Today, I invite you to put on your rose-tinted glasses and cast your mind back to a simpler time, long ago, in which streaming services were heralded as the saviours for those sick of paying through the nose for pricey television subscription plans – Sky TV for example.
It's hard not to think back to the early 2010s and not tear up at the blissful memories of streaming simplicity, when a very modest direct debit left your bank account in exchange for what felt like an infinite library of ad-free content to choose from.
Netflix ruled the roost, capturing the hearts of many when it launched in the UK back in 2012. And it got a welcome 4K upgrade two years later, which split the service into two easy-to-understand tiers – Standard or Premium.
As the years progressed, we had the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and Apple TV take the remaining mainstream spots. At the same time, niche services such as Mubi, Crunchyroll and Shudder delivered content for cinephiles, anime fans and horror fiends, respectively.
Fast forward to today, and those days are well and truly behind us. Streaming services have become the very things they set out to destroy, with rising monthly costs (Netflix Premium now costs a staggering £18.99 per month), and ads forced upon users unless they cough up for the higher-tier options.
It's all a bit of a mess. And, quite understandably, the masses are becoming jaded by the increasing list of services taking up spots on their bank statements. Many feel betrayed by streaming becoming the very thing it set out to destroy.
In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith: “You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!”
But what's this? Much like Darth Vader's story throughout the Star Wars saga, we have an unexpected tale of redemption on our hands; and it's coming from a truly unexpected and ironic place.
Who is better suited to solve the issue of fragmented streaming services than the very company that is mostly responsible for it in the first place?
That's right, Sky has stepped in with an upgrade to its Ultimate TV package – and it centralises most of our streaming needs into one easy-to-access place.
Sky already bundles in Netflix Basic with Ads with all of its TV subscription packages, but its Ultimate package (which also includes many of its own channels) will now include Disney Plus, Hayu, and HBO Max when it launches in March.
That package will cost £24/month, which seems pretty reasonable if you break it all down. All the services mentioned above are the basic, ad-supported tiers; still, if you were to buy them all separately, you'd be paying £5.99 for Netflix, £5.99 for Disney Plus, £4.99 for HBO Max, and £5.99 for Hayu.
That's a grand total of £22.96 in itself. And that's not factoring in the full Sky library you'll also get access to, including live and on demand content from the likes of Sky Atlantic and the upcoming Sky One relaunch.
Suddenly, Sky doesn't seem a bad option for anyone who is already shelling out for multiple services. And for those who constantly lose track of what they're paying for (myself included), this all comes as one easy-to-manage package.
Admittedly, it doesn't include the likes of Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video, but with Sky advancing its included streaming offerings now, it's not out of the question that we could see these services get added to Sky's roster down the line.
It's an ironic twist in the ongoing story of streaming services. Originally proclaimed as the answers to Sky's pricey packages, it's almost impressive how quickly the likes of Disney, Amazon and Netflix have incinerated their goodwill.
Only time will tell if the streaming landscape clears up or becomes even more convoluted.
Considering we're only a month and a half into 2026 and we already have a new service launching with four separate tiers (thanks, HBO Max), I'm betting on it being the latter. Which is why I'm all for Sky’s simple option to rein in these services a bit and put them all under one roof.
MORE:
Read our full Sky Stream review
As well as our Sky Glass Air review
And check out the best streaming services for TV and movies
