Free services let you watch thousands of movies and TV shows online, but using them feels like wandering through a low-rent, digital version of Blockbuster (RIP). Reality TV, long-forgotten
NEW YORK — Free services let you watch thousands of movies and TV shows online, but using them feels like wandering through a low-rent, digital version of Blockbuster (RIP).
Reality TV, long-forgotten « classics » and movies that never made it to theaters — these are the types of lackluster shows and movies you’ll find for free. But finding gems in the junk, like the original « Roseanne, » can give you a treasure-hunting rush.
Unfortunately, websites and apps for many of the services have poor designs and search capabilities — not conducive to finding those gems. An outside search aid such as Roku, Reelgood, Decider and JustWatch can help scan multiple services to see which ones have the titles you want.
Once you find something to watch, you’ll have to put up with commercials. You’ll get fewer ads compared with traditional TV channels. But online ad breaks sometimes interrupt people speaking, which is super annoying. And these services may also track you to target ads.
But as entertainment costs rise — especially as AT&T, Disney and Apple introduce new video subscriptions — free is hard to turn down.
Here’s a look at some of the best-known:
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What’s on: « Classic » movies and TV shows, along with some originals — although the best-known, Jerry Seinfeld’s « Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, » is now on Netflix instead. You can browse movies by broad categories like « action » and « drama. »
How odd: An « up next » feature plays something else after you’re done watching. But instead of bringing up the next « Who’s the Boss » episode after finishing the pilot, it landed on the movie « Ali. » And despite what the search results tell you, Julia Roberts is not in « El Mariachi.
