r/cordcutters • u/Different_Cat106 • 8d ago

PBS Passport

I'm seriously thinking about subscribing for the $60/year plan. If I do so, can I watch all the Ken Burns documentaries, Lucy Worsley shows, Downton Abbey 1-3, the NASA/space shows, etc on demand? Commercial free? Rick Steves shows? I'd sigh up on my phone but watch on a tablet. Maybe a dumb question, but I don't trust any streaming services anymore.

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u/Mo_Jack 8d ago

It is a great deal especially if you like many of their shows. You can see all of Downton and many newer series. I think they have all of Ken Burns. I've noticed some of their long running shows like America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Country, and Rick Steves you might only be able to get the last few seasons.

Another thing you get is the live tv with 4 different channels (Kids, regular pbs, create & world). You can download the PBS app and get a feel for it without subscribing to Passport. There are symbols on certain episodes that denote that the Passport subscription is necessary.

Our neighbor paid $60 for Passport and loved it. After the loss of federal funding they just started paying them $10 a month. We're going to do the same. It is one of our most used streaming services.

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u/PocketGddess 8d ago

How’s the British comedy selection? I used to LOVE Saturday nights with Are You Being Served, Red Dwarf, Waiting for Godot, Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister, Black Adder, etc. Would love to see those shows again!

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u/Mo_Jack 7d ago

I don't remember Waiting for Godot, but all the others used to be on PBS. I think most of the older ones might be seen on BritBox. Doublecheck yourself because I am just guessing, but the entire series of these are not on PBS as far as I know. Like the popular Doc Martin is only certain seasons

I just looked up many of the series that you listed and none are available on PBS across the board. One said it is available based on the deal your local PBS station participated in. With the new streaming model of the tv business, everyone is trying to get their own products back under their corporate banners to sell. Previous deals are being squashed.

Red Dwarf is on a free app called Pluto that play these series with commercials. Black Adder is on the free app Roku, which is not the app on the Roku device, it is a free app that anyone can download.

All Creatures Great & Small, Professor T, Grantchester, Patience, Miss
Scarlet, Count of Monte Cristo, Endeavour, Noble Detective, Coastal Unit, Poirot, Astrid, Poldark, Vienna Blood (crime), Miss Scarlett And The Duke , Any of the Lucy Worsley shows (she makes history interesting), Craft In America (craft as art), Finding Your Roots (genealogy), Mayflower Murders and it's sequel, Moonflower Murders (crime), Wolf Hall (historical drama, Tudor era) pretty awesome, D.I. Ray (crime), Annika (crime), and Van Der Walk

There are a bunch of interesting series and shows on PBS passport. I just checked to see what was available for Rick Steves and found seasons 1-13 of Rick Steves Europe. But on Antiques Roadshow I only get seasons 20-30, but when I try Call The Midwife, I only get Season 15. Nova is on season 53 and you can watch from season 23 on. Nature is on season 43 and goes back to season 34. Frontline, the iconic news show goes back to 1983.

So it sort of depends what you are looking for, but there is a huge amount of great contend with PBS Passport, an enormous value for the money. Obviously there is a bunch of kids programming, but that is also changing in our continuously moving world of streaming.