It\u2019s time to churn, baby, churn.<\/p>\n
The streaming scene has changed significantly over the past year or so, and for the worse: more expensive, less new programming, smaller libraries of older shows. And it\u2019s coming at a time when consumers are being increasingly pressed by higher costs on all fronts. Prices for Disney\u2019s ad-free tiers are rising sharply in October, while Netflix just raised fees on some plans and Amazon plans to jack up prices in early 2024 for those who don\u2019t want to see commercials. So it\u2019s time for consumers to once again reassess which services are really worth paying for.<\/p>\n
There are three options if you don\u2019t want your monthly streaming bill to look like your old triple-digit cable bill: bundle (you can save significantly with a Hulu-Disney+ package, for example), move to cheaper plans with commercials (ugh) or just drop the services you watch least. Pick a maximum monthly price ceiling and stick to it \u2014 at this point, most people don\u2019t need more than two or three services anyway.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re frustrated by paying more for less, and want to make a point, cancelling a service is the one way that companies will take notice. Streaming services hate churn (adding and dropping services month-to-month) because it lowers their subscriber base and forces them to raise their marketing costs to win you back. As a consumer, it\u2019s really your only weapon.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t like how Max keeps removing older shows? Dump it. Finding yourself watching less and less Disney+? Ditch it. It\u2019s satisfying, it\u2019s economical and you can always sign up again in the future. <\/p>\n
One benefit of streaming services is they\u2019re a lot easier to cancel than cable. With prices soaring, now\u2019s the time to be brutal in winnowing your subscriptions. A churn strategy takes some planning, but it pays off. Keep in mind that a billing cycle starts when you sign up, not necessarily at the beginning of the month.<\/p>\n
Each month, this column offers tips on how to maximize your streaming and your budget, rating the major services as a \u201cplay,\u201d \u201cpause\u201d or \u201cstop\u201d \u2014 similar to investment analysts\u2019 traditional ratings of buy, hold or sell, and picks the best shows to help you make your monthly decisions.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at what\u2019s coming to the various streaming services in October 2023, and what\u2019s really worth the monthly subscription fee:<\/strong><\/p>\n After a ho-hum past few months, Netflix After a two-year layoff, the French heist thriller series \u201cLupin\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 5) returns for its third season. Omar Sy stars as a master thief who\u2019s now on the lam, and he carries the show largely on his charisma. It\u2019s a fun one, and a welcome return for viewers.<\/p>\n But the big-name show of the month is \u201cThe Fall of the House of Usher\u201d <\/strong>(Oct. 12), from horror hit-maker Mike Flanagan (\u201cThe Haunting of Hill House,\u201d \u201cMidnight Mass\u201d). The miniseries, based on Edgar Allan Poe\u2019s classic story, combines Gothic horror with a modern twist, as the corrupt CEO of a family-owned and scandal-plagued pharmaceutical company is forced to face demons from his past as his family members keep dying, one by one, in increasingly gruesome ways. The sprawling cast includes Bruce Greenwood, Annabeth Gish, Carl Lumbly, Carla Gugino, Rahul Kohli, Mark Hamill, Henry Thomas and Mary McDonnell. This should be one to watch, if for nothing else than to finally see a Sackler-like family get their comeuppance.<\/p>\n Also on the way: the seventh seasons of the raunchy animated adolescent comedy \u201cBig Mouth\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 20) and the Spanish high school soap \u201cElite\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 20); \u201cPain Hustlers\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 27), a meh-looking satirical crime drama starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans as scheming pharmaceutical reps; and the nature documentary \u201cLife on Our Planet\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 25), narrated by Morgan Freeman.<\/p>\n More:<\/strong> What\u2019s new on Netflix in October 2023 \u2014 and what\u2019s leaving<\/p>\n And you may have missed it, but Netflix snuck in a new season of\u00a0\u201cThe Great British Baking Show\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>at the end of September. New episodes stream every Friday, and feature new co-host Alison Hammond, replacing Matt Lucas, who always seemed out of place.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Netflix for?<\/strong>\u00a0Fans of buzz-worthy original shows and movies.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Play. Between some good-looking new shows, fresh eps of the \u201cGreat British Baking Show\u201d and recent additions such as \u201cSex Education\u201d<\/strong> (though its final season is underwhelming) and HBO\u2019s classic \u201cBand of Brothers,\u201d <\/strong>Netflix is once again a must-have.<\/p>\n After a dismal September, Max has a better October lineup, with Season 2 of the beloved pirate comedy\u00a0\u201cOur Flag Means Death\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 5), starring Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi as wildly different ship captains involved in a star-crossed romance; Season 2 of \u201cThe Gilded Age\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 29), Julian Fellowes\u2019 \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d-esque costume drama set in 1880s New York high society, with a sprawling cast that includes Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Morgan Spector and Louisa Jacobson; and the fourth and final season of the DC superhero dramedy \u201cDoom Patrol\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 12). Also, now that the writers strike is over, \u201cLast Week Tonight with John Oliver\u201d<\/strong> is back every Sunday.<\/p>\n Notably, Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s Also: <\/strong>What\u2019s new on Max in October 2023 \u2014 and what\u2019s leaving<\/p>\n This is also your last chance to watch a bunch of AMC shows that are getting a two-month promotional run on Max:\u00a0\u201cFear the Walking Dead\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Seasons 1-7,\u00a0\u201cAnne Rice\u2019s Interview with the Vampire\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Season 1,\u00a0\u201cDark Winds\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Season 1,\u00a0\u201cGangs of London\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Seasons 1-2,\u00a0\u201cRide with Norman Reedus\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>Seasons 1-5,\u00a0\u201cA Discovery of Witches\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Seasons 1-3, and\u00a0\u201cKilling Eve\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>Seasons 1-4 will all leave Oct. 31. Do yourself a favor and at least watch \u201cDark Winds.\u201d<\/p>\n One more hidden gem to discover: Season 3 of the British rom-com \u201cStarstruck,\u201d<\/strong> which landed Sept. 28. It\u2019s utterly charming and unwaveringly romantic (though Season 3 is more bittersweet), with literal LOL moments and some of the most swoon-worthy banter in recent years. Catch up with all three seasons, it\u2019s an easy binge that\u2019s extremely satisfying.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Max for?<\/strong>\u00a0HBO fans and movie lovers. And now, unscripted TV fans too, with a slew of Discovery shows.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Pause and think it over. It\u2019s an exceptionally weak month for streamers, but Max\u2019s lineup \u2014 especially with the addition of live sports and its deep library \u2014 makes it one of the least weakest.<\/p>\n Prime Video has a fine lineup in October. Not great. Not terrible. But very OK.<\/p>\n \u201cTotally Killer\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(Oct. 6) looks to be a cleverer-than-most spin on a horror trope, as Kiernan Shipka (\u201cMad Men\u201d) stars as a 17-year-old who travels back in time to 1987 to stop a serial killer before he can start a slaying spree that terrorized her mother (Julie Bowen).<\/p>\n Greg Daniels\u2019 existential comedy \u201cUpload\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 20) is back for its third season of rom-com exploits in a digital afterlife, thanks to uploaded consciousness. (Disclaimer: I liked Season 1, but can\u2019t for the life of me remember if I ever watched Season 2, which doesn\u2019t bode well, but perfectly fits this month\u2019s \u201cmeh it\u2019s OK\u201d theme.)<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Amazon\u2019s Prime Video also has a decent lineup of\u00a0NFL Thursday Night Football<\/strong>;\u00a0\u201cThe Burial\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 13), a funeral-home drama movie starring Oscar-winners Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones; all 11 seasons of the classic sitcom\u00a0\u201cFrasier\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 1), just in time for the reboot on Paramount+; as well as new eps every week of \u201cThe Boys\u201d spinoff \u201cGen V\u201d<\/strong> and the season finale of \u201cThe Wheel of Time\u201d<\/strong> (Oct 6).<\/p>\n See more:<\/strong> Everything coming to Amazon\u2019s Prime Video and Freevee in October 2023<\/p>\n It\u2019s also a good time to dig into Prime Video\u2019s extensive library, before commercials come early next year. In an obnoxious move, rather than add an ad-supported tier at a lower price, Amazon will subject all subscribers to commercials \u2014 unless they pay an extra $3-a-month ransom. Commercials will be especially annoying on Prime\u2019s more cinematic series, so watch great-looking shows like \u201cI\u2019m a Virgo,\u201d \u201cDead Ringers\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cThe English\u201d <\/strong>interruption-free, while you still can.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Prime Video for?<\/strong>\u00a0Movie lovers, TV-series fans who value quality over quantity.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Pause. There\u2019s no a compelling reason to start a subscription now, but if you already have one, there\u2019s probably enough to watch.<\/p>\n After a hiatus of more than two years, Marvel\u2019s \u201cLoki\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 5) is finally back for its second season. The new season finds the eponymous god of mischief (played by Tom Hiddleston) bouncing across the multiverse in a battle for free will while trying to elude agents of the mysterious Time Variant Authority. Season 1 of \u201cLoki\u201d was one of Marvel\u2019s better TV adaptations, and hopes are high that Season 2 can recapture that sense of chaotic fun. Owen Wilson returns as TVA agent Mobius, and Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (\u201cEverything Everywhere All at Once\u201d) joins the cast, which also features Jonathan Majors as big bad Kang the Conqueror, which is\u2026 problematic. Disney is reportedly still planning for Majors to play a key role in \u201cLoki\u201d and the next phase of \u201cAvengers\u201d movies despite his arrest on assault charges earlier this year, which prompted troubling allegations of past physical and emotional abuse toward women. (\u201cLoki\u201d had already finished filming prior to his arrest.)<\/p>\n Disney also has \u201cGoosebumps\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 13), about a group of high school friends fighting supernatural forces as they uncover long-buried secrets about their small town in this series adaptation of R.L. Stine\u2019s hugely popular series of spooky novels. (It\u2019ll also stream on Hulu.)<\/p>\n The \u201cStar Wars\u201d spinoff \u201cAhsoka\u201d<\/strong> has its season finale Oct. 3, while ABC\u2019s \u201cDancing with the Stars\u201d<\/strong> will stream every Tuesday.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Disney+ for?<\/strong>\u00a0Families with kids, hardcore \u201cStar Wars\u201d and Marvel fans. For people not in those groups, Disney\u2019s Play, pause or stop?<\/strong> Pause.\u00a0The price of ad-free Disney+ jumps by $3 a month starting Oct. 12 \u2014 how much do you or your family really want to watch \u201cLoki\u201d and \u201cGoosebumps\u201d? It\u2019ll be worth it for some, but an opportune time to cancel for others.<\/p>\n Hulu has been on a fantastic run since the start of summer, but all good things must end. And it happens to coincide with a $3-a-month hike to its ad-free subscription.<\/p>\n October\u2019s lineup is weak, and heavily weighed toward Halloween-themed fare, such as Season 2 of FX\u2019s spinoff anthology\u00a0\u201cAmerican Horror Stories\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 26); the Stephen King thrillers\u00a0\u201cRose Red\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 1) and\u00a0\u201cThe Boogeyman\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(Oct. 5); the Starz horror series\u00a0\u201cAsh vs. Evil Dead\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 1); the body-horror movie\u00a0\u201cAppendage\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 2); and\u00a0\u201cGoosebumps\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 13), a live-action adaptation of R.L. Stine\u2019s bestselling kids\u2019 book series (which will also stream on Disney+).<\/p>\n Non-horror shows include new seasons of Fox\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThe Simpsons,\u201d \u201cFamily Guy\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cBob\u2019s Burgers\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(all Oct. 2), and Season 2 of the comedy \u201cShorsey<\/strong>\u201d (Oct. 27), the \u201cLetterkenny\u201d spinoff series about minor-league hockey that has a surprising amount of heart to go with its absolutely filthy dialogue.<\/p>\n For more: <\/strong>What\u2019s coming to Hulu in October 2023 \u2014 and what\u2019s leaving<\/p>\n As an added bonus, all five seasons of ABC\u2019s 1980s detective-agency rom-com \u201cMoonlighting\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 10), starring Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, will stream for the first time ever (legally at least). If I remember correctly, there were some really high highs but also some really low lows \u2014 but it\u2019ll be worth checking out, for nostalgia if nothing else.<\/p>\n There are also new eps every week of \u201cThe Golden Bachelor\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cBachelor in Paradise,\u201d<\/strong> the season finale of \u201cOnly Murders in the Building\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 3) and the series finale of \u201cArcher\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 11). And if you missed it, all three seasons of \u201cReservation Dogs\u201d <\/strong>are there and just begging to be watched, or rewatched. (It\u2019s about as perfect as a TV series could ever be, and the recently concluded Season 3 is the best thing I\u2019ve seen this year.)<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Hulu for?<\/strong>\u00a0TV lovers. There\u2019s a deep library for those who want older TV series and next-day streaming of many current network and cable shows.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Stop. If you\u2019re on the ad tier, this month might be tolerable, but it\u2019s certainly not worth $17.99.<\/p>\n Twenty years after ending its 11-season run (with 37 Emmy wins), the classic sitcom \u201cFrasier\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 12) is back. Sort of. Kelsey Grammar returns in this revival as the pompous Dr. Frasier Crane, who\u2019s moved back to Boston to be closer to his adult son (played by Jack Cutmore-Scott), who doesn\u2019t necessarily want him there. The cast is mostly new, though Bebe Neuwirth (as Frasier\u2019s ex-wife Lilith) and Peri Gilpin (his radio producer Roz) will reportedly guest star. David Hyde Pierce (Niles) and Jane Leeves (Daphne) will not return, however, which is a bummer since that\u2019s where much of the original show\u2019s laughs came from (John Mahoney, who played Frasier\u2019s father Marty Crane, died in 2018). The jury\u2019s out on this one \u2014 while in theory, it could be a refreshing update to a nostalgic favorite, the trailer is not encouraging.<\/p>\n Paramount+ also has \u201cPet Sematary: Bloodlines\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 6), a creepy prequel to the 2019 horror reboot; \u201cFellow Travelers\u201d <\/strong>(Oct. 27), a decades-spanning queer love story starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey; and Showtime\u2019s courtroom drama \u201cThe Caine Mutiny Court-Martial\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 6), the late director William Friedkin\u2019s last film, starring Keifer Sutherland, the late Lance Reddick and Jake Lacy.<\/p>\n That\u2019s on top of a live-sports lineup that includes SEC<\/strong> and Big Ten college football<\/strong> on Saturdays, NFL football<\/strong> every Sunday and UEFA Champions League<\/strong> soccer matches.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Paramount+ for?<\/strong>\u00a0Gen X cord-cutters who miss live sports and familiar Paramount Global Play, pause or stop?<\/strong> Stop. There\u2019s a good football lineup, at least.<\/p>\n It\u2019s another slow month for Apple There\u2019s also a new documentary from Errol Morris, \u201cThe Pigeon Tunnel\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 20), about the life of spy-turned-writer David Cornwell, aka John le Carr\u00e9; and \u201cThe Enfield Poltergeist\u201d <\/strong>(Oct. 27), a four-part docuseries about the supposed real-life haunting that inspired \u201cThe Conjuring 2.\u201d<\/p>\n Apple\u2019s biggest title will be on Oct. 20 in movie theaters, with the wide release of Martin Scorsese\u2019s \u201cKillers of the Flower Moon,\u201d<\/strong> the spectacular-looking historical drama about a series of mysterious killings of Osage tribal members in Oklahoma in the 1920s, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro. There\u2019s no streaming release date yet, but expect it to land on Apple TV+ after its theatrical run, possibly in November but more likely in December.<\/p>\n There are also new episodes every week of \u201cThe Morning Show,\u201d \u201cThe Changeling\u201d <\/strong>(season finale Oct. 13) and \u201cInvasion\u201d<\/strong> (season finale Oct. 25).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Apple TV+ for?\u00a0<\/strong>It offers a little something for everyone, but not necessarily enough for anyone \u2014 although it\u2019s getting there.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Stop. Apple\u2019s had a great year, but there\u2019s just not a lot on right now. But there\u2019s good stuff coming in November (Season 4 of \u201cFor All Mankind\u201d) and December (Season 3 of \u201cSlow Horses\u201d).<\/p>\n Remember, you can get three free months of Apple TV+ if you buy a new iPhone, iPad or Mac. Strategically, if you buy an iPhone 15, and wait a bit to redeem the free trial, you\u2019ll want it to extend into January.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about horror and sports for Peacock this October.<\/p>\nNetflix ($6.99 a month for basic with ads, $15.49 standard with no ads, $22.99 premium with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n NFLX,
\n
\n is rolling out a more robust lineup in October. Which is nice, because no other streaming service is.<\/p>\nMax ($9.99 a month with ads, or $15.99 with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n WBD,
\n
\n Max is launching its live-sports tier \u2014 the unfortunately named Bleacher Report Sports<\/strong> \u2014 on Oct. 5, just in time for the MLB playoffs and upcoming NBA season. The add-on tier will be free for all subscribers through February, when its price will shoot up to $9.99 a month.<\/p>\nAmazon\u2019s Prime Video ($14.99 a month, or $8.99 without Prime membership)<\/h2>\n
\n AMZN,
\n
\n free, ad-supported channel, Freevee, has the second season of\u00a0\u201cBosch: Legacy\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Oct. 20), the \u201cBosch\u201d spinoff starring Titus Welliver as a private investigator in L.A., while his daughter Maddie (Madison Lintz) charts her own path as a police officer. As gritty detective shows go, it\u2019s solid.<\/p>\nDisney+ ($7.99 a month with ads, $13.99 with no ads, starting Oct. 12)<\/h2>\n
\n DIS,
\n
\n \u00a0library can be lacking.<\/p>\nHulu ($7.99 a month with ads, or $17.99 with no ads, starting Oct. 12)<\/h2>\n
Paramount+ ($5.99 a month with ads, $11.99 a month with Showtime and no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n PARA,
\n
\n \u00a0broadcast and cable shows.<\/p>\nApple TV+ ($6.99 a month)<\/h2>\n
\n AAPL,
\n
\n highlighted by the miniseries \u201cLessons in Chemistry\u201d<\/strong> (Oct. 13), based on Bonnie Garmus\u2019 bestselling novel. Brie Larson stars as a woman in the 1950s whose dreams of becoming a scientist are scuttled by male chauvinism, and instead becomes the host of a TV cooking show, where she inspires housewives and fights the patriarchy. Apple is getting a reputation for getting big-name stars for prestige-type series, only for the shows to fizzle out and quickly be forgotten (like \u201cMosquito Coast,\u201d \u201cHello Tomorrow\u201d and \u201cDear Edward,\u201d for starters). I have yet to see any marketing for this series, and it would not be a surprise for someone to ask six months from now: \u201cWait, Brie Larson was in an Apple show?\u201d<\/p>\nPeacock (Premium for $5.99 a month with ads, or $11.99 a month with no ads)<\/h2>\n