7 of the Best Bookish Shows and Movies on Tubi

4 hours ago 3

I love Tubi. It’s a free, ad-supported service that I watch on my smart TV and my computer. It has a lot of older movies and full TV series. Because most paid TV channels and streaming services also have ads, the ads on Tubi don’t bother me.

Tubi often has more accessible and diverse selections than paid streaming services. Right now, its featured collections include Akira Kurosawa Essentials, Spanish-language films, and films with audio description. Many films in its current lineup were huge hits, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Gladiator. “Are you not entertained?”

There’s a lot of overlap with Kanopy, which I get through my local public library, and with The Criterion Collection. These titles are often unavailable elsewhere. This month, Tubi includes The Wicker Man, a classic 1973 folk horror film and one of my favorites. In December 2025, it had Eyes Wide Shut, loosely based on the 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler.

Tubi has plenty of literary adaptations, including the Hunger Games movies. There are many Shakespeare, Austen, and Brontë films and miniseries—although not necessarily the newest ones. Titles are subject to change monthly. So, explore these now, and then check back in June!

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I Am Not Your Negro

Raoul Peck’s documentary film from 2016 is based on James Baldwin’s unfinished, final manuscript, Remember This House. The film focuses on Baldwin’s memories of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. and their assassinations. It features many interview clips, with Baldwin brilliantly shutting down racist questions. It’s rated PG-13. Content note for footage of racist violence and language.

Merlin

AKA The Adventures of Merlin, this BBC series from 2008-12 is one of the most unconventional takes on Arthurian characters. It’s set in a version of Camelot where magic is real but suppressed, and Merlin and Arthur are around the same age. Its five seasons have a fun blend of fantasy, drama, and comedy. 14 years after the series ended, it still has an active online fandom.

The Remains of the Day

This 1993 movie was based on the Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro. It received several Oscar nominations, including Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as the leads. Hopkins plays Stevens, the butler at an English estate, who remains loyal to his Nazi employer. The performances are excellent, and the story is thought-provoking.

Legally Blonde

Based on Amanda Brown’s novel, this is one of the best romcoms ever. Watch Elle Woods take on Harvard Law without compromising her ethics or her style. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Coolidge are both hilarious here. The messages still hold up, too. Don’t judge people by appearances, and be yourself, despite the haters.

Murdoch Mysteries

Based on the Detective Murdoch series by Maureen Jennings, this Canadian historical mystery series takes place in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries in Toronto. Historical figures, including Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Frank Lloyd Wright, show up as characters. Detective Murdoch loves the cutting-edge scientific discoveries and technology of his day, like electricity and fingerprinting. All 16 seasons are here.

In the Time of the Butterflies

Based on the novel by Julia Alvarez, this 2001 film fictionalizes the lives of Dominican activists the Mirabal sisters. They opposed Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship. Salma Hayek stars as Minerva Mirabal. Their relationships—family, friends, and lovers—shaped their lives, including their activism.

Wuthering Heights

Andrea Arnold’s 2011 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s novel is much more accurate than the 2026 version. It emphasizes the brooding Yorkshire moors setting and the themes of racism and abuse. It ends with an unreleased Mumford & Sons song, “The Enemy,” fitting Cathy and Heathcliff’s tumultuous, love-hate relationship. Kaya Scodelario and James Howson were the right ages to play Cathy and Heathcliff.