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How to Watch Showtime’s ‘The Circus’ Online Without Cable

Joe Biden on a season five episode of The Circus.

Showtime Joe Biden on a season five episode of The Circus.

Showtime’s hit political news series The Circus returns this summer beginning on Sunday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. With 2020 being an election year, the show’s fifth season took a hiatus and is now returning for the back half of season 5.

If you don’t have cable, here’s how to watch episodes of The Circus streaming live or on-demand online:

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Amazon Prime Showtime Channel

If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber or you start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch all live and on-demand Showtime content via the Showtime Channel, which comes with a free seven-day trial:

Watch Showtime on Amazon Prime

Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the Showtime channel, you can then watch The Circus either live as it airs or on-demand anytime after.

For either option, you can watch on your computer via the Amazon website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the Amazon Video app.

Showtime Online

This is ultimately the same option as above, except you’ll watch on Showtime’s digital platforms insted of Amazon’s. Showtime’s streaming service, which includes all live and on-demand Showtime content, comes with a free 30-day trial:

Showtime Free Trial

Once you’re signed up for Showtime’s streaming service, you can watch The Circus live or on-demand on your computer via the Showtime website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, Smart TV, Facebook Portal TV or other compatible streaming device.

Watch Showtime on FuboTV

Showtime is available as an add-on to FuboTV’s main 95-channel package. Both the main channel bundle and the Showtime add-on can be included in your free seven-day trial:

FuboTV Free Trial

Once signed up, you can either watch The Circus live, or you can watch on-demand anytime after. With either option, you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast or other supported device via the FuboTV app.

Watch Showtime on 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:

Hulu Free Trial

Once signed up for Hulu and the Showtime add-on, you can watch The Circus live as it airs, or you can watch it on-demand anytime after.

You can watch on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (on-demand only), Nintendo Switch, Echo Show or other streaming device via the Hulu app.


‘The Circus’ Season 5 Return Preview

The subtitle for The Circus season five is “Inside the Craziest Political Campaign on Earth.” It previously aired eight episodes from January 26 to March 15, 2020, before going on hiatus.

Now the show is returning for the back half of season five, premiering new episodes on Sunday nights right up through the 2020 election in November.

“Co-hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner, and Mark McKinnon will again take viewers behind the scenes as the Trump and Biden campaigns hurtle toward a historic Election Day in November,” reads the Showtime press release.

John Heilemann is a co-founder of Recount Media and Executive Editor of The Recount, a new video platform for short-form political news, analysis, and commentary. Heilemann is national affairs analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and co-author of the runaway New York Times bestsellers “Game Change” and “Double Down,” widely regarded as the definitive chronicles of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, respectively. “Game Change” was adapted into a movie of the same name that went on to win five Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Peabody Award.

Mark McKinnon is a political advisor, reform advocate, media columnist, and television producer. He was the chief media adviser to five successful presidential primary and general election campaigns and is cofounder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to bipartisanship, civil dialogue, and political problem-solving. McKinnon has worked for many causes, companies, and candidates, including former President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, and Bono.

Alex Wagner is a special correspondent for CBS News and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. She is also the author of the book “Futureface: A Family Mystery, an Epic Quest and the Secret To Belonging,” which examines American immigration and racial identity in the 21st century. Previously, Wagner hosted the Emmy-nominated MSNBC political affairs program NOW with Alex Wagner. Before joining MSNBC, she was a reporter with the Huffington Post, investigating the intersection of business, politics, and new technology. Prior to this, she served as the White House correspondent for Politics Daily and was the Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning FADER magazine.

The Circus season 6 premieres Sunday, August 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

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