Posted by RadioActive  May 5, 2024 10:20 am | #1 |
I'm not talking about Netflix, Amazon or Disney+. I'm simply referring to those only available from Canadian sources.
Much as I'm not a fan of Bell, I'd have to nominate Crave as the service I'd choose if I had to pick just one to subscribe to. It has the most programming, including HBO & Starz shows, and a host of other series and movies, including some that are specifically made here for Canadian audiences. The ad free plan runs a pricey $22 a month.
StackTV, from Corus, does give you access to Global's heavy American laden primetime programming line-up, but as a non-reality fan, I can't imagine why you'd want most of what it offers. There are a lot of high profile names - Disney Channel, Lifetime, History, Food Network etc. - but really nothing there I'd be willing to pay for. Especially not for $13 a month, and a non-ad-free stream on most channels.
And finally, there's CityTV+. Again, you get the City line-up, like Law and Order and Chicago trios, but only shows from FX and FXX. Hardly worth $5 a month, especially when City and OMNI are both available for free.
Which would one - if any - do you think gives you the most value for your money? Or would you not bother with any of them?
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Posted by paterson1 May 5, 2024 10:53 am | #2 |
Boy, talk about dismissive and negative reviews of each service. Looks like you are trying to prompt pessimistic and unenthusiastic responses. Then we can whine about all the "great" US services we can't get? And what about CBC Gem? They don't cost much even for the commercial free version, have original programming, lots of imported movies and shows that nobody else carries, and even sports.
I have Crave with no commercials and charged $10 per month. Overall an OK service, and I watch when nothing else on OTA TV interests me, which is happening more and more. Their movies are usually worth watching, even most of the Canadian movies I have watched are pretty good. Crave does have a surprising amount of original programming. The on demand service doesn't have the volume of Netflix but does have a few sitcoms I enjoy.
This is the only streamer I subscribe to. Not really interested having any more since I don't really watch a lot of TV other than news and sports. If I move to Rogers from Bell, could very well dump Crave too.
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Posted by RadioAaron May 5, 2024 11:03 am | #3 |
I find it to be a bit of a grey area in terms of what is or isn't a Canadian streaming service. Sure, Crave is owned by Bell, but their deal with HBO pretty much turns it into MAX.
For a less obvious choice, I've been making use of PLUTO, which I'll consider as Canadian since its Canadian rights are owned by CORUS and they program and market it. I like that it has both linear "TV" channels and on-demand. I also use it to watch the news from another market that interests me.
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Posted by RadioActive May 5, 2024 11:23 am | #4 |
I was not being dismissive at all or at least had no intention to be. I was simply trying to point out that Crave is the superior service from a Canadian standpoint. Too bad Shomi is no longer an option. The others simply are not worth the money in my mind and the fact you only have one - Crave - is at least partly proof that you may share that opinion.
Neither StackTV nor Citytv+ has much that I would watch and they seem to me to be also-ran services trying to hop on a bandwagon they missed.
And you are right about one thing - I had forgotten CBC Gem, although it technically isn't a subscription service, which is what the post was about. And it's worth listing. I've visited CBC Gem and while you know how I often feel about the network, I will say they have a lot of other really interesting material on there, including stuff from Europe and the U.S. - all for free.
They even have the entire U.K. series of "Ghosts," on which the hit U.S. version is based. If you're a fan of the show, there's a certain fascination in seeing its origins and the changes they made for an American audience.
Some good documentaries on there, too.
You do need to sign up, but it's actually worth it.
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Posted by TheWiz May 5, 2024 12:27 pm | #5 |
I subscribe to Stack TV and love it, they have a lot of the content I'm interested in... but that's just me.
