If you cast your mind far, far back in time to the end of 2022, you'll remember the big HBO Max exodus, when plenty of popular Warner Bros. Discovery shows got dropped from the brand's streaming service (WBD owns HBO).
The likes of Westworld, Raised by Wolves, The Time Traveler's Wife and other popular shows all got unceremoniously jettisoned from HBO Max, much to the chagrin of fans who wanted to watch these shows at their leisure.
Well soon they can do so again, and for free, because Warner Bros. Discovery has signed deals with two Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) platforms — basically free streaming services.
First of these is Tubi, which has announced that it's gaining 225 titles as well as 14 live channels that'll circulate Warner Bros. Discovery videos, with Reality, Series and Family channels confirmed. Roku is the second one, and it's stated that it's also creating some channels and will also gain 2,000 hours worth of content.
Tubi is beginning its HBO Max content rollout in February, while Roku has said that it'll be launching its content in "spring 2023." It's worth pointing out that we'll have to wait for these dates to see exactly which shows each platform gets.
By the nature of FAST services, you won't need to pay to watch all the ex-HBO Max shows, but they'll be interrupted by ads. This won't be a new concept to many HBO Max subscribers, as the cheaper $9.99-per-month tier of that service was supported by ads.
This is great news for fans of quality TV, as while HBO Max has a huge library of great television (including Game of Thrones and recently The Last of Us) it's also one of the most expensive streaming services, with a $15.99 price tag on its ad-free tier.
Now, people who wanted to check out some of the service's top shows won't even need to pay. It's not just sci-fi shows coming to FAST; the likes of F-Boy Island, Say Yes to the Dress and Finding Magic Mike are all becoming free to watch too.
That doesn't mean that there's no reason to subscribe to HBO Max anymore, as it's still one of the best streaming services; there's lots of quality TV as well as Warner Bros movies and, as of mid-January, some live sports. But if you can't shell out for the pricey subscription, you can get a free taster thanks to Tubi and Roku.
