s home-shopping comedy I Love That for You, and the power-hungry drama Billions. Finally binge full series from Showtime’s vault (Ray Donovan, Dexter, Homeland, The Affair), peruse the film library and keep an eye out for boxing and MMA matches. For $1 more, your trial can also include seven days of Paramount+. Visit Showtime.com/paramountplusbundle.
Trae Patton/Paramount+
Paramount+
The Offer Seven days, then from $4.99 per month
What to Watch The streamer is home to all things Star Trek, from the mothership to the current Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds, so you can do a deep (space) dive. The creepy Evil and worthy Good Wife–follow-up The Good Fight are essential. SEAL Team fans can see the most recent season, while Yellowstone lovers can prospect prequel 1883. Plus, catch up on CBS shows, and, if you can wait, time the trial to the start of the SEC and NFL football seasons.
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Prime Video
The Offer 30 days, then $14.99 per month (which includes Amazon Prime!)
What to Watch Don’t sleep on butt-kicking originals like superhero satire The Boys, vigilante tale Reacher and Chris Pratt’s Navy SEAL crusade The Terminal List. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and the Kids in the Hall return reign for laughs. Some MLB games are included, but do a simultaneous MLB.tv seven-day trial via Prime (from $24.99/month) for more. Thursday Night Football games air exclusively here this fall.