How to watch Queer as Folk: Your go-to guide for watching the mesmerising reboot
The Queer as Folk reboot is about to grace screens – here’s how you can watch the soon-to-be hit
Turn-of-the-century drama Queer as Folk is getting a big-budget reboot, with critics already fawning over the return of the groundbreaking series. Though there were versions of the show on both side of the Atlantic, the original Queer as Folk was the British one, set in Manchester and created by Russell T Davies in 1999, which spawned an American counterpart running from 2000 to 2005.
The reboot of the Channel 4 classic is the brainchild of Stephen Dunn, the Canadian director, producer and writer. Dunn’s powerful reignition of the series opens with a mass shooting in a New Orleans gay club, and the ensuing eight episodes follow the protagonists’ lives as they grapple with the aftermath and its reverberations in their community and daily lives. But unbridled trauma this show is not: Dunn’s reimagining does an excellent job of displaying the nuances of struggle, inflecting the portrayal with lightness, irreverence and even joy.
Queer as Folk will make its debut in the UK on streaming platform Starzplay, premiering on Friday 1 July. Meanwhile, viewers over the Atlantic in the US will be able to watch the hit show as soon as Thursday 9 June at 3am Eastern Time or 12am Pacific Time on streaming platform Peacock, which you can sign up to here. And if you’re an American travelling abroad and want to make the most of your Peacock account no matter where you are in the world, one of our recommended VPNs should do the trick.
Read on for our guide to watch incoming classic Queer as Folk, wherever you are in the world.
How to watch Queer as Folk in the UK: Starzplay
Streaming service Starzplay will be the UK home to the new series of Queer as Folk, with the first episode premiering on Friday 1 July.
The up-and-coming streaming platform, which landed on UK shores in 2018, will house the new blockbuster series in the UK, drip-feeding audiences the eight-episode series by releasing two episodes per week.
If you’ve already got a roster of streaming platforms on the go, don’t worry. Starzplay doesn’t cost the earth, costing just £1.99/mth for the first three months, then £5.99/mth thereafter. The platform offers an eclectic range of titles, from 2015 biographical drama The Danish Girl to Kevin Hart’s 2013 Let Me Explain. Coming soon is the hotly awaited 2022 miniseries The Girl from Plainville, starring Elle Fanning.
How to watch Queer as Folk in the US: Peacock
Queer as Folk will be premiering on Thursday 9 June on streaming platform Peacock in the US. All eight episodes will land on the platform at once, letting US-based viewers watch them at 3am Eastern Time or 12am Pacific Time (that’s 8am BST).
Peacock’s ad-supported Premium package, which will let you watch all eight of the episodes, costs $4.99/mth, while its Premium Plus package rings in at $9.99/mth, for which you’ll get to enjoy your content ad-free (and even download selected titles). If you’re not yet ready to commit, it’s likely that the first episode of Queer as Folk will be available to view via the Peacock Free plan, though not until Friday 10 June.
How to watch Queer as Folk anywhere in the world: VPNs
Meanwhile, if you’re a US-dweller subscribed to Peacock but travelling or abroad on business, you may struggle to access the service if you’re outside of a particular geographical zone. Streaming platforms can geo-block content for viewers outside certain regions. When this happens, it can be handy to use a virtual private network, or VPN, to gain access to your regular streaming services. Here’s our pick of two of the best.
ExpressVPN: this is one of the best options out there for streamers. It worked with almost every streaming service we tried it with, and supports a wide range of platforms, including games consoles. Express has a stellar record on privacy, and was independently audited by Big Four professional services firm PwC. Expert Reviews readers can claim our exclusive reader offer of 15 months of the service for just £74.03 (that’s a mere £4.94/mth).
NordVPN: a strong alternative is NordVPN, which boasts fantastic speeds (which actually increased when we connected to servers as far afield as New York), works with most streaming services, and has a pleasant and easily navigable user experience. It’s also hot on security, with the kill switch function serving to automatically close down internet access if you’re disconnected from the VPN, ensuring your activity isn’t accidentally revealed to your ISP.