You Can Now Watch ‘Reading Rainbow’ and Old PBS Shows for Free
Decades after going off the air, classic PBS kids' shows like Reading Rainbow and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood continue to occupy a place in the hearts of many children of the '70s, '80s, and '90s. f you grew up during this era, perhaps you've wished that there was a way you could share these shows with the kids in your life, without paying per episode on a streaming site or watching grainy clips on YouTube.
Well, now you can, courtesy of Roku's new free, ad-supported streaming (FAST) channel PBS Retro. The bad news? Some of your favorite shows may be missing from the lineup—at least for now.
How to watch classic PBS kids' shows on Roku
You can access PBS Retro via The Roku Channel on smart TVs, Roku devices, the company's app, and web browsers. The channel is streaming 24/7. It may be a little jarring at first to see commercials air during shows that originally ran on public television, but that's a small price to pay for have more Lady Elaine Fairchilde and Betty Aberlin back in our lives.
You can also watch some classic PBS shows for adults—although who are we kidding, PBS Retro is 95% for adults—on Roku, airing on the PBS Food, PBS Antiques Roadshow, Julia Child, Antiques Road Trip, and PBS Nature channels.
What shows are on PBS Retro?
As of right now, you can watch Reading Rainbow, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Thomas and Friends, Kratts' Creatures, and Zoboomafoo for free on PBS Retro. Those were the only shows mentioned in the article on The Wrap where the news was first announced; at this point it's unclear whether additional offerings will be added to the channel in the future.
Ultimately it'll come down to ownership and distribution rights, but here's hoping these shows are only the beginning, and other classics—like The Letter People, 3-2-1 Contact, Newton's Apple, and Wishbone—will follow.