I Reviewed Pluto TV & Here's Why Canada's New Free Streaming Service Is Worth Your Time
Pluto TV launched in Canada on December 1.
Tristan Wheeler with his laptop. Right: Pluto TV on a television screen.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Canada has a brand new streaming service as of December 1, and it's 100% free to watch.
Pluto TV is an ad-supported video-streaming service and it boasts a pretty impressive catalogue, with some classic TV shows and fun movies.
When you compare it to other streaming services in Canada, it seems to have a really good selection, with some relatively unobtrusive ad breaks.
So, to get an idea of what the streaming newcomer is like, I gave it a test watch. Here's everything you need to know.
What is Pluto TV like?
The new streaming service doesn't reinvent the wheel because it doesn't really have to.
There is a big selection of on-demand movies and TV shows, as well as some themed channels that you can pop on, like in the good old days.
There are some channels specifically catered to reality television, comedy and crime shows. And there's currently a whole channel that is dedicated to holiday movies – perfect for the current season!
But, there is a catch. You can watch for free all day, but you do have to sit through ad breaks while you watch.
When I sat down to watch a 30-minute episode of the 1970s sitcom Taxi – because it stars my king, Andy Kaufman – I was subject to two ad breaks in total.
The first one featured two commercials, both 30-seconds long. The first was an ad for my alma mater and the second was a commercial showing off some of the other programs on Pluto.
About ten minutes later, there was another ad break which had three 30-second ads and one shorter one.
I got advertised a university, a Lincoln car and a new show on the Food Network, with the shorter one showing off other Pluto TV shows.
Ultimately, the ads weren't all that annoying, because, like a lot of people over the age of 20, I grew up watching shows and movies with commercials on TV.
So, while they're a bit annoying, they're no different than other commercial breaks and, honestly, they might be shorter than ad breaks on cable.
What is on Pluto TV?
Pluto TV boasts a big selection of classic shows and movies, a lot of which are from the '70s, '80s, and '90s.
If you enjoy watching crime shows, there's loads to watch including Forensic Files, CSI, Unsolved Mysteries and more.
If you're a fan of so-called "trash TV" (said with love), Pluto TV has you covered there too.
There are episodes of The Jerry Springer Show, Maury, Judge Judy, Divorce Court, Blind Date and more Judge-focused shows.
And while a lot of these aren't shows that I typically enjoy, if that's your bag, Pluto TV is basically a no-brainer.
Cons of Pluto TV?
The biggest downside, to me, seems to be that the channel does not have a whole lot of new content.
The app's catalogue features lots of classic TV shows from your parents or grandparents' era.
This includes shows like the aforementioned Taxi, as well as Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, The Love Boat, The Andy Griffith Show and much more.
However, if you're looking for hit shows from the past decade, you might be out of luck.
Final verdict
Pluto TV is a pretty fun service and there is a surprising number of movies and TV shows available.
And while it's no Tubi – the GOAT of free streaming – it's a great option.
Given that it's free, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't sign up.
Even if there's one show on there that you like, and can't get anywhere else, that alone would make it worth it in my eyes.
Moreover, it looks like ad-focused streaming is really starting to catch on in Canada.
Netflix has started its own Basic With Ads plan where you can pay a reduced price to watch their programming with ad breaks, and it's not bad either.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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