Editor’s note: IMDb TV is now Amazon Freevee. You can read our full review here.
While the on-demand streaming market is flooded with subscription products, IMDb TV takes a different approach.
The popular website IMDb, which is short for Internet Movie Database, has become more than a place to look up the filmography of your favorite actor or check the reviews of the latest box office release.
Now owned by tech-giant Amazon, IMDb has joined the world of streaming content. It is offering movies and TV shows for free on a platform called IMDb TV.
Table of Contents
- What Is IMDb TV?
- How To Watch IMDb TV
- Content Available on IMDb TV
- User Experience for IMDb TV
- Final Thoughts
ABOUT THIS REVIEW: Team Clark loves the word “free,” especially when it involves legally streaming TV shows and movies. We decided that we should check out the IMDb TV service and see if it’s something Clark.com users might enjoy.
For the purposes of this review, I signed up for the service and downloaded the necessary components to watch on my phone, tablet, television, streaming devices and computer. I then took a “test drive” of the service on all of those devices. I came away with some interesting notes to share.
This review is one of many we conducted as a part of our free streaming TV series. You can learn more about our strategies for getting free streaming TV here:
What Is IMDb TV?
IMDb TV is a free on-demand streaming service that is attached to the Internet Movie Database website and app. There’s no monthly subscription fee, so as you might expect, there are commercials.
While IMDb’s roots are in a fan-based website, the brand was purchased by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and transformed into a mainstream way to access information on film and television. This streaming branch of that operation is integrated into the same app and website that provides movie reviews, ratings, filmographies and even movie showtimes at your local theater.
How to Watch IMDb TV
While the IMDb TV service may be free, that doesn’t mean you’ll get away without signing up for the service.
Sign Up Is Required
If you’d like to enjoy the free streaming from IMDb, you have to create an account on the website. You are able to sign up with an email address, Amazon, Facebook or Google account.
That’s annoying, I know, but there is some upside to being signed into their site while streaming. You will be able to create a watchlist, submit IMDb ratings on the content you view and get recommendations on shows or movies that may be of interest to you based on previous viewing habits.
Of course, the benefit to this for IMDb is that it’s able to track your viewership and better tailor advertisements for its partners.
Devices and Apps
The good news? You’ll be able to watch IMDb TV from your phone, tablet, television, computer or most any other streaming device. The bad news? Depending on the method you’re using, there may be some adjustments necessary.
IMDb TV has an app that is available on phones and tablets on both iOS and Android devices. If you download this mobile app, you’ll be able to sign in and watch straight from a device.
It also is available through Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Fire TV for television streaming. The easiest way to determine what you need for television streaming is this:
- If you have an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the IMDb TV content will be integrated into that format since IMDb is owned by Amazon.
- If you are using a different streaming device, such as a Roku, you will need to download the Amazon Prime Video app to access IMDb TV. It does not have a standalone Roku channel, for example.
Content Available To Stream on IMDb TV
The content selection on IMDb TV is quite good for a service without any subscription fees.
There are mainstream movies that feature big stars like Brad Pitt, Jack Nicholson and Bill Murray. There also are TV shows like Perry Mason or Malcolm in the Middle. Content rotates on and off the service, so you may want to watch quickly if you find something you like.
It also appears that the connection with Amazon Prime Video may offer the opportunity for some content to rotate onto IMDb TV for limited-time free streaming. For instance, the service was featuring thrillers like Shutter Island and Zodiac in honor of Halloween in October and offered holiday-specific movies in December.
Popular Movies
While you may not have access to new releases with this service, you will be able to see some critically acclaimed films and actors.
The available movie titles rotate often, but here are just a few of the films I found when I researched this article:
- Diehard
- Taken
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Horton Hears A Who
- What Happens in Vegas
- Annie
- Good Morning, Vietnam
- Nacho Libre
- Surf’s Up
- Donnie Darko
Films such as The Shining, La La Land and Apocalypse Now have previously been featured on the service.
Popular TV Series
I was pleasantly surprised at the number of television series I recognized. No, you’re not going to get the latest and greatest hits from the small screen, but you are going to find some name brands free of charge. Shows like Mad Men, 24, Lost and Malcolm in the Middle were all hits during their runtime.
Here’s a sampling of the TV series available for streaming at the time of this article:
- Mad Men
- 24
- Lost
- Malcolm in the Middle
- Bewitched
- I Dream of Jeannie
- Little House on the Prarie
- Schitt’s Creek
- Desperate Housewives
- All in the Family
The Middle, First 48 and Gilligan’s Island are some TV shows that previously were available on IMDb TV.
Original Content
The selection of original content has improved dramatically for IMDb TV over the last couple of years, which is a good sign for streamers in 2022 and beyond.
The service has amassed enough original content to make its own tab on the app.
Here’s a sampling of the available original content:
- Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary
- Judy Justice
- Alex Rider
- Uniterrupted’s Top Class
- Timewasters
- Moment of Truth
- Pretty Hard Cases
Live Streaming on IMDb TV
One of the more recent additions to IMDb TV is the presence of a live TV tab on the app. But when you see that, don’t get carried away with excitement.
This tab does not unlock free access to your favorite local or cable TV channels. Instead, it features live streams of old episodes of TV shows and movies that are categorized by genre.
For example, you could catch a live streaming episode of the popular show The First 48 on the “Crime 360” themed channel. Or you could watch channels that are dedicated to old TV shows like Baywatch or Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares.
User Experience for IMDb TV
Now that you know what content you can find on the service, I wanted to give you a better idea of what the user experience is like. Let’s talk about the advertisements you’ll endure, the user interface and some tips for IMDb TV consumption.
How Bad Are the Ads?
The commercial breaks were typically 90 seconds at a time. My experience was often four advertisements per break, with the commercials alternating between 15- and 30-second spots.
Here’s a look at the advertisement distribution for a movie that had a run time of just over two hours.
I marked the seven advertisement breaks with red circles.
For your typical half-hour television shows, I noticed that the experience varied a little bit. I experienced anywhere from two commercial breaks to none at all. Here was the most common, which is a singular break in the middle of the show.
The hour-long television show looked more like this, with three breaks included.
When viewing original content, I noticed that much of it was without advertising. I was able to watch full episodes of the animated shorts, such as You’re Not a Monster, without seeing a commercial.
User Interface
I was very impressed with the simplicity and ease of the user interface. It was not cluttered with ads or promotions as you might expect from a free website. In fact, I saw no advertisements at all on the menu pages via mobile or internet-based browsing.
The menu is broken down by genres and categories. Movies and TV shows were listed separately, but are mixed together as options on the menu. Here’s a look at the default home screen menu:
It is incredibly easy to swipe through each category on your phone or tablet (use your remote or mouse on TV and computer). If you cannot find what you’re looking for, the search bar is readily available on both the app and the site. The content category breakdowns are as follows:
- Recently Added Movies
- Recently Added TV
- Popular Movies
- Popular TV Series
- Movies of the Week
- IMDb Originals
- Hidden Gems
- Comedies
- Chills and Thrills
- Action and Adventure
- Date Night Picks
- Documentaries
- Sci-Fi
- Movies for the Whole Family
- Drama
Tips for Enjoying IMDb TV
Has some of the content caught your attention? Here are some tips for enjoying it on IMDb TV:
- Save the password on your device: If you’re planning to use the app as your primary source of streaming for IMDb TV, I suggest saving your password. I tried not doing that, and was asked to login to my account often upon re-opening the app.
- Rate movies and shows after viewing: The fun part of streaming content on a site known best for its reviews and ratings for content is that you get to be an active participant in the process. There is no better time to rate a show or movie than when it is fresh on your mind. The integration makes it easy to be a valued contributor.
- Use the “Recommendations” tab: Since IMDb TV is going to be tracking the content you watch no matter what, you may as well see the benefits of it. Swiping over to the recommended tab will identify shows and movies that may be a good fit based on the type of content you have watched. Be warned, sometimes the content it suggests is not available for free on IMDb TV and instead it is suggesting a rental from Amazon Prime Video. That can be annoying, especially if you don’t already use Prime Video.
Final Thoughts on IMDb TV
Still trying to decide whether or not you should add IMDb TV to your streaming portfolio? Here are some pros and cons to think over:
IMDb TV: Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| FREE! | Not many new release movies or shows |
| Award-winning movies on the menu | Small selection of original content |
| Tolerable ad experience | No Roku channel |
Bottom Line
After using IMDb TV for a bit, I was searching for the right way to describe the experience. It reminds me of watching a non-premium, antenna-based television network — but with the luxury of being able to watch on demand and take it on the go with several devices. If you’re looking for a Netflix substitute, you’re likely to be disappointed. If you’re looking for a free way to enjoy some quality content, I don’t think you can go wrong.
Do you have experience watching the IMDb TV streaming service? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
