18 Best Shows You Can Watch for Free on Tubi
Unlike other major streamers, Tubi only offers a handful of original shows, most of which are imports ( their original movie selection is much larger ). That’s not to say it’s a wasteland for TV lovers: The streamer may actually have too many shows, with a huge and sometimes wild catalog spanning decades.
While Netflix and HBO Max have trimmed their catalogs, Tubi is growing, offering a mix of established hits, underrated gems, and more obscure offerings. The sheer variety of material on offer has made it my go-to place for anything outside the current zeitgeist, like the next 18 shows, a wholly incomplete sampling of what Tubi has to offer, crossing genres and decades.
Gossip Girl (2007–2012)
Sometimes cited as the greatest teen drama of all time (this side of 90210 , of course), Gossip Girl was a ratings champ on the CW in its day, with its juicy, often scandalous storylines veering into deliberate satire so often that it was hard to ever get mad at the ridiculousness of any of it. Set among a group of well-heeled students on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, its characters find their love lives becoming the subject of chronicles by the mysterious gossip master of the title—so think of it as a proto- Bridgerton . You can stream Gossip Girl here .
Babylon 5 (1993–1998, five seasons)
J. Michael Straczynski’s wildly ambitious sci-fi epic was way ahead of its time, with a planned (more or less) five-season story arc set on the titular space station. Babylon 5 is a remote outpost that becomes the last best hope for peace in the face of conflicting human and alien agendas – especially after an ancient threat awakens. With increasingly complex storylines that expanded as the series progressed, it was a stab at prestige television before it was a thing, and it still holds up (despite its dated CGI effects). You can stream Babylon 5 here .
Empire (2015 – 2020)
Hip-hop mogul and Empire Entertainment CEO Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) is dying, diagnosed with ALS at a young age. He hadn’t planned on handing over his company so early, but he nonetheless prepares his three very different sons (Tray Byers, Jussie Smollett, and Bryshere Y. Gray) to take over the keys to the kingdom by pitting them against each other. Into this already Shakespearean situation comes Lucious’ ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), fresh out of prison and with her own plans for Lucious’ empire. You can stream Empire here .
Mr. Robot (2015 – 2019)
Social anxiety disorder, clinical depression, and dissociative identity disorder make up a potent mix of neurodivergence that challenges Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a brilliant senior cybersecurity engineer at Allsafe Cybersecurity. In season one, he’s hired by an anarchist who goes by the alias Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) to encrypt all of a global mega-conglomerate’s financial data, thereby wiping out massive amounts of debt (hey, real hackers, maybe take some notes?). The show starts strong and gets better throughout its four increasingly convoluted seasons — completely ridiculous, yet realistic in its technical details. You can stream Mr. Robot here .
Borders (2024 – , two seasons)
This British import plays a bit like a modern-day Skins, with a talented cast of young stars-in-waiting (including leads Josh Tedeka and Jodie Campbell) and a high school setting. Five black teenagers have recently enrolled at the (fictional) prestigious St. Gilbert’s boarding school on scholarships, but their integration into the existing cliques doesn’t go so smoothly. The combination of coming-of-age drama with a willingness to poke fun at the whole rich private school thing makes this Tubi original a fun watch. You can stream Daughters here .
Big Mood (2024 – , renewed for a second season)
Another UK import and a Tubi original (in the US, at least), Big Mood stars Nicola Coughlan ( Bridgertons ) and Lydia West ( It’s a Sin ) as a pair of best friends in East London living their best thirtysomething millennial lives. Well, sort of: Maggie is struggling with bipolar disorder and doesn’t know if she wants to keep taking her medication as she sets out to write a play, while Lydia is doing her best to run the sunken dive bar she inherited from her father. It’s both a sweet dramatic comedy and an impressively frank exploration of the challenges of living with mental illness. You can stream Big Mood here .
Vicious (2013 – 2016, two seasons)
The old-school sitcom formula has never been executed so bitchily, with the inspired duo of Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as Freddie Thornhill and Stuart Bixby, a couple of nearly 50 years who have developed a love-hate relationship. This cast, which includes Frances de la Tour and Game of Thrones ‘ Ian Rheon, is unbeatable, and the one-liners are hilariously disgusting. You can stream Vicious here .
The Haves and the Have Nots (2013–2021, eight seasons)
Tyler Perry’s old prime-time soap opera was the show that essentially built OWN; it was the then-new network’s first written show and an immediate breakout hit. It follows three families: the wealthy Harringtons and Cryers are wealthy movers and shakers in Atlanta, Georgia, while the Young family is looked after by single mom Hannah, who doubles as the Cryers’ maid and confidante to the patriarch. There’s juicy tension between the three families, in no small part because of class differences, but also because they’re all equally screwed. You can stream The Haves and the Have Nots here .
Spartak (2010 – 2013)
Outdoing Ridley Scott’s Gladiator in both its narrative complexity and its steamy, shirtless gay arena action, Spartacus starts out as pure spectacle and becomes a slick, glossy soap opera by the end of the series. Bolstered by leading performances from Andy Whitfield (who tragically died during the series’ original run), Manu Bennett, John Hannah, and Lucy Lawless, it’s sword-and-sandals done right. A sequel is in the works at Starz, so now’s the perfect time to catch up. You can stream Spartacus here .
Broadchurch (2013 – 2017)
Creator Chris Chibnall’s dark crime drama didn’t invent its own subgenre (whatever you want to call the one where two murder detectives butt heads in a grimy city), but it popularised it to the point where we’ve been inundated with countless imitators of varying quality. With the dazzling pairing of Olivia Colman and David Tennant (joined by fellow Doctor Who star Jodie Whitaker), Broadchurch still stands up to the best of its kind. You can stream Broadchurch here .
Doctor Who (1963–1989, 26 seasons)
Speaking of Doctor Who , even if you’re up to date with the modern incarnation (if I can use the word “modern” for a show that began airing in 2005), there’s plenty of time-wamy adventures to enjoy. Tubi has all 26 surviving seasons of the original series, dating back to 1963, and the story of a mysterious old man living in a scrapyard with his granddaughter. Seven Doctors is enough to keep anyone busy for a while. Tubi has the show broken down by Doctor, but if you want to start at the beginning, you can stream the First Doctor here .
Haven (2010 – 2015)
Tubi is a haven for little gems like this five-season Stephen King adaptation, originally released by SyFy. Emily Rose plays Audrey Parker, an FBI special agent sent to the small town of Haven, Maine, on a routine case who finds herself caught up in “The Troubles,” a series of malevolent supernatural events that have recurred throughout the town’s history. The supernatural case-of-the-week format gives way to a bigger mystery when Audrey learns that this isn’t her first time in Haven, nor the first time she’s encountered the Troubles. You can stream Haven here .
Scandal (2012–2018, seven seasons)
Shonda Rhimes was already a powerful producer and writer with several successful seasons of Grey’s Anatomy under her belt when Scandal debuted, but it was the combination of political thrills and sexy soap drama that cemented her brand and her place at the top of the modern TV landscape. Kerry Washington plays Olivia Pope, the head of the Washington, D.C.-based crisis management firm Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), who is the person to call when you need to fix a PR disaster. If you want a sense of how high the stakes are, consider that Tony Goldwyn plays Fitzgerald Grant III, the President of the United States, and also Olivia’s love interest. You can stream Scandal here .
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
With news that Sarah Michelle Gellar (and company?) are returning to the ruins of Sunnydale for a Hulu reboot, it’s probably not a bad time to revisit (or rewatch, or re-watch) this seven-season teen vampire-hunting saga. While the pacing can feel a little slow and the effects a little janky, its mix of high school (and then college) angst, cool monster fights, and genuinely funny comedy holds up. You can stream Buffy here .
Heartland (2007–, 18 seasons)
If there’s a stereotype that middle-class American TV viewers won’t watch foreign products, this show defies it — at least when it comes to imports from Alberta (duty-free!). Based on the popular book series by Linda Chapman and Beth Chambers (writing under the pen name Lauren Brooke), the show follows a family of horse ranchers in western Canada, led by sisters Amy and Lou (Amber Marshall and Michelle Morgan). Tubi is currently streaming the first 15 seasons of the drama, which was recently renewed for a 19th season. That’s Law & Order- level longevity, people. You can stream Heartland here .
Highlander (1992–1998, six seasons)
A classic ’90s syndicated action/adventure show, Highlander stars Adrian Paul as the titular hero, taking over from Christopher Lambert in the film series. Duncan MacLeod is an immortal warrior living in the modern world who is hunted by others like him, all with one goal: to cut off Duncan’s head to steal his power. Episodes typically include some sort of flashback to an earlier era in Duncan’s life, where we first encounter the threat he will face in the modern world. There’s at least one good sword fight in every episode, and I can’t imagine what more you could want from a show. Bonus: It carries over a cool Queen song from the films. You can stream Highlander here .
Z Nation (2014 – 2019)
The Walking Dead made prestige television out of the zombie apocalypse, but this SyFy original is all about zombies as a campy, gory pastime. It all starts with a soldier tasked with transporting a package across the country. The package in question is actually a zombie bite survivor who can help create a vaccine (take note, The Last of Us fans). This one, from the schlock masters at The Asylum, purveyors of infamous B-movies like Sharknado , should tell you everything you need to know about the tone. You can stream Z Nation here .
Columbo (1968–2003, 16 seasons)
Peter Falk’s lofty, rumpled detective practically invented the style recently revived by Peacock’s Poker Face : a crime (usually murder) is committed, the audience knows who did it, and Columbo must solve it. At the start of any given episode, we can watch the crime being committed, though we don’t always know the motive. The goal isn’t to figure out who’s guilty, but to find out how, exactly, TV’s greatest detective is going to solve the case. You can stream Columbo here .