Streaming Wars, September 2023: Wait, One Piece is actually good?

Every month, we read over the latest dispatches from the front lines of the Streaming Wars and assess how the likes of Netflix, Max, Disney+ and the rest are doing. Who won the day, who was defeated, and who’s biding their time? We mark it all down on this living graph, which changes every month.

Paramount+

Paramount+ continues to whelm with new seasons of The Chi and Billions, as well as the exclusive streaming debut of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Points: +1

Netflix

The biggest release for Netflix in August was the live-action anime adaptation One Piece, which is getting a great response! Buzzy-but-not-too-buzzy stuff like Heartstopper, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Depp vs. Heard were also in the mix. Netflix also got some HBO content like Ballers. Points: +3

Disney+

The big-ticket item on Disney+ in August was Star Wars: Ahsoka. We also got the final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series as well as the streaming premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as well as older movies like the original Cinderella. Points: +2

Hulu

In August, Hulu got new seasons of Only Murders in the Buildings and Reservation Dogs, as well as new episodes of What We Do In The Shadows, Futurama and more. And of course plenty of library titles. Hulu is quietly one of the best streaming services out there. Points: +3

Max

Between new episodes of How To With John Wilson, Harley Quinn, My Adventures With Superman and The Venture Bros. movie, I got a lot out of Max over the past month, although I realize none of those are can’t-miss hits. A new season of Winning Time also happened. Points: +2

Amazon Prime Video

We came so close to counting The Wheel of Time season 2, but technically it premiered on September 1. August still wasn’t terrible, with original releases like Red, White and Royal Blue getting some buzz. Points: + 2

Apple TV+

Foundation, Strange Planet, The Afterparty, Invasion…Apple TV+ runs all these shows and no one seems to ever talk about them. The biggest release in August was probably a new season of Physical, which people talk about slightly more than none. Points: + 1

Peacock

The Super Mario Bros. Movie made its streaming debut on Peacock, but there weren’t many Peacock originals to speak of this month. Points: + 1

And you can check out the full living graph here:

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels