Roku and PlayStation Vue score Showtime’s standalone service, negate Apple’s exclusive

By Christine Persaud June 8, 2015

roku showtime ray donovan — Michael Desmond/SHOWTIME

Steve Shannon, General Manager of Content and Services at Roku, confirmed in a blog post that Showtime programming would be coming to the Roku Channel Store in July, just in time for the season premieres of popular shows like Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex. The service will also be available via Sony’s PlayStation Vue service.

The news comes just a few days after Showtime confirmed that it would be launching its own subscription streaming service to compete with the likes of HBO Now and, of course, larger streaming services that have been eating into the traditional TV business. Showtime plans to offer unlimited viewing of its library of content for $11/mo. – $4 less than HBO Now. Just as with HBO Now, access will not require a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription.

Related: Showtime’s standalone streaming service launches in July on Apple devices

It was originally thought that the Showtime service would be launching exclusively with Apple devices first, later becoming available to other platforms. However, this news from Roku and Sony squashes that. Shannon confirms that Roku device owners will be able to access the whole she-bang, which includes every season of Showtime original series, plus movies, documentaries, and sports programming. Perhaps the most enticing part of the service, however, is that the subscription fee will also include access to the live broadcast of east and west coast feeds.

There’s even a promotion running: Roku customers who sign up in July will get a 30-day free trial to Showtime, after which they can pay the standard $10.99/mo. access fee. And those who already subscribe to Showtime through a participating cable, satellite, or telco provider can continue to access the network through the Showtime Anytime channel on their Roku devices.

As noted, in addition to Roku players, and PlayStation 3 and 4 consoles, the standalone Showtime service will also be accessible on Apple devices, including the Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, as well as on Showtime’s Website. The official launch date is set for July 12.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Christine Persaud

Contributor

Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…

Entertainment

3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)

A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Entertainment

3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)

Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Entertainment

The best Netflix original series right now

Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.