Now that the voyages of the Enterprise-D (and its original crew) have come to an end with the conclusion of Picard season 3, I’m beaming off Paramount Plus. I'll be back in June, of course, when the voyages of the original NCC-1701 resume with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.
As much as I loved the first season of the renewed Beavis & Butt-Head, the second season of the two teens from Texas (launching appropriately on 4/20) aren’t enough for me to continue shelling out $9.99 per month or $4.99 for the ad-supported version. To paraphrase a Scottish chief engineer, it just doesn’t have the power to keep me around.
Yes, before you ask: I’m all caught up on 1883 and 1923 — the two prequels to Yellowstone — so I know everything there is to know about the Dutton family’s history in Paradise Valley. And we don't need Paramount Plus for the rest of Yellowstone season 5, either. While its spinoffs are there, it's a Peacock show, confusingly enough. Plus, Yellowstone isn't even slated to return until this summer, though at this point, it isn’t clear exactly when, or even if Kevin Costner will return.
But that's just the peak of the mountain for why I'm leaving Paramount Plus.
A not-so fatal attraction to Paramount Plus' other programming
My daughter will definitely be annoyed with my canceling Paramount Plus. Paw Patrol, currently airing its 9th season, is one of her favorite shows, but we’re trying to cut back on the amount of TV she watches, so removing the primary conduit for the adventures of Chase, Marshall, Skye et al. is no big loss for me.
Also premiering at the end of April on Paramount Plus is the TV adaptation of Fatal Attraction, starring Lizzy Caplan, Amanda Peet and Joshua Jackson. I think Caplan is a great actor (I only recently discovered Party Down, and my wife and I quickly binged all three seasons), and Peet is no slouch herself, but it’s going to be tough to compete with the iconic performances of Michael Douglas and Glenn Close.
I was never a big Grease fan — John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John notwithstanding — so the prequel Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, which premiered on April 6, wasn’t exactly the one that I wanted.
While I watch the occasional soccer match — and I’m a big fan of Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham — I’m not spending my free time watching the Champions League or Serie A, so neither of those are a compelling reason for me to stay, either.
Where I’m spending my streaming money on this month
My wife and I have wildly divergent tastes when it comes to what to watch, but three other streaming services are currently enough for all the TV we need. There are even a few shows we’ve been watching together, with two musically-inclined series that have brought us together on the couch.
The first is Schmigadoon season 2 on Apple TV Plus ($6.99 per month). This homage to Broadway musicals has some of the wittiest lyrics this side of Spamalot and The Book of Mormon.
This season — Schmicago — pays tribute to the musicals of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, with not-so-subtle references to Chicago, Sweeney Todd, and Hair, among others. And, it has a packed cast, including Jane Krakowski, Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming.
I’m also using Apple TV Plus to watch Ted Lasso season 3. My wife, however, ditches AFC Richmond's adventures to fire up Hulu for Abbot Elementary season 2, which is also a fantastic show.
The second series we’ve been watching is Daisy Jones & The Six, a faux rockumentary (frockumentary?) based on the novel by the same name. Inspired by the real-life drama of Fleetwood Mac, this 10-part series follows the rise and implosion of a 70s-era rock band.
Led by Riley Keough (Elvis Presley’s granddaughter, who’s got some real singing chops of her own), it’s a great look at the music of that era, with a soundtrack to match. Because it’s on Prime Video, we get to see it as part of our Amazon Prime subscription. The final episode aired at the end of March, but we’re just getting around to the series now.
Outlook: There's only so many streaming services you need
With so many streaming services, it’s easy to subscribe to so many that you end up paying as much, if not more than you would for a regular cable TV subscription. So, each month, be sure to look ahead at what you’re subscribed to, and if it’s worth the price.
Our streaming editor suggests just setting a reminder to comb through your streaming device each month to go app by app, to make sure you're not forgetting anything. This way, Paramount Plus won't beam my cash up until the next Trek begins.
