In a development that should delight Shark Week, Deadliest Catch, and MythBusters fans everywhere, Discovery has announced that it’s launching a streaming service called discovery+ on January 4. While that name wins no points in originality, the service intends to make its mark with the largest-ever content library for a new streaming service.
“In the U.S., discovery+ will offer more than 55,000 episodes all in one place, with over 2,500 current and classic shows from Discovery’s iconic portfolio of networks, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet,” Discovery noted.
“Viewers in the U.S. will also gain access to new series from iconic franchises and personalities such as Chip and Joanna Gaines; Will Packer and Kevin Hart; 90 Day Fiancé; Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis; Duff Goldman; Amy Schumer; Carla Hall; David Schwimmer; Sir David Attenborough; Ben Napier; Sebastian Maniscalco; Joe Kenda; Mike Rowe and many others.”
discovery+ will be available for $6.99 per month in the U.S., but viewers who don’t mind ads can opt for a cheaper tier, which costs $4.99 per month. And thanks to a special partnership, Verizon customers with select plans can enjoy 12 months of discovery+ at no additional cost.
Here’s a sample of some of the exclusive shows coming to discovery+ in 2021. They include Mysterious Planet, which sounds like a real treat for nature fans, as well as a horror project from Hostel and Borderlands director Eli Roth.
Adventure
- Route 66 (working title): From Executive Producer Will Packer and HartBeat Productions, Route 66 (working title) features Kevin Hart hitting the road, going along America’s famous Route 66 to see what’s going on with America. He will visit people and places and bring along friends in an exploration of the U.S. heartland from Chicago to L.A.
- Pushing the Line: Imagine walking a thin, nylon line of rope stretched across a 900-foot gorge. For a select few, each day on the line, they push themselves and each other to do something bigger, crazier, harder than anyone’s ever done before. And each night, their campsite is a party where anything and everything goes. Day and night, it’s all about pushing the line.
Nature and Science
- Mysterious Planet: Narrated by David Schwimmer, Mysterious Planet is an epic journey to the ends of the earth. Combining humor with the awe and beauty of the natural world, this special looks to unlock the greatest mysteries behind the world’s most incredible species.
- Six Degrees with Mike Rowe: Mike Rowe poses questions that no one has ever asked, and then, with a little help from his old buddy Chuck, provides unforgettable answers that prove every single thing is connected.
Documentaries
- P.S., Burn This Letter Please: A box of letters, held in secret for nearly 60 years, ignites a five-year exploration into a part of LGBT history that has never been told. The letters open a window into a forgotten world where being yourself meant breaking the law and where the penalties for “masquerading” as a woman were swift and severe.
- The Impossible Row: Documenting adventurer Colin O’Brady and his crew’s attempt at the world’s first completely human-powered ocean row across The Drake Passage, the most dangerous 600 miles of open ocean on Earth.
- My Beautiful Stutter: Follows five kids who stutter, ages 9 to 18, from all over the United States and all walks of life, who, after experiencing a lifetime of bullying and stigmatization, meet other children who stutter at an interactive arts-based program, The Stuttering Association for the Young, based in New York City.
- Beyond Borders: On the morning of August 13, pilot Juan-Peter Schulze (JP) and travel vlogger Louis Cole set off to circumnavigate the world in a single-engine, 1974 Cessna T210L aeroplane named Balloo. The duo had 81 days to complete the journey, with their return to California eagerly awaited by a large party of friends and followers. This is their journey.
- The Parachute Murder Plot: The true story of a master manipulator. When Victoria Cilliers’ parachute failed, she survived against the odds, only to discover the shocking truth. Her own husband had just tried to murder her … for the second time.
Paranormal
- discovery+ is developing content with some of the biggest names in the horror genre, including an exclusive multi-project deal with director Eli Roth (Hostel, Borderlands).
Introducing discovery+, the only streaming service with the greatest real-life entertainment from your favorite TV brands – @hgtv, @FoodNetwork, @TLC, @DiscoveryID, @OWNTV, @AnimalPlanet, @Discovery + exclusive originals and more. #StreamWhatYouLove, coming January 4. pic.twitter.com/Mb2aqEAjgx
— discovery+ (@DiscoveryPlus) December 2, 2020