The Best TV Shows to Watch on The Roku Channel (September 2024)
Photo Courtesy of ITV
Boasting deals with Disney, Paramount, and other networks and companies, The Roku Channel provides both celebrated and niche TV and movies (like their original film Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) to binge and enjoy. Because of its FAST (free, ad-supported television) status, all of these series are available for totally free, just at the price of your time spent watching ads. Easily accessible through their very own Roku Stick and through most other smart TV and streaming devices, no account is required to stream all the shows listed below and much more. Listed in no particular order, we have scoured Roku’s sometimes less-than-intuitive interface to find the best shows to stream for totally free on the Roku Channel and App.
Broadchurch
Broadchurch is a riveting UK crime drama that focuses on the murder of a young boy. Former Doctor Who star David Tennant leads as detective Alec Hardy, who with his partner Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) must infiltrate a close-knit community on Britain’s Jurassic Coast. Of course, everybody in town has a secret, and no one takes kindly to the mounting media attention. In its first season, Hardy and Miller continue their investigation, the mystery unfolds in a slow, deceptively languid fashion, lingering on the effects of the child’s death upon the town’s residents. From there things become more sprawling (and arguably less compelling), but still binge-worthy. Created by writer Chris Chibnall (another Doctor Who vet) is a master of atmosphere (a haunting, piano-driven score, the glistening seaside vistas) by taking his time with the details, he keeps the whodunit at a slow boil that rewards patient viewers. —Amanda Schurr
Pride and Prejudice
Sigh. I’m 1000% sure there’s more to Pride and Prejudice than Colin Firth taking a dip in the lake and walking away in a clinging, wet shirt. Really I am. This BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel with Firth as the brooding Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as the strong-willed Elizabeth Bennet is the definitive version. The six-episode series originally aired on BBC in 1995 and then in 1996 on A&E. It turned Austen’s 1813 novel into unmissable television and made a star out of Firth, who later went on to play a different-but-similar Mr. Darcy in the Bridget Jones movies. Now this beloved classic, with all its swoon-worthy romance and gorgeous vistas, is available in all its glory on HBO Max so you too can try to convince yourself that there’s more to it than a jump in the lake (and there definitely is).—Amy Amatangelo
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
It may be a little bit of a stretch to truly call Alfred Hitchcock Presents “horror,” as it were, but it was definitely high drama in the style created by the master of suspense. Hitchcock, of course, knew true horror, whether via The Birds or Psycho, and threads of these films, along with thrillers such as Notorious or North by Northwest, are woven into the long-running show’s DNA. Take the ultra-macabre episode “Man from the South,” starring horror icon Peter Lorre as an insidious old man with a truly nasty proposition for a young gambler played by Steve McQueen. Lorre’s character promises to give McQueen his Cadillac … if McQueen can successfully strike his Zippo lighter 10 times in a row. If he fails? Then Lorre will cut off McQueen’s finger as punishment. It’s a sadistic, weird premise that has since been adapted again multiple times, including by Quentin Tarantino in 1995’s Four Rooms, but none of them can touch Hitchcock. —Jim Vorel
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Before Dick Van Dyke became the toast of Disney live-action films and the star of every senior citizen’s favorite crime procedural Diagnosis: Murder, he was the titular star of this fantastic sitcom. The classic half-hour gave viewers two shows in one: a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of a TV variety show and a warm-hearted family comedy. The former allowed for plenty of sharp dialogue and fast-paced jokes courtesy of show creator Carl Reiner and co-stars Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie, all playing comedy writers. The latter took full advantage of the winning chemistry between Van Dyke and former dancer and TV bit player Mary Tyler Moore. —Robert Ham
2 Broke Girls
Airing for six seasons on CBS, 2 Broke Girls has a similar cultural legacy to its various contemporary sitcom peers; able to be found in reruns across various cable channels and even sometimes going viral for its snappier jokes, this series was a fan-favorite before being cancelled. Starring Kat Dennings as the working-class waitress Max and Beth Behrs as the once-rich, now disgraced socialite Caroline, 2 Broke Girls follows their escapades working at a Brooklyn diner as they work towards their goal of opening a cupcake shop. Despite its sometimes off-color humor, 2 Broke Girls is still relatively charming, and is worth the watch for the chemistry between Dennings and Behrs alone. —Anna Govert
House
Hugh Laurie shined as the cranky and brilliant titular character who never believed his patients (they always lie) and could solve even the most complex medical cases (Note: it’s _never_ lupus). The series was the pitch-perfect mix of the Case of the Week (often introduced in the cold open as some seemingly healthy guest star falls ill) with ongoing story arcs that followed the will-they-won’t-they romance of House and Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), the lives of House’s often randy interns, and the long-running bromance between House and his best friend Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard). It’s a winning TV prescription playing out again today on ABC’s The Good Doctor, which is also produced by House creator David Shore. —Amy Amatangelo
Tin Man
Ever since the history-making 1939 film from MGM, L. Frank Baum’s wonderful world of Oz has been revived and redone time and again, and SYFY’s Tin Man limited series is no exception. The series ran for only three episodes, and stars Zoey Deschanel as DG, a waitress that gets whisked away to the mysterious O.Z., also known as the “Outer Zone.” This series is a far cry from Judy Garland’s Oz—it’s apocalyptic, it’s gritty, but most importantly: it’s strikingly original and filled with heart. If you are a fan of the film and are looking for a twist on a classic tale, this series is a must watch. —Anna Govert
Unsolved Mysteries
“This program is about unsolved mysteries…”
That introductory message was followed by a Halloween-inspired theme song and the voice of host Robert Stack, a voice that would feature prominently in my nightmares for years to come. For the unfamiliar, Unsolved Mysteries is a documentary-style TV show that originated in 1987 and went through multiple hosts and networks over the course of its run. But the height of its popularity came during the Stack years, which lasted from 1987 to 2002. Each episode features three or four unsolved cases, covering a wide range of subjects: murders, kidnappings, supernatural occurrences, lost treasure, and even historical mysteries, such as the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. The producers used actual evidence, interviews with those close to the case, and some of the most mullet-heavy reenactments ever recorded to tell the story. At the end of each episode, Stack would plead with viewers to contact the authorities with information on the cases they’d just seen—and give updates on any previous cases that we, the viewers, had helped solve. (Most recent “prestige” crime docuseries still follow much the same narrative template that Unsolved Mysteries helped pioneer: Each introduces a case, the theories that might explain it, and the potential suspects, then sorts through the evidence for and against each.)
The truth is that we’ll never stop being fascinated by the very worst of humanity, but the way in which we want to consume it has changed and will continue to do so. UM changed the landscape of true crime on television and changed what we expect from it. The show, like the series that have followed it, didn’t always provide the answers we wanted—but then, neither does real life. Robert Stack did, however, always leave us with one comforting message: the hope that the unsolved would be solved and justice would be served. “For every mystery, there is someone, somewhere who knows the truth,” as Stack says. “Perhaps that someone is watching. Perhaps it’s you.” —Stephanie Ashe
Hunter X Hunter
There are countless shonens (and American TV shows, even) that focus on a group of young characters using supernatural abilities and deductive reasoning to problem solve. Hunter x Hunter is a rare find among this homogeneous archetype because of its attention to detail and emotional investment. This anime is filled with whimsical subplots that don’t always end with a major event, but let you know characters in this world were alive before you started watching them.
Hunter x Hunter begins with Gon Freecss, as he sets out on a journey to become a Hunter. He’s your typical savior-figure protagonist unique to shonen, but fortunately he keeps the annoying, repetitive mantras to himself. His determination to see the best in people becomes a marvel of the series, and his dedication to others drives the plot. He makes friends with a young boy from a family of assassins, and their polarized dynamic creates a connection that makes the series inspiring. The compelling relationship between these two boys demands emotional investment from you. Togashi emphasizes their youth and inexperience by pitting them against much older, more experienced villains, and introduces powerful mentors that help them evolve. He’s meticulous about tailoring his characters’ abilities to their personality, but everyone draws their strength from resolve. The feats of pure determination you’ll witness in this anime will change you.
Togashi has struggled with a medical condition for some years, but he claims the manga is far from over. Hopefully, the remastered anime gets a seventh season soon.—Jarrod Johnson II
Coach
The 1990s seemed to be just jam-packed full of sitcoms like Coach, these genial programs about harried parents dealing with kids and family life, only defined by their unique locations. What mattered was each show’s cast, and Craig T. Nelson, as later evidenced by The Incredibles, was pretty much born to be the harried father. Here, he coached a prestigious college football team at the fictional “Minnesota State” before moving on to the NFL, but even more than the team, his challenges typically revolved around wrangling his college-aged daughter or sorting out disputes between other teachers or members of his staff. Like any of these shows, you had yourself a few goofball comic relief characters who existed just to give out-of-nowhere monologues like this one. —Jim Vorel
Little Women (2017)
Though it had the misfortune to air a little too close to Greta Gerwig’s adored film version to get noticed, don’t sleep on the BBC/PBS Little Women miniseries. Featuring four young stars on the rise as the unforgettable March girls, Emily Watson as their mother, Marmee, and the 92-year-old Angela Lansbury in an astoundingly good turn as Aunt March, Little Women—adapted by Heidi Thomas (Call the Midwife) and directed by Vanessa Caswill—has all the makings of a new beloved viewing tradition. The three-part miniseries is is a fitting tribute to the novel’s central themes: love, kinship, and the bravery of women, and is as bright, clever, and emotional and any excellent adaptation should be (it’s also one of the only adaptations that makes Amy less hateful and where Jo rejecting Laurie makes real emotional sense). A delightful if overlooked take on a classic, the women here may be little, but they are also strong, brilliant, and full of heart. —Keri Lumm and Allison Keene
Bones
Based partially on the life and career of real forensic anthropologist and crime author Kathy Reichs (who also acted as a producer on the series), FOX’s Bones follows anthropologist and author Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), also known as “Bones” for her uncanny ability to find clues within the bones of victims, and Special Agent Seely Booth (David Boreanaz), whose mistrust of science after his time in the Army makes for a delightful odd couple at the center of this series. Bones ran for 12 seasons at FOX, and over the course of its run, proved to be delightfully entertaining and fun to watch, with its episodic case-of-the-week nature never truly getting old. —Anna Govert
Merlin
A lot of fantasy is based on existing myths, legends, and folklore, and although you might think you know the story of the famous King Arthur and Merlin, you’ve never seen it told quite like this before. The fan-favorite Merlin, which aired on the BBC from 2008 until 2012, is set in a version of Camelot in which magic has been outlawed. The story begins when Arthur Pendragon (Bradley James) and the wizard known as Merlin (Colin Morgan) are young men who cannot stand each other, but after the latter becomes the former’s personal servant, they put their issues aside and become fast friends. And this is a good thing for both men, since Merlin has to often use his gifts in secret to save Arthur—often without him knowing—so the latter can one day fulfill his destiny as the man who will restore magic to the kingdom. If you’re looking for a lighter fantasy show than some of the others on this list, this is a really good, quite fun option with plenty of bromance. —Kaitlin Thomas
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is a pure delight. A show that is 1000% guaranteed to put a smile on your face, get your feet tapping and leave you humming a happy tune. I defy you to not be in a good mood after watching it. Jane Levy stars as the titular character who, after an MRI gone awry, can suddenly hear the soundtrack of people’s lives. Their innermost thoughts set to a Beatles song, a Whitney Houston ballad or a Katy Perry number. Because Zoey is privy to people’s innermost thoughts whether they are singing about sexual desire or loneliness or marital frustration, she tasks herself with solving their problems. But by adding the extra layer of full on, big musical numbers everything Zoey does seems natural. Musicals, by their very nature, require a huge willing suspension of disbelief. The show also isn’t afraid to tackle big emotional problems: from the sudden death of a parent, to a husband who doesn’t respect you, to being your true self to everyone. It’s NBC taking a risk. As far as musical TV series go, for every Glee or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend there’s a Cop Rock. For network television to be airing, promoting, financing a show like this is a sign that broadcast TV isn’t throwing in the towel to Netflix or Prime Video. NBC has come to play, thank you very much. And that’s something to sing about. Additionally, if you’re looking for more Zoey’s, look no further than Roku’s original film Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas. —Amy Amatangelo
Grimm
Like any good show, NBC’s Grimm is greater than the sum of its parts. The personal, familial, and workplace dramas that make up the world inhabited by homicide detective/hunter of supernatural creatures Nick Burkhardt is plenty to keep you entertained. Throw in the monsters—inspired by characters from Grimms’ Fairy Tales—and you’ve got a compulsively watchable show. But let’s talk about these monsters for a minute, because these are a special brand of beast that will haunt your dreams. Between some terrifying wesen, completely unpredictable witches, mermaids that really work against the whole “mermaids are sexy” movement, and other such things, this show is not for the faint of heart. Many of the monsters also have a fascinating (but also horrifying) cultural bent, like the aswang—mythical Filipino beasts that attack pregnant women (because their amniotic fluid is so incredibly delicious). Good times, good times. Beyond the horrors, Grimm is one of those rare shows that makes Hollywood’s inclusivity problem look even more inexcusable. With a truly diverse cast, playing on both good guy and bad guy sides, and complex roles for the female characters (my personal favorite being Claire Coffee’s Adalind) the show may not come up in conversations about the current Golden Age of TV, but it’s probably one of the best shows you’re not watching. —Shannon M. Houston
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