The Future of Television (Well, More Like the Present..)

Alright, so, every station promotes that you can watch their TV shows on their respective websites like www.abc.com etc. etc. So I assume that most people know how to do that. I was blown away though last night when both my roommate and this girl I graduated with were over and didn't know or understand what Hulu was. (My roommate has become slightly more knowledgeable about how to watch TV online after living with me for a few months, but the fact that she wouldn't have otherwise known, is disturbing.)

We're moving closer and closer to a time when the question of "when" doesn't even matter to TV shows regular airtime. Soon enough everyone will be watching television at their leisure because of the Internet. Already there are televisions that connect to the Internet and companies trying to jump ahead of the game by providing television services where you can download and buy specific episodes to view, however none have perfected this system and Apple has really fallen behind the competition of companies less well-known. The only reason I know the day and time shows air is because A) I'm obsessive and B) I have no life outside of work (and before you attack me for just not getting out there, try living in Fargo and have an exciting life at the same time. It doesn't happen). In college however all I did was watch shows after they aired. Anyway, I digress.

It may seem unreasonable that at some point television ploys like Thursday Night Comedy on NBC or ABC Family Comedy Wednesdays and other various marketing tools like that would leave because they are there to specifically draw in an audience so that advertisers will pay them for time on air. If you've ever used Hulu though you'll see that they're trying out a new method of advertising. You can choose between watching a long-form commercial, usually between 1.5 and 2.5 minutes, but then you don't have any interruptions during your show (so I usually just mute the computer and do something else before the episode actually starts). Even websites like www.Sidereel.com  have advertisements that pop up on their website. These don't air before any episodes though since Sidereel doesn't actually host the shows, they just link you to places that actually host the shows like Megavideo.

So, once advertising finds a way to make as much money on the Internet, broadcast television will become obsolete. Advertising has already taken a personalized spin by receiving data from Facebook information (e.g. I have interested in men on my profile so of course I get advertisements all the time for really gay things, or because my current city is Fargo I get advertisements for political campaigns specific to the area.), and Hulu always asks whether an advertisement is relevant to you. So now my Hulu ads are largely ads for Heineken and movies I want to see instead of Tampax Pearl commercials (I don't know if they actually advertise on Hulu, but it is definitley something that is the opposite of relevant to me.)

Ultimately what this whole rant comes down to: Start using Hulu and Sidereel and stop worrying about catching shows when they air. Go to Hulu for more recent shows that have aired (unless it was on CBS, because for some reason they still haven't caught up with everyone else), like current seasons and they usually have the last 5 episodes that aired (which is also helpful to shows to keep viewers up to date and interested). Go to Sidereel if you want to watch shows that haven't aired recently, or shows that are on cable channels like Showtime (for Dexter) or HBO (for True Blood). On Sidereel the options towards the bottom are usually best. This applies in general and to each category like whether the website you're going to is Megavideo or divxden or wisevid (three best options really). There are numerous places you can find shows online, but if you want an almost perfect way of finding the shows, go to Hulu first for the best quality and easy navigation, and try Sidereel after, where you have to look harder, but there are more results.

Fennopian

Thursday Night Comedy

So last night there were a couple highly publicized episodes. 30 Rock made "history" with their live episode which they performed twice, once for the East coast and the other for the West. The Office brought back all of his ex girlfriends because he had to warn them they might have herpes, or as Michael spells this sexually transmitted disease: "H... I.... .... R. P. E. E. S. Hirpees." Before either of these two though Community aired another classic episode where the gang gets trapped in a space launch.... simulator.

Community: I hate that I ever doubted this show. I'll admit that initially I figured it had T minus half a season to go before it was cancelled. It totes grew on me though. After the characters finally settled into their places and became more established, the show really started to take off for me. Initially I thought it took itself too seriously, but wow was I wrong. The episode that really launched the show was easily the paintball war episode. Community is going to have to work extra hard to come up with an episode as good as that one, and they were definitely close with this weeks.

The dichotomy in this episode, and really throughout the entire series, of placing events that could potentially have a huge significance in any other setting (say, a real college or institution) into a less impressive and prestigious setting (Community College...)  just makes it that much more hilarious. The crew in this episode must correctly simulate a space launching before another community college does live on TV giving that COMMUNITY college more prestige than another COMMUNITY college. It had all the classic Armageddon and all those other great space launch films references with Abed getting left behind but having to save the ship to Pierce getting some cabin fever. Twas a tale of epic proportions based in scenery of minute relevance. Priceless.

30 Rock (East) (West): So, I haven't watched the West coast feed yet, but I'm guessing it wasn't toooooo different. It looks like the white guy on the show sings at the beginning instead of Jenna, and I'm sure a few other things were different too. Overall though I wasn't overly impressed. It was a nice change of pace at first, but I found myself missing the higher quality version of the show. The episode really made me realize just how important the cinematography and editing are to the show. Of course everyone performed excellently, it just fell a little short comically from the rest of the series. But, whatever. It was a great idea and was executed well. Although did you notice that Tina Fey had a script in her hand the entire time? I wonder if that was her "character" holding that, which could easily be the case since she is a writer on a show, or if perhaps it was there to save her in case she ever forgot a line, or just needed to see what was coming next. Either way it doesn't matter. I'll still watch it again as the West coast feed.

*edit* While watching the West coast feed. I realized what threw me off was the audience laughing. Gives the show a completely different feel. Also, Julia Louis Dreyfus makes the show playing Liz Lemon in flash backs. Perfection. 30 Rock also needs to have Cheyenne Jackson in way more. He's so damn attractive.

The Office:  Okay. So, there really isn't much else to talk about this show besides the hilarious Michael Scott quote above, but this picture is too good to not post right now. I'm still curious as to what they're going to do once Steve (yeah, first name basis. We're tight. My freshman roommate's friend is like, Steve's nephew or something, so we're pretty much besties.) leaves. I mean, it is definitely a smart choice for him to leave. You wanna go out with a bang, and not drag on like the last 3 seasons of Friends. There are enough characters in the show to work without Michael, but it just won't be the same, so they'll have to reinvent the show somewhat and somehow. I'll probably still watch just like I did with Scrubs even though everyone saw that it wasn't going to work.

Outsourced: I'm not even going to give you a link to this show because it just isn't worth it. I couldn't manage to watch this show with commercials. Least compelling thing ever. Clearly my two hours playing Mass Effect 2 was easily more productive than watching this show (yeah, that's right, watching TV can be productive...).  It is unfortunate this show won't work out (Parks and Rec is easily way better than this show, and has an established audience) because there are a few positive elements to it. Rebecca Hazlewood, for example, is so. damn. hot. Not just hot, but gorgeous. Flawless skin, stunning face, rockin bod. She's a triple threat. Sacha Dhawan and Parvesh Cheena are the only funny parts of this show. They could probably make a show succeed if they took these three characters and put them in their own show without any of the other cast. Overall, I just want this show to end so I can see Amy Poehler every week again.

Otherwise, Thursday night comedy was... pretty cool.

Fennopian

Glee: The Voice of Reason and Reality

Glee has officially hooked me into liking every aspect of the show. It took some time, but here I am praising not only Glee's musical talent, which I don't think anyone has questioned... ever. I always had a few problems with some of the characters though, well, most of the characters except maybe Quinn and Puck. This episode, based around duets, really let us see sides of the characters we hadn't seen before. Brittany has feelings (apparently for both Santana {um. hot.} and Artie). Artie shows off his true emotions about that little joke he made with Tina about how "it still works," referring to his manhood even though he's paralyzed. Rachel's trying to be less self-centered, but luckily Finn's there to point out what everyone was thinking, which is that even though she wanted the new guy to win so he felt like a part of the team, she did it because she wanted to win nationals.

Anyway, but I digress from the point I really want to make which is: The interactions between Kurt, Finn, and Kurt's father, was easily the best conversation about homosexuality and how it affects people in high school, especially in a highly homophobic environment.

Last season, you might remember that Kurt had a huge crush on Finn. He pushed it so far that Finn freaked out on him. Now, then it made Finn seem like the bad guy in the situation, which, there was no excuse to constantly keep using the word "faggy." However this episode we finally got to see Finn's side of the story. He was being pushed too much by Kurt to be something he wasn't and Kurt wasn't listening when he said no. Well, Kurt found a new guy, the new character who is supposed to be like a mentee of Finn's. He was convinced the kid was gay and tried pushing for them to do a duet. Well, Sam, the kid whose sexuality I still question, is nice and agrees to do a duet with him even after getting slushied in the face and getting a talk from Finn where Finn makes quite the strong argument that while someone shouldn't hide who they are, they have to play by certain rules because we live in their world. He's referring to the fact that, sure, its cool that Kurt's a homo, but he needs to play by certain rules. It all boils (Get it? Cuz, like, to get things to boil, you need heat, sometimes even a flame... flamer... this conversation is about homos... ya. Now you get it.) down to the ideal world versus the actual world in which we live. Sure, it would be nice if any gay high school boy could ask another high school boy whether gay or straight without being ridiculed or worse for doing so, but that's not the world we live in. Maybe you crazy liberal west and east coasters might think that your progressive schools and liberal atmosphere don't reflect the show at all, but take a step into the Midwest's Bible Belt and you'll see a whole new atmosphere.

Later Kurt had a conversation with his dad. Kurt assumed his dad would be on his side, but much to his surprise his dad sided with Finn for pretty much the same reasons. He pointed out that Kurt was being too aggressive (obvi) and that, and here's what I felt was the best part of the entire episode (except for Mercedes and Santana's song), Kurt would have to be strong and be alone most of the time until he found someone as brave and strong as himself to be with, and Kurt shows that he can go it alone as he sings a duet exploring the masculine and feminine... by himself.

Glee has been the most progressive show on network television regarding the subject of sexuality. Not only is there a major gay character, there are characters whose sexuality is so obscure, we can't really place it into any category except sexually diverse. I'm talking about Brittany and more emphatically, Santana. It has always been hinted at that they may be wesbian wovers (Baby Mama anyone?), but they actually opened a scene with them on a bed about to get it on! So. Damn. Hot. Now, this doesn't really mean they're lesbians because they both sleep with guys on the show too, but they're not really bisexual either... they're just. Sexual.  I'm also going to predict that Sam, although flat out said he wasn't gay to Quinn, might just be bisexual (I mean, did you see the way he kept looking at Kurt in an almost adoring way while Kurt performed?), and that fact might have come out at the school he transferred from. I wouldn't mind seeing Quinn and Kurt get into a cat fight over him.

Ultimately, I used to hate Kurt. I thought his character was just going to be this stereotypical flamboyant homosexual whose story line would push for gay rights and be the ideal life for an unapologetic homosexual (in regards to his relentless advances onto Finn who clearly was not going to reciprocate any of those feelings) in high school. Thankfully they turned him into a realistic, reasonable character facing the real world.

This episode couldn't have come at a better time either with what's been happening in this country lately. With all the suicides and gay bashings going on, I hope that those who may be depressed or feeling worthless because of their sexuality watched this episode and feel a new passion for life knowing that their time for happiness is coming.

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Now, I was going to put links up to every song from Hulu, but they don't have clips up yet. So. The link to the episode is up top if you missed it and here are the times you should go to so you can watch the musical performances.
Rachel and Finn - Don't Go Breakin' My Heart: Elton John and Kiki Dee - 5:47

Mercedes and Santana - River Deep, Mountain High: Ike and Tina Turner - 15:29

Kurt and Kurt - Le Jazz Hot!: Victor Victoria - 20:52

Mike and Tina - Sing: A Chorus Line - 26:03 - This one displays Mike's humorous side with his inability to sing along with his talent for dancing

Quinn and Sam - Lucky: Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat - 33:29 (I totally called this one. Quinn's voice is so damn pretty in it too.)

Rachel and Kurt - Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy: Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand - 40:55

How I Never Met Your Mother

I wish this show had stopped sooner, or at least evolved in some way. I mean, if we look at shows like Modern Family (click for the latest most hilarious episode with Nathan Lane and the oldest daughter, Haley, is lookin hotter than ever. Good thing she's legal in real life for all you straight men out there), or the Office even the smallest things have changed over time, which is especially impressive for Mod Fam for only having one season. The changes Mod Fam made were purely set design differences. I would go into detail, but Alexandra Lange did too perfect of a job describing it in the NYT about a month back. Anyway, you may not have noticed these tiny differences, but I guarantee it adds to the overall effect of the greatness of the show making the episodes unique. The Office has evolved from a plain office where every character was only sort of there to making every single character memorable and having them move around positions and ranks throughout the series. (Jim was co-manager; Pam moved away from being a receptionist to being a sales person to having a new position which you can find out about here; Kelly is moving up as a minority executive; Darrell went from working in the warehouse to working in the office; and of course Ryan has moved all over the place from being an intern to a corporate executive.) The Office is probably the best example of watching the show evolve throughout time giving it a different dynamic every season.

HIMYM however has just suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked the big one for a while now. Last season was atrocious. The jokes were bad. The characters have become so repetitive (yes, I even got annoyed by Barney). And the story was non-existent. It really turned into a string of episodes that had nothing to do with each other and no connection to the larger story. I don't know if the creators just weren't sure what to do with the story, or if they knew that because they had another season they didn't want to move too quickly, but whatever it was, it was unacceptable. Honestly the show is lucky that it had such a great first 3, maybe 4, seasons to keep me watching. (It also doesn't hurt that it has NPH and Alyson Hannigan {who I'll always be loyal to after being in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She can do no wrong in my eyes. [Except maybe Date Movie, but we'll ignore that]})

Now. After that rant about how awful the show has been. I'd like to say that it is something to look forward to this season. Why? What changed my mind? Well, the last two episodes of the last season solidified that it is indeed a great show. Ted bought a house (finally, his story is going somewhere {unfortunately it doesn't lead to his gravestone}). Lily and Marshall are going to have a baby after seeing every doppleganger. Robin is the only person who has a story which I have no real idea where it is going, but that's fine because she's really grown into her character and made it much better from it was in the first couple of seasons. One BIG thing for Robin though is that we get to see another Robin Sparkles music video. She's done her break away pop hit, her ballad, and I am quite excited to see what the third is going to be. Barney is just Barney, and I'm fine with that. I mean, who DOESN'T want to just stare at NPH. No one. That's who.

The biggest teaser for this season though is that Jennifer Morrison is joining the cast and may in fact be the mother. Now, this is all speculation that is buzzing around the internet. I'll believe it when I see it. But at the very least its been said that she is a very large part of the character's lives. I just hope this doesn't turn into another Stella debacle where I sooooooo very much wanted Sarah Chalke to be the mother because the show needs someone to be funny while Ted kills the show.

So ultimately. The show went downhill for a while. Probably almost lost its entire fan base, but has redeemed itself for now. I'd say keep up with it the best you can, but definitely not worth wasting your time catching it when it airs.

Fennopian

Seth MacFarlane... Get Over Yourself.

Jesus. After watching these past two episodes of Family Guy, I don't know what I was doing hoping that Family Guy would get better. And then, to top it off, The Cleveland Show and American Dad are just embarrassing for him that this was like his premiere Sunday after last weeks hour long boring train...

Seth, you're not going to be The Simpsons, please, if Family Guy makes it to 22 seasons, you must really have that much control over FOX.  Your social commentary will never be anything compared to South Park. Sorry, but no one cares about Rush enough for you to not really make fun of him. And your songs? They're. Not. Good. You epic failed that song about down syndrome. I understand that nothing is off limits, but an episode dedicated entirely to that with a song? It's not funny. You're not funny. Get. Over. Yourself. A song about Republicantown? Everyone gets that you hate republicans. At least South Park comments on both sides of an issue instead of endlessly attacking one side. Do you think your show influences the way people think? Iiiiiiit doesn't.

(Keep in mind that it doesn't take me much to laugh at a TV show.)

Okay, one positive thing you did recently? Killed off a bunch of characters and it stuck (there's a new female anchor). Wait, didn't you then have murder be a huge theme throughout the American Dad episode by breaking the 4th wall and having the audience count how many people die drawing the audience into the action. Oh! Then you also did that in the premiere of The Cleveland Show by having a "live" (oh, yeah, we get the joke right away, its live but it's a cartoon. That joke was funny for... 2 seconds. ) episode, which lasted the entire 30 minutes. It ended up like SNL with everyone on the stage saying good-bye, with a dead Julia Roberts who had just gone through a string of saying the titles of her movies while trying to make it fit into the scene (a technique used in horrible sketch comedy and old sitcoms). Juila Roberts died and so did Seth MacFarlane's short lived reign of comedy.

Fennopian

The Only Good Thing About SNL This Week...

Sorry Bryan Cranston, SNL gave you a shitty script. However, there was one redeeming skit with new cast member Vanessa Bayer portraying Miley Cyrus. ITS PRETTTYYYY COOOOL.

Caveat: The guy who plays Johnny Depp is horrible. absolutely horrible.

*edit*

And, I forgot, this was hilarious. Bros icing bros... sort of.