HBO Björnstad / Beartown Ulf Stenberg as Peter Director: Peter Grönlund
Swedish-language limited drama series Beartown is coming to U.S. airwaves on Monday, February 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
If you don’t have HBO and you’ve used your HBO Max free trial, here are some other ways you can watch Beartown streaming online for free:
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Amazon Prime’s HBO Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch all live and on-demand HBO content on the Prime HBO channel. You can try both Amazon Prime and the HBO Channel at no cost with a free trial right here:
Once you’re signed up for the Prime HBO Channel, you can watch Beartown live or on-demand on the Amazon Video app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, various Smart TV’s, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
AT&T TV
AT&T TV has four different channel packages: “Entertainment”, “Choice”, “Ultimate” and “Premier.” HBO is only included in the “Premier” package, but right now the “Choice” and up bundles also come with both HBO Max and NBA League Pass at no extra cost, which is the best perk any streaming service is offering right now. Plus, you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but when you sign up and select whatever bundle and extras you want, you’ll see that–if you’re a new customer–the “due today” amount is $0. You won’t be charged for 14 days, and you can cancel at any time:
Once signed up for AT&T TV’s “Choice” or above package, you can watch Beartown live or on-demand on the AT&T TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
Or you can watch on your computer via the AT&T TV website.
Hulu
Whether you already have Hulu or you want to sign up for a new subscription, HBO 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 HBO add-on:
Once signed up, you can watch Beartown live or on-demand on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
‘Beartown’ Preview
Beartown is a limited drama series that premiered in Sweden in 2020. It is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman, which chronicles what happens to a small town when the hockey coach’s 15-year-old daughter is raped by the team’s star player.
The HBO description calls the series “chilling and honest” in its exploration of ” family trauma, teenage romance, truths and lies, actions and consequences, and ultimately, the courage it takes to go against the group and stand up for justice.”
In an interview with MovieZine, director Peter Gronlund said that the small town is really a stand-in for “society as a whole.”
“Even though it’s a small town that’s pictured, it’s like an extract from society as a whole,” said Gronlund. “With inherited and cemented structures that make this story possible. Hockey is a symptom of a sick society, it’s not hockey’s fault, but it’s a culture of violence and a winning culture and a sport where violence is always present. The image of society that we represent and place in this closed and almost sectarian environment … yes, it is clear that people feared it would be too stereotypical and nuanced. It was also important that the series was allowed to go where it later went without anticipating the story and revealing too much about what’s coming at the end of the season.”
The show airs across five episodes. The premiere episode description reads, “On a mission to rejuvenate the struggling community’s ice hockey program, recently retired pro player Peter Andersson (Ulf Stenberg) relocates his family to Beartown for a fresh start. But when the elite squad he was promised proves to be anything but, Peter switches his focus to the junior team, aggravating local tensions and reigniting his troubled past with star player Kevin Erdahl’s (Oliver Dufåker) father, Mats (Tobias Zilliacus).”
The description for episode two, premiering Monday, March 1, reads, “With the financial future of the arena at stake, Peter (Ulf Stenberg) does everything he can to coach his juniors to a semi-final win. Facing pressure from everyone in town to perform, Kevin (Oliver Dufåker) turns to the only person who expects nothing from him: Maya (Miriam Ingrid). Later, a celebratory evening goes awry after a horrific act of violence occurs.”
Beartown airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
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How to Watch Beartown TV Show Online Without Cable (USA)