Been watching tv programs and movies free for years (torrents and online streaming). The only glitches are that the movies are not terribly current because it takes time to get decent copies and upload them to the net and that the HD streaming require one to be registered first. TV shows are late by no more than a day.
We cancelled Shaw cable and the satellite people to stuff it years ago because we didn't like paying $80 for service that contained 95% garbage.