8 rules for watching TV, films and sport at home – from making second screens work to free movie nights

Time is tight and none of us have any to waste endlessly scrolling Netflix, scrutinising the TV schedule or – worse – choosing which streamer to trawl in the first place.

We've reached TV and movie over-saturation and decision paralysis is rife – but we've got your back.

The team of telly experts and film obsessives at Radio Times are the people to turn to if you want to know how to watch better this year, enjoying more and saving yourself countless hours in the process.

So we've put together an easy-to-follow guide: 8 rules for doing TV properly in 2026, helping you stop browsing incessantly and start actually watching something great, all while cutting costs at a time when money is as tight as time.

Rule 1: Plan your movie nights without paying a penny

Patrick Cremona, Senior Film Writer

Years at Radio Times: 6

When looking for a film to watch at home, the sheer number of streamers on offer can make things tricky. From mainstream giants like Netflix and Prime Video to more niche, cinephile-focused options such as Mubi and BFI Player, you can soon find yourself forking out a fortune in subscription fees to cover all the bases.

But what if I told you it’s actually possible to program a rich and varied film-watching schedule without paying so much as a penny? Free services like BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 all have a wealth of great film options, including both permanent collections and a rolling selection of gems that have recently been broadcast on linear TV.

If it’s iconic older pictures or recent British gems you’re after, iPlayer is your best bet, while Channel 4’s selection might suit you more if you’re looking for a slice of genre cinema. But in truth, all of these services include interesting combinations of blockbusters, beloved classics from yesteryear, under-seen indies and a fair share of foreign-language titles. What’s not to love!

What's worth watching in 2026: iPlayer has recently added some iconic trilogies – including both The Godfather and Back to the Future.

Rule 2: Embrace second screens

Morgan Jeffery, Digital Editor

Years at Radio Times: 6

My top (possibly controversial) tip is that second-screen viewing isn’t always the enemy. It’s simply where we are. Rather than banning phones outright, we should learn when to embrace them.

Should we be feeding our attention deficit by doomscrolling throughout a premium drama? Probably not. Is it bleak that filmmakers are reportedly being asked to repeat plot points in dialogue because viewers are distracted? Undoubtedly.

But in a fractured streaming landscape, where true appointment TV is increasingly rare, there’s something heartening about the collective buzz that can still exist. That instant rush when a genuinely jaw-dropping moment lands and your WhatsApp lights up. The shared disbelief on social media. The sense that, for a second, everyone is watching the same thing.

I enjoyed the finale of The Traitors regardless. But chatting with friends as it unfolded added an extra jolt of interactivity.

It won’t work for everything – but used sparingly, second-screening can enhance rather than detract.

What's worth watching in 2026: The promise of "Press Gang in Downing Street" from Steven Moffat – as well as a reunion with his Doctor Who colleague Jenna Coleman – means that Channel 4's upcoming Number 10 is top of my must-see drama list.

Rule 3: Watch alone!

Alexia Skinitis, Head of Editorial

Years at Radio Times: 15

I made the mistake of introducing my two little girls to the world of Strictly last year. In theory all of us watching celebrities waltzing and tangoing around the ballroom on a Saturday evening, filled my heart with joy. In reality, they jumped, twirled and skidded across the TV whenever Dave Arch struck up his band and demanded that I watched their moves instead – while I sent apologetic messages to the man who lives in the flat below. I ended up watching it again after they’d gone to bed. With just a Chinese takeaway for company. Bliss.

I also love my partner dearly, but… when we sit down to watch a new series together, there are rules. The room has to be pitch black, he doesn’t like me rustling away with a packet of chocolate digestives and apparently my phone screen in his peripheral vision ruins his viewing pleasure.

I also dared to watch an episode of The Traitors while he was out one evening and we nearly ended up in couples counselling. So, my best piece of advice? Enjoy your favourite TV series all by yourself.

One worth watching in 2026: Scarpetta, 11th March on Prime Video.

Rule 4: Always trust a word-of-mouth hit

Louise Griffin, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor

Years at Radio Times: 3

The advertising industry may be worth billions, but a recommendation from a friend? That’s worth much more. The best viewing experiences I’ve ever had have been after suffering a crushing wave of FOMO so heavy it’s actually compelled my body and lifted the TV remote for me.

I simply cannot be left out of the conversation and that less-than-attractive trait has led me to some of the best TV I’ve ever seen – The Traitors, Severance and Succession, to name just a few. The TV landscape has changed dramatically over the past few decades, but one thing will always stay the same – if a show is good, people will talk about it. So take those recommendations (especially the ones from your favourite listings magazine!) very seriously. They’re worth their weight in gold.

One worth watching in 2026: House of the Dragon season 3 on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.

Rule 5: Watch TV like you listen to music

Shem Law, Brand Editor

Years at Radio Times: 25

You should watch television the way you listen to music. We don’t just listen to new releases; we return to things we’ve always loved, things that meant something to us at different points in our lives, and things that friends and family recommend. Often one piece of music leads you to another, and television should work the same way.

There is an extraordinary amount of great TV made over the past 50 years, much of it I still haven’t seen, and the best part is that so much of it remains available. So don’t dismiss shows just because they aren’t shiny and new: there are gems tucked away on the streaming services, YouTube, BBC Four, and the nostalgia channels tucked away in the upper reaches of your EPG. All best sampled while getting through the week’s ironing. One day I may even finally make it to The Wire or The Sopranos, starching the odd collar as I do...

One worth watching in 2026: Here is something new: Netflix's forthcoming Pride and Prejudice. Does the world need yet another version of this Austen perennial? You bet it does.

Rule 6: Football exists beyond the Premier League. Watch it.

Michael Potts, Sport Editor

Years at Radio Times: 7

"NO FOOTBALL AT CHRISTMAS," cried social media doomgrifters. The reality? A calendar quirk meant only one Premier League match would be broadcast on Boxing Day, a traditional festival of football.

They failed to acknowledge that all 72 English Football League (EFL) – Championship, League One and League Two – teams had their 36 matches televised live on Sky Sports that day.

The Championship might be the best division in world football, striking a perfect balance of quality and unpredictability. Many games are incredibly watchable compared to the hyper-mechanical Premier League.

Sky Sports are exclusively showing 1,000 EFL games this season compared to 215 top flight matches. By neglecting to recognise the EFL, fans are paying top dollar for a service, skimming the cream and ignoring too much goodness.

One worth watching in 2026: Championship 2025/26

Rule 7: Make the TV schedule your social secretary

David Hodges, Reader Services Manager

Years at Radio Times: 26

TV must have the right context, not just availability. Scheduled TV gives programmes a sense of occasion – 'a live vision of the world'. Streaming is allowed, but only when it feels special and I can give proper attention to it. Endless on-demand choice without context feels wrong – TV should arrive with a frame around it.

I don’t just watch something because it’s popular. The time of day, my emotional state, and the genre have to match. Horror belongs at night, news has its window (even if flexed), and comedy or drama only works when in the mood. I've created my own internal watershed and schedule. If I don’t it can end up in chaos, the choice and responsibility is too overwhelming.

Scheduled television gives your viewing habits a sense of occasion and structure – like the BBC is your social secretary!

One worth watching in 2026: Beef season 2 on Netflix.

Rule 8: Channel-hopping is good, actually

Frances Taylor, Previews Editor

Years at Radio Times: 10

We should all scroll more while watching TV. I don’t mean in the way second-screen scrolling has become normalised. No, I’m talking about scrolling through the channels, and down into the bowels of the EPG.

Like an archaeological dig, there’s all sorts lurking and waiting to be rediscovered. You might stumble across Steptoe and Son on That’s TV, or a 1990s episode of Top of the Pops on U&Eden. And you can’t beat a bit of Bullseye on Challenge.

With streaming dominating and dictating how and what we watch, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely to find something by accident. You’ll already have heard about it, been recommended it, read about it. And while that’s great (I’m as hooked on Netflix as the next person – see below) there’s a certain magic in happening upon a curio or forgotten favourite. So every once in a while, pick up the remote as if it were a trowel and get digging – you don’t know what televisual gems you might unearth.

One worth watching in 2026: Rivals was one of the most talked-about dramas of autumn 2024, and judging by these first-look images from the second series, the raunchy residents of Rutshire will be getting tongues wagging all over again this year.
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