To keep your eyes on its platform, YouTube now offers over 4,000 TV episodes that you can watch completely free in the US, with that number set to grow every month. You can watch these free shows on nearly any device that YouTube is available on.

Why Is YouTube Offering Free TV Shows?

As announced on the YouTube blog, you can now stream full seasons of TV shows for free on YouTube, as long as you live in the US.

The shows cost nothing to view, but they are supported by ads. Some of the available shows include Hell's Kitchen, Andromeda, and Heartland.

free movies and shows on youtube
Image Credit: YouTube

They're not exactly the most exciting or interesting TV shows in the world, nor do they compete with the prestige content found on services like HBO Max or Netflix. But it is free and ready to binge, so you can't complain too much.

With this, YouTube is making its move into the over-the-air television space, competing with those who offer ad-supported free streaming like Roku, Peacock, Tubi, and Plex. YouTube certainly has the built-in audience to make it work, far more than its competitors.

YouTube plans to add up to 100 new titles each week, across its free selection of TV and movies.

Where to Watch Free TV Shows on YouTube

If you want to watch the 4,000 free episodes, head over to YouTube's free shows page. Here you'll find all the available shows, updated weekly. You can watch these shows in your browser, on your mobile device, and on most connected TVs via the YouTube app.

YouTube has also offered free movies for a while, including Gone in Sixty Seconds and Legally Blonde, which you can browse via YouTube's free movies page.

Remember, you must be in the US to watch the free shows and movies, with no announced plans to launch this elsewhere.

Will You Watch Free TV on YouTube?

YouTube tried to compete with paid streaming services through YouTube Originals, but the company has significantly scaled those back. Now, it's coming for the over-the-air television streamers, which it might have a better shot at. People browse YouTube expecting free videos, so it feels natural to hook them in with free TV shows.