Turner Classic Movies Launches 'Watch TCM' tvOS App With Thousands of Classic Films on Demand

Alongside a major version 3.0 update that rolled out to its iOS app [Direct Link] earlier this week, Turner Classic Movies has also expanded support for its "Watch TCM" app to tvOS devices. Now the app can be downloaded to the fourth-generation Apple TV and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K, with thousands of classic films available on demand.

You'll need to have TCM already on your current cable or satellite TV package, and then once you sync the app to your log-in information you'll get access to its content. This includes two live streams for the east and west coast feed of Turner Classic Movies in addition to the on-demand movies.

Turner Classic Movies presents WATCH TCM, a “TV Everywhere” service that lets you enjoy unlimited access to the best of TCM, at no additional cost with your TV subscription. Not your ordinary “TV Everywhere” service, WATCH TCM is a content rich and in-depth movie companion that lets you experience the richly textured world of classic movies that only Turner Classic Movies can bring you.

The company says this back catalog includes "nearly every title playing on TCM," including introductions by special hosts like Ben Mankiewicz. Both live and on-demand movies are presented uncut, commercial free, and in their original aspect ratios.

The app also features articles, cast and crew information, photo galleries, short films, film collections ("Birthday Tributes", "31 Days of Oscar", "Silent Sunday Nights", etc.) and more. All of the films can be added to your Watchlist so you can keep an organized list of what you want to watch next, but the app doesn't appear to integrate with Apple's TV app as of yet.

Watch TCM differs from Turner Classic Movies' film streaming service "FilmStruck" since it connects to your pre-existing cable subscription. FilmStruck is a standalone subscription service that starts at $6.99/month and raises to $8.25/month ($99 billed annually) and includes most of TCM's classic films as well as the Criterion Collection. The app first debuted on the fourth-generation Apple TV in late 2016.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12

Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

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BasicGreatGuy

3 weeks ago

Come on, Directv Now.

TCM is one of the few channels worth watching, in my opinion.

Rating: 5 Votes

picaman

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

Rating: 5 Votes

Lord Hamsa

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

I'm not sure about "woefully incomplete". There are very glaring omissions (like Turner), but it's an extensive list ('https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/directv-now/KM1222524'):

* ABC, A&E, AMC
* BBC America, BTN2GO (Big Ten Network), BET, Bravo Now
* CBS, CMT, CNBC, CSN Bay Area, CSN California, CSN Chicago, CSN Mid-Atlantic, CSN New England, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel
* Disney, Disney Jr., Disney XD, DIY Network
* E! Now, ESPN (Watch ESPN)
* Food Network, FOX Now, FOX Sports Go, Freeform, FX Now, FYI
* HGTV, History, HBO GO® (requires HBO subscription)
* IFC
* Lifetime, LOGO
* MAX GO® (requires Cinemax subscription), MLB Network (Web only), MLB.com At Bat (app only), MSNBC Now, MTV
* National Geographic, NBC, NBC BayArea, NBC California, NBC Chicago, NBC Golf, NBC Mid-Atlantic, NBC New England, NBC Sports, Nick, Nick Jr.
* Olympic Channel, Oxygen Now
* Paramount Network
* Showtime Anytime, SNY (Via NBC Sports), Sprout Now, Sundance TV (Web only), SYFY Now
* Telemundo Now, Travel Channel, TV Land
* UNIVERSO NOW, Univision, Univision-Deportes, Univision NOW, USA NOW
* VH1, Viceland, WEtv

Rating: 3 Votes

dyt1983

4 weeks ago

You'll need to have TCM already on your current cable or satellite TV package, and then once you sync the app to your log-in information you'll get access to its content.

I was excited by this app when I installed it on my Apple TV earlier this week... but I found out that although DIRECTVNOW includes TCM in live TV channel lineup, access to the content in the app is not allowed. There are plenty of providers that are not included in the app as shown by the short list of providers available compared to the number of providers in most other apps. One could claim "DTVN isn't a cable or satellite TV package" although my access comes through cable TV/internet.

Hopefully the AT&T/TW joining forces will change this because AT&T owns DTVN and TWC owns TCM, so they're business cousins now.

Rating: 3 Votes

Rogifan

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

I haven’t checked it out yet. Does it support DirecTV?

I also wish Directv now had a west coast feed. It’s a little annoying to be in California and watching shows on EST

Oh wow, most west coast people I know want east coast feeds. But that’s mostly for live events.

Rating: 2 Votes

CentralOffice

3 weeks ago

Again, they didn’t let Filmstruck beat them... they ARE Filmstruck.

I feel like an a$$hat now lol but I’m glad I’m wrong. They should be the ones to do it.
[doublepost=1529765913][/doublepost]

The above makes no sense:
"Here’s another TV programmer that wants to sell you TV, over the web, without signing up for a pay TV bundle: Time Warner’s Turner is going to launch an on-demand service for movie buffs next fall.

Turner has a name for the service — FilmStruck — and says it will be managed by the people behind its Turner Classic Movies network. It’s supposed to feature an “eclectic mix of contemporary and classic art house, indie, foreign and cult films."
Now Turner wants to sell you a web video service, too ('https://www.recode.net/2016/4/26/11586398/turner-filmstruck-criterion-subscription')

"FilmStruck is a film streaming service from Turner Classic Movies which caters to cinephiles and focuses on rare, classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent cinema."
Filmstruck ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FilmStruck')

You don't even need to reference the links above, it's right there in the main article:

Thanks for the comprehensive tear down of my misinformed post. I’m glad to be wrong — Turner should be the one anyway so this is a good thing. I’ve been eyeing starting a free trial to test it I’m a moderate classic movie fan.

Rating: 2 Votes

WarHeadz

4 weeks ago

Add me to the list of disappointed for NOW, no DIRECTV NOW!

I also wish Directv now had a west coast feed. It’s a little annoying to be in California and watching shows on EST

Rating: 2 Votes

KPandian1

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

Add me to the list of disappointed for NOW, no DIRECTV NOW!

Rating: 1 Votes

Lord Hamsa

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

As it comes down to legal agreements between the carrier and the provider, it's likely squarely on both of them. With the AT&T/Time Warner deal approved, this should be fixed eventually, at least for Turner properties.

Rating: 1 Votes

WarHeadz

4 weeks ago

No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.

Damn I almost got excited too. :(

Rating: 1 Votes

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