Wednesday 22 June 2022

Paramount+ enters the streaming wars



Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is now available in the UK and Ireland on a range of devices but not PlayStation or Xbox consoles at launch. Subscribers could sign-up a day early, and sci-fi cohorts (myself included) were able to begin streaming Halo: The Series and the Star Trek franchise on Tuesday.

I wasted no time in availing myself of a free 7-day trial (Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will get 1 month for free as a reward and to promote Halo: The Series) and began watching Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Apple TV. A stellar spin-off series spawned from Star Trek: Discovery. It's the best space western since The Mandalorian on Disney+.

Initial impressions of the latest entrant into an overcrowded streaming space are relatively positive.

The interface for Paramount+ is very similar to other streaming services such as Disney+. However, at launch, there isn't much content (due to pre-existing deals) unless you're a Star Trek fan (myself included) and streaming is capped at 1080p with 5.1 surround sound.

Therefore, I won't be watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition in 4K with Dolby Atmos for the foreseeable future. Of course, the UHD format could be added at any time.

It's worth remembering Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks are exclusive to Amazon Prime. That said, look what happened to Star Trek: Discovery on Netflix outside the US? Following a social media backlash in the wake of the series being pulled without warning, season four was shown for free on Pluto TV.

Is Paramount+ worth subscribing to as consumers emerge from a global pandemic, face a cost of living crisis and geopolitical unrest?

It's early days for Paramount+, so I'm hesitant to recommend paying £69.90 for an annual subscription (unless you're a Sky Cinema subscriber on Sky Q or Sky Glass, where it's available at no extra cost). This may change over the coming months, but it's a no-brainer for Star Trek fans. I'll post an update on Paramount+ in the autumn.

Are you subscribing to Paramount+? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

2 comments:

  1. I’m not subscribing to Paramount+. As of right now I have more than enough streaming services to occupy my time. Netflix will be the first one I cancel due to its surging price. I’ve watched the first episode of the new Halo series and it wasn’t enough for me to sign up for a full year. I wish there were less streaming services, not more as it can all get more costly than a cable subscription. The lack of 4K is a huge strike against it for me which is something HBO, only offered by Bell’s Crave in Canada, have in common.

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    1. Aside from Dr Halsey and Cortana, Halo is a big disappointment. I'll avail myself of a free 1-month subscription to finish watching Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

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