‘Last Week Tonight’ Clips Will Take Longer to Stream Free on YouTube; How to Get a Free Trial of Max to Watch the Show
Warner Bros. Discovery is hoping that keeping clips from the show behind a paywall for longer will drive more customers to its streaming service Max.
Comedian John Oliver has become a weekly staple for many, especially those who can’t stand getting their news from cable news channels. His “Last Week Tonight” show provides a look at important news stories with a satirical twist, and until recently HBO has decided to make the main segment of each episode available to stream for free on YouTube every Monday, but Oliver took to social media this week to inform his viewers that they’d have to wait much longer to see free clips from his show.
- Oliver informed viewers via X that henceforward, free clips of the show would arrive on YouTube on Thursdays instead of Mondays.
- The move is intended to drive more customers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s topline streaming service Max.
- There are several ways to get a free trial of Max for watching full episodes of “Last Week Tonight,” including through Hulu, Prime Video Channels and DIRECTV STREAM.
I know I usually share a link to our main story here on Mondays, but HBO has decided they’re going to wait until Thursday to post them to YouTube from now on. I hope they change their mind, but until then, you can see our piece about the Supreme Court on HBO, on MAX, and on…
— John Oliver (@iamjohnoliver) February 19, 2024
Oliver expressed his regret at the decision, but it’s highly unlikely that WBD and HBO will reverse the decision. YouTube takes more share of total TV viewing time every month than any other streaming service available, including Max, so it’s logical that it wants to stop directly helping a competitor by making “Last Week Tonight” clips available so early.
“When ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ premiered on HBO, the convenience of watching on Max did not exist so YouTube allowed flexible viewing for the main story as well as promotional exposure,” the HBO spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Variety. “We are now delaying that availability and hope those fans choose to watch the entire show on Max.”
“Last Week Tonight” airs on HBO and streams on Max with new episodes each Sunday evening at 11 p.m. ET.
How to Get a Free Trial of Max
If you’re looking to give Max a try and see if it’s got enough content to make it worth your while to pay to watch “Last Week Tonight,” there are several ways to go about it. Max offers premium titles like “True Detective,” “House of the Dragon,” as well as live news through its CNN Max hub and live sports via the Bleacher Report add-on.
First, new DIRECTV STREAM customers can get a three-month free trial of Max with any plan when they sign up. New DIRECTV STREAM customers also get a five-day free trial of that service, so there are lots of freebies available with this option. To get the extended Max trial, simply:
- Pick the DIRECTV STREAM plan that works best for you and click “Try It Free.”
- On the next screen, scroll down to the add-on channels options.
- Click “Specials” and select the three-month free trial of Max.
Next up, Hulu allows its subscribers to subscribe to Max as an add-on, and gives them a seven-day free trial for doing so. This is available to new and existing Hulu customers, and we’ll give you step-by-step instructions below.
New Hulu Subscribers
- Click here to activate the offer.
- Click “Sign-Up Now.”
- Create Your Account.
- Click “Manage Add-Ons.”
- Add Your 7-Day Free Trial of Max.
- Once you’re subscribed, use your Hulu credentials to log in to the Max App on your streaming device.
Existing Hulu Subscribers
If you are an existing Hulu subscriber:
- Click your Profile.
- Click “Account.”
- Click “Manage Add-Ons.”
- Add Max Free Trial.
Prime Video subscribers can get the same seven-day free trial of Max.
1. Get a Free Trial of Max Through Prime Video Channels
If you are an Amazon Prime subscriber who has never tried Max, you can still get a seven-day free trial to the service.
- Click here to activate the offer.
- Click “Get Started.”
- Activate Your 7-Day Free Trial of Max.
- Once you’re subscribed, use your Amazon credentials to log in to the Max App on your streaming device.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.