Why You Can Trust CNET Get free seasons of BBC America's 'Copper' and 'Luther'
No strings attached. All you need is an Amazon account and a computer, tablet, smartphone, Roku box, or anything else that can stream Amazon Instant Video.
Poke around Amazon Instant Video's freebies section and you'll often find pilot episodes of new TV shows, previews of upcoming seasons, behind-the-scenes bonus content, and so on. But an entire season of a critically acclaimed (if little-known) series? That you usually have to pay for.
Not today. For what promises to be a limited time, Amazon Instant Video is offering "="" season="" hd="" absolutely="" free"="">BBC America's "Copper" Season 1 HD absolutely free. (It's also available in standard definition.) That season consists of 10 episodes.
Also available: BBC America's "="" season="" 2"="">"Luther" Season 2, again in HD or SD. Just four episodes in this one, but, hey, free is free.
Update: I'm afraid this short-lived promotion has ended.
Speaking of which, these aren't simply new additions to Amazon Prime -- they're free seasons that are yours to keep, and that would normally cost money to get. Indeed, they're not even available via Prime.
To get either show, make sure you're signed into your Amazon account, then click the orange button marked "Buy Season 1 in HD with 1-Click $0.00." (Or, in the case of "Luther," it's "Buy Season2.") It's just below the large black show-box that spans the top of the page.
You can watch either series at your computer, though you also have the option of downloading them to your TiVo or streaming to your Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, game console, Roku box, or any other Amazon Instant Video-compatible device.
I must admit I haven't seen either show myself, though I have more than a passing interest in "Copper," as I love books and movies set in the mid-1800s. As for "Luther," I prefer to see most shows from the beginning, so I'd probably have to check out the first season -- which, I just discovered, is available via Amazon Prime. Woot!
While you're scoping out freebies, grab ""="">Season 3, Episode 1 of "Portlandia," the hilarious IFC comedy. Then go back and watch the first two seasons, which are awesome (but not, alas, free).
Any other TV freebies out there you'd recommend? Tell me about them in the comments!