Rokuhas released an astonishingly cheap streaming service. The consumer electronics company is behind the free streaming platform The Roku Channel, which - in addition to a library of licensed titles - features original movies and television shows such as the acquired fantasy seriesThe Spiderwick Chronicles, the mockumentaryThe Charlie Puth Show, and theparody biopicWeird: The Al Yankovic Story.
However, the streaming service, which features some Roku originals alongside titles licensed from Lionsgate, FilmRise, and Warner Bros., has its limitations. This includes the fact thatit is currently only available in the United States, via Roku, at the time of writing.
Additionally, on top of not featuring any original content at the time of writing,it does not seem to feature any new releasesamong the 10,000 hours of content Roku boasts, or indeed any movies or television series that were released in 2023 or later.
What This Means For Howdy’s Library
While the Howdy commercial that was released on Roku’s official X account on August 5 admits that “we don’t have everything,“the limitations of the scope of their library are quite apparent. Beyond the Oscar-winning 2019 movieBombshelland the Oscar-nominated2022 music biopicElvis, none of the titles featured debuted later than 2016.
See the full commercial below:
Another potentially telling element of the commercial is the fact thatmultiple titles are featured twice, includingJoyful Noise,Transporter 3, andElvis. Additionally, theDenzel Washington movieThe Great Debatersis featured three times. This may highlight the limited number of titles available on Howdy, in addition to their vintage.
Below, see a breakdown of the release years for every title featured in the commercial, in the order they appear:
2012
2008
2022
2010
2007
2019
2013
2011-2016
2009-2013
2009-2015
2006
1992
Life of a King
Redemption
Additionally, the Howdy page on Roku’s official website (which highlightsWeeds,Elvis,Dirty Dancing, andNurse Jackie,The Graduate,Reservoir Dogs, andAmerican Psychoas core titles) allows viewers to scroll through offerings in several genres, including “Feel-good movie nights” and “Binge-worthy crime dramas.”
However, other thanElvis,the only titles featured on the page that premiered after 2016 are all from the “True crime obsessions” section, namely 2021’sMeet, Marry, MurderandConfronting a Serial Killer, 2020’sO.J. & Nicole: An American Tragedy, and 2017’sWho Killed Jane Doe?.
Our Take On Howdy
The fact that the Howdy main page uses the word “comfort” multiple timesseems to imply that the people behind the streaming service are aware of its limitationsas far as new releases. However, this may not be a problem for viewers whose priorities lie in rewatching favorite titles rather than seeking new content.
Ultimately, if the library of the newRokustreaming service grows beyond the narrow scope implied by its initial rollout, it could prove to be a valuable resource for nostalgic content that won’t break the bank.
