Have an Echo Show? Want free (and sometimes paid) access to live and on-demand TV shows, movies, and cooking classes? Stay tuned for all of the ways you can access free and paid TV shows on your Echo Show devices.
All of the content providers listed here will work with a first-generation Echo Show or a 2nd-generation Echo Show, but a few exclude access to owners of the Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 10 (although you may want to try viewing on these devices as device availability changes regularly). Interested in listening to TV shows on Alexa devices? You can do that too by pulling up any of the following providers below.
Amazon Prime Video
If you have an Amazon Echo Show device (any generation) there’s a good chance you’re also an Amazon Prime subscriber. One of the Amazon Prime subscriber perks is the ability to access Amazon’s Prime Video library on any Echo Show device or any Alexa device with a screen.
Simply say, “Alexa, open Prime Video” to get started watching Amazon Originals like “Sneaky Pete,” “Bosch,” “The Boys,” “Tales from the Loop,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” and more. Prime TV shows include “Upload,” “Vikings,” “Downton Abbey,” and others. Catch movies like “A Quiet Place,” “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” and more.
Tubi, Free movies, and TV
Tubi is a free and legal content provider owned and operated by the Fox Entertainment Division of the Fox Corporation and arguably your best bet for easy access to free, quality (non-Amazon-Prime) content on an Echo Show device. Tubi offers streaming video content from studios like Paramount, Lionsgate, MGM, and more.
Tubi viewers will find family movies like “A Turtles Tale,” and “Camp Cools Kids,” thrillers like “The Black Mass” and “Hitman: Agent 47” and horror flicks like “Final Destination 5,” and “The Devil’s Rejects.” and TV show favorites including “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “Unsolved Mysteries.” Search for shows or browse through categories like “Not on Netflix,” “Movie Night!” “Weekly Watchlist,” and others.
Watch Tubi on the first-generation Echo Show, 2nd-Generation Echo Show, Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, and Fire TV devices. To access Tubi on an Echo Show device, head to the Alexa app on your phone. Tap the “More” at the bottom right, tap “Settings,” tap “TV and Video,” scroll down and select “Tubi,” link Tubi with your Alexa account. Once linked, you can pull up Tubi on your Echo Show by saying, “Alexa, launch Tubi.”
Netflix
If you’re looking to watch Netflix on Alexa devices, it’s now possible to Netflix and chill with your favorite Echo devices with screens. Netflix is available to watch on the first and 2nd-generation Echo Show devices, the all-new Echo Show 10, the Echo Show 5, and the Echo Show 8. Say, “Alexa, open Netflix” and enter your user name and password to begin.
Pluto TV
Pluto TV, like Tubi, is another high-quality free content provider offering access to thousands of free shows and movies in categories in a both live and on-demand format. Watch popular movies like “Legally Blonde,” “Minority Report,” and “The Naked Gun.” Catch news headlines from CNN, NBC News, and TODAY. Tune into the 24/7 NFL channel or Fox Sports or watch shows like “Baywatch,” “Cold Case Files,” MTV’s “The Hills,” and more. Shows and movies are available in categories like “Tech + Geek,” “Kids,” “Life+ Style,” “Sports” and others. Binge episodes of on-demand shows like “Love Island,” “Cops,” “Three’s Company” and more.
Pluto TV is a great option for Fire TV devices but it’s not designed to be viewed on an Echo Show. You can, however, use a work-around to access Pluto TV on an Echo Show device. To access Pluto TV on an Echo Show, say, “Alexa, open Silk.” Once the Silk browser is open, select “search with Google.” Type “Pluto TV live” using the on-screen keyboard. Scroll down and click on “Pluto TV — live.” Pluto TV will suggest you download their app (you can’t do that on an Echo Show) so go ahead and tap “Continue on the Web.” You’ll now have access to live content offered by Pluto TV but the navigation experience is not ideal and services like Tubi will provide a better overall experience for viewing free content on an Echo Show device.
Stream Player Alexa Skill
The Stream Player Alexa skill works on all Echo Show devices and on any Alexa devices with screens. This Alexa skill offers free and legal access to the U.S. and international TV streams from stations that offer their programming for free on the internet. Access streams from ABC and CBS News, PBS Kids, and more obscure channels like “RetroTV” and “Classic Arts” One “Stream Player” Alexa skill reviewer emailed the skill creator when the local channel they wanted to watch was not available. The reviewer reports that they shared the city they live in and desired channel + network and the skill creator was able to add the stream and assign a channel number within 24 hours. Now that’s service.
Once the Stream Player Alexa skill is enabled, say, “Alexa, open stream player” to browse through a menu of channels or simply say the name or number of the channel you’d like to watch. “Alexa, ask Stream Player to play PBS Kids.”
Food Network Kitchen
If you miss the days when the Food Network channel played more cooking shows and fewer bake-offs and other food competitions, the Food Network Kitchen Alexa skill is for you. Food Network Kitchen offers access to over 800 on-demand cooking classes and 25 live weekly classes as well as access to series such as “Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics,” “Better than Takeout,” “Girl Meets Farm,” “The Pioneer Woman,” and others. Subscribers can also opt to show up for pre-recorded or live cooking class led by professional and/or celebrity instructors like Bobby Flay. The Food Network Kitchen requires a paid subscription to access but there’s often a free trial period between 30-60 days long.
To access the Food Network Kitchen on your Echo Show, head to the Alexa app on your phone. Tap “Settings” at the top left, tap “TV and Video,” select “Food Network Kitchen,” Enable the skill and link your account. Once linked, you can pull up the Food Network Kitchen on your Echo Show by saying, “Alexa, open Food Network Kitchen,” or say, “Alexa, watch TV” to select Food Network Kitchen from many of the additional content providers mentioned within this article.
If you’re looking to access live cooking classes from an Echo Show in your kitchen, open the Food Network Kitchen app and say, “Alexa, show me cooking classes.” Tap on “live classes” or say, “Alexa, live classes.”
Amazon’s Fire TV Recast
Amazon’s Fire TV Recast is a networked DVR that offers cord cutters the ability to watch both live and recorded TV from free, over-the-air networks on multiple devices at any time. Once you purchase the recast and TV antenna, you can watch and record the over-the-air TV on the first and second-generation Echo Show devices, the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8, without paying an ongoing fee for the service.
Broadly speaking, the Fire TV Recast works with Alexa voice controls and will allow users with an HD antenna, a Fire TV streaming media player and/or Echo Show, and the free Fire Tv app for Android or iOS devices running iOS10 or higher to record and watch shows on multiple devices without paying a monthly fee for the service.
Although you can access over-the-air TV and your recordings on many of Amazon’s devices or through your mobile phone via the Amazon Fire TV app, we’ll focus on how to watch free TV on your Echo Show for the purpose of this article.
In order to access free TV on your Echo Show, you’ll need a Fire TV Recast, an HD antenna for your television, and an Echo Show device.
Once the Fire TV Recast is set-up, (be sure to set it up using the same www.amazon.com account credentials you have registered to your Echo device) Fire TV Recast owners can access their recordings on the first or second-generation Echo Show by saying, “Alexa, show me my recordings.” If you’d like to see what’s on TV right now, say, “Alexa, open channel guide.”
Hulu
Before you can access Hulu on an Echo Show, you’ll need to connect your paid Hulu subscription account in the Alexa app on your mobile device. Tap the “More” at the bottom right, tap “Settings,” tap “TV and Video,” select “Hulu,” and link your Hulu account with the associated Alexa skill. Once linked, you can pull up Hulu on your Echo Show by saying, “Alexa, open Hulu” or say, “Alexa, watch TV” to select Hulu from a screen that will include a number of the content providers mentioned in this article.
Echo Show owners can use the following commands as guidelines for controlling Hulu by voice.
- “Alexa, tune to ESPN”
- “Alexa, play Seinfeld”
- “Alexa, search for Marvel’s Runaways”
- “Alexa, watch the Handmaid’s Tale”
- “Alexa, show me channels”
- “Alexa, rewind to the beginning”
- “Alexa, play the next episode”
NBC
To access NBC on your Echo Show devices, head to the Alexa app on your phone. Tap “More” at the bottom right, tap “Settings,” tap “TV and Video,” select “NBC,” link with your television provider. Once linked, you can pull up NBC on your Echo Show by saying, “Alexa, open NBC” or say, “Alexa, watch TV” to select from any additional apps mentioned within this article. Once you’ve launched the NBC app, you can use the following Alexa commands”
- “Alexa, open NBC”
- “Alexa, Play This Is Us on NBC”
- “Alexa, watch Manifest on NBC”
- “Alexa, show me the Good Place”
- “Alexa, find comedies on NBC”
- “Alexa, pause”
- “Alexa, fast forward two minutes”
Red Bull TV
Red Bull TV describes itself to users as offering the ability to “go beyond the ordinary and enjoy unrivaled access to documentaries, sports, events, gaming, music festivals, and more on your Echo.”
To access Red Bull TV on any Echo Show device, open the Alexa app on your phone. tap “More” at the bottom right, tap Settings, tap “TV & Video,” scroll through options, and tap “Red Bull TV.”
Say, “Alexa, open Red Bull TV” and select from the following menu options: “Featured,” “Live TV,” “Films,” “Shows,” and “Clips.”
The general command, “Alexa, watch TV,” will also provide Red Bull TV as an option to select along with many of the content providers listed within this article.
Use Alexa voice commands to control Amazon Prime and supported streaming services
The following commands will work for users who want to control Amazon Prime Video and other compatible streaming services by voice.
Find & Watch
- “Search for [movie / TV show].”
- “Find [title / genre / actor].”
- “Play [title].”
- “Open [app].”
- “Go Home.”
Control Playback
- “Play” or “Resume.”
- “Stop” or “Pause.”
- “Rewind” or “Fast Forward.”
- “Next” or “Watch from beginning”
Learn more about using Alexa voice commands to control Prime and other compatible streaming services
Get Quick Access to Your Enabled Video skills
Say, “Alexa, open video home” to see a personalized video homepage on Alexa devices with screens. Alexa users will be able to quickly access the video skills they’ve enabled such as Netflix, NBC, Tubi, Food Network Kitchen, and Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon Fire TVs acting as Echo Show Devices
Fire TV owners can now experience an Echo Show like response on the big screen. Alexa will share visuals when you ask to see your calendar, smart home camera, calendars, to-do lists, weather updates, and more.
Live Camera Feeds from around the World
Possibly one of the coolest Alexa skills out there, the Earth Cam Alexa skill allows users to catch live streams from video cameras around the world. Get a birds-eye view of New York, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Dublin, and many more locations. Users can say “Alexa, ask Earth Cam to show me a sunrise” or “Alexa, ask Earth Cam to show me something cool.” Additional commands that work with this Alexa skill include:
““Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me The World Trade Center.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Space.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Tokyo.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Raiders/Allegiant Stadium.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Key West.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Wrigley Field.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me bird cam.”
“Alexa, ask EarthCam to show me Niagara Falls.”
Free and paid streaming services NOT available for Echo Show Devices
The following free and paid streaming services are currently not compatible with Echo Show devices.
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