The latest music documentary coming to TV is “Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James,” premiering Friday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
If you don’t have cable or don’t have Showtime, here are some different ways can watch “Bitchin'” live or on-demand online for free:
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Showtime Now
You can watch all live and on-demand Showtime content via Showtime’s cable-free streaming service, which comes with a free 30-day trial:
Once you’re signed up for Showtime’s streaming service, you can watch “Bitchin'” live or on-demand on the Showtime app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Facebook Portal TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Showtime website.
Amazon Prime’s Showtime Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch all live and on-demand Showtime content via Prime Channels. You can try both Amazon Prime and the Showtime Channel at no cost with a free trial right here:
Watch Showtime on Amazon Prime
Once you’re signed up for the Prime Showtime Channel, you can watch “Bitchin'” live or on-demand on the Amazon Video app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
FuboTV
Showtime is available as an add-on to FuboTV’s main 100-plus-channel package. Both the main channel bundle and the Showtime add-on can be included in your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch “Bitchin'” live or on-demand on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
Hulu
Whether you already have Hulu or you want to sign up for a new subscription, Showtime is available as an add-on to either Hulu or Hulu with Live TV. If you’re a new subscriber, you can start a free 30-day trial of regular Hulu plus the Showtime add-on:
Once signed up, you can watch “Bitchin'” live or on-demand on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
‘Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James’ Preview
Showtime has been putting out some terrific documentaries lately and the latest is “Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James,” which is “an intimate yet propulsive look” at the legendary artist, according to Showtime’s press release.
It teases:
“Bitchin'” is an intimate yet propulsive look at Rick James, one of rock, funk and R&B’s most legendary and often underappreciated figures. Featuring rare footage of James’ incredible live shows, never-before-seen home video, original interviews with legendary artists, collaborators and friends, and a treasure trove of recorded interviews with James (who died in 2004), the documentary presents a full picture of James’ dramatic rise and fall, focusing in on the “Punk-Funk” music he left behind.
Best remembered as the creator of hits such as “Superfreak,” “Give It To Me Baby” and “Mary Jane,” James blazed new trails in American music and global culture in the ’70s and ’80s as a songwriter, performer and producer, collaborating with luminaries such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Nile Rodgers, Eddie Murphy, Teena Marie, The Mary Jane Girls and M.C. Hammer. “Bitchin'” presents a full and complete picture of James’ life as told by those who knew him. At the center of it all is the “Punk-Funk” that encompassed a unique swath of 20th-century music history from jazz to soul to R&B to rock and eventually, to hip-hop.
“This film is yet another striking work from [director Sacha Jenkins], as he continues to document and contextualize the most iconic figures and events that have shaped the contemporary Black experience in America,” said Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc., in a statement. “In this case, he’s really gone deep to illuminate the artist beyond the headlines and show the musically groundbreaking path of Rick James, without shying away from the painful and difficult demons he battled throughout.”
Jenkins added, “The ‘wild’ side of Rick James often eclipses his musical genius, but the mathematical equation that is his life depends on all of the numbers to make a whole. Our aim was to create a balanced portrait of a brilliant artist who both chased his dreams and stalked more than a few demons. Still, his influence on funk and popular music and culture is unparalleled, and his eventual rise to the top is easily more compelling than any freebase rush.”
“Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James” premieres Friday, September 3 at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on Showtime.