The best part of FAST TV is the choice it takes away

A group of adults sit in a living room in ’70s. They are on the floor watching a TV also on the floor with rapt attention. — *FAST TV makes it very easy to just zone out and not stress, like broadcast TV did once before.* | Photo by François LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

I’ve been watching TV on demand for over 20 years. Well before streaming, I was picking up the whole run of The Sopranos from the college library and making my way through the seasons. When I graduated, I kept the habit, preferring to watch things from DVD box sets rather than just zoning out in front of the television. Even when I visit family now, I’m the obnoxious one who always has a show they want to watch on Netflix or HBO Max instead of 12 episodes in a row of House Hunters on HGTV. But lately, I’ve been using Pluto TV, and I’ve found myself realizing just how relaxing it is to just let go.

Pluto TV is part of a subcategory of streaming called Free Ad-Supported Television, or FAST. There’s some on-demand content and features, but…