It’s now been over a year since the streaming service HBO Max launched on May 27, 2020, and by accounts, things have gone well. Per Collider, the service has 67.5 million subscribers around the world, which is impressive, even if it pales in comparison to what competitors like Disney+ and Netflix have amassed, although to to be fair HBO Max is the newest of those services to enter the streaming wars.
And HBO Max wants to catch up to those guys. One strategy it’s using is to make the pilot episodes of some of its biggest shows available to watch for free. At the moment, viewers can do just that with shows like Batwoman, Euphoria, Game of Thrones, Harley Quinn, Lovecraft Country, Love Life, Perry Mason, Raised by Wolves, The Flight Attendant, Titans, Veneno, and Warrior. For Doom Patrol, the premiere of the second season is available.
HBO will rotate what shows are available to watch for free, but that’s the lineup at the moment. Viewers can also explore the rest of the HBO Max to see what other programming they’re missing.
HBO Max tries to lure in new subscribers
This seems like a good idea; there’s a lot of variety on offer there, with shows from different genres offering a little something for everyone. We have HBO Max originals (The Flight Attendant, Love Life and Raised by Wolves) mixed in with shows that got their start on HBO proper. Of the shows currently available, I’ve seen Game of Thrones, Lovecraft Country, Perry Mason and Warrior, and they’re all worth watching.
In fact, HBO Max is the streaming service I watch the most. I’m really enjoying White Lotus at the moment, Last Week Tonight with John Olivier is a fun thing to come back to week after week, and the true crime documentary I’ll Be Gone in the Dark was excellent. It’s also been nice to watch some of the big movies released simultaneously in theaters during pandemic times. I should probably check out Harley Quinn, too, since I have a weakness for DC stuff and I know that show has a passionate following.
Basically, I’d like to see HBO Max do well because they make pretty good stuff. Hopefully this tactic brings in some new subscribers.
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