Another day, another true crime drama. This time, Elizabeth Olsen stars as Christian housewife-turned-ax murderer Candy Montgomery in the aptly named Love & Death. If the plot sounds familiar, that's because this is the second time the case has been adapted into TV mini-series within the past year.
Written by David E. Kelley and directed by Mad Men and Homeland alum Lesli Linka Glatter, Love & Death features a star-studded cast headlined by Elizabeth Olsen, Lily Rabe, Jesse Plemons, and Patrick Fugit. The miniseries is officially available to stream; here are the best ways for you to watch for free — or at least at a discounted price.
Is Love & Death based on a true story?
It may seem stranger than fiction, but Love & Death's story of "a prim Texas housewife who hacked her good friend to death with an ax" is all too real. It weaves in clever storytelling with the unfortunate facts of the 1980s murder of Betty Gore by her friend Candy Montgomery. This is not the first dramatization of the gruesome suburban murder and subsequent investigation either; last summer, Hulu released Candy, starring Jessica Biel as Candy Montgomery and Melanie Lynskey as Betty Gore. It will be interesting to see how the different platforms and showrunners handle the ruthless story.
When does Love & Death premiere?
The first three episodes of Love & Death were released on April 27. There are seven episodes total in the miniseries, with the remaining episodes premiering every Thursday through May 25.
Is Love & Death on HBO Max?
The housewife-turned-ax murderer true crime drama Love & Death is an HBO Max Original(opens in a new tab) miniseries. That means it's exclusively available to stream on HBO Max in the U.S. (not the HBO cable counterpart). The series will eventually be available to stream on the UK-based ITVX in the fall for free, but if you don't want to wait that long, it's HBO Max or bust. Fortunately, there are quite a few different ways to get an HBO Max subscription (and maybe even for free).
Is HBO Max free with Amazon Prime?
HBO Max is a premium streaming service that comes with a premium cost. But, you can score a free seven-day trial(opens in a new tab) at least to test the waters if you add the channel to your existing Amazon Prime Video subscription. You will automatically get charged $15.99 for the month (the same price it costs to subscribe to ad-free HBO Max separately) if you don't cancel before the trial ends. To get the most bang for your buck, we suggest waiting until May 25, when the final episode of Love & Death premieres, to sign up for the HBO Max add-on. That way, you can binge-watch the entire miniseries in a week and cancel if you don't want to be charged full price.
Is HBO included with Hulu?
Like the Amazon Prime Video add-on, Hulu users can add HBO Max to their account for $14.99 per month(opens in a new tab). Sadly, there's no free trial at the time of writing, but you can save $1 per month on the ad-free version of HBO Max by going this route. The price is set to increase to $15.99 per month on May 17. To secure the deal, be sure to sign up ahead of the price increase for a month-long subscription.
Can I watch Love & Death for free?
Getting HBO Max for free is tough, but not impossible. There are currently a few different ways to secure a free subscription if you have a specific mobile plan through AT&T or Cricket Wireless (more on that below), plus a free trial option you can strategically sign up for around the finale of Love & Death. If you don't mind waiting a few months to watch, you can also use a VPN to stream the miniseries for free on ITVX, a UK-based streaming service. There's a little bit of fine print to consider, but we've broken it all down for you. Here's what you need to know to watch Love & Death for free.
The best option for most people (if you subscribe to Amazon Prime) is to wait until May 25 or around it to sign up for the HBO Max add-on via Amazon Prime Video(opens in a new tab). With your seven-day trial, you can easily watch all seven episodes of Love & Death, then binge-watch an entire season or two of another HBO Original (like Barry or Succession). If you decide you don't want to keep the subscription, be sure to cancel before the week is up or you'll be charged $15.99.
If you're an AT&T customer, you might be eligible to get HBO Max at no extra charge with your current plan. You can check which plans are eligible here(opens in a new tab) or log in to your AT&T account to learn more. If you're eligible, download the HBO Max app on your device of choice and sign in through your TV or mobile provider. New customers can also sign up for one of the current eligible plans to watch Love & Death for free. So, if you're looking to switch mobile providers, this may be the incentive that tips you toward AT&T.
Similar to the AT&T deal, Cricket Wireless customers who are currently under the $60/month unlimited plan can get HBO Max (ad-supported) for free(opens in a new tab). Existing customers on a different plan can easily switch plans(opens in a new tab) to get HBO Max included as well. Just download the HBO Max app and choose "sign in with provider" to use your Cricket login credentials.
Another option, albeit a slightly more complicated one, is to wait until Love & Death is streaming on ITVX(opens in a new tab) in the fall. The channel will be streaming the series for free, so all you'll need to do is log in to a UK-based server through a VPN service to access every episode. We suggest ExpressVPN(opens in a new tab), which is currently running a 15-month deal for just $6.67 per month — a significant amount less than subscribing to HBO Max. It's our favorite full-featured VPN, features high-speed servers in 94 countries across the globe, takes privacy very seriously, and unblocks streaming services on smart TVs, consoles, and more. Simply connect to one of its many servers based in the UK and pull up ITVX to start streaming Love & Death for free this fall.
Other ways to watch Love & Death
If none of these free options suit you or your needs, you can still score HBO at a discount — it just won't be the freebie you were hoping for. Nevertheless, HBO Max is one of the best streaming services around. You won't be disappointed if you choose to pay for it. The best option for your money, if you don't fear commitment, is to sign up for the annual subscription and watch with ads. This will save you 16% over the course of a year; it breaks down to just $8.33 per month instead of $9.99.
HBO Max with limited ads(opens in a new tab) — $99.99/year (save 16% on the annual plan)
HBO Max ad-free(opens in a new tab) — $149.99/year (save 20% on the annual plan)
HBO Max Hulu add-on(opens in a new tab) — $14.99/month (save $1/month)
