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Fall TV is dropping new TV shows like leaves falling from the trees. As much as you'd like to watch them all on the best streaming services, you might not have the budget to subscribe to everything. So I'm here to help you decide which services to keep this month and which you can cancel (or pause) until next month.
Americans now pay an average of $46 a month for streaming services, according to Forbes — or a hefty $552 a year. But you can save money on streaming by getting rid of a service or two for a short time. It's easy to re-subscribe later when there's a new show or movie you truly cannot miss.
Nothing big is coming to Max or Prime Video in October 2024
While both Max and Prime Video boast massive libraries, a lot of their titles will still be there next month. What really draws in new users (and keeps existing ones sticking around) are originals. And in October, both services have thin original lineups.
Max, of course, streams HBO shows, and there's a fresh one coming down the pike: the Hollywood satire "The Franchise" on Oct. 6. The comedy follows the crew of a superhero movie in the middle of production and stars a fantastic cast including Himesh Patel, Aya Cash, and Richard E. Grant.
Several of Max's other October titles are timed for spooky season, like the supernatural horror flick "Salem's Lot" (based on the Stephen King novel) and the thriller film "Caddo Lake" from producer M. Night Shyamalan. The former is getting mixed-to-negative reviews, while there's little buzz around the latter. So, you won't be missing out on much.
The one thing I am excited for is "Somebody Somewhere" season 3, which is the final chapter of the critically-acclaimed and criminally-underseen dramedy. Sam Miller (Bridget Everett) continues her journey of loss, acceptance and self-discovery — with singing, laughter and tears sure to be in the mix. But as much as I love the show (really, it's so good), I can wait four days to re-subscribe to Max and watch the first episode.
As for Prime Video, the finale of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" season 2 falls on Oct. 2. Personally, I've fallen off the show so I don't feel a pressing need to be a completist. But if you're a die-hard fan, you could always cancel Prime Video after it airs.
The most high-profile of Prime Video's new offerings is the action comedy movie "Brothers," which stars Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage as twin brothers who reunite to carry out a heist. Brendan Fraser and Glenn Close are also involved. It comes out a bit later in the month on Oct. 17.
The other title of some note is "The Legend of Vox Machina" season 3 (Oct. 3). The adult animated fantasy series is well-regarded and has a loyal fanbase. But season 3 will have 12 episodes that conclude on Oct. 24. If you wait, you can binge the whole thing next month and save a bit of money.
Few of the other Prime Video offerings are likely to gain much notice. For some reason, they actually made and are releasing two sequels to "Citadel" (no surprise if you don't remember it). The first, the Italian-language "Citadel: Diana" debuts Oct. 7. Plus, Prime Video is rolling out "Winning Wednesdays" to showcase their game shows, like "Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?" (Oct. 16) hosted by Travis Kelce. Even fans of Kelce (and possibly his girlfriend Taylor Swift) may not want to pay up for a game show.
Football fans may disagree
The biggest argument against canceling Prime Video, at least, is Thursday Night Football, which is exclusive to the service.
The only exception is if you live in the local markets of the teams in the game. Then, you can watch for free the old-fashioned way — with a TV antenna. Mine is hooked up to a Sling AirTV Anywhere device so I can record shows to watch later. But if you don't have this setup, some smart TVs have a built-in antenna or you can get an antenna to hook up to your smart TV.
You can also watch your local stations via Sling or Fubo. And with those live TV streaming services, you can watch the episode as it airs or record it to a cloud DVR.
How much you'll save by canceling Max and Prime Video this month
How much you can save by canceling Max and Prime Video depends on which tiers you currently have.
Max with Ads is $10 per month, while the Ad-Free plan is $17 and the Ultimate Ad-Free tier is $21.
Prime Video is included in a Prime membership ($15 per month) or on its own ($9). Subscribers can pay $3 extra per month to get rid of ads.
If you have the basic standalone versions of both, you'll save $19. If you have the highest, ad-free tiers, you'll save $33. That may not sound like a lot but churning various streaming services throughout the year can save you well over $100. The holidays are fast approaching, so put something aside for shopping or for a personal treat.
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