'Family Ties, 'Bernie Mac,'  'Buffy' and 47 other vintage shows that stream for free

While the growth of paid streaming services has stagnated over the past few months, so-called "FAST" — free ad-supported streaming TV — has exploded. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that YouTube is exploring the launch of free streaming channels, joining the likes of Pluto TV (owned by Paramount), Tubi (Fox) and Freevee (Amazon), to name three of the most prominent.

You can spend hour after hour, day after day, or — if you really have no plans for the rest of your life — year after year streaming all of it, and spend not a single penny in the process, other than the internet bill or the cost of a streaming player such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Roku (both starting at around $30).

But with the good comes some catches. Yes, there are commercials, and lots of those, too, although the so-called "commercial load" tends to be lighter than on regular commercial TV.

 And under the heading "you get what you pay for," much of what's free on these streaming services is just shy of watchable. Wonder where busted pilots, forgotten one-offs, sad sack sequels and regrettable remakes end up? Wonder no more. They are all here.  Because there is so much free content now, it's becoming more and more difficult to find the gold amid the dross. The free-for-all — ahem — has only just begun, and for viewers, that means even more confusion. 

Where to find the truly watchable, and how to find it? Read on, but a few rules of the road first.

 Foremost, YouTube is already a major player in the free TV field, most notably the "classics" — those beloved series that aired back the late '50s, '60s and '70s, and have found devoted fans ever since. Commercial-free full seasons of dozens of series are both easily available and well-organized on YouTube-based sites like TV Rerun Club by MGM and Throw Back TV. There are exceptions ("Get Smart" — available on a few pay sites), but not many. Meanwhile, you can also watch many of these shows on those digital linear channels devoted to small-screen classics — Cozi, Antenna, MEtv,  Decades and Laff, to name a few.

Second, read the fine print. Free services promise dozens of current shows, but often just one or two episodes of each — a limitation, by the way, of the network-backed streaming websites, as well as Peacock+'s free tier.

Third, prepare to be disappointed. While voluminous, these sites are far from comprehensive. Much of the best remains walled off, tucked away inside pay sites.

But many shows are not, and, so — fourth — prepare to be amazed. There are some gems out there, and even a few treasures. Here's a handy guide to finding some that are "on-demand" — where you pick the episode you want to see, and when you want to see it. (One last caveat: shows often come and go unexpectedly, so it's wise to check back frequently with these streamers for their most up-to-date offerings.)   

ROKU

 Roku's free channel (therokuchannel.roku.com) was launched in 2017, which makes it a bit of a latecomer to the field (Pluto arrived in 2013), but it's the leader now for free on-demand TV content. Yes, Pluto has those famous linear "channels" like ones devoted to "Blue Bloods" and "CSI," but its on-demand menu is more limited. Roku — which has well over a hundred free streaming channels too — does come with a one-time cost (that streaming player) but you can also watch on your web browser.

Sarah Michelle Gellar classic that inspired a thousand other shows (and movies), and even a few college courses. 

Funny Craig T. Nelson sitcom about a football-obsessed coach and his hapless assistant Dauber (Bill Fagerbakke).

Oddly enough, just the first three seasons out of five of this Sidney Sheldon-created glam detective series with Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner — but that should suffice. The first couple of seasons are also on Tubi.

The James Garner staple about the wrongfully convicted PI who struggles to make ends meet after he does time — and which was really just an updated version of Western "Maverick" who Garner also played.

Eight seasons of this darker-than-dark comedy about a widow (Mary-Louise Parker) who sells pot to support herself. 

PLUTO.TV

 Coming up on its 10th anniversary this August, Pluto.TV is the best-known of the FASTs, and the biggest, thanks to its huge suite of free linear channels (more than 300 on the U.S. service alone.) Paramount took control in 2019, which opened the floodgates to CBS shows, with more on the way. Indeed, Pluto is such a vast FAST that it really is two separate services — the on-demand one, and the linear service. Moreover, the linear one is divided by genre (like the "Sitcom Legends" channel) and shows, like the "Blue Bloods" channel. "Sitcom Legends" recently added "Frasier" and "Cheers" — the only place to see them on free streaming TV — while "Blue Bloods" recently added the first six seasons. There are some exceptions, but not many.Meanwhile, here are some on-demand gems: 

(1964-66) And here's the exception — both on-demand episodes, and a whole linear channel (and still great after all these years).

Michael J. Fox's classic sitcom that managed to poke fun at both Reaganism and liberalism (often at the same time).

Only the first two seasons are available of this still funny sitcom about a junk dealer (Redd Foxx) and son (Demond Wilson) but that's better than you'll get anywhere else. 

Both the ABC and WB versions of the Tia and Tamera Mowry sitcom about twin sisters— a total of 119 episodes — are here. 

TUBI

Based on Mac's own parenting adventures and drawn from his stand-up, this was a sensation for Fox in the early aughts.

CRACKLE

Launched in 2004, Crackle has gone through many changes over the years, most recently its sale in 2018 by Sony to Chicken Soup for the Soul. There's still a lot of content — but nothing compared to the leaders. .

While widely available on free streaming TV, this funny alt-universe "Everybody Loves Raymond" comedy with "Abbott Elementary's" Tyler James Williams comes with all four seasons. 

Hilariously and quite possibly hopelessly dated, watch if only for the great Shirley Jones. (Also on the all-classics linear channels, by the way.)

Launched in 2019 as IMDB TV but re-branded as Freevee last April, this does feel like a work in progress at times. Foremost, Freevee is difficult to navigate (and even more difficult to find.) But it's worth the effort. There are a few welcome surprises here, and a treasure or two. 

Seven seasons of the great soap/comedy/murder mystery/what-have-you are on Freevee but fAmazon makes you pay for the 8th and final one.    

Speaking of those treasures, Freevee has offered this since the IMDB days.