Amazing shows we still can’t stream in Australia and what to watch instead

Streaming platforms offer thousands of hours of television, but great shows still fall through the digital cracks. Here’s how to avoid FOMO.

Updated Feb 17, 2021. What changed?

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Competition on the streaming market is fierce. Whichever service you choose to subscribe to comes with an overwhelming amount of content. Even Apple TV+, which offers the smallest content library of the bunch, has an impressive collection of original TV shows. Binge-watching them all would take months at least, and with new content constantly hitting streaming platforms, it’s safe to assume we won’t run out of series to obsess over anytime soon. That’s why it’s so frustrating to discover that one of your favorite shows is nowhere to be streamed.

Yet it’s understandable that streaming platforms can’t offer every show ever made. Licensing deals are complicated and expire. Netflix made a name for itself by buying basically anything networks were willing to sell to them. Eventually, said networks realised this might not be the smartest way to go, since a huge chunk of viewers prefer to stream on their own terms, without having to wait a week between episodes or sit through commercial breaks. That’s why more networks and studios have launched their own streaming apps. It also explains why platforms like Netflix are investing heavily in producing original content.

Unfortunately, this also means that TV shows can end up suspiciously missing from all streaming services, regardless of how popular or critically acclaimed they are. If that’s the case, you have two options. One: you purchase the series from digital retailers or on DVD. Two: you wait patiently for the show to make it to a streaming service and watch something else in the meantime to overcome FOMO (fear of missing out).

If you choose the latter, we have some suggestions that will help. Here are some of the best series currently not available on streaming platforms, along with recommendations of what to watch instead.

1. Pushing Daisies

Year of release: 2007
Cast: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth

A critical darling and cult sensation, Pushing Daisies is best described as a forensic fairytale. The action follows a young man with a special gift – he can briefly bring back the dead by simply touching them. If he touches them again, however, they'll be dead forever. This helps him solve murders, but things get complicated when he brings his childhood crush back to life and has to avoid touching her ever again. It's fun and quirky. Sadly, it's also not on streaming services in Australia right now.

What to watch instead:

Psych

Year of release: 2006
Cast: James Roday Rodriguez, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson

Psych may not be as eccentric as Pushing Daisies, but it's just as charming. The series follows a man with uncanny powers of observation who convinces the police that he's a psychic and starts solving cases with help from his reluctant best friend. Their bromance is the stuff of dreams. Plus, the show is hilarious, which is always a plus.

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2. ER

Year of release: 1994
Cast: Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle

ER remains one of the most beloved medical dramas of all time. Set in Chicago, it follows the personal and professional lives of the doctors in the emergency room at County General Hospital. The show aired for 15 seasons, during which viewers experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, from joy to heartbreak. You might still stumble upon episodes on free-to-air TV and catch-up services, but that's not the ideal streaming experience now, is it?