All 12 Seasons Of A Beloved British Sci-Fi Show Can Be Streamed For Free

Streaming foreign shows can prove expensive, especially if the shows you want to watch are divided between multiple platforms. You want to watch "Doctor Who?" That's on Disney+. What about "Slow Horses?" Apple TV. But before you spend at least $77 to subscribe to every major streaming service, check out some free platforms. They might house underrated bangers like "Red Dwarf."

The 1988 British sci-fi show "Red Dwarf," for instance, is available on Pluto TV. The show, which consists of 12 seasons with varying numbers of episodes (most are six or eight episodes long, but one has three episodes and the last has seven), is available on the platform, completely free of charge. However, if you live in the UK, you can instead watch all 12 seasons through the official BBC website.

"Red Dwarf" primarily takes place on the eponymous Red Dwarf, a mining vessel in a universe where humanity is extinct save for the main character Dave Lister. Lister is joined by a hologram, an android, and a humanoid cat named, um, Cat, as they venture through the galaxy in a far-flung future where alien worlds are populated by the evolved descendants of Earth species. Each episode follows a comedic sitcom formula, and many stories are based on classic films and satirize well-worn sci-fi concepts and tropes. Think what would happen if Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams wrote "All Tomorrows" (a book about the speculative evolutionary paths humanity will take in the future), and you have a good idea of what to expect.

While major streaming platforms tend to snap up beloved shows, occasionally an underdog service snags the property and lets people enjoy the nostalgia without a subscription. "Red Dwarf" is only one of many beloved classics you can watch on Pluto TV. "The Wild Wild West," the groundbreaking series that melded the Old West with steampunk, is also available through the service. And you can't forget about "The Twilight Zone." Arguably the greatest sci-fi show of all time thanks to its memorable stories and iconic twist endings, this lovechild of Rod Serling isn't just one of Pluto TV's offerings; it's a must-watch for any sci-fi aficionado.

You can also watch "Doctor Who," which is also on Disney+, but only the latest episodes. Pluto TV is your one-stop source for classic "Doctor Who" stories — the ones that star the likes of William Hartnell, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Patrick Troughton as the Doctor. The platform even includes spin-offs like "K-9," which features the titular robotic dog K-9 (an on-and-off companion since the Tom Baker days). Unfortunately, "Wartime" (the series' first low-budget, direct-to-video spinoff) isn't available on Pluto TV.