Think there's enough streaming services? Think again

The acclaimed crime drama Broadchurch is streaming on the 'best of British' streaming service Acorn TV

COMMENT:

Just this week two more, brand new streaming services were announced. Yay?

These two join the plethora of available and nearly-here streaming options. So if you thought there was already more than enough things to watch and more than enough ways to watch things then boy, were you wrong.

Both promise movies and television that you won't be able to watch anywhere else. Both have terrible names. Both want your money on a monthly basis.

The first is called Acorn TV and is a purposefully niche proposition. Traditionally streamers like Lightbox, Netflix and Neon have cast a wide net in an attempt to haul in as many wallets as possible. That strategy worked when they were the only boats in the harbour. Now, in these increasingly crowded waters, a more refined approach isn't as crazy an idea as it first seems.

So if you fancy yourself an anglophile then best start campaigning the constituents in your household to Netxit and instead take up a sub with Acorn TV.

This new streaming service specialises in the best of British and promises a "curated world-class library of captivating crime thrillers, addictive dramas, and intriguing mysteries". The exact sort of thing the Brits do extremely well and no doubt holds huge appeal to a large Kiwi audience hankering for more from ol' Blighty.

So what've they got? A lot of Martin Clunes for one thing. But also comedy classics like the subversive Peep Show, the outrageous The Inbetweeners and the gentle Detectorists.

But my tastes skew LOL so of course I checked their comedy menu first, which is more of an afterthought to Acorn's main purpose. They hope to entice viewers with classy shows like Broadchurch, Victoria, Line of Duty and The Bletchley Circle.

While the initial selection seems sparse compared to the endless scrolling of Netflix's buffet, consider how much you glaze over in Netflix's menu. Acorn is betting on you wanting a little of what you like rather than a lot of what you don't. And that's not a bad bet. Especially as it promises to add new shows each week. Fans of gripping crime thrillers, captivating contemporary dramas, puffy-dressed period pieces and British accents will likely be extremely pleased with the $7.99-a-month sub.

A couple of days later the second of these new streamers was announced. It differentiated itself from Acorn in a few ways. Firstly, it had an old-school "all of the things", scattergun approach. Secondly, it didn't say when it would launch here. And thirdly, it has an even worse name.

Peacock - yes, that's what it's called - will spread its wings in the United States next April.

Where Acorn leans into the best of British, Peacock is pure stars and stripes, being owned as it is by TV network NBC.

It has been in the news recently for pulling its hugely popular back catalogue off rival services. Even going as far as paying $500 million to pry The Office out of Netflix's clutches. The ever popular sitcom will join Parks and Recreation, Cheers, Will and Grace and 30 Rock among many other NBC legacy classics.

There is, however, one notable exception; NBC's crown comedy jewel Seinfeld will not be on Peacock, as the rights were recently snaffled up by Netflix, for - get this - a cool $500 million. A Seinfeldian plot twist if ever there was one.

As well as old, Peacock will also go new, launching with a reboot of grim, sci-fi classic Battlestar Galactica helmed by the creator of Mr Robot. Also on the way, a show called Dr Death which stars Alec Baldwin, Christian Slater and Jamie Dorman, a Demi Moore-starring adaptation of Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World, and a reboot of teen sitcom Saved by the Bell which will also reboot original stars Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley. But no Screech? What kind of half-baked reboot is that gonna be? Anyway . . .

Movies will also be huge on Peacock, with films coming from Universal and Dreamworks, among others, so Shrek, Bourne and Fast and Furious franchises will all be there as well as classics like Jaws and The Breakfast Club, which is very appealing.

What's not appealing, however, is the thought of adding yet more streaming subscriptions to the expense column. Just six months ago I prophetically wrote, "streaming is about to get really expensive, really quickly," and since then a handful of new viewing ventures have dived into the stream all with unique content and varied appeal. The fear is we're not even close to being done yet.

Stay tuned for more? You bet.