You’re sitting on your couch, probably with a snack you didn't have to carry through a desert, wondering why anyone would voluntarily let an ex-SAS operative scream at them while they’re dangling off a cliff. It’s a fair question. Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test has become that rare kind of reality TV—it’s actually real. Or at least, as real as it gets when you put a Real Housewife and an Olympic gymnast in the Jordanian desert and tell them to jump out of a helicopter. If you’re trying to figure out where can you watch Special Forces without clicking through a dozen broken links or paying for three different subscriptions, I’ve got you.
The show is a Fox original. That's the baseline. Because it’s a network show, the distribution is a bit of a moving target depending on whether you want to watch it live, catch up on last night’s episode, or binge the entire first two seasons from the beginning.
The Best Ways to Stream Special Forces
Right now, your primary home for streaming this show is Hulu. Since Fox and Disney have that long-standing corporate marriage, Hulu gets the new episodes pretty quickly. Usually, if a new episode airs on Fox on a Monday night, it’ll be sitting there waiting for you on Hulu by 3:00 AM ET Tuesday. It’s reliable.
But what if you don't have Hulu? You can actually watch it for free—sort of. Tubi often carries Fox reality hits, though the availability of the most recent season can be hit or miss depending on licensing windows. The catch with Tubi is the ads. Lots of them. But hey, it’s free, and the "Special Forces" recruits are suffering way more than you are watching a 30-second insurance commercial.
If you’re a "cord-cutter" who still wants that live TV feel, platforms like FuboTV, Sling TV (specifically the Blue package in most markets), and YouTube TV carry Fox. These are great because they have DVR features. Honestly, watching this show without being able to fast-forward through the "coming up next" segments is a test of endurance in itself.
💡 You might also like: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
Why This Isn't Just Another Celebrity Reality Show
Most people go into this thinking it’s going to be like I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! where everyone complains about the food but eventually gets a nice paycheck and a tan. It’s not that. This is based on the British format SAS: Who Dares Wins, and the American version kept the most important ingredient: the Directing Staff (DS).
The DS are legit. We’re talking about guys like Rudy Reyes, a former US Marine Force Recon, and Mark "Billy" Billingham, who spent 27 years in the SAS. They don't care about your follower count. They don't care if you won a gold medal in 1996. That disconnect between the celebrities' egos and the instructors' total indifference is what makes the show addictive.
There are no votes. No one gets "evicted." You either quit (VW - Voluntary Withdrawal), get medically pulled, or you make it to the end. Seeing someone like Danny Amendola or Hannah Brown actually push through genuine physical trauma is weirdly inspiring. It’s less about fitness and more about whether your brain can tell your body to shut up when everything hurts.
International Viewing: What if You Aren't in the US?
This is where it gets tricky. If you’re in Canada, CTV is usually your best bet for catching the action. They’ve carried the series since it launched. Down in Australia, 7plus often hosts the US version, alongside their own domestic version (SAS Australia), which is arguably even more brutal than the American one.
📖 Related: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
For my friends in the UK, you might find it confusing because you already have the original SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4. To watch the US "celebrity" spin-off, you often have to look toward Disney+ or wait for it to cycle onto Channel 4's streaming service under their international acquisitions.
Breaking Down the Seasons
There’s a massive difference in vibes between the seasons.
- Season 1: Filmed in Jordan. High heat, massive sand dunes, and a cast that included Dwight Howard and Anthony Scaramucci. Yes, the Mooch. It was experimental and felt very raw.
- Season 2: They moved the camp to the mountains of New Zealand. Total 180. Instead of heat exhaustion, the recruits were dealing with hypothermia and freezing rain. Tom Sandoval was the "villain" everyone wanted to see fail, but the real story was the sheer grit of JoJo Siwa.
If you are just starting, Season 2 is actually a better produced piece of television, but Season 1 has the "shock" factor of the recruits realizing exactly what they signed up for.
The Logistics of Catching Up
If you're looking for where can you watch Special Forces without a subscription, keep an eye on the Fox website. They frequently unlock the first couple of episodes of a season for free to get you hooked. You'll need a cable provider login to see the rest, though.
👉 See also: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
If you're a digital hoarder, you can buy the seasons outright on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or the Google Play Store. It’s usually about $15 to $25 for a full season. It’s a one-time cost, no monthly drain on your bank account.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Binge
Stop scrolling through Netflix looking for it; it isn't there. If you want to watch Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test tonight, follow this path:
- Check your Hulu account first. It’s the most likely place to have every episode from both seasons in high definition.
- Download the Tubi app if you’re looking for a free option and don't mind the occasional ad break.
- Search for "SAS Australia" on YouTube or specialized streaming sites if you finish the US version and need a harder fix. The Aussie version is notoriously less "Hollywood" and much more punishing.
- Verify your local Fox affiliate on your live streaming service (Sling/Fubo) if a new season is currently airing, as they often don't allow "Start Over" features unless you've set it to record.
Watching these people collapse in the mud while you're wrapped in a blanket is a specific kind of Sunday night energy. Enjoy the chaos.