I'd Keep Peacock but Skip These Streaming Services in August 2024

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Streaming TV will really take off in the fall when shows like Agatha All Along and The Penguin hit the scene, but August isn't dry at all. The Umbrella Academy bows out for good on Netflix while KAOS and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder debut. But there are at least two streamers -- that aren't Netflix -- with worthy lineups this month, and Peacock is one of them.

The Olympics are dominating the streaming service right now, but honestly, the platform has a lot to offer in August. You'll get your money's worth with the release of several theatrical films like The Fall Guy and The Bikeriders, TV shows such as Bel-Air and the new original Mr. Throwback, featuring Steph Curry. Love Island USA's reunion is also due out. We know the service costs more now, but you may want to keep it this month.

Because we live in an era of streaming bundles, you may be feeling locked in for some of your subscriptions. The Disney Plus/Hulu/Max package is an attractive offer, but what is there to watch this month besides House of the Dragon's finale and all the X-Men movies? We can help you.

Every month, you may wonder if you should cancel a streaming service to cut costs. And every month, I offer advice on which ones to cancel or keep. Groceries, gas and air-conditioning expenses are high, so I'd like to offer one strategy: Churn like ice cream, aka rotate. 

How does one rotate? You subscribe for a term, cancel, switch to another service and then resubscribe, keeping your favorites in a rotation. Rotating streaming services can mix things up and save money when Netflix, Disney Plus, Max and others don't have the content you want to watch at a given time. Just remember to shut off autorenewal for your monthly subscriptions. This method may not fly if you're sharing your streaming accounts, but if you can work it out, try it. 

Here are my suggestions for which platforms to cancel or keep in August, based on new shows and movies (I didn't consider live TV streaming services) coming to each platform. Your tastes may be different, but if nothing else, I urge you to at least consider the concept of rotating for savings. Doing it is easier than you might think. And remember, a VPN can also be a useful tool when you're streaming. 

Read more: 50 TV Shows We're Looking Forward to Watching in 2024

Peacock: Stay with Peacock for the Olympics and the rest of its August slate too. That includes Homicide: Life on the Street, which finally arrives on streaming in 4K and HD, a win for fans of the classic show. Stream these titles beginning this month:

• Mr. Throwback (Aug. 8)
• The Bikeriders (Aug. 9) 
• Bel-Air, season 3 (Aug. 15)
• Love Island USA reunion (Aug. 19)
• Homicide: Life on the Street (all seasons) and Homicide: The Movie (Aug. 19) 
• The Killer (Aug. 23) 
• The Fall Guy (Aug. 30)

Netflix: The Umbrella Academy returns with its final season on Aug. 8, but this month also brings the Terminator Zero anime series, KAOS featuring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, Emily in Paris and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Matt Rife and Joe Rogan have comedy specials dropping this month, and K-drama fans can check out The Frog (Aug. 23) and GG Precinct (Aug. 22). Here's when to stream some of Netflix's newest drops:

• Unstable season 2 (Aug. 1)
• A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Aug. 1)
• Rebel Moon movies, Zack Snyder director's cut (Aug. 2)
• Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (Aug. 2)
• Love Is Blind: UK (Aug. 7)
• The Umbrella Academy, season 4 (Aug. 8)
• Daughters, a new documentary (Aug. 14)
• Worst Ex Ever (Aug. 14)
• Emily in Paris, season 4, part 1 (Aug. 15)
• The Union, an original film starring Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg (Aug. 16)
• KAOS (Aug. 29)
• Terminator Zero (Aug. 29)
• The Deliverance (Aug. 30)

Prime Video: The biggest release is Rings of Power, season 2, on Aug. 29, where viewers will see Sauron bring his menacing energy and learn more about The Stranger. But you can also stream the new animated series Batman: Caped Crusader, which debuts Aug. 1, the original film Jackpot starring John Cena and Awkwafina (Aug. 15), and Classified on Aug. 22.

Hulu: Hulu kicks off the month with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes streaming on Aug. 2 and Lollapalooza from Aug. 1-4. Megan Thee Stallion and Blink-182 are among the headlining acts. I plan to watch Reasonable Doubt, season 2 (Aug. 22) and Only Murders in the Building, season 4 (Aug. 27), but other releases include Dance Moms: A New Era (Aug. 7) and Immaculate -- a theatrical film with Sydney Sweeney arriving Aug. 16.

Apple TV Plus: If you've never watched Pachinko, you absolutely should. Season 2 arrives Aug. 23. The Time Bandits season finale airs Aug. 21, so it's a good time to binge this series along with Presumed Innocent. And the new Yo Gabba Gabbaland! hits the platform for kids on Aug. 9. 

Cancel these after watching your favorites

Max: Unless you're enjoying a deal or bundle offer, you may want to drop Max after the House of the Dragon finale on Aug. 4. The Penguin debuts in September, but if you prefer to keep the service, here's what's new: Industry, season 3 (Aug. 11), Chimp Crazy documentary (Aug. 18) and City of God: The Fight Rages On (Aug. 25).

Disney Plus: Not many new titles are streaming here this month, so if you don't have this service through a bundle, you can probably skip it. Keep it if you want to watch Are You Sure?!, a TV series debuting Aug. 8 that follows BTS stars Jimin and Jung Kook on an adventurous trip before their military duties begin. Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, season 2, also drops Aug. 14.

Starz: The Serpent Queen's second season wraps on Aug. 30, so if you've been watching it, either cancel it or binge it in September, when Power Book II: Ghost returns with part 2 of its final season.

Paramount Plus: Evil fans -- including me -- will say goodbye when the show airs its finale on Aug. 22. I'll also say goodbye to Paramount Plus afterward. If you have time for four seasons, you can also binge the delectable series this month. 

Being patient saves money on streaming

Waiting until most or all of the episodes of your favorite series are available on a platform is a wise strategy if you don't get FOMO. That way, rather than paying for a service for several months to cover the six-to-10-week run of a show, you can catch up on everything by subscribing for one month and then repeating the cycle again. This works well if you don't mind being a binge-watcher. 

For example, Evil returned to Paramount Plus in May but ends on Aug. 22 with 14 episodes for season 4. I can binge the whole season (or series) this month rather than pay for four months of the platform. Similarly, Only Murders in the Building drops at the end of August, with 10 episodes to air weekly. That means it will stream through October, giving you the option to binge it then or in November. Don't pay for several months of Hulu if this show is the only reason you have it. 

Think about how much you're paying per month for each streaming service you have, and do the math. Netflix is $7 to $23 (plus extra member fees), and Paramount Plus starts at $8. Apple TV Plus is $10. Disney Plus is anywhere from $2 to $25 depending on bundles, Max costs $10 to $21, Hulu starts at $8 and Starz runs $10. Peacock has a base rate of $8 per month. Should you decide to rotate, set yourself a calendar reminder to alert you when it's time to re-subscribe or cancel. 

Catch us in September for another streaming service breakdown.