# HBO Now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633 "2019-04-16T16:37:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/1 "2019-04-16T16:37:07Z")
Does HBO Now give you access to all episodes of a show or only the current episodes. In other words if I subscribe will I get all of Game of Thrones up to the current episode or only the released episodes of the current season? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/2 "2019-04-16T16:37:38Z")
If it’s an HBO-owned show, it will have all of them. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/3 "2019-04-16T17:54:16Z")
Yes, you can watch all episodes of HBO shows with HBO Now. I’ve used both HBO Go and HBO Now and haven’t noticed a difference. I’m not sure why there are two separate brands and two separate apps when they both do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/4 "2019-04-16T18:07:38Z")
You also get access to their backlog of series, not just current ones (like go back in time and watch Deadwood). HBO Now gets subscription authorization through your cable provider, which has historically a bit wonky in my experience. I’m sure the apps could be combined, but I can’t say I blame them for keeping that mess out of their straight-forward subscription app. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/5 "2019-04-16T18:45:27Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Yes, you can watch all episodes of HBO shows with HBO Now. I’ve used both HBO Go and HBO Now and haven’t noticed a difference. I’m not sure why there are two separate brands and two separate apps when they both do the same thing. The difference is HBO Go requires you to have Cable and a subscription to HBO. You can buy a subscription to HBO Now without Cable. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/6 "2019-04-16T19:55:42Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > The difference is HBO Go requires you to have Cable and a subscription to HBO. You can buy a subscription to HBO Now without Cable. Right, but besides signing in with your cable subscriber login or your HBO account login, the apps are the same. Couldn’t that just be a choice on the login screen, and obviate the need for two separate apps? I see login screens all the time that say “login with Facebook or login with email”. Not sure why they couldn’t do the same with HBO Go. Alternatively, they could just get rid of the cable login entirely. Your cable subscription can come with a free HBO Now subscription. When you sign up, either put in your credit card details for the non-cable-subscriber option, or else fill out your cable account info. After that, login to the app with your HBO account. Again obviating the need for a second app. I feel like it has to do with arcane contractual obligations rather than any technical issue. I just wonder what the legal details are that require two separate but equal apps and associated brands. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hbo-now/832633/7 "2019-04-16T21:15:40Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I feel like it has to do with arcane contractual obligations rather than any technical issue. I’ll bet you a dollar that’s exactly what happened. HBO launched HBOGo and part of their deal with the cable companies was that HBOGo would never be offered outside of a cable subscription. So when they realized it would be a good idea to actually do that, they made a _really totally new completely separate thing_ called HBONow which is _totally not part of that deal, you guys_.