Cable TV is the place to be for some of the most exciting and talked-about TV shows, but a trend in recent years has seen plenty of people ditching traditional cable packages in favor of something more convenient. Cord-cutters have been able to move away from cable toward streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. Individual channels like HBO, Starz, and CBS have all launched successful streaming services as well. Now, another network is joining the streaming pack. FX will soon debut a commercial-free subscription service for all of those who are ready to cut cords and move into streaming.
FX will team with Comcast to launch a streaming service called FX+, which will enable Xfinity TV subscribers to upgrade for access to commercial-free seasons of FX and FXX original series. Many current and former originals will be available for subscribers' streaming pleasure. The upgrade to FX+ will cost $5.99 per month. The service will debut on September 5, but the volume of episodes in the FX library means that they will not all be rolled out at once. Instead, the shows will become incorporated into FX+ in the coming months, with the full library to be available at some point in 2018.
While FX isn't the first channel to embrace an option that will keep its content available to cord-cutters, it is the first ad-supported cable network that will offer all seasons of most of its originals. Unlike HBO and Starz, FX relies upon commercials for profit. If FX+ is a success, it's possible that we'll see other cable channels getting into streaming services as well. Given the current rate at which consumers are jumping ship from traditional cable packages in favor of streaming, networks may need to adapt to the cord-cutting times and make their libraries available streaming sooner rather than later.
Interestingly, FX has been doing extremely well for itself in recent years when it comes to the quality of its content, even if it doesn't always get all the buzz it deserves. Over the last three years, FX series have won more Emmys than Amazon and Netflix combined. FX even set a record for basic cable in 2016 with a whopping 56 Emmy nominations, and its shows took home an impressive 18. In 2017, FX won more Golden Globes than any other platform. As long as series like American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Fargo (if it returns), and Legion keep delivering unique content, FX could continue growing its audience base. FX+ may help the network gain a foothold in a new territory.
Highlights of FX+ include all seasons of American Horror Story, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Sons of Anarchy, as well as current seasons of American Crime Story, Atlanta, and Fargo. All things considered, FX+ could be ideal for cord-cutters who still want access to what FX has to offer. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. If you haven't cut your cord just yet, take a gander at our fall TV premiere schedule for everything you'll be able to watch on cable and network television in the not-too-distant future.
