Amazon gets sued, other streaming stories from the week
Amazon gets sued, other streaming stories from the week
Paramount+ drops a full season of a popular drama, plus streaming casting news, trailers, release dates, and more.
If there’s a sports fan in your life, your TV screen has almost certainly been devoted to NBA or NHL games this week. The NBA’s Play-In Tournament has begun, while the NHL has been closing out its regular season and preparing for the playoffs.
That means you may well have missed some of the week’s streaming stories, but never fear! The Streamable is here as always to ensure you stay caught up on streaming stories, casting announcements, trailer releases, and everything else you need to know.
Which streaming stories did you miss this week?
Amazon sued for allegedly bricking Fire TV devices
Amazon is excited for the launch of its new Fire TV Stick HD at the end of April, but a group of customers who are using older Fire TV players is pursuing a class-action lawsuit against the company for unlawfully disabling their Fire Sticks by discontinuing software support.
Per Top Class Actions, plaintiff Bill Merewhuader filed the suit in California state court. The complaint alleges that Amazon promoted first- and second-generation Fire TV devices as providing instant access to streaming platforms, then removed or limited software functionality, essentially bricking them and forcing customers to upgrade to newer devices.
Spectrum TV app now available on Android TV and Google TV
Spectrum TV customers who choose to receive their channel package via their internet connection now have a new platform to launch on. As announced on Wednesday, the Spectrum TV app is now available on smart TVs and streaming players using the Android TV and Google TV operating systems.
The Spectrum TV app includes a multiview, access to customers’ DVR recordings, on-demand TV shows and movies, and more features. It can be found on Google TV, as well as Android TV devices running Android 10 or later, including TVs manufactured by Hisense, Philips, Sony, and TCL.
Paramount+ surprise-drops Season 7 of ‘Tyler Perry’s The Oval’
The integration of the BET+ library with that of Paramount+ took a major step forward this week. The two streamers will be fully combined in the coming months, as Paramount now fully owns BET after buying out Tyler Perry’s stake in the streamer.
This week, Paramount+ dropped the full 22-episode season of the BET drama series “Tyler Perry's The Oval.” The drop came unannounced beforehand and throws audiences back into the Season 6 cliffhanger ending. Season 7 will explore the mystery of who shot Vice President Winter.
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.
NBC to air pilot of Peacock drama series ‘M.I.A.’
The Peacock drama series “M.I.A.” follows a drug-running family in Florida, whose empire is shattered in tragedy one fateful day. The show centers on Etta Tiger Jonze, who embarks on a dangerous journey through Miami’s glamorous and gritty underbelly to show what she’s capable of.
The show debuts on Peacock on May 7, but on Wednesday, NBC announced that it, too, would offer the series premiere. The pilot of “M.I.A.” will air on NBC on Thursday, May 14, at 10 p.m. ET.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
Casting news
‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Season 2 adds Dan Stevens
Casting news is flying around Season 2 of “Dexter: Resurrection.” The Paramount+ series announced last week that Uma Thurman was returning for the new season. On Tuesday, Paramount announced the casting of Dan Stevens as “The Five Borough Killer,” a serial killer who taunts the police with threats against New York’s citizens…then carries them out. Stevens most recently starred in “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”
Renewals and premiere dates
- On Wednesday, MGM+ announced that the sci-fi horror series “FROM” has been renewed for a fifth and final season.
- On Monday, Fox Nation announced that Season 2 of “Greg Gutfeld’s What Did I Miss” would stream there on April 27.
- Also on Monday, Peacock revealed that the comedy series “The 'Burbs” had been renewed for a second season.
- On Friday, Netflix announced that it was bringing “Emily in Paris” back for a third season.
- On April 9, HBO Max revealed that the Steve Carell comedy series “Rooster” would come back for Season 2.
- “The Madison” will return for not only a second season, but a third, as Paramount+ announced Tuesday.
- Also on Tuesday, Prime Video gave word that “Young Sherlock” Season 2 from Guy Ritchie will be back for a second season.