SHOWTIME Releases Premiere Episode of New Football Documentary Series ‘Boys in Blue’ as Free Preview
Another new series from a Paramount-owned network is bringing its first episode to YouTube for free. SHOWTIME’s most recent docu-series “Boys in Blue” has released the first of its four episodes on YouTube, where it is now free to watch without a subscription to SHOWTIME or Paramount+. The rest of the series will debut on Friday, Jan. 6, with the free episode available on YouTube until Feb. 28.
“Boys in Blue” focuses on North Community High School’s Polars football team, where mostly Black student-athletes are coached and mentored by members of the Minneapolis Police Department. The series follows the team as it navigates life after the death of George Floyd, a milestone event in American history that set off a national movement for social justice and police reform.
Watch the Premiere Episode of ‘Boys in Blue’:
The show is a part of Paramount’s “Content for Change” initiative. Set in motion by the SHOWTIME sister network BET, Content for Change aims to break down the narratives that allow for racism and hate to exist through a diversity of representation in programming and production.
“Paramount’s Content for Change initiative is thrilled to partner with SHOWTIME to open access BOYS IN BLUE to a wider audience,” Paramount’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Crystal Barnes said. “This powerful series showcases how connection on and off the field can inspire change. One of many ways true change begins is by unleashing the power of content to counteract bias, stereotypes and hate, and challenge norms.”
The release of the first episode of new series for free on YouTube is becoming something of a habit for Paramount as of late. In late December, the company decided to release the first episode of its new “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923” on YouTube as well.
Paramount also offered the first episode of the “Halo” series adaptation on YouTube when it was first released in March of 2022. Neither “1923” nor “Halo” carry the social importance and gravity of a series like “Boys in Blue,” but the posting of a new show’s first episode on YouTube for free is a trend that will hopefully continue from Paramount and SHOWTIME throughout 2023.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is a video streaming service offering access to A-list movies and compelling original series like Yellowjackets, Billions, Shameless, Homeland, Ray Donovan, Dexter, Weeds, and Nurse Jackie. The service includes live access to your local CBS station, and movies and TV shows from the Paramount library including “Yellowstone” spinoffs from Taylor Sheridan, Nickelodeon shows like “PAW Patrol” and “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and other classics like “Survivor,” “Beavis and Butt-Head,” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”