Looking to spend your entertainment dollars wisely in September? Watch Hulu and read a book or two.<\/p>\n
That pretty much sums up a hugely underwhelming lineup from streaming services, which burned through their best shows in the spring and have little to offer for the start of the traditional fall TV season. That\u2019s not to say there aren\u2019t a handful of promising shows \u2014 there are \u2014 but is one decent new show per service worth the price of multiple monthly subscriptions? Almost certainly not.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear if the dearth of new shows can be blamed on the Hollywood strikes (streamers boasted that they had many months of shows stockpiled and said viewers wouldn\u2019t notice a dropoff until 2024), but the timing is more than a little odd, especially considering how viewers will likely be looking for alternatives to network TV\u2019s barren, strike-impacted fall schedule.<\/p>\n
The good news is that consumers can save some money by cutting back, because in the coming month, you really don\u2019t need more than one or two subscriptions.<\/p>\n
Each month, this column offers tips on how to maximize your streaming and your budget, rating the major services as a \u201cplay,\u201d \u201cpause\u201d or \u201cstop\u201d \u2014 similar to investment analysts\u2019 traditional ratings of buy, hold or sell. We also pick the best shows to help you make your monthly decisions.<\/p>\n
Consumers can take full advantage of cord-cutting with a churn-and-return strategy \u2014 adding and dropping streaming services each month. All it takes is good planning. Keep in mind that a billing cycle starts when you sign up, not necessarily at the beginning of the month, and keep an eye out for lower-priced tiers,\u00a0limited-time discounts, free trials and cost-saving bundles. There are a lot of offers out there, but the deals don\u2019t last forever.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at what\u2019s coming to the various streaming services in September 2023, and what\u2019s really worth the monthly subscription fee.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hulu\u2019s September lineup remains solid, but mostly because of August carryovers.<\/p>\n The big addition is Season 2 of FX\u2019s \u201cWelcome to Wrexham\u201d <\/strong>(Sept 13), the critically acclaimed, hit docuseries about a lower-division Welsh soccer team\u2019s strive toward promotion. Of course, it helps that the team is owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny, who have significantly raised the team\u2019s profile and, most importantly, boosted its coffers. Season 1 was fantastically entertaining, if at times self-serving, and while Wrexham perhaps shouldn\u2019t be called underdogs anymore, Season 2 should provide plenty more feel-good vibes. You don\u2019t have to love sports to love this story. Note that new eps will stream a day after they air on cable\u2019s FX.<\/p>\n Hulu\u2019s already ramping up with creepy programming ahead of Halloween, with \u201cThe Other Black Girl\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 13), a \u201cGet Out\u201d-like sinister-workplace thriller starring Sinclair Daniel and based on Zakiya Dalila Harris\u2019 novel; \u201cAmerican Horror Story: Delicate, Part 1\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(Sept. 21), starring Emma Roberts, Kim Kardashian and Cara Delevigne in a story about an actress whose pregnancy takes a horrifying turn; and\u00a0\u201cNo One Will Save You\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 22), a horror movie starring Kaitlyn Dever\u00a0as an anxiety-ridden woman whose home is invaded by aliens.<\/p>\n More:<\/strong> Here\u2019s what\u2019s new on Hulu in September 2023 \u2014 and what\u2019s leaving<\/p>\n There\u2019s also ABC\u2019s \u201cThe Golden Bachelor\u201d<\/strong> <\/strong>(Sept. 29), featuring a 71-year-old widower seeking his soulmate, and new episodes every week of the breezily entertaining \u201cOnly Murders in the Building,\u201d<\/strong> the final seasons of \u201cArcher\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cBreeders\u201d<\/strong> (series finale Sept. 25), and the brilliant, sublime \u201cReservation Dogs\u201d<\/strong> (series finale Sept. 27). Also worth a watch: the terrifically tense eco-terrorism movie \u201cHow to Blow Up a Pipeline,\u201d<\/strong> which arrived in late August, and new movie additions such as \u201cThe Menu\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 3), \u201cThe Banshees of Inisherin\u201d <\/strong>(Sept. 4) and \u201cMad Max: Fury Road\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 15).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Hulu for?<\/strong>\u00a0TV lovers. There\u2019s a deep library for those who want older TV series and next-day streaming of many current network and cable shows.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Play. Even in a month with few premieres, Hulu is head and shoulders above the rest. But be warned, Disney is jacking up the price of ad-free Hulu to $17.99 in October.<\/p>\n In fairness, it\u2019s a relatively blockbuster month for Amazon\u2019s After a two-year layoff, Season 2 of the sprawling fantasy epic\u00a0\u201cThe Wheel of Time\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 1) picks up with Moraine (Rosamund Pike) and Rand (Josha Stradowski) now scattered and forced to regroup as the Dark One turns out to be far from defeated. Season 1 was one of Prime\u2019s most-watched series ever, and Season 2 will reportedly be darker and more action-packed, spanning the second and third books of Robert Jordan\u2019s series.<\/p>\n The end of the month will bring the premiere of\u00a0\u201cGen V\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 27), set in \u201cThe Boys\u201d universe and following a group of students with extraordinary abilities at a prestigious \u2014 and extremely competitive \u2014 college for superheroes-to-be. It looks every bit as depraved and violent as the massively popular \u201cThe Boys,\u201d and fans of that show should dig it. For others, it may test your tolerance for exploding heads.<\/p>\n And see:<\/strong> Here\u2019s everything coming to Amazon\u2019s Prime Video in September 2023<\/p>\n Prime\u2019s also got the nightmare-vacation thriller \u201cWilderness\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 15), the astrological dating show \u201cWritten in the Stars\u201d <\/strong>(Sept. 15), and an impressive number of movie additions \u2014 about four times as many as were added in August. Highlights include \u201c2001: A Space Odyssey,\u201d \u201cChildren of Men,\u201d \u201cFace\/Off\u201d<\/strong> and the original \u201cBad News Bears.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget the return of NFL Thursday Night Football<\/strong>, with some quality matchups: Eagles-Vikings (Sept. 14), 49ers-N.Y. Giants (Sept. 21) and Lions-Packers (Sept. 28).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Prime Video for?<\/strong>\u00a0Movie lovers, TV-series fans who value quality over quantity.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Pause and think it over. \u201cThe Wheel of Time\u201d and \u201cGen V\u201d should be two of Prime\u2019s most popular series this year and there\u2019s a good slate of NFL games. But if you\u2019re not a big fan of fantasy, excessively violent superheroes or football, the lineup suddenly looks lacking.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an unusually slow month for Netflix There\u2019s also the fifth and final season of Matt Groening\u2019s animated fantasy series\u00a0\u201cDisenchantment\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>(Sept. 1); the final season of the British crime drama\u00a0\u201cTop Boy\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 7); Season 5 of the romantic drama\u00a0\u201cVirgin River\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 7); Season 5 of the reality dating show\u00a0\u201cLove Is Blind\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 22); Wes Anderson\u2019s short film\u00a0\u201cThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 27), based on a Roald Dahl short story; and the Chilean horror satire\u00a0\u201cEl Conde\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>(Sept. 15), which asks if dictator Augusto Pinochet was actually a vampire.<\/p>\n For more:<\/strong> Here\u2019s everything coming to Netflix in September 2023, and what\u2019s leaving<\/p>\n Also, the epic WWII miniseries\u00a0\u201cBand of Brothers\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and its sequel, \u201cThe Pacific\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(both Sept. 15), join Netflix as part of HBO\u2019s new licensing deal that includes \u201cBallers\u201d and \u201cInsecure.\u201d<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Netflix for?<\/strong>\u00a0Fans of buzz-worthy original shows and movies.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Pause. Taken together, \u201cSex Education\u201d and \u201cBand of Brothers\u201d are almost<\/em> worth the subscription price alone, but beyond that\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe Morning Show\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 13) returns for its third season, as Apple Meanwhile, Apple also has \u201cThe Changeling\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 8), a horror series billed as a \u201cfairytale for grown-ups,\u201d starring LaKeith Stanfield as a new father whose wife mysteriously goes missing after giving birth, and tracks his nightmarish journey to find her; \u201cStill Up\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 22), a British comedy series about romantic insomniacs; and \u201cFlora and Son\u201d<\/strong> <\/strong>(Sept. 29), a musical\/family drama movie from writer\/director John Carney (\u201cOnce,\u201d \u201cSing Street\u201d) and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Eva Hewson.<\/p>\n There are also new eps every week of \u201cInvasion,\u201d \u201cPhysical\u201d<\/strong> (series finale Sept. 29), \u201cFoundation\u201d<\/strong> (season finale Sept. 15) and \u201cThe Afterparty\u201d <\/strong>(season finale Sept. 6).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Apple TV+ for?\u00a0<\/strong>It offers a little something for everyone, but not necessarily enough for anyone \u2014 although it\u2019s getting there.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Stop. Apple\u2019s had a great year, but there\u2019s a pretty steep dropoff once \u201cThe Afterparty\u201d ends. <\/p>\n Curiously and concerningly, Max \u2014 formerly HBO Max \u2014 has more AMC shows coming in September than it does HBO originals.<\/p>\n Max recently announced a partnership with AMC+ that will see seven AMC series \u2014 \u201cFear the Walking Dead\u201d,<\/strong> \u201cAnne Rice\u2019s Interview with the Vampire,\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cDark Winds,\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cGangs of London,\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cRide with Norman Reedus,\u201d\u00a0\u201cA Discovery of Witches\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cKilling Eve\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 stream on Max for two months starting Sept. 1. It\u2019s a good lineup too, with \u201cInterview with the Vampire,\u201d \u201cDark Winds,\u201d \u201cGangs of London\u201d and the first season of \u201cKilling Eve,\u201d in particular, worth checking out. The shows will be available for all tiers, and will be ad-free.<\/p>\n Later in the month, Warner Bros. Discovery Aside from that, there\u2019s the animated comedy\u00a0\u201cYoung Love\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 21), about a tight-knit Black family in Chicago, and based on Matthew A. Cherry\u2019s acclaimed animated short \u201cHair Love\u201d; Season 3 of the British romantic comedy \u201cStarstruck\u201d <\/strong>(Sept. 28); and\u00a0\u201cThe Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0(Sept. 2), a movie that wraps up the hilariously twisted Adult Swim series.<\/p>\n Also: <\/strong>What\u2019s coming to Max in September 2023<\/p>\n The one saving grace for Max this month is new episodes of some very good returning shows, such as \u201cHow to with John Wilson\u201d <\/strong>(season finale Sept. 1), \u201cHarley Quinn\u201d<\/strong> (season finale Sept. 14) and \u201cWinning Time\u201d <\/strong>(season finale Sept. 17).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Max for?<\/strong>\u00a0HBO fans and movie lovers. And now, unscripted TV fans too, with a slew of Discovery shows.<\/p>\n Play, pause or stop?<\/strong>\u00a0Stop. What a dramatic shift from spring\u2019s monster lineup. Once \u201cWinning Time\u201d ends, there\u2019s little to justify the cost.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a dismal month for Disney+.<\/p>\n The forgettable live-action version of \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 6) makes its streaming debut, and \u201cI Am Groot\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 6) \u2014 the animated \u201cGuardians of the Galaxy\u201d spinoff \u2014 returns for its second season of shorts, along with a handful of \u201cbehind-the-scenes\u201d Marvel and \u201cStar Wars\u201d specials.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the \u201cStar Wars\u201d series \u201cAhsoka\u201d<\/strong> has new episodes every week. While it\u2019s entertaining enough for those who are caught up with the four-season animated \u201cStar Wars: Rebels\u201d \u2014 it\u2019s essentially Season 5 of \u201cRebels\u201d \u2014 newcomers may find themselves a bit lost.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Disney+ for?<\/strong>\u00a0Families with kids, hardcore \u201cStar Wars\u201d and Marvel fans. For people not in those groups, Disney\u2019s Play, pause or stop?<\/strong> Stop. The price of ad-free Disney+ is rising significantly in October, so it\u2019s time to start thinking about whether you really need to subscribe. This month, you really don\u2019t.<\/p>\n Peacock\u2019s big addition this month is \u201cThe Continental: From the World of John Wick\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 15), a prequel miniseries about the origins of the hotel for assassins from the \u201cJohn Wick\u201d universe. It\u2019s a rich premise, but the producers managed to blow any goodwill by inexplicably giving a starring role to Mel Gibson, despite his long and ugly history of racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic comments. This was a conscious choice on their part. And you, the consumer, have a choice too. So no. Just \u2026 no.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the streaming debut of the drive-fast-and-blow-things-up blockbuster movie \u201cFast X\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 15); \u201cThe Irrational\u201d<\/strong> (Sept. 26), a silly-looking new NBC procedural starring Jesse L. Martin as a behavioral scientist who uses his expertise to help The Man, aka governments, law enforcement and corporations; and a ton of Halloween-themed movies, from \u201cThe Birds\u201d<\/strong> to \u201cGhostbusters\u201d <\/strong>to \u201cHalloween\u201d<\/strong> to \u201cSaw.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Things look better on the live-sports side. Big Ten college football returns Sept. 2, and NFL football starts Sept. 7. Sundays feature an MLB game of the week, and there\u2019s a full slate of English Premier League soccer, motorsports and golf, including the Ryder Cup (Sept. 29-Oct. 2).<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Peacock for?<\/strong>\u00a0Live sports and next-day shows from Comcast\u2019sHulu ($7.99 a month with ads, or $14.99 with no ads)<\/h2>\n
Amazon\u2019s Prime Video ($14.99 a month)<\/h2>\n
\n AMZN,
\n
\n Prime Video.<\/p>\nNetflix ($6.99 a month for basic with ads, $15.49 standard with no ads, $19.99 premium with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n NFLX,
\n
\n but there is one highlight: the fourth and final season of the excellent British high-school dramedy\u00a0\u201cSex Education\u201d (<\/strong>Sept. 21). Asa Butterfield, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey\u00a0and Gillian Anderson return as the raunchy yet sweet coming-of-age story shifts the students to a new, ultra-progressive school, where they\u2019ll try to fit in amid new challenges.<\/p>\nApple TV+ ($6.99 a month)<\/h2>\n
\n AAPL,
\n
\n basically keeps trying to make \u201cfetch\u201d happen. The newsroom-set, wannabe-prestige drama is not good, a narrative mess that borders on ridiculous. On the other hand, it\u2019s fairly popular, thanks to one of the most impressive, and expensive, casts on TV (which adds Jon Hamm, Tig Notaro and Natalie Morales this season), and it\u2019s probably hard to say no to Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. So instead of flirting with cancelation, the sunk costs will continue for a company that can definitely afford it.<\/p>\nMax ($9.99 a month with ads, or $15.99 with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n WBD,
\n
\n will finally integrate Max and CNN, after scuttling CNN+ last year soon after its launch. CNN Max<\/strong> will launch Sept. 27, on all Max tiers, offering live news and original programming. It\u2019s not a live feed of cable\u2019s CNN, but it may be close enough to satisfy cord-cutters.<\/p>\nDisney+ ($7.99 a month with ads, $10.99 with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n DIS,
\n
\n \u00a0library can be lacking.<\/p>\nPeacock (Premium for $5.99 a month with ads, or $11.99 a month with no ads)<\/h2>\n
\n CMCSA,
\n
\n NBCUniversal are the main draw, but there\u2019s a good library of shows and movies.<\/p>\n