5 streaming services to add to the rotation — and why

[NelsonG]

Streaming subscriptions are the norm these days, whether you've officially canceled cable or just need to have it all. Most of us TV fanatics have the major streaming services — Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV+, and Disney+ — but what about the literal dozens of other streamers competing in the same space? 

Just because something isn't a household staple yet doesn't mean it shouldn't be. If you want to be the first to catch a buzzy new show and tell all your friends to do the same, it might be time to add these streaming subscriptions to your list.

1. Peacock

Maybe Peacock caught your attention by snatching The Office from Netflix or Harry Potter from HBO Max. Maybe you got a trial to stream Tina Fey’s Girls5eva or Michael Schur’s Rutherford Falls. But there can be no better case for keeping Peacock than We Are Lady Parts. 

Created by Nida Manzoor, the English musical-comedy follows five Muslim women in a punk band, singing bangers like “Voldemort Under My Headscarf” and “Bashir with the Good Beard.” Main character Amina (Anjana Vasan) is so perfectly nervous, neurotic, and ill-suited for the world of punk rock, but it unleashes the best of her and her bandmates as they navigate life outside the music as well. With Season 2 on its way, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. 

How to watch: We Are Lady Parts is streaming on Peacock.

SEE ALSO: 13 best movies on Peacock

2. AMC+

Okay, so a lot of what’s on AMC+ also airs live on AMC. But did you know that a subscription can sometimes get you episodes in advance? I’m just saying, that could be clutch for the upcoming final season of Killing Eve.

And while you’re here, give Kevin Can F**K Himself a chance. The series airs on AMC and streams on AMC+. It’s worth watching for Annie Murphy’s grim performance alone. The show’s conceit — part sitcom, part gritty drama — really has no reason to work. Yet in the hands of creator Valerie Armstrong and co-executive producers Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Craig DiGregorio, the series leaves an indelible impression of what it is that sitcoms hide behind all the laughter and bright colors — about how easily we can misread people we think we know and the unplumbed depths within them.

How to watch: Kevin Can F**K Himself is now streaming on AMC+.

3. Starz

If you’ve had any interaction with Starz, it may include the frustration of searching for a show or movie on Prime Video or Hulu and finding out you can’t actually watch unless you pay more for this subscription. 

There is one word to explain why you should pay for Starz and that word is Heels. Created by Loki showrunner Michael Waldron, the series follows two brothers (Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig) participating in the local wrestling league left to them by their late father. This sensational series showcases all the drama, spectacle, and heartache that extends out from the ring. 

How to watch: Heels is now streaming on Starz.

4. Paramount+

The former CBS All Access now offers access to Paramount's extensive movie library, and to all the Star Trek you were watching there anyway. It's also home to Yellowstone prequel 1883, which premiered in December as the streamer's biggest debut to date. It follows Yellowstone's Dutton family as they push through the Great Plains toward Montana, their journey stalled by enemies, elements, and other obstacles. The series stars Sam Elliott, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Billy Bob Thornton, Isabel May, and more.

How to watch: 1883 is now streaming on Paramount+.

SEE ALSO: 10 scariest movies on Paramount+ to send a chill down your spine

5. Showtime

Like Starz, Showtime is a premium channel accessible through Hulu and Amazon. And it’s worth the cost just to watch Yellowjackets. The breakout drama follows a high school soccer team surviving 19 months in the Canadian Rockies after a plane crash. Many of them don’t make it, but we have to watch that unfold. 

It’s hard to recommend Yellowjackets (just as it was hard to recommend Kidding, another Showtime gem) because it is often viscerally disturbing. It’s bloody and gory, sometimes with horror-movie level supernatural thrills. But it is also deeply engrossing, surprisingly human, and boasts one of the most fascinating characters on TV right now. You’ll have to see for yourself if the hype is worth it.

How to watch: Yellowjackets is now streaming on Showtime.

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