One of the most highly anticipated TV shows of the year (at least for Sci-Fi fans and gamers), Halo, will air its first episode on the free-to-air Channel 5 in the UK, on June 22.
Halo, which premiered in the US in March, is a Paramount+ Original, and therefore normally airs exclusively on the streaming service of the same name.
But with Paramount+ finally launching in the UK – Channel 5, which is also owned by Paramount – is joining the celebrations, giving everyone in the UK a free taste of the first episode of Halo.
The first episode will thus air on Channel 5 on Wednesday, June 22, at 10:00 pm, as a “Paramount+ Presents” preview showing.
Channel 5 is available on all the free TV platforms – Freeview, YouView and Freesat, as well as on the pay-TV platforms, such as Sky and Virgin Media.
The channel’s catch-up/streaming service, My5, is available on most of the major streaming devices and Freeview Play boxes.
But following the ‘live’ linear airing, Halo’s Episode 1 will NOT be available on catch-up via My5, and will only be available to stream on Paramount+.
If you then want to watch the next episodes of Halo, you will also need a Paramount+ subscription (see below on how to get one), where the first three episodes will drop on June 22, with new weekly episodes then airing every Wednesday.
- Sign Up to Paramount+ Directly (With Free Trial)
- Sign Up To Paramount+ Via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels (With Free Trial)
Halo TV Series: What’s It About?
Halo: The Series is an action sci-fi show based on the popular XBOX video game franchise.
Dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant, Halo weaves deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
The series stars Pablo Schreiber (American Gods) as the Master Chief, Spartan-117; Natascha McElhone (Californication) as Dr. Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan super-soldiers; and Jen Taylor (Halo game series) as Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race.
The synopsis for Episode 1, “Contact”, which is the one that will air on Channel 5, is as follows:
In the year 2552, humans on the planet Madrigal have been fighting for independence from Earth, but a fatal encounter with the Alien Covenant complicates things.
Master Chief John 117 and his super-soldier “Spartans” join the fight. After the battle, Master Chief heads to his home planet of Reach with a Madrigal survivor and a mysterious object he discovered on the planet.
But a controversial order has John questioning his mission, and himself.
In the US, the show launched on March 24, 2022, and has already finished airing its nine episodes of Season 1.
The reviews have been mixed – but generally positive – with a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as of this writing.
Halo: The Series has already been renewed for a second season.
What Is Paramount Plus?
Paramount+ is an American streaming service (previously known as CBS All Access) which has been going global this year. It is owned by Paramount Global (previously ViacomCBS), which also owns Channel 5 in the UK.
In the UK, Paramount+ will be available as a stand-alone streaming app/service, from June 22.
The app will be available on all the major streaming devices – Amazon Fire TV, Roku and others, and will also be available as an Amazon Prime Video Channel.
Paramount+ will cost £6.99/month or £69.90/year, and will also offer a free 7-days trial (See more details about Paramount+ UK here).
Sky Cinema subscribers will get it for free, as a “bonus” – though it seems the deal will only be offered to Sky Q and Sky Glass customers. NOW subscribers (Sky’s streaming service) will not be getting it for free.
At launch, Paramount+ will offer more than 8,000 hours of content – from original, exclusive TV shows to popular US shows and blockbusters films. Later on, it will also feature original UK programmes.
Halo is one of Paramount Plus’ Originals. Others that you can watch on the service include Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Man Who Fell To Earth, The First Lady and more.
For more, see our list of hit shows that are coming to Paramount+ on launch day.
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