‘The Madison’ sets record, HBO Max launches in the UK, and more
‘The Madison’ sets record, HBO Max launches in the UK, and more
Prime Video is adding MLB rights in a top baseball market, and other streaming stories from the week’s news.
Another Friday is upon us at last! Netflix, however, didn’t even bother to wait for the Friday afternoon news dump to announce it was raising prices on all of its plans in the United States. It was more than enough to ruin the weekend for some streaming fans, and quite understandably.
If you’ve been diving deep into Netflix pricing news, let us give you a break by helping you catch up on other streaming news stories from the week! Browse the assorted stories we’ve found below.
Which streaming stories did you miss this week?
‘The Madison’ becomes Taylor Sheridan’s biggest premiere on Paramount+
“The Madison” is the latest Taylor Sheridan series to arrive on Paramount+, and according to the streamer, it’s officially become the greatest. As shared with The Streamable by Paramount on Thursday, “The Madison” is the most-watched first-season launch of any Taylor Sheridan series on the platform, accruing 8 million global views in its first ten days of availability. It was the biggest freshman season debut among women 35 and up, and topped the streaming original charts in its debut week, as well.
“The Madison” is an intimate study of grief and family ties, set in the deep wilds of the Madison River valley of Montana. The show has already been renewed for a second season, but it does have something of a shelf life. Sheridan is leaving Paramount for a new overall deal with NBCUniversal in 2029.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
HBO Max launches in the UK, Ireland
As announced in February, HBO Max has officially executed its planned launch in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On Thursday, the streamer became available in both territories, giving customers a new way to stream HBO originals, TNT Sports properties, and more.
Customers can add HBO Max through a direct subscription or through distribution partnerships with Sky and Prime Video. Next up on HBO Max’s launch list are a dozen territories in the Asia Pacific region, followed by New Zealand in mid-2026.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and 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. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
Prime Video adds large MLB slate in Japan
Prime Video hasn’t added nationwide MLB broadcasts in the United States, though it does partner with YES Network to distribute a package of New York Yankees games in the New York area each year. The streamer’s relationship with the league is deepening, however, as announced this week.
On Monday, SportsPro reported that Prime Video would stream more than 350 MLB regular season games per year in Japan in a new, multi-year agreement. The games will air on Prime Video’s SPOTV channel, which will also offer select postseason games live. MLB games will stream on Prime Video at no additional cost to subscribers.
Prime Video
Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.
Philo, Roku Channel, DIRECTV add FAST channels
Several streaming services added free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels over the course of the week. On Tuesday, Philo welcomed new FAST channels dedicated to “The Conners,” “Heartland,” and “Nash Bridges,” as well as the Caught in Providence, True Crime, and Shockwave channels.
Also on Tuesday, DIRECTV announced the next wave of Warner Bros. Discovery FAST channels had joined the MyFree DIRECTV platform. The channels include At the Movies, Classic Cinema, Primetime Soaps, and The Repair Shop.
On Thursday, the FloRacing 24/7 FAST channel, with a ton of motorsports content, joined The Roku Channel.
Casting, renewal, premiere date announcements
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“Criminal Minds Evolution” Season 19 will be released on Paramount+ on May 28. In addition, the show has been greenlit for a 20th season in 2027.
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The Sony Pictures Classic proshot of “Merrily We Roll Along” will premiere on Netflix on April 4.
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The Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried thriller “The Housemaid” will arrive on STARZ on April 1.
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Paramount+ has renewed “School Spirits” for a fourth season.
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Apple TV has announced ahead of the Friday premiere of “For All Mankind” Season 5 that the show will return for a sixth and final season.
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Disney+ will give fans a second season of “Wonder Man,” with Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) and Trevor Slattery (Sir Ben Kingsley) both set to return.
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Per Deadline, HBO has added Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali to the second season of “Task,” also starring Mark Ruffalo. Ali will play a DEA agent in Philadelphia who comes into conflict with Ruffalo’s character.
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Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
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Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
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Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
