Watching television can sometimes be a chore due to the inordinate amount of streaming services. New content arrives weekly on nearly every service, making it harder to keep up with the times. More importantly, the rising cost of streamers is becoming a legitimate problem as it forces the consumer to consolidate.
When a free streaming service pops up, consumers must take advantage. YouTube is one of those free services that offers an eclectic selection of television shows. One of the featured shows this month is Lonesome Dove, the iconic miniseries from the late ’80s. Check out the rest of our guide below.
Check out the best new shows to stream, the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Amazon Prime, the best movies on Disney+, and the best free movies on YouTube. For more free content, check out the best free movies on YouTube, 10 great free sci-fi movies you should stream, and 10 great free action movies you should stream right now.
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Lonesome Dove (1989)
8.7/10Former Texas Rangers Captain Augustus “Gus” McCrae (Robert Duvall) and Captain Woodrow F. Call (Tommy Lee Jones) embark on a mission to herd and drive cattle to Montana. The perilous journey includes run-ins with notorious outlaws, brutal weather conditions, and rampant criminal activity. Lonesome Dove helped revitalize the Western series and proved that television could be a proper medium for the genre.
Deputy (2020)
51%
6.5/10Deputy chronicles the unlikely lawmen who strive to bring peace and justice to his town. After the death of his predecessor, Bill Hollister (Stephen Dorff) becomes the new Los Angeles County Sheriff. Bill is an old-school cop who will bend the rules if it means taking down the bad guy. That attitude clashes with other officers and bureaucrats who try to police the area.
Besides trying to put the criminals behind bars, Bill faces another battle in the form of his wife, Dr. Paula Reyes (Yara Martinez), who constantly bickers with her husband on how to handle the job. Despite facing pressure on both sides, Bill resorts to trusting one thing: his gut, as instincts take over for this deputy.
Taken (2017)
6.6/10By now, most action fans have seen Taken, the 2008 movie starring Liam Neeson as an ex-CIA operative who sets out to rescue his kidnapped daughter. In 2017, NBC commissioned Taken, the TV show, an origin story for Neeson’s Bryan Mills (played by Clive Standen in the show). After a tragedy with his family, Mills is recruited by Christina Hart (Jennifer Beals) to join the CIA.
Consumed by vengeance, Mills begins working deadly rescue missions that take him to some of the most dangerous places in the world. The former Green Beret is well-equipped to handle every situation thanks to his “particular set of skills.” Taken lays the groundwork for how Mills became an elite assassin and intelligence officer.
The Dead Zone (2002)
7.3/10The doctors say Johnny is using his brain’s “dead zone” for these paranormal abilities. Thanks to these gifts, Johnny begins working with the authorities to solve crimes. Despite its positive impact on the community, Johnny’s psychometry is also a curse, as future visions of apocalyptic events plague his decision-making.
The Steve Wilkos Show (2007)
5.0/10For over a decade, Steve Wilkos worked security for The Jerry Springer Show. Wilkos became such a likable character that the former Chicago P.D. officer received his own show in 2007. The Steve Wilkos Show began as a spin-off to Jerry Springer, but it has developed its own audience 18 seasons later. While Jerry Springer focused on more salacious cases, Wilkos tackles much more serious topics, including drug abuse, murder, kidnapping, teenage pregnancy, child abuse, and more.
Because of his experience in law enforcement, Wilkos is a no-nonsense mediator who believes in honesty and tough love. The result is a wildly entertaining show that can get out of hand, which is better for viewers looking for drama-filled cases.
The Odyssey (1997)
7.0/102026’s most anticipated release will be The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer. If you’re curious as to what happens in the story, check out The Odyssey, a two-part television adaptation by Emmy-winning director Andrei Konchalovsky. Based on the Greek epic poem from Homer, The Odyssey stars Armand Assante as Odysseus, one of the heroes of the Trojan War.
After Greece’s victory in the war, Odysseus begins his trek home to see his wife, Penelope (Greta Scacchi). The journey is treacherous and dangerous, taking much longer than initially anticipated. Odysseus and his men face several difficult challenges along the way, from one-eyed cyclopes and sirens to the Underworld and sea monsters.
Maury (1991)
“You are not the father.” Even if you’ve never watched the show, many will correctly associate that phrase with Maury Povich, the iconic daytime talk show host. For over 30 years, Povich hosted Maury, the tabloid talk show that emphasized theatrics over journalism. The more chaotic the case, the better it will play on television.
While Maury covered various topics, its bread-and-butter was paternity disputes. Nearly every episode, a woman would question if their partner was the father of her child. Povich loved to deliver the paternity test results, which produced so many viral moments. If you’ve never seen Maury, you’re in for a treat.
Alaskan Bush People (2014)
Get to know the inner workings of the Brown family in Discovery’s reality docuseries Alaskan Bush People. Patriarch Billy Brown and his wife Ami chose to raise their family far away from society in the Alaskan wilderness. Their seven children — Matt, Bam Bam, Bear, Gabe, Noah, Birdy, and Rainy — have grown up in isolation; all they have are each other and the great outdoors.
Alaskan Bush People explores the Browns’ life off the grid, from building new homes and surviving in the outdoors to attracting potential suitors and starting families. No matter what happens, the “Wolfpack” always sticks together, especially during the harsh winters in Alaska.
Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986)
8.1/10The world lost a great talent in 2023 with the death of Paul Reubens, the comedian best known for portraying Pee-wee Herman. After the success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, CBS commissioned Reubens to act, produce, and direct a Saturday morning children’s show. The result became Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Donning his signature grey suit and red bow tie, Pee-wee Herman invited the world into his magical playhouse every episode.
The playhouse was an area of fun, creativity, and imagination. Pee-wee would introduce the audience to his wacky group of friends, including Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne), Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), Miss Yvonee (Lynne Marie Stewart), Jambi (John Paragon), and more. From laughing about the secret word of the day to throwing themed parties, Pee-wee’s Playhouse provided the perfect balance of educational learning and family fun.
The Addams Family (1964)
8.0/10They’re creepy and they’re cooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re all together ooky, The Addams Family. Snap your finger because it’s time for The Addams Family, the iconic sitcom from the 1960s. The Addams Family is a peculiar household of supernatural beings. This includes the wealthy Gomez Addams (John Astin), his wife Morticia (Carolyn Jones), daughter Wednesday (Lisa Loring), son Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), and Grandmama (Blossom Rock).
Despite their paranormal abilities, the Addams Family tries to live normal lives, which include attending school, socializing with friends, and going on vacation. Then again, can a supernatural family ever be normal?
Mad About You (1992)
71%
6.8/10The inner workings of a marriage in New York City are explored in Mad About You, a popular NBC sitcom from the 1990s. Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser) is a documentary filmmaker. Jamie Stemple (Helen Hunt) works in public relations. After meeting in the late 1980s, Paul and Jamie marry and live together in the Big Apple.
Paul and Jamie constantly find themselves in verbal sparring matches. Things can get feisty with this couple, but Paul and Jamie always know when to make up and show their love. Like many good sitcoms, Mad About You has an eclectic group of supporting characters, including Lisa (Anne Ramsey), Jamie’s older sister; Fran (Leila Kenzle), Jamie’s best friend; Dr. Mark Devanow (Richard Kind), Fran’s ex-husband; Ira (John Pankow), Paul’s brother; and Murray, the couple’s dog.
Little Women (2017)
64%
7.2/10Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women has received several adaptations, most famously a movie by Greta Gerwig. Two years before Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated feature film, English screenwriter Heidi Thomas adapted Little Women as a three-part TV miniseries for the BBC. The famous story follows the four March sisters growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War.
The March sisters include Jo (Maya Hawke), Meg (Willa Fitzgerald), Amy (Kathryn Newton), and Beth (Annes Elwy). Marmee (Emily Watson) is the girls’ mother, who must run the house while her husband serves in the army. The girls navigate love, loss, and hardship as they come of age at an important moment in their lives.
Z Nation (2014)
48%
6.7/10Explore America in a post-zombie apocalypse in Syfy’s Z Nation. Three years after the zombie virus destroyed nearly all of America, the only person to have survived a zombie bite is a New York man named Murphy (Keith Allan). Murphy’s blood contains antibodies to the zombie virus, which could be harvested to create a vaccine to save humanity.
Lieutenant Roberta Warren (Kellita Smith) is the leader of a local survivor group. Warren’s mission is to transport Murphy from New York to a special lab in California. Warren and her team face zombie challenges at nearly every turn. However, the treacherous journey might be for nothing once they discover Murphy’s dark secret.
World's Most Evil Killers (2018)
Netflix isn’t the only place with true crime docs. YouTube is the home of World’s Most Evil Killers, a harrowing and eye-opening look into some of the world’s most notorious serial killers. Each episode focuses on one killer, exploring the murders they committed while analyzing the aftermath of the crimes.
The episode also includes interviews with law enforcement tasked with solving the crime, family members who knew the victims, and journalists who covered the horrific events. Some of the most infamous killers are featured in docuseries, from Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy to Richard Ramirez and Aileen Wuornos.
Kitchen Nightmares (2007)
Never cross Gordon Ramsay, especially when he’s ready to help. The hot-tempered chef attempts to rescue failing restaurants in Kitchen Nightmares. Ramsay travels across America and visits food establishments on the brink of shutting its doors. Each episode starts with an initial meeting between Ramsay and the owners before the Michelin Star chef sits down to try the food. This is when Ramsay’s creativity thrives, finding new ways to describe terrible food.
Ramsay then watches the staff conduct a dinner service, which typically ends poorly. After some screaming and heated discussions, Ramsay conducts a plan to save the restaurant, implementing new changes before going on his way. Make sure to stick around for the final minutes to see if the restaurant became a hit and thrived or went back to its old ways and closed up shop.
Being Human (2011)
7.5/10Having roommates can be difficult, especially when they’re not from this world. Being Human is what happens when supernatural creatures begin living together. Josh (Sam Huntington) is a werewolf. Aidan (Sam Witwer) is a 260-year-old vampire. Together, they move into a new house while attempting to live double lives in the real world.
Upon arrival, Josh and Aidan meet Sally (Meaghan Rath), a ghost occupying the house. As a newly formed trio, the twentysomethings become a family by choice and work together to keep their secrets hidden from the outside world. Easier said than done, considering the trio quickly make friends with living humans.
21 Jump Street (1987)
13%
7.2/10The younger generation will likely associate 21 Jump Street with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, the duo who starred in the feature film by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. To the older generation, they’ll recognize 21 Jump Street as a TV show that ran on Fox during the late 1980s. Most notably, 21 Jump Street was Johnny Depp’s breakout role as a young actor.
Created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell, 21 Jump Street revolves around a division of the police department where youthful-looking officers pose as teenagers and go undercover in the field. The officers frequently infiltrate high schools to investigate cases with teenagers, which typically deal with drugs, alcohol, sex, and gang violence. Many officers, including Tom Hanson (Depp), couldn’t wait to leave high school and enter the real world. Now, they must find a way to survive high school again while trying to do a job.
The Whitest Kids U' Know (2007)
Five New York-based comedians — Barbarian’s Zach Cregger, Sam Brown, Trevor Moore, Darren Trumeter, and Timmy Williams — formed the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids. The quintet focused on edgy sketch comedy and was never afraid to push boundaries. Eventually, the name evolved into The Whitest Kids U’ Know, and a TV series was born.
The offbeat comedy is not for everyone, but the group’s originality and boldness are undeniable. Examples of early sketches include Pregnancy Test, a skit where a woman mistakes an iPod shuffle for a pregnancy test; The Dating Show, a twist on a dating show with misogynistic bachelors; and Super Size Me With Whiskey, a fake documentary where Trevor only consumes whiskey.
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997)
In Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, viewers must determine whether a story is true or false. It sounds simple, especially when most of the stories are so unfathomable that they feel made up. Each episode typically presents five stories, with most being fact rather than fiction. Some of these stories involve supernatural elements, while others cover day-to-day issues.
James Brolin hosted season 1, with Star Trek: The Next Generation star Jonathan Frakes taking over in season 2 and beyond. At the end of each episode, the host informs viewers if the stories are fact or fiction. Be prepared to be amazed and bewildered.
Dual Survival (2010)
Cody Lundin is a survivalist who teaches primitive living and homesteading. Dave Canterbury is ex-military and believes in being the hunter, not the hunted. Together, they form the odd couple on Dual Survival. In the Discovery Channel show, Cody and Dave are dropped into a new scenario where their survival skills are challenged and tested.
Example scenarios: shipwrecked off the coast of Nova Scotia, stuck in the caves of Belize, and stranded in the jungles of Laos. Together, Cody and Dave must put aside their differing philosophies and work as a team. Their survival depends on it. In later seasons, Joseph Teti replaced Dave, and Matt Graham came in for Cody.
Extreme Cheapskates (2012)
It’s OK to be frugal and cost-conscious. However, the people in Extreme Cheapskates take thriftiness to a new, sometimes uncomfortable, level. These economical shoppers nickel and dime their way through life. These cheapskates have never passed up a discount, nor will they ever pay for something without a deal.
Saving a few bucks is a good thing. Obsessing over it and making it your personality is beyond sane. To put things into perspective, one cheapskate, Ben, threw a party on a $4 budget. Another interview subject, Kate, goes dumpster diving in New York City. Extreme Cheapskates is a fascinating look into when frugality becomes life.
Iron Chef (1993)
“I say unto you in the words of my uncle: Allez! Cuisine!” This famous phrase comes from the Chairman at the start of each battle in the iconic Japanese cooking show, Iron Chef. A challenger enters the kitchen to battle an Iron Chef in a culinary competition. Each Iron Chef is an expert in a particular cuisine: Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, etc. The challenger picks the Iron Chef they want to face at the start of each episode.
Then, the Chairman will unveil the secret ingredient at the center of each dish in their multicourse meal. The competitors race to their stations and start to cook, having only an hour to prep and plate. The dishes are then presented to the judges to determine the winner. Without Iron Chef, there are no competition shows like Chopped on The Food Network.
Storm Chasers (2007)
7.4/10If Twisters taught us one thing, it’s this: If you feel it, chase it. Head to Tornado Alley to follow the real-life men and women who pursue twisters in Storm Chasers. The early seasons focus on Dr. Joshua Wurman, a scientist who wants to improve tornado warning stems, and filmmaker Sean Casey, a documentarian looking to film inside the storm.
Both chasers use high-tech vehicles — Doppler on Wheels (DOW) and Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) — in the field. The series gives viewers an inside look into the challenges facing storm chasers daily, including inconsistent weather patterns and powerful storms. One thing remains clear: timing is everything. It’s a race to reach the storm in this heart-pounding adventure series.
Project Runway (2004)
78%
7.4/10“Make it work!” That iconic phrase has become associated with Project Runway, Bravo’s long-running fashion competition series. Project Runway recruits the best amateur stylists and designers to compete to win prize money for their fashion line and gain exposure in fashion magazines. The contestants are challenged to create clothing around the week’s theme in each episode.
Previous themes include edible food items, recyclable materials, and flowers. The outfits are modeled during a fashion show and judged by experts Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors. Klum also co-hosted the series with Tim Gunn. Designers are eliminated in each episode, and the finalists make it to New York Fashion Week to showcase their collections. If you love fashion, then Project Runway is a must-watch.
Broadchurch (2013)
84%
8.4/10Broadchurch is the best version of a murder mystery series — tense, suspenseful, and emotionally gripping. Broadchurch, a picturesque coastal town, becomes a crime scene when the body of 11-year-old Danny Latimer (Oskar McNamara) is found dead at the base of the cliffs. Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (Doctor Who‘s David Tennant), an out-of-town veteran with a complicated past, becomes the lead on the case, much to the dismay of local Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Wonka‘s Olivia Colman).
The two cops learn that Danny’s death occurred via strangulation, and the body’s position was altered to look like an accident. As Hardy and Miller progress with the investigation, the townspeople begin to unravel, as secrets come to the forefront of a once-peaceful town. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better crime drama than Broadchurch.
Hell's Kitchen (2005)
7.2/10If you enter Hell’s Kitchen, be prepared to meet the devil, chef Gordon Ramsay. The reality series is a competition between talented chefs, with the winner becoming the head chef at one of Ramsay’s restaurants. If you thought this would be easy, think again. At the beginning of the series, Ramsay divides the chefs into two teams.
These teams then compete in a series of challenges at “Hell’s Kitchen,” one of Ramsay’s kitchens in Hollywood. The challenges range from prep work and taste tests to dish recreation and dinner services. Ramsay does not hold back, as he frequently screams and berates the contestants when they fail a task. Contestants will have to go to hell and back to win this show.
