Once upon a time, streaming services were heralded as the antidote to the increasing cost of TV subscription packages, giving affordable options to those who wanted high quality and varied entertainment, without having to shell out for an extortionate monthly bill. However, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end – and now the streaming world is kind of a mess, with an almost overwhelming amount of options, all of which seem to be raising their prices.
So how can we return to the once blissful days before Netflix started haemorrhaging money and began introducing ads? Well, the power is in the hands of the consumer in this case, because although these services work on a rolling monthly subscription, there’s nothing stopping you from cancelling at will. We suggest taking the time to go through your streaming services, and figuring out how often you use them or if the content on there appeals to you. The bonus here is that you won’t pay for a month of Netflix, Disney Plus or any other service when there’s nothing for you to watch; and the best part is you can re-activate your subscription at any time.
So the question comes down to: which ones should stay and which ones should go this September? Immediately Netflix springs to mind, once the king of the streaming world, and now struggling to keep its head above the water amidst the ferocious streaming wars. Unless you plan on watching excellent fantasy drama The Sandman, or sci-fi hit Stranger Things then there’s not really a good reason to keep Netflix around right now – especially with subscription prices for the premium tier rising by £2 / $2 / AU$3 over the last year. Likewise with Paramount+, unless you’re a Star Trek fan or interested in Yellowstone, you could save some money by ditching it.
Now (formerly Now TV) is a tricky one, as House Of The Dragon is streaming, with new episodes coming weekly, but if you’re not a Game Of Thrones fan already, then Now might not be a priority on the streaming list. Apple TV+ does have some interesting content, with the final series of See releasing weekly this month, but the content remains Apple exclusive so be wary of the limited, yet undoubtedly high quality selection.
Now for something more optimistic, streaming services that are worth their money this month. Immediately Amazon Prime Video springs to mind, with possibly the most ambitious streaming series we’ve ever seen hitting the platform this month. Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power serves as a prequel to the beloved fantasy epics of the early 2000’s, and early reviews say that the series is getting off to a strong start. Amazon has invested $1billion into this new series, and backed by the prestigious IP, it's sure to be a spectacle. Elsewhere on the service is the explicit yet profound superhero series The Boys which wrapped its most recent series in July, and Christopher Nolan’s mind (and time) bending action flick Tenet is hitting the service on 9th September. Prime Video has also just received a user interface overhaul which makes the platform more streamlined, and appears to have addressed some of the issues we had with the service recently. Prime Video also has other perks as it includes all the benefits of Amazon Prime, and with the imminent Prime Early Access Sale, there may be more benefits to Prime Video than big budget action.
However, if fantasy epics aren’t your thing then we have an alternative. Disney Plus is another streaming service that’s worth keeping around this month, especially if you’re a Marvel and/or a Star Wars fan. Courtroom drama meets comedy meets ultimate destruction in She Hulk, a new series set within the ever expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, with new episodes dropping every Thursday this September.
The Marvel fun doesn’t stop there however, with Thor: Love And Thunder coming to Disney Plus on 8th September, and the horror inspired X-Men movie New Mutants streaming now. Later this month, 21st September to be exact, a new Star Wars series will debut titled Andor, based on the brilliant Star Wars: Rogue One. Other recent additions that make Disney Plus worth keeping this September are Pixar’s Toy Story spinoff, Lightyear, and the newest entry in the Predator franchise, Prey.
Taking the time to spring clean your streaming services shouldn’t take long, and could save you some serious money this month. Netflix’s premium plan alone costs £15.99 / $19.99 / AU$22.99 a month, an expensive waste if there’s nothing on the platform for you to watch. At a time when everyone is feeling the pinch, don’t feel obligated to keep that subscription ticking over. Next month may change, with new content hitting services constantly, perhaps a modular-style streaming world may work for you.
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