Roku purchased the video assets of the now-defunct streaming service Quibi earlier this year and placed 31 of those short-form shows on The Roku Channel as "Roku Originals". Roku has now added another 23 shows to the Roku Originals lineup.
Variety reports that Roku's head of alternative programming and ex-Quibi executive Brian Tannenbaum said that "viewers’ response to Roku Originals 'has been overwhelming'" and that Roku is "excited to keep the drumbeat of premium series, featuring Hollywood’s top talent, available only on the Roku Channel with this next slate of original programming." Also according to Variety, the initial release of Quibi shows provided a significant increase in viewing of The Roku Channel, which in June was the No. 6 streaming channel by household reach according to Nielsen estimates, exceeded only byNetflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney Plus.
Here's a small selection of the 23 new Roku Originals now available on The Roku Channel. (Show synopses courtesy of The Roku Channel.)
- The Andy Cohen Diaries - A dishy, inside peek into the world of Andy Cohen — straight from the pages of his diary. (Comedy)
- Memory Hole - Will Arnett goes down the Memory Hole to explore cringe worthy moments from Canadian pop culture. (Comedy)
- Gone Mental with Lior - Is it possible to read another person’s thoughts? Mentalist Lior Suchard thinks so. And he's about to stun celebrities and passersby alike with his mind-reading prowess. (Comedy)
- Sex Next Door - Sex workers Holiday, Endza, Cayenne, and Jessie give clients intimate experiences ranging from the pleasurable to the painful. In the process, they give a deep dive into their personal lives. (Documentary)
- The Stranger - A ride-share driver picks up a mysterious passenger in the Hollywood Hills. (Thriller)
- The Sauce - Who’s the best dance crew in the country? Viral dance sensations Ayo & Teo travel across America as teams battle head-to-head for a chance to take home $25,000. (Dance/Reality)
Originally geared toward mobile viewing, episodes last only around 10 minutes or less. When strung together, however, you'll have a show that approximates a full-length movie. Season 1 of Reno 911, for example, has 25 episodes averaging between 6 and 7 minutes per episode. This adds up to around 2-1/2 hours of entertainment - not including commercials, of course. Roku, however, has promised to air no more than 60 seconds of commercials between each episode, with no breaks during an episode.
How to watch Quibi shows on Roku
Quibi shows are listed as Roku Originals on the home screen of The Roku Channel. The Roku Channel is available not only on Roku, but also on compatible Samsung Smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV devices, The Roku Channel mobile app or Roku mobile app on iOS® and Android™, and online using a web browser on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
On Roku devices, you can access Roku Originals directly from the Roku's home screen through the "Roku Originals" link on the left side of your screen. From within The Roku channel, scroll down to the "Roku Originals" heading to see all available titles. Scroll left and select "See all" to browse by genre.
