Streaming TV

Post by **BrianIsSmilingAtYou** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:56 am

I saw this article on Yahoo, and they had an interesting comment.

The top 20 shows that people stream on PCs are all scripted--no reality TV.

Is this a sign that people are really looking for something more--that the reality shows survive on broadcast/cable because they are "there" so we watch them, when we really would prefer scripted shows?

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/78728/str ... n-the-rise

Streaming Shows on the Rise
Top 20 Shows To Watch Online
By Erik Gunther
Mon, November 26, 2007, 9:39 am PST

Disconnect the cable. Shut down the satellite. Dump your DVR. All your shows belong to the Internet. With episodes airing all over the Web, the TV could join the 8-Track player in a landfill near you.

For digital dynamos who enjoy watching their favorite programs on the computer screen, we compiled a list of the most popular streaming shows. Here are this week's top 20...

1. Watch Heroes Online
2. Watch Prison Break Online
3. Watch Family Guy Online
4. Watch Gossip Girl Online
5. Watch The Office Online
6. Watch South Park Online
7. Watch Gilmore Girls Online
8. Watch Nip/Tuck Online
9. Watch Grey's Anatomy Online
10. Watch Weeds Online
11. Watch Smallville Online
12. Watch Simpsons Online
13. Watch Futurama Online
14. Watch Curb Your Enthusiasm Online
15. Watch House Online
16. Watch Ugly Betty Online
17. Watch American Dad Online
18. Watch Scrubs Online
19. Watch Naruto Online
20. Watch Stargate Atlantis Online

One thing to note from our list—the utter lack of reality. Are scripted shows the only ones worth streaming? While reality shows regularly top our list of most-searched shows, none cracked this top 20 of programs worth watching online. Perhaps those striking writers have a point...

BrianIs

AtYou

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:06 am

I watch reality shows such as cooking and decorating shows when I am plain flat exhausted and willing to just sit and absorb something for a while—whatever happens to be on, or whatever the DVR has recorded for me.

But if I seek something out, it's going to be be scripted drama or comedy.

I think the same dynamic applies in video stores. You really don't see a lot of reality available for rent. It's disposable. If you're at all interested, you've already seen it, and you don't need to see it again.

Good scripted shows, shows that are written, can stand up to rewatching and are worth seeking out if you miss them—whereas if you already know who got eliminated in Episode Three of Who's the Most Fashionable Chef on the Island?, you're ready to watch Episode Four.

Post by **axordil** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:45 pm

Interesting. Vaguely comforting too.

Post by **Hachimitsu** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:04 am

Yes it is comforting. Well written scripted shows have amazing rewatchability. Combine that with excellent acting, makes it even more so. I guess 5 years after watching Star Trek Deep Space 9, when I watch it again, I still notice new things!!

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:39 am

It's great to see you, Wilma!

And what a lovely avatar. I hope you'll consider stopping by the Parlour and catching us up on how you're doing!

I agree about rewatchability. A well-written, well-made show stands up to rewatching in the same way a good book does. There is enough "there" that you always find something new, and you don't remember every bit of it.

Movies don't stand up as well for me, unless I really love them dearly (LotR . . .). They're more equivalent to short stories: less to find in them, easier to remember.

Post by **Alatar** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:32 am

So, how long before the writers strike starts to hit TV programming in a significant way?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:36 pm

It already has: no new shows for Tonight Show, David Letterman, The Daily Show, Stephen Colbert . . . there hasn't been a new episode of any late-night talk/satire show since the day the strike began. No Daily Show/Colbert is the worst effect as far as I'm concerned.

And some changes of plans are significant. The new season of 24 has been put off indefinitely, for example, instead of beginning in January.

New scripted programming will be running out soon. They're probably saving some back for February sweeps, but that will be it for a while even if the strike ends before Christmas, because the pipeline's been shut down and will take a while to start up.

Post by **Erunáme** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:55 pm

Most shows are affected now.

I agree that no Colbert Report/Daily Show is the worst effect.

I'm the opposite of you Prim. Movies are more easily rewatchable for me, not TV shows. Too many TV shows have what I call filler episodes. Babylon 5 is one of the worst culprits and BSG does it a bit. But I finally am getting a hold of B5 season 3 and already in the first 4 epidoses a few of them didn't advance the plot at all....like the one where Brad Dourif plays a convict who has his memory erased as punishment...interesting and moving story but it doesn't do anything for the overall arc really. I'd rather not sit through episodes like those again.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:09 pm

Well, in rewatching series I usually skip those, unless they're particularly good on their own. There are a couple of episodes of B5 where the A plot is stupid and the B plot is good and I fast-forward over the A-plot scenes.

That still leaves an awful lot of good, interesting shows to enjoy.

Post by **Alatar** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:04 pm

Don't be too hard on B5 Eru. Nobody had ever attempted to tell a 5 years story arc before and they were trying to do it in the framework of a standard show so that TV Execs would be happy that most episodes were capable of standing alone. What they pulled off with that show changed everything. Without B5 there would be no Battlestar Galactica. Farscape helped a lot too...