Jitna Baghani | August 1st, 2022

Sky Max channel

Sky Max is an exciting new addition to Sky’s TV service in the UK and Ireland. The channel launched in 2021, alongside Sky Comedy. Sky Max and Comedy were both launched as a replacement to their popular predecessor Sky One, which was on air for over 40 years. Sky One split into Sky Max for drama and entertainment content, while comedy content moved to Sky Comedy.

Introduction

Sky Max is the new home of Sky's blockbuster entertainment. Launched in 2021, Sky Max comes standard in Sky TV’s basic line-up, giving you access to top-notch entertainment, including exclusive content, at no extra cost. We’ve put together this handy guide to break down everything included in Sky Max, the most cost-effective ways to get it, and how to subscribe now.

How to watch Sky Max

Sky Max isn’t available on its own, though you can get it directly if you sign up for any of Sky’s TV deals, including their basic TV package. You can also get access to Sky Max through a handful of other TV providers, though the cost, channel offering and viewing quality may vary depending which provider you sign up with. Read on to find out more.

Providers offering Sky Max

• Sky – Sky TV is the obvious choice if you want to get Sky Max, as with other Sky channels. Fortunately, you can access Sky Max with any Sky TV bundle, including their entry-level TV package.
• Virgin Media – Aside from Sky, Virgin is the only other TV provider that offers Sky Max directly in its TV bundles. Sky Max is included in Virgin’s Mix, Full House and Maxit packages, and can be added as a personal pick if you have Virgin's Mixit package.
• NOW TV – NOW TV offers monthly subscriptions broken down by category. NOW’s Entertainment plan is an affordable way to get Sky Max and other blockbuster content, but the quality won’t be on par with what Sky and Virgin offer. If you are happy with what’s included in the plan, it’s a good option, but if you want other content you may find a better option elsewhere.
• BT – Sky Max is available to watch via BT TV as part of a NOW Entertainment Membership, included in BT’s Entertainment, Big Entertainment and VIP TV packages.
• TalkTalk – As with BT, Sky Max is available to TalkTalk broadband or mobile customers via a NOW Entertainment Membership add-on, for a monthly fee.

What’s the cheapest way to get Sky Max?

It’s best to narrow down what you want to watch, and then compare the bundles that include all your favourites before comparing prices. If you only want access to Sky Max and nothing more, a subscription to NOW directly or via BT TV is your best bet, though the viewing quality will likely not be as good as with Sky or Virgin Media.

Ways to watch Sky Max

Catch up on your favourite Sky Max shows on your smart TV, or stream content directly to your laptop or desktop computer. You can also watch Sky Max on the Sky Go mobile app using your smartphone, tablet, laptop or video games console. Sky Go is available as a desktop app for Mac and Windows, and if that’s not enough, Sky Mobile lets you watch your favourite shows on the go without using your data. All of this is available at no extra cost with a Sky TV subscription.

What to watch on Sky Max

Sky Max is packed to the brim with epic Sky content you know and love, including exclusive content that isn’t available on other channels. Sky Max offers blockbuster US dramas, Sky Originals like A Discovery of Witches and COBRA, the best of British and American comedy-dramas, HBO Max favourites and more. Though most comedy content has found a new home on Sky Comedy, you’ll still get your laughs from popular panel shows like A League of Their Own and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Blockbuster entertainment and favourites on Sky Max

• Wolfe – A dark Sky Max original police drama that follows Professor Wolfe Kinteh, a forensic scientist and academic whose eccentricity often gets him into trouble at crime scene investigations
• Brassic – Brassic began as a Sky One original, and is reputed to be one of Britain’s best comedies. Vinnie and his skint Lancashire mates are driven to a life of petty crime. Vinnie struggles to balance his lifelong friendships and their criminal misadventures with his girlfriend pressuring him to move away to find a better life for themselves
• The Lazarus Project – The Lazarus Project is a clandestine organisation working to prevent mass extinction events by utilising time travel. This popular Sky Original series interweaves two parallel storylines a century apart
• The Midwich Cuckoos – Based on the 70s cult classic sci-fi novel by John Wyndham, this eerie Sky Original series tells the story of an English town in which all the women of child-bearing age become mysteriously pregnant soon after an unidentifiable silver object is discovered nearby
• Russell Howard Hour – Hosted by its namesake, the Russell Howard Hour is a topical comedy show spun off from its similar predecessor, Russell Howard's Good News. Tune in for a hilarious take on current events
• Banshee – Banshee is a popular American crime thriller set in Pennsylvania Amish country centred on an ex-con who assumes the identity of a murdered law enforcement officer. He grapples with his new identity, hiding from a major crime boss who happens to be the father of his former lover, and trying to reconcile with his ex
• DC's Legends of Tomorrow – An American live action superhero series in which the time-travelling protagonist, Rip Hunter works to assemble a crew of superheroes to prevent an imminent apocalypse
• American TV classics – Sky Max not only offers exclusive content and popular hits from across the pond, but you can also watch and rewatch your favourite original US hit series from the 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. Favourites include sci-fi classic Stargate SG-1, popular police drama Hawaii Five-O, and everyone’s favourite problem-solving secret agent, Macgyver

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What are the alternatives to Sky Max?

Not interested in a lengthy TV service contract? Don’t want to splash out for a TV bundle with loads of channels you’ll never watch? Not to worry, because there are alternatives to the content you get on Sky Max. If you’re lucky, you might find some of the same content elsewhere, but that won’t include any Sky Originals or content with rights exclusive to Sky.

Streaming services

If you like the idea of watching blockbuster films, top TV entertainment, or family favourites but not particularly fussed about which specific shows you want to watch, a streaming service like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, NOW TV or Disney+ could be a good fit. All these options offer affordable monthly subscription services, and you can often avoid being tied into a contract. Streaming platforms often have huge catalogues of new and old content, with frequent content updates for your enjoyment. There’s also an increasing trend to host exclusive and original content, similar to the big TV players like Sky. Your best bet is to browse the catalogues of any streaming services to find the content that suits your taste, and you’ll find hours of content to keep you busy, no matter what you prefer to watch.

Freeview

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but Freeview’s entertainment offering comes awfully close. Freeview is the UK’s biggest TV platform, offering hundreds of channels to UK households free of charge. Freeview is free to use, offering over 40,000 hours of on-demand TV, and more than 700 boxsets across 70 channels, including 15 additional channels in HD. Freeview offers something for everyone, whether you want to catch up on current events, watch live sporting events, entertain the kids, or have a movie night at home. Free entertainment shouldn’t be underestimated, but if that’s not enough, you have the option to top-up your free channels with streaming services via Freeview directly. They’ve got a mobile app available for streaming content on the go too.

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