FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) channels are becoming inescapable these days and booming in popularity through their combination of familiar reruns and news programming offered at no cost. Nearly any modern smart TV you buy today will include a slew of them. Roku and Amazon (with Fire TV) are both big advocates. And now, Google is doubling down more than it already was on linear FAST content.

Starting today in the United States, the company’s Google TV platform is adding a ton of additional FAST channels. Whether you’re watching from a Chromecast or a TV that runs the software, you’ll start seeing them pop up over the next few weeks.

Google TV had already offered FAST content from Pluto TV, but it’s now expanding to include channels from Tubi, Plex, and Haystack News. On top of that, Google TV is adding FAST channels of its own that can be streamed without hopping into an app.

Google claims that makes for a total of “over 800 free TV channels from multiple providers in one place.” Just understand that by “one place,” the company is only referring to the live TV guide; in some cases, you’ll still need to install and open some of these apps to watch the associated channels.

In a sign of how serious it is about pushing FAST, Google says that it also plans to “bring the new TV guide and free channels to eligible Android TV devices later this year” — so this won’t just be limited to the newer Google TV software. If you’ve got an Nvidia Shield TV or other Android TV-based hardware, it could show up there, too.

For people who refuse to pay for any kind of live TV subscription service, FAST programming can definitely be helpful at filling in downtime whenever you’re tired of Netflix, HBO Max, or any of the other major streamers. 

But if you do pay for YouTube TV, Sling TV, or another service that was already integrated with the live guide on Google TV, this avalanche of new stuff might border on overwhelming. Google tells me that there’s no way to completely hide the FAST content, but live TV channels from your subscriptions will at least show up above them at the top of the guide. 

You’ll be able to save your favorite networks to the top of the guide for faster access, so hopefully there will be a minimal amount of scrolling through dozens and dozens of linear channels with shows that you've never heard of. But sometimes that’s just part of the FAST experience, friends. At least they’re organized into categories that are easier to browse.

The expansion of the live TV tab comes after Google rolled out other changes to Google TV’s interface — mostly focused on the homescreen — back in February. That redesign saw “Movies” and “Shows” being dropped from the main navigation bar and moved into the “For You” tab. Before that, Google cleaned up the library and streamlined the live guide.

As someone who largely sticks to the usual streaming heavyweights, I’m increasingly curious about this whole FAST thing and would love to hear from people who use these services often.

What is your favorite FAST channel? Are there any under-the-radar gems that are worth the ads? I tore through some MacGyver reruns a few weeks ago on a channel I’ve already forgotten. That hit the spot, and I know Samsung has its ultra-soothing Bob Ross channel. But I want the full rundown on what’s worth my time now that I’ve got 800-plus channels of random content in arm’s reach every night. Comment away.