It’s almost that time of year again. You know, when your relaxing beach vacation suddenly feels a little dangerous, you might reconsider before dipping your toes in the ocean. Yes, Shark Week starts on Sunday, July 22, and it's sure to be a week full of excitement, chills, and tons of sharp teeth. But who still has cable TV? So you'll want to know where to play it. For example, will Shark Week 2018 air on Hulu? Or will those of us who cut the cord find ourselves stranded at sea?
Unfortunately for shark lovers everywhere, this year's Shark Week special will not be available to stream on Hulu. However, if you subscribe to Hulu via Live TV, you may be able to watch it, depending on where you live. Hulu's Shark Week page states, "Shark Week is currently not available on-demand, but may be available on Hulu via live TV, depending on regional availability." Disappointing, to be sure. But the good news is that if you've never subscribed to Hulu's live TV service, you can start a free trial, which will likely begin on July 22 and last long enough to watch the entire show.
If you think you can't wait for Shark Week 2018 to be available to stream on Netflix or Hulu in the near future, you can also purchase a season pass for the series on Amazon Prime, Vudu, or iTunes, or you can just select the special offer you want to watch individually and pay. According to HowToWatch.com, these episodes should be available to watch 24 hours after Discovery airs. This is a good choice for those who want to go home and learn about what’s going on under the sea every day.
While you might not be willing to pay to have your yearly seals eaten by great white sharks (why do we love Shark Week so much?), this year’s Shark Week is one you don’t want to miss. This year is the show's 30th anniversary season, which means the thrills will be hair-raising, celebrity guest stars will be A-listers, and of course, the sharks will be bigger and better than ever.
Parade reports that there will be a number of stars ready to overcome their fear of sharks this week, from Shaquille O'Neal to Guy Fieri, athlete Ronda Rousey ), Aaron Rogers, Lindsay Vonn, Rob Gronkowski, and even the cast of "Shark Tank." The show has nothing to do with sharks, but is just as brutal. I mean, how could you miss something so ridiculous?
But if you find yourself unable to watch Shark Week, don't worry: There are plenty of other shark-related shows for you to watch this summer. On Netflix alone, you can watch BBC's Sharknado , Planet Earth I and II , BBC Earth's Blue Planet, and the less scientific but still entertaining Sharknado film series. If you choose the Hulu streaming service, you can buy some popcorn and watch National Geographic’s Monster Fish or When a Shark Attacks, or the documentary Shark Diving. Luckily, there's no shortage of sharp-toothed shark content out there for you to chew on.
So whether you decide to call your parents and borrow a cable TV subscription for the week or invite some friends over to watch Netflix and binge the night, you should definitely participate in your own version of Shark Week. Sharks are one of the oldest and most dominant predators in the ocean, and they deserve our respect...at least for a week. Even if it means you’re out of the ocean for a while afterwards.
