17 Best Streaming Services for Watching Old TV Shows

Updated on August 9, 2025 • Staff

You don’t need to pay much—if at all—to watch classic TV. It’s the rare genre that’s found in greater quantity and quality in free services than in expensive ones. Roku TV, Tubi, and Pluto TV should be your go-to services if you want to dive deep into old dramas, mysteries, and sitcoms.

But if you’re looking for variety, we’ve also listed our favorite live TV and on-demand services that do classic TV best. For the former, we took a look at whether they carry classic TV channels like TCM, MeTV, and Grit, while for the latter, we studied how deep their catalog goes. To no one’s surprise, the Warner Bros-owned Max and Paramount-owned Paramount+ made the cut.

You can read more about these services in our breakdown below. 

$84.99/month | 86 channels | 7 days free trial

Fubo
It sounds like an odd combo, but if you're a fan of both classic shows and sports, Fubo is your best bet. The streaming service is already well-known in the sports community for streaming local and national games, but not a lot of people know it has a good number of classic live TV channels, including Cozi TV, Grit, FETV, and FMC. Sadly, no TCM because of a carriage dispute, but the aforementioned channels are great alternatives. Pros
  • Has classics channels like Grit, FMC, FETV, and Cozi TV
  • Makes the same shows available on-demand after they air
Cons
  • No TCM and other Turner channels
Go to Fubo
$82.99/month | 105 channels | 3 days free trial

Hulu with Live TV
Hulu on-demand already boasts an extensive collection of classics that range from The Golden Girls to The Flintstones. But Hulu’s live TV offering boosts that lineup with channels like TCM, CoziTV, and GetTV, making it a top contender in this list. Pros
  • Comes with Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+
  • Also has TCM, CoziTV, and GetTV
Go to Hulu with Live TV
$86.99/month | 136 channels | 5 days free trial

DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream isn't the first streaming service that comes to mind when you think "old TV shows," but it is first when it comes to completeness. The live TV service answers most cord-cutting needs, including streaming classic shows by way of channels like FMC and TCM. This is your best bet if you want a comprehensive cable alternative. If you want more classics, you can always complement your plan with DirecTV Stream's add-ons or the cheaper specialty services further down this list. Pros
  • Has channels like TCM and FMC
  • Comes with plenty of features and a variety of live channels, including local and sports
Cons
  • Limited on-demand classics library
Go to DirecTV Stream
$7.99/month | 3 channels | 7 days free trial

Paramount+
Paramount is one of the oldest surviving studios in the world, so it's no surprise that Paramount+ has rights to stream classics like Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and Mission: Impossible (and their remakes, naturally). Apart from sci-fi, it's also packed with '90s favorites like All That, Daria, and The Real World. Additionally, the streamer has a live channel called TV Classics, which speaks for itself. Still, for a studio as gigantic as Paramount, its streaming catalog is pretty limited, especially when compared to the hundreds of classics found in free services like Tubi, Roku, and Pluto TV. Pros
  • Has all the episodes of the original Star Trek series
  • Has a live channel dedicated to classic shows
  • Premium tier comes with your local CBS station
Cons
  • Limited on-demand content
Go to Paramount+
$10.99/month | 75 channels

Peacock
Peacock has the privilege of streaming NBC’s long-standing media franchises, making it perfect for hardcore comedy fans. Here you’ll find the entire catalog of Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and Late Night. You'll also see classic NBC sitcoms like Cheers and Frasier, and dramas like Friday Night Lights and Roseanne. However, you won’t find much beyond what NBC owns; its on-demand catalog is pretty limited that way. Pros
  • Has all the seasons of late-night staples like SNL and The Tonight Show
  • Has all of NBC's classic sitcoms like Cheers and The Nanny
  • Helpful parental control tools
Cons
  • Premium plan still shows ads
Go to Peacock
$9.99/month | 30 days free trial

Hulu
Compared to Paramount+ and Peacock, Hulu’s classics lineup is stacked. From the Mary Tyler Moore Show and M*A*S*H to Ally McBeal and The X-Files, it has a wide and varied collection of oldies but goodies. This makes the streamer a great option for viewers who want a nice mix of classic and new shows, since Hulu is known for its fresh originals. Pros
  • Has a dedicated hub for classic TV shows
Cons
  • Premium plans still show ads
Go to Hulu
$8.99/month | 54 channels | 7 days free trial

Frndly TV
Frndly TV is an affordable live TV streaming service most known for its family-friendly channels (hence the name). Among those channels are H&I, INSP, METV, and Grit, which all specialize in classic sitcoms and dramas like M*A*S*H, The Brady Bunch, Wonder Woman, and Happy Days. Frndly conveniently updates a list of classic shows it streams; as of this writing, it has more than 150. Pros
  • Has classic TV channels like H&I, INSP, METV, FETV, Grit, and FMC
Cons
  • No TCM
Go to Frndly TV
free

Tubi
Not only is Tubi 100% free, it also happens to have the most extensive library of old shows in this list. It has everything from Tom & Jerry and Mr. Bean to Baywatch, Doctor Who, and Moesha. You’ll spend forever scrolling through your options. Its on-demand lineup is only rivaled by Roku, which is also free. Of course, Tubi is not immune to ads, and you’ll be viewing the unrestored version of the shows for the most part. But, hey, a classic TV win is a win. Pros
  • No need to sign in to start watching
  • Profiles come with watchlists and parental controls
Cons
  • Lots of ads
  • Resolution is limited to 720p at best
Go to Tubi
$9.99/month

HBO Max
Thanks to parent company Warner Bros., Max streams more vintage animated content than any other service in this list. It has everything from Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo to South Park and Justice League. TCM films and HBO classics like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Sex and the City (sorry, those are considered old now) are only a bonus in this case. Pros
  • Has rights to stream titles from TCM, Looney Tunes, and Adult Swim
  • High quality resolution for all plans
Go to HBO Max
free

The Roku Channel
Whether you're on a Roku device or browsing without an account, you can easily watch old TV shows on The Roku Channel for free. Their classics catalog is rich—arguably better and deeper than that of the paid services in this list. You can check out their live channels and on-demand shows to find what you like. The only downside of free streaming, however, is that it comes with those pesky ads in between. Pros
  • Guest mode keeps guests from messing with the viewing algorithm
  • No need to sign in to start watching
Cons
  • Lots of ads
  • Parental controls affect all devices, so parents have to input a PIN every time to watch mature content
Go to The Roku Channel
free

Pluto TV
Pluto TV is another free streaming service with hundreds of on-demand classics. It may be a Viacom/CBS subsidiary, but its catalog isn't limited to network property. It streams sitcoms like Mork & Mindy and All in the Family, dramas like Twin Peaks, and Westerns like The Lone Ranger. It also has a live channel dedicated to streaming classic shows. As with other free streaming services, Pluto TV is not immune to annoying ads. Pros
  • No need to sign in to start watching
  • Has a live 24/7 channel dedicated to classics
Cons
  • Lots of ads
Go to Pluto TV
free

Plex
Plex is a media management software that doubles as a free streaming service. Its main function is to organize your own library of content—that is, your own video, photo, or sound files—and make it streamable alongside Plex's offerings of 200+ live TV channels and 50,000+ on-demand movies and shows. Plex's basic package comes at no cost, but it also has a premium package starting at $4.99/month that boasts additional features, such as the ability to download content and watch them offline, among other things.
Go to Plex
free

Shout! Factory TV
Shout Factory is a good fit if you're looking for more indie and cult-classic fare. Some of its shows include Mystery Science 3000 and Monty Python's Flying Circus. You can enjoy the service for free if you're on a budget, but you can also upgrade to a paid tier to get rid of ads. One thing about Shout Factory TV, however, is that despite its name, it's more of a film-centric than TV-centric streaming service. It still has a lot of shows, but not as much as it has films, and certainly not as much as the other services in this list. Pros
  • Shows are carefully curated into themes and genres
  • Has more indie titles than other services
Cons
  • Has more films than TV shows
Go to Shout! Factory TV
$31/month | 6 channels | 7 days free trial

Philo + Movies & More Extra
Philo's base package already has notable channels like IFC, AMC, and Sundance TV on their lineup, but with the Movies & More Extra, you get a boost of films, particularly 20th-century classics, documentaries, and celebrity biopics, all for just $3/month. The add-on includes HDNet Movies, FMC, and FETV, which are great alternatives to TMC, as well as REELZ for celebrity stories, Fandor for more modern and intellectual fare, and Sony Movies for past blockbusters. If you're on the fence about the add-on, Philo allows you to test it out for free for seven days.
Go to Philo + Movies & More Extra
free

FilmRise
FilmRise is another free way to watch old TV shows. Unlike Tubi or Roku, however, it has a pretty limited number of classic shows, perhaps because it's an independent service not backed by any major network. Another downside is FilmRise isn't streamable via website or desktop; you'll have to download the app to start watching. If you're okay with those potential issues, however, it still boasts nicely curated collections that include shows like The Dick VanDyke Show, That Girl, and Wiseguy. Pros
  • Collections are carefully curated
Cons
  • Limited classics catalog
  • Can't watch on website or desktop
Go to FilmRise
free

Classix
If your idea of "old TV" is TV produced from the 1930s to 1970s, then Classix might be the one for you. The streaming service specializes in that specific period, streaming shows like The Pink Panther, Popeye, and Betty Boop. The catch? Only a select few of its films are streaming for free; to watch Classix’s shows, you'll have to pay a one-time fee of $7.99. Pros
  • Has rare shows that date back to the 1930s
Cons
  • You have to pay a one-time fee to access TV shows
  • Issues with video quality
Go to Classix
free

Cineverse
Cineverse is a free streaming service that doesn't necessarily focus on classics, but it's still nice to have as an option. Some of the notable classics it streams are Street Fighter, Bonanza, Flash Gordon, and The Beverly Hillbillies. You can find the rest of its classic shows on other platforms, but some viewers might appreciate the fact that Cineverse has relatively fewer ads and a smooth interface. It also streams plenty of other shows in different genres. Pros
  • No need to sign in to start watching
  • Features other genres and themes aside from classics
Cons
  • Even smaller classics library
Go to Cineverse

2025 on Old TV Shows

The good news is old TV shows, for the most part, remain highly available on streaming services. Platforms like Tubi, Roku, and Pluto make them easier than ever to access, while paid services like Peacock and Max are dedicating hubs to make classic shows easier to find.

For better or worse, the remake trend among streaming services shows no signs of stopping this year. Paramount+’s Matlock and Star Trek, for instance, encourages viewers to watch the original versions of those shows, which are streamable on the same platform. Max does the same with The Pitt and Just Like That, which are reboots of ER and Sex and the City, also streamable on Max. Whether it's lazy or genius is debatable. What's undeniable is the move gives classics a well-deserved boost.