Streaming television was supposed to kill cable and broadcast TV. Ad-free, endless choice, on-demand, and on your schedule meant the no-compromises television experience of our dreams. Except it hasn’t quite turned out that way and now it’s starting to look like the old models, the ones that buoyed cable and broadcast television for decades are rising like phoenixes from the ashes and will soon be coming back to you through, naturally, all of the best streaming platforms.
This week, The Information is reporting that Disney Plus is now considering adding a selection of genre-based channels that, instead of on-demand content, just run through a 24/7 schedule of content that will include commercial breaks.
If this sounds familiar, it only means you were watching cable and broadcast television in the years before the rise of Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and countless other options.
The details on what Disney Plus may or may not do are scant, but they are more than plausible. In recent months, most of the majors have reshaped their streaming platform strategies to offer a more affordable tier that, while still on-demand, includes commercial breaks (Amazon did it to existing Prime customers with little to no notice).
And as I discovered when I cut cable earlier this year, there are ample FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) options to fill the gaps in between your streaming appetite.
A schedule to view by
FAST has more in common with Disney Plus’ possible plans in that networks like Tubi have dozens of channels that are, just like cable, running content on their own schedules. This means that instead of searching for something to watch, you can just turn on Tubi (or FuboTV), open the guide, choose a channel, and start watching whatever’s on, in progress. Right, just like old-school cable.
This change is partly about your habits, in that people still like to have TV on in the background and that means you’re not watching a movie or even a discreet streaming series where if a family member watches it without you they are excommunicated. No, these channels, like the ones Disney Pluys might launch, are about passive viewing while, perhaps, you do the laundry or work from home.
In my house, I like to have Paramount Plus’ CBS broadcast stream running while I work. I pay no mind to The Talk, The Bold and the Beautiful, or The Price is Right, but I like the white noise of these mostly innocuous shows.
Pay their way
For the streamers, though, this is more than just another viewing option, it’s a potential major revenue stream. Disney Plus which remains a premium service whether you pay to remove the ads or pay less to suffer through them, could get paid again by advertisers willing to deliver commercials to this less attentive audience.
In the highly competitive streaming space, Disney (now with Hulu), Paramount, Netflix, and others are in a knife fight for consumer eyeballs and dollars and the only way to hold onto them is with more fresh content, which costs money. Put another way, these companies will never stop looking for new ways to generate revenue from, your views, attentive or otherwise.
The result, though, is a landscape that looks more and more like the broadcast cable world of the early oughts and less like the fast-growing streaming wars of, says 2018.
Eventually, I expect all the streamers to offer 24/7 programming schedules and guides, It’ll be a value-add and could lead to the rise of a lot more entry-level programming. Think game shows, talk shows, and cheap laugh-track-bound series, to fill this pipeline. They won’t have the same kind of quality we’ve come to expect from streaming original programming but they’ll serve their purpose and viewers like me will probably eat it up.
Disney plans to start cracking down on Disney+ password sharing starting in June, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an interview with CNBC earlier this week. Iger said that Disney needs to turn its streaming business into a growth business, and one way to do that is to force households that are sharing passwords to sign up for their own accounts.
“In June, we’ll be launching our first real foray into password sharing,” said Iger. “Just a few countries and a few markets, but then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September.”
Iger did not clarify where the password sharing lockdown will start, but it sounds like it will be largely worldwide when September rolls around.
Disney+ competitor Netflix put a stop to multi-household password sharing in 2023, and it ended up being a major revenue driver for the company. Netflix saw strong subscriber growth, gaining 8.8 million new subscribers in Q3 2023 after cracking down on password sharing.
Iger said that he admires what Netflix has done, calling the company the “gold standard in streaming.”
Netflix is the gold standard in streaming. They’ve done a phenomenal job in a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they’ve accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they’ve accomplished, that would be great.
Disney+ launched in 2019, and since then it has grown into the number two streaming service in terms of subscribers after Netflix. Prior to when Iger returned to Disney 2022, Disney+ was bleeding money as Disney focused on subscriber growth. Disney+ will see its first profitable quarter in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 under Iger’s leadership.
Disney’s streaming service has more than 110 million subscribers worldwide, and it has been integrating Hulu content into Disney+ in order to boost customer engagement. Disney+ is now priced at $10.99 per month for an ad-free subscription, or $7.99 for a subscription with ads.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
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It’s official: Disney Plus’ password crackdown will begin in June – but you might not be affected by the initial rollout.
Speaking on CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Disney Plus subscribers won’t be able to share their account with anyone who lives in a separate household from mid-2024 onwards. This is a slight change on the last information we received regarding Disney Plus‘ password crackdown, with Disney previously suggesting (on February 7) that its anti-password sharing rules would take effect in early 2024.
However, like Netflix, which introduced its own account sharing crackdown in May 2023 – read our Netflix password sharing hub for more details – Disney won’t roll out its plan worldwide in June. Indeed, Iger revealed that it would be introduced in select nations in less than two months (at the time of writing) before it expands globally in late 2024.
“Password sharing is [on the way],” he said. “In June, we’ll be launching our first real foray into password sharing in just a few markets, but then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September.”
It’s unclear which countries will be hit first by Disney Plus’ password clampdown. If history is any indication, I’d expect Canada, Spain, and some Latin American nations – the first places that Netflix’s account sharing crackdown was introduced in early 2023 – to be similarly hit by Disney with its initial password crackdown rollout. For more details when we have them, keep an eye on our Disney Plus password sharing hub.
Disney Plus’ account sharing crackdown explained
You should really watch the hugely popular Shogun series before Disney Plus’ password crackdown begins. (Image credit: FX Networks)
So, why is Disney Plus joining Netflix on the password sharing ban train? In short, it’s all to do with the company’s finances. It’s common knowledge that Disney has been hemorrhaging money recently – indeed, as revealed in investor calls and quarterly earnings reports over the last few years, Disney has *ahem* felt the cost of wading into the rapidly expanding streaming sector.
It’s a major reason why Iger, who retired in December 2021, returned to steady the ship less than a year after he was succeeded by Bob Chapek. As Iger noted in his most recent CNBC interview: “The losses were $4 billion a year – clearly, that was not sustainable or acceptable”. Since his return, Disney has turned its financial fortunes around, posting a much smaller loss of £137 million in the three-month period between November 2023 and February 2024. Iger suggests Disney will be profitable once more by the year’s end, too.
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What does all of this have to do with Disney Plus’ password crackdown? As Netflix has already shown, preventing people from sharing their accounts between households drives subscriber growth. As of January 2024, Netflix’s has 260.28 million users – over 22 million more than it had six months earlier. That uptick in new users is down to its account sharing ban, whose rollout initially led to a downturn in users. Indeed, Netflix’s password crackdown got off to a terrible start as fans cancelled their subscriptions to try and show that the world’s best streaming service was wrong to roll out such a plan.
The Bear is another terrific show you’ll want to stream on Disney Plus and Hulu before the account sharing ban starts. (Image credit: Hulu)
With one of its biggest entertainment rivals benefitting from its own account sharing clampdown scheme, it was inevitable that Disney would introduce its own plan for its two streaming platforms. That’s right, Disney Plus isn’t the only Disney-owned service that’ll stop users from sharing accounts between households – Hulu is also set to join Netflix and Disney Plus in cracking down on password sharing.
If you’ve been waiting to stream some of the best Disney Plus shows and best Disney Plus movies, my advice would be to start working your way through your back catalog right away. June’s really not that far away and, even if you’re given a stay of execution and don’t get hit by the crackdown until September, we’re already a quarter of the way through 2024, so September will be here before you know it. Stream those Marvel and Star Wars projects you’ve been putting off ASAP, then.
In case you missed the last week in the busy world of tech we’re here with your weekly update that’ll catch you up to speed on all the most important stories.
This week we finally got a date for Apple’s WWDC 2024 event – which might very well be the most important conference in Apple’s history. We also saw some weird creations from OpenAI’s Sora bot, got to hear some impressive ANC earbuds, and even witnessed the marriage of Disney Plus and Hulu.
To find out about these, and the other biggest stories of the week scroll down this page – and be sure to check back next Saturday for another quickfire round-up.
7. Apple WWDC 2024 was announced for June 10
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple’s next Worldwide Developer Conference got a date this week – and it’s due to land on June 10, 2024. During the opening keynote we expect to get our first look at Apple’s next batch of software updates – iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 – as well as some hardware reveals – perhaps new Macs, a new Apple silicone chipset, or maybe even a Vision Pro successor (though that seems unlikely).
One reveal that seems all but certain is the announcement of Apple’s big generative AI plans. While it hasn’t said anything specifically, Apple’s senior VP for marketing Greg Joswiak gave a less than subtle hint with a Tweet saying of WWDC 2024 “It’s going to be Absolutely Incredible!” – note the capitalization of Absolutely and Incredible.
We’ll have to wait until June to know what’s in store, but WWDC 2024 looks set to be an Apple event you won’t want to miss.
6. OpenAI wowed us with Sora videos
(Image credit: OpenAI / shy kids)
If you’re like us (and who isn’t?) you’ve been watching OpenAI Sora videos on TikTok with an increasing level of wonder and worry. The company responsible for DALL-E and ChatGPT has been posting all manner of bite-sized video creations that, if they weren’t so other-worldly, would look as if they were filmed in a real world. Put simply, this prompt-based generative AI video tool is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and no one really knows what it’ll do to the film, television, and animation industry.
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With an apparent nod to that concern, OpenAI recently opened up Sora to a set of independent artists and creators. Instead of throwing their hands up and running away in fear for their livelihoods, they created a set of unforgettable short films, including one that might rival an Oscar-winning short (okay, a very short film). You just have to see these AI-generated films to believe them. We guarantee you’ll be shocked and a little entertained. It won’t be long, we think, until Sora is credited as the cinematographer on a full-length film.
5. The Samsung Galaxy Ring dropped another big launch hint
(Image credit: Samsung)
Sometimes it feels like the Galaxy Ring is launching in slow motion, but the wearable inched closer to lift-off this week when it was spotted inside the battery widget on Samsung phones.
This didn’t really tell us anything new about the Oura rival, other than hinting that it’s on track for a full launch – most likely in July alongside phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 6. But it got us excited about the Galaxy Ring’s potential again, particularly for sleep tracking. If all goes well, it could be one of the gadgets of the year.
4. Hulu officially merged with Disney Plus
(Image credit: Disney)
Hulu and Disney Plus have officially tied the knot. Now in the US alongside hubs for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic you’ll see a Hulu option that’ll show you shows and films from the Hulu catalogue.
Of course, to watch this content you’ll need to pay for a Hulu subscription. A Disney Plus and Hulu bundle will start at $9.99/month for the standard subscription with ads (just $2 more than Basic Disney Plus). Meanwhile, you’ll pay $19.99/month if you want a Premium subscription to both services that offers 4K video and no ads.
Just note that some shows – like Modern Family and Love Island – won’t appear in Disney Plus right away thanks to “content licensing restrictions” per Variety. It’s unclear when these restrictions will stop getting in the way of Disney’s new one-stop streaming service shop, but we hope it’s soon.
3. Nikon launched a versatile zoom lens
(Image credit: Nikon)
We get the occasional 10x optical zoom lens for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, but 14x? That’s unheard of, until now. Nikon dropped the new Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, which looks like a superb all-in-one zoom lens for its full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the Nikon Z6 II. Its wide end covers shooting everyday observations and landscapes, its telephoto setting is ideal for distant wildlife and landmarks, and its close-up photography skills are super impressive thanks to its close minimum focus distance.
At 725g it’s pretty compact, too, ideal for your travels. The lens also comes equipped with 5 stops of image stabilization which is exactly what you’ll need for those telephoto snaps. It won’t be as sharp as a prime lens, but the 28-400mm could just be the last Nikon lens you ever buy.
2. Cambridge unveiled its first-ever noise-cancelling earbuds
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)
The company that launched one of our all-time favorite sets of earbuds (namely the 2021-issue Melomania 1 Plus) is back with a new earbuds proposition – and the fact that they’re CA’s first noise-canceling option isn’t even their biggest selling point.
The firm has actually launched two models: the regular Melomania M100 and a limited edition Melomania M100 How High Edition. The latter comes in a bright yellow case that’s an homage to the music video for The Charlatans’ hit How High, in which singer Tim Burgess wore a glorious bright yellow mackintosh. But both products come with a veritable ace up their sleeves: the slinky vocal stylings of Matt Berry, aka Steven Toast (Toast of London/Toast of Tinseltown), aka Lazslo (What We Do in the Shadows). That’s right, Matt Berry will purr ‘Noise canceling’ or ‘Transparency’ in your ear as often as you’d like, for the princely sum of £169 (about $219 / AU$326). If that doesn’t make Apple nervous, we don’t know what will.
1. Google pulled the plug on the Pixel 6a
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
This week Google unceremoniously killed off the Pixel 6a – with the budget smartphone being pulled from all of its official online stores all over the world. Even the official protective case has disappeared from the digital shelves.
Of course, you can still buy the device from third-party retailers, but you might not want to as we believe this is a sign that Google is planning to launch the Pixel 8a very soon.
A month after taking full ownership of Hulu last November, Disney started beta testing integration with Disney+. Today, Hulu on Disney+ is officially out of beta, making it easy for subscribers to access content for both services. It’s also a way for Disney to push its Hulu bundle, which starts at $9.99 a month with ads. And if you want to go ad-free and download content for offline viewing, there’s the Duo Premium bundle for $19.99 a month.
All your favorite Hulu content is in its own tab, but the big shows (like Shogun) will feature in the main show carousel too. However, if you’re a long-running Hulu viewer, you’ll lose your viewing progress on things you’ve already watched or half-watched.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
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GLAAD found plenty of policy violations where Meta took no action.
Surprise! Meta is failing to enforce its own rules against anti-trans hate speech on its platforms. GLAAD warns that “extreme anti-trans hate content remains widespread across Instagram, Facebook and Threads.” It reported on dozens of examples of hate speech from Meta’s apps, between June 2023 and March 2024. Despite the posts clearly violating Meta’s policies, the company either claimed “posts were not violative or simply did not take action on them,” according to GLAAD. The group also shared two examples of posts from Threads, Meta’s newest app where the company has tried to “political” content and other “” topics.
GLAAD’s report isn’t the first time Meta’s been criticized for not protecting LGBTQIA+ users. Last year, its own Oversight Board to “improve the accuracy of its enforcement on hate speech towards the LGBTQIA+ community.”
You can play as Black Panther, Spider-Man, Magneto and more.
Marvel Games
Marvel Rivals is a third-person 6v6 team-based shooter that sounds very Overwatch-like. It’ll be free to play, and it’s set inside of a “continually evolving universe,” which probably means new levels, new characters and new gameplay modes over time. Testers will be able to play as Spider-Man, Black Panther, Magneto, Magik and eight or nine more unannounced characters. The developers added Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Hulk and Iron Man would also eventually be playable. The alpha will be available in May for PC players. There’s no word on a console release.
Yes, No Man’s Sky is still getting major updates. Developer Hello Games’ next update, due Wednesday, adds procedurally generated space stations (so they’ll be different every time), a ship editor and a Guild system to the nearly eight-year-old space exploration sim. The stations’ broader scale will be evident from the outside, while their interiors will include new shops, gameplay and things to do, including interacting with all those guilds.
Hulu and Disney Plus have officially tied the knot. After almost four months of beta testing, the streaming bundle is here at last, giving people a way to watch content from both services on a single smart TV app.
Disney Plus even made some stylistic changes to its platform as a way to celebrate the union. The logo is more bluish-green, referring to the colors of each platform, and the startup audio mark will sound more orchestral.
For the most part, the final and beta versions are very similar. Hulu will exist on Disney Plus as its own hub alongside Marvel movies and other brand name content in the United States (Hulu isn’t available anywhere else in the world). That part hasn’t changed. However, new information from Disney’s announcement as well as other online reports offer insight into how the partnership will work.
What you need to know
Bundle plans containing both services will start at $9.99 a month for the standard subscription with ads. That’s $2 more than Disney Plus Basic. There will also be a premium plan without commercials for $19.99 a month. Alongside these two, the company will offer a pair of Trio subscriptions that include ESPN Plus as part of the package.
Trio Basic combines all three for $14.99 a month. As the name suggests, this version includes ads. Trio Premium removes the commercials and bumps up the price to $24.99. Of course, you can always purchase a subscription to whatever platform you want separately. Multiple viewing options will continue to exist.
Not everything on Hulu will be available on Disney Plus. Variety says certain shows, like Modern Family and Love Island, are not going to show up because of “content licensing restrictions”. These restrictions were first seen in the beta and remain for the time being.
New interoperability
Starting today, March 27, Disney Plus will begin to recommend Hulu content to viewers in order to encourage them to buy the new bundle. Developers at the company also made changes to the service’s search engine to improve content personalization.
According to The Verge, “what you watch on Hulu will affect your Disney Plus recommendations and vice versa”. What’s more, it may be possible to merge accounts. A company representative told us that if you have subscriptions to both services and you use the same email, the Hulu tile will automatically show up on the Disney Plus app. If you use different emails, you’ll have to contact Disney Plus support to link them together.
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There is one major exclusion in all this: no live channels. Nothing from Hulu Live TV will be present “for the foreseeable future”. If you want sports, reps told us you’ll have to purchase one of the Disney Trio plans.
If you’re looking for recommendations, check out TechRadar’s collection of the 41 best Hulu shows you can watch right now. Shōgun’spretty good.
In the increasingly competitive world of the best streaming services, the hard bit isn’t just deciding what to watch – it’s deciding which service to subscribe to in the first place. With prices going up and wages… not so much, more and more of us are starting to think much more critically about the services we subscribe to.
There are even those that are cutting their TV streaming bills by 75% with subscription hopping. But wouldn’t it be great if there was an app that could help us decide which to keep and which to ditch by pointing out which streamers are best suited to what we want to see?
That’s what the recommendation app Watchworthy is promising with the launch of some new streaming features. The first is a collaborative watchlist you can use to get recommendations for your family or friend group. But it’s the second one that’s more interesting, because it can help you decide which streaming subscriptions are worth paying for.
How does Watchworthy help you decide which services are worth watching?
The Watchworthy app (pictured above) is available on both iOS and Android. (Image credit: Watchworthy)
The new streaming recommendation feature, which is called Worthy Services, is a recommendation service for platforms rather than individual movies or shows. It asks about your taste in TV and then looks at each of the streaming services to see which ones have the most shows you want to see. It also works across paid streamers including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and Max.
If you’re already using the app you shouldn’t need to do anything, but if you’re new you’ll first need to tell the app which movies and shows you want to see. It’ll then show you which shows and movies are available on what service. Each recommendation gets a “worthy” score: the higher the percentage, the more the subscription is worth having. And the lower the number, the more thought you should give to perhaps unsubscribing.
As with any recommendation engine the downside here is that what you watch and what you say you want to watch reflect the shows and genres you already know you like, not the shows and genres you don’t know you like yet. But that’s where the rest of the app comes in: its core purpose is to show you new stuff, so it uses your watchlist as a starting point for its own recommendations.
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Full spoilers follow for X-Men: The Animated Series.
I love a good nostalgia trip – especially when it comes to movies and shows from my youth. Turn on the TV and put The Lion King, Power Rangers, Pokémon, or any other 90s-era entertainment on, and I’ll immediately be transported back to a time where adult problems – bills and a lack of sleep, am I right? – seemed eons away.
So when Marvel announced it was developing X-Men 97, a Disney Plus revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (X:TAS) – a beloved childhood show of mine – you can bet I was excited. That anticipation, though, was laced with apprehension. Sure, the comic book giant enjoyed plenty of success with its Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise. But, after numerous less well-received movies and series, including the mixed reception to What If…?, Marvel Studios’ first in-house animated offering, I could be forgiven for expecting the worst.
I need not have worried. Based on its first three episodes, X-Men 97 is everything I wanted from a Disney Plus sequel to one of my favorite animated programs. An old-school series with a modern twist, it’s a worthy successor that packs a sentimental punch. At least from what I’ve seen, it’ll not only appeal to X:TAS veterans and established MCU fans alike, but also to those looking for an easy entry point to Marvel’s expansive cinematic franchise.
To me, my X-Men
X-Men 97 picks up several months after its predecessor. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
X-Men 97 begins several months after X:TAS‘ finale. The world believes Charles Xavier/Professor X, the X-Men‘s telepathic and empathetic leader, is dead (he’s not, but just go with it) after he was fatally wounded by Henry Gyrich, a US government liaison officer with a severe aversion to mutant kind, in the original show’s 76th and concluding chapter.
Xavier’s sacrifice has led most ordinary humans to view mutants in a sympathetic light and largely accept their place in the ‘present’ (1997 being the in-universe ‘present day’). However, in Professor X’s absence, the X-Men grapple with how – or, rather if – they’ll continue to move forward as a team. Scott Summers/Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase) and Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale), for instance, wonder if it’s time to put their unborn son first; a decision that suggests an inevitable parting of the ways with their found family.
X-Men 97 is a delightful reference- and cameo-filled sequel befitting its 90s heyday predecessor
Unsurprisingly, that potential exit, among other best laid plans for Scott and Jean’s fellow superheroes, doesn’t materialize. Whether it’s the re-emergence of Bolivar Trask – the scientist who created the mutant-killing weapons known as Sentinels – or the revelation that Xavier bequeathed leadership of the X-Men to complicated villain Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Matthew Waterson), there’s plenty for everyone to deal with in the immediate term.
Given the aforementioned ties to X:TAS, you’ll be pleased (as I was) with the continuity that X-Men 97 exhibits through its episodic and overarching storylines. This isn’t a hard reset. Rather a soft reboot that pursues unresolved plot threads, as well as building on established character arcs, left over from X:TAS. In a world where remakes are commonplace, I was relieved and delighted to see that Marvel had the courage and conviction to pick up where things left off, rather than retell X:TAS‘ five-season story with updated visuals.
Indeed, X:TAS‘ thematic resonance and topical exploration have been preserved with the requisite respect and care – the examination of racial segregation, a staple of the X-Men‘s 60-plus year history, chief among them. Other important talking points – legacy, loss of self-identity, and authentic LGBTQ-plus representation (team member Morph identifies as non-binary) to name three – are also as pleasingly prominent; the latter particularly so in light of X-Men 97‘s progressive, present day take on Marvel’s source material.
X-Men 97 delivers its fair share of somber story beats that’ll leave a lump in the throat
Equally gratifying is Marvel’s decision not to tie X-Men 97 into the wider MCU. To paraphrase prog-rock band Pink Floyd, it’s not just another brick in the MCU wall – indeed, like Moon Knight, X-Men 97 exists as a standalone entity unshackled by the MCU’s unwieldy makeup.
Of course, with seven more episodes to come in X-Men 97‘s first season, it could still become part of Marvel’s cinematic tapestry. There are loose connections to other universes – the MCU or otherwise – in episodes one through three that suggest it might do so, too, if Marvel deems it necessary. However, given X:TAS predated the MCU, via 2008’s Iron Man, by 16 years, I’d like to see X-Men 97 kept separate from the elaborate multiversal tale that’s currently weighing Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut down.
I hope X-Men 97 gives some characters, including Storm, more screen time throughout season 1’s other episodes. (Image credit: Marvel Animation)
If I have one small grievance with X-Men 97, it’s that it primarily focuses on Scott and Jean in its early installments, with the pair placed front and center of the Marvel Phase 5 series’ embryonic storylines. That’s to be expected, what with X-Men 97 recreating classic narratives from the comics involving Nathaniel Essex/Mr. Sinister (Christopher Britton) and a certain famous clone saga (no, not that maligned Spider-Man one).
It’s a three-part series opening that puts Scott and Jean through the emotional wringer. Aside from some wider familial dysfunction that delivers some spicy melodrama to proceedings, though, the rest of the X-Men feel secondary or even disappointingly side lined by the unfolding events. Sure, Magneto gets some multifaceted time to shine in episode 2, Jubilation Lee/Jubilee (Holly Chou) plays a fairly substantial role in X-Men 97‘s premiere, and episode 3’s ending suggests there are entries led by Lucas Bishop (Isaac Robinson-Smith) and Ororo Munroe/Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith) to come. Fans hoping to see the likes of Wolverine, Rogue, and Gambit get their fair share of screen time early on, though, should temper their expectations.
A necessary evolution
X-Men 97‘s action has a very anime feel to it. (Image credit: Marvel Animation)
Fans of X:TAS shouldn’t be concerned that X-Men 97 disregards other elements (aside from what I’ve covered above), either. Indeed, those hoping for a nostalgia-fueled trip down memory lane will *ahem* marvel at how it evokes the feelings of watching X:TAS as a wide-eyed kid.
From the original show’s iconic opening title sequence – The theme song! The animated character intros! The opposing factions running into each other! The 3D title text! – to numerous X:TAS and wider Marvel animated series’ call backs and Easter eggs, X-Men 97 is a delightful reference- and cameo-filled sequel befitting its 90s heyday predecessor.
X:TAS’ thematic resonance and topical exploration has been preserved with the requisite respect and due care
For viewers wanting a bit of shock value from the group’s latest animated runout, there’s some to be had in its first three entries. There isn’t an overabundance of surprising moments, but those of a blind-siding nature – well, they’ll be emotionally stunning to anyone unfamiliar with X:TAS or the group’s illustrious comic book history – are hard-hitting. I’ve been moved by similar animated genre fare before, such as by Arcane and BoJack Horseman on Netflix, and X-Men 97 delivers its fair share of somber story beats that’ll leave a lump in the throat.
X-Men 97 might be a superhero-first series, but it’s not averse to being multi-genre in its scope. (Image credit: Marvel Animation)
The biggest difference between X:TAS and its successor, though, is the latter’s animated glow-up. Though conceptually similar to the 2D character designs from the original show, X-Men 97 adds more than a dashing of 3D-style cell-shading, alongside a fresh lick of paint, to renovate the group’s animated adventures. Like me, it might take you a beat or two for your eyes to acclimate to its newfound graphical style, but I found it to be a simple yet effective upgrade to the 90s cartoon’s aesthetic after a few minutes.
X-Men 97‘s animation is also a step above – obvious as that is to say, given the technological advancements since the original – its forebear. With South Korea’s Studio Mir, whose previous works include Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel The Legend of Korra and Harley Quinn season three, taking the leads on the show’s development, you can bet that there’s a serious anime vibe to its animated composition.
I’d like to see X-Men 97 kept separate from Marvel’s elaborate multiversal tale
X-Men 97‘s action sequences, for instance, are superb. Compared to X:TAS, they’re more ambitious, creative and free-flowing in their scope and scale, have a greater degree of intensity, and even occasionally slip into violent territory. Away from the customary battle scenes, Studio Mir’s penchant for abstract visuals, imaginative animation style, and weird hues lends itself to some trippy, horror-infused moments, too. Episode three is the best example of this, with nightmarish scenes aplenty that indicates X-Men 97 will be more multi-genre in tone than its animated progenitor.
My verdict
X-Men 97 is a crowd-pleasing, wistful throwback to a time where watching Saturday morning cartoons was as stressful as life ever got. A melting pot of classic X:TAS ingredients with more than a sprinkling of modern spice, it’s a mouth-watering recipe that cooks up a delicious, nostalgic feast for the senses that’s as flavorsome to newcomers as it is rewarding for long-time viewers.
I’ll never tire of recommending X-Men: The Animated Series to anyone who hasn’t seen it, but you don’t need to do so to appreciate and enjoy what X-Men 97 has to offer. To me, that’s the tell-tale sign of an excellent show, and you can be sure it’ll join our best Disney Plus shows list for that reason, as well as the others noted throughout this piece, in the near future.
At just 30 minutes a pop, each episode makes for easy digestible viewing while you munch down a bowl of milk-soaked cereal first thing in the morning, too. So, before the monotony of school or work washes over you every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks, why not take a nostalgic trip back in time – breakfast in hand – by watching a terrific sequel to one of the best animated shows of all-time? I know I will be.
X-Men 97’s first two episodes are out now on Disney Plus. New episodes air weekly until the season finale on May 15. Lastly, find out how to watch the X-Men movies in order while you’re here.
It looks like Shōgun is Disney Plus’ and Hulu’s Game of Thrones. fresh from its record-breaking launch last week, the Samurai show has continued to sweep the streaming charts where it’s sitting at the top spot worldwide based on data from Samba TV (see X/Twitter post below) – a rare feat for a show on Disney Plus and Hulu. But the big question is whether it’ll last, because Netflix’s The Gentlemen is already doing big numbers despite only launching a few days ago.
The latest #SambaTVWeeklyWrap is here! This week, #SHOGUN fights off competition for another week at #1. #LoveIsBlindS6 dropped its wedding episode, giving the #podsquad the #2 spot (we’ll see how the #LOVEISBLINDreunion did next week). In 3rd was #MillieBobbyBrown’s #Damsel, 4th… pic.twitter.com/4ZVO6o8YB3March 14, 2024
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In the US, Shōgun was the most-streamed TV premiere for an FX-developed show, beating the record previously set by The Bear season two. In other territories, Shōgun beat The Kardashians season one to become the number one in the General Entertainment series category, too.
It’s also scoring highly with the critics, with a 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating and an equally impressive 93% from viewers. But as it’s only releasing new episodes weekly instead of all at once, that means there’s a long gap between each new episode. How to fill it? The show is pretty much unique in its setting and story, but there’s plenty of exciting shows on Disney Plus and Hulu in other genres. Here are three of our favorites.
The Bear
There are no swords in this one, we know, and no bears either. But the dialog is sharp enough to do some serious damage in this exceptional drama and there’s plenty of conflict to watch from behind your fingers too. Season one is good but season two is even better, and the critics agree: it’s another 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s picked up a whole shelf of awards too. It’s one of the very best TV shows on any streamer and some of the kitchen scenes in particular are as stressful as anything you’ll see in Shōgun.
Andor
The setting may be a galaxy far, far away from Feudal Japan but Andor is no less epic. Focusing on rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), this live action Star Wars spinoff has a 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating and tons of great reviews. The New Republic says that “the show deserves to be seen as great TV, in the same league as shows like The Wire and The Sopranos”, while our pals at GamesRadar said that it’s the “gritty, dark Star Wars show that we’ve long been waiting for”.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Another top scorer, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is sitting at a very healthy 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. The titular Percy is on a dangerous mission threatened by terrifying monsters and angry gods alike, and it’s a great fantasy epic that, unlike Shōgun, is also suitable for family viewing. The Guardian said it’s a “lovely, multiverse-free way to spend an evening with kids”. It’s done so well that a second season has already been greenlit.
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One of the reasons I love Apple TV Plus so much is that, like the BBC broadcaster, the only ads it runs are those for its own programmes. It’s one of the most viewer-friendly streamers, which means when it recently hiked its prices dramatically that still felt better than going down the ad-supported route like Netflix, Prime Video or Disney Plus. As we reported at the time, Apple TV Plus is “one of the last bastions of ad-free cost-effective streaming services”. But now that appears to be under threat.
According to Business Insider, Apple has recruited a number of ad execs. Its most recent hire is NBCUniversal’s Joseph Cady, who was with the network for 14 years as the executive vice-president of advertising and partnerships with responsibility for both data-driven and targeted TV advertising. Apple has also reportedly been testing a new AI-powered tool, similar to one that Meta and Google utilize, for optimizing App Store ads.
It’s possible that after upping its prices by 31%, Apple may be looking at ads to introduce a lower-priced tier. But it’s also possible that like Amazon, Apple intends to bring ads to its standard subscription tier or like Disney, that it’s thinking of offering a new cheaper subscription. Either way, the approach was successful for Netflix after it reported that sign ups jumped considerably in the months following its ads tier rollout.
Ads nauseam
I think it’s pretty clear that it’s not a case of “will Apple bring ads to Apple TV Plus?” but “when will Apple bring ads to Apple TV Plus?” And the devil is going to be in the detail of how Apple does that, because Apple TV Plus, for all its joys, doesn’t have the sheer breadth of content that rival similarly priced streamers do – although it has to be noted that it did recently licensed 50 movies to be added to its catalog. By removing one of the premium planks – an ad-free experience – Apple TV Plus could stop feeling like a premium service.
I think there are three key issues with ad-funded streaming. The first, of course, is the ads. In many cases they’re inserted without care, interrupting key scenes apparently at random. The second is that the available content in ad-funded tiers is reduced, because not every rights owner wants their shows or movies to be shown alongside ads for washing powder and cashback sites. And the third is that ad-funded tiers typically deliver a lesser experience, for example with reduced picture quality and the removal of features such as Dolby Atmos.
Would Apple consider doing that too, taking what is currently a premium service and making it feel like just another ad-funded streamer? I hope not, but I’m not sure today’s Apple is as focused on the end user experience as the Apple of old: just open the App Store and you’ll see ads in your search results that make Apple money but that don’t exactly improve your search experience. And Apple has already built ads around its sporting content.
It’s long been said that Apple doesn’t need to get down in the dirt with rivals because it isn’t in the content business but the device business: every Apple TV Plus subscriber is a potential or actual Apple hardware purchaser, and of course Apple makes some of the best hardware margins in the business. But it looks like Apple has decided that it no longer wants to Think Different after all.
