There is a new Streaming Service about to launch and I’ve got all the details here. This time is HBO Max. Not to be confused with HBO, HBO Max is different…sort of. I know it’s confusing, we now have over well over ten different streaming platforms to choose from and each time a new platform is released, we are all left wondering, is it worth another subscription?
The whole point of streaming services was to lose cable, cut the cord and get rid of all of those extra fees. We didn’t need commercials or thousands of channel options, we wanted to be able to tune in to the shows we wanted, when we wanted. Now, we have over ten different platforms to choose from, each charging anywhere from $5.99 - $16.99 / MONTH. That means that if you subscribe to just four options, you are paying anywhere from $24 - $70 / MONTH. Want to know how much cable costs? $50 / MONTH. Wow, they really pulled a fast one on us.
While streaming service platforms do still provide us with the freedom to watch our shows when we want to, it's already increasing its fees and shoving commercials into the mix for lower average monthly rates, kind of like…cable. HBO is the latest company to fall in line.
HBO Max Platform:
Earlier in the week, HBO Max released its first official platform announcement with an onslaught of new shows that will be available for subscribers. HBO Max is preparing to launch on May 27th and it will be backed by its full HBO Library of Shows and Movies plus at least 14 new original series. HBO Max will feature every episode of its series, plus award-winning documentaries and specials, and the latest Hollywood hits before any other service. HBO Max will also be able to publish the entire Warner-Brothers Library (a small acquisition of just $70M).
See below for list of up-coming HBO Max content that I am excited for:
MAX Originals (re-caps by HBO Max)
1. Love Life
Anna Kendrick stars in a fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series about the journey from first love to last love and how the people along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up finding someone forever
CAST: Anna Kendrick, Zoe Chao, Peter Vack, Scotty McNairy
2. The Flight Attendant
Starring Kaley Cuoco, the show follows a flight attendant who wakes up in the wrong hotel, the wrong bed with a dead man – and no idea what happened. Th dark comedic thriller is based off the novel by the same name from NYT Best-Selling Author, Chris Bohjalian.
CAST: Kaley Cuoco, Michael Huisman, Rosie Perez,
3. Gossip Girl
Re-Boot of the mid-2000s CW Drama by the same name. The HBO Max Gossip Girl, follows eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. XOXO
CAST: Mostly newcomers: Thomas Doherty, Eli Brown, Whitney Peak, Emily Alyn Lind
4. Let Them All Talk
From Steven Soderbergh, comes a story of a celebrated author (Meryl Streep) who takes a journey with some old friends to have some fun and heal old wonder. Her nephew (Lucas Hedges) comes along to wrangle the ladies and finds himself involved with a young literary agent (Gemma Chan).
CAST: Meryl Streep, Lucas Hedges, Candice Bergen and Gemma Chan
5. Doom Patrol
Another Super-Hero Origin Story, this time from DC Comics. Doom Patrol assembles a group of out-casts that develop super-hero powers and band together to fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them
CAST: Matt Bomer, Alan Tudyk, April Bowlby
6. Raised by Wolves
From Ridley Scott, the series will center around two life-like robots tasked with raising a human child on a mysterious planet. The series was originally set to premiere on TNT, but was picked up by HBO Max as part of its debut package.
Also, although there are still no official details on the project, back in February 2020, all six original cast-members of FRIENDS announced that they have signed on with HBO to provide some sort of series to commemorate the iconic show. Although nothing official has been released, sources are speculating that the cast members will not reprise their roles, but instead come together for an event to reflect back upon the series. Meh.
So, with all that information – are you ready to choose your streaming platform package? I’m not. It seems that with each Platform release, there are only a few shows that I actually want to watch, but in order to view, I have to purchase the entire package. Yuck.
It’s hard enough to decide what to watch when on just one platform we have thousands of options, couple that with the new platforms and subscriptions and it seems impossible to even decide where to begin.
So, the question is, will you be subscribing to HBO Max?
And that’s the sitch.
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