What to Watch While the Writers Strike
The new episodes of your favorite old teevee shows are running out (why can’t those writers and studios just hurry up and make nice?). Sure, there are some mid-season replacements to help ease the pain, but those won’t last long, and things are looking grim for the 2008 season. And although everyone keeps saying you should check out the cool web shows, maybe you don’t know where to begin. That’s where we come in, with this handy guide to finding your favorite new teevee shows.
Disclaimer: These web shows won’t have the same “production values” or “good acting” as those high-falutin’ traditional TV programs. But they’re better than Deal or No Deal.
If you miss the edgy animation of Family Guy…then you must watch Channel Frederator, in particular The Meth Minute 39. The series delivers fantastic animated shorts; it’s just pure, wacked-out comedic bliss.
If you miss the broad relationship comedy of How I Met Your Mother…then try Life from the Inside, a sitcom about apartment dwellers trying to make it in the world.
If you miss the low-key humor of The Office…you might enjoy either Break A Leg or Mr. Deity.
Think of Break A Leg as Arrested Development-lite. It has the same slightly absurdist humor mixed with deadpan delivery.
By all accounts, I should hate Mr. Deity. It stars a Michael MacDonald lookalike as God with a mullet and with its mining of obvious religious stories and traditions, it should have been hacky. But the humble delivery and clever writing saves it.
If you miss the otherworldly chills n’ thrills of Supernatural…then turn out the lights and prepare for the creepfest that is Buried Alive. The show features a cast of people all trapped in specially constructed coffins and it will freak…you…out. The only lame thing about it is it doesn’t have embedding.
If you miss the emotionally wrought, soapy drama of Grey’s Anatomy…you might want to watch quarterlife. I’ve dinged quarterlife before, and series creator Marshall Herskovitz probably won’t be inviting me over for dinner anytime soon — but the show is well-produced and has an actual story.
quarterlife - part 1
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Of course, if you’re jonesing for the old teevee you know and love, you can check out current and classic shows for free online, courtesy of Hulu and the network sites, or a bunch of other places that lift Hulu content.
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[...] move online. Don’t know where to start? NewTeeVee has put together a handy guide to finding the web shows you’ll like best. Share/Send Sphere Print Previous [...]
What to Watch While the Writers Strike - GigaOM on January 8th, 2008 at 7:02 am - Permalink
You can also use this time to catch up on all the 70’s shows you missed as a kid (or wern’t born yet). Fantasy Island, Charlies Angels, What’s Happening and more are all on Joost. Seriously, when is the last time you watched Fantasy Island? It is pretty funny.
Greg Rose on January 8th, 2008 at 9:10 am - Permalink
Greg,
Have you watched the “minisodes” that Sony puts out? Old TeeVee shows like TJ Hooker truncated in under six minutes minutes. Surprisingly — you don’t miss much. Shows moved at a much slower pace back then.
Chris Albrecht on January 8th, 2008 at 10:04 am - Permalink
[...] posted today, Chris Albrecht at NewTeeVee offers a short list of what to watch online while the writer’s strike kills TV. He includes: The Meth Minute 39, Life from the Inside, Break a Leg, Mr. Deity, Buried Alive, [...]
space shank media - blog - archive » Titles on January 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am - Permalink
There’s 90 or so episodes of Where are the Joneses? floating around on youtube!
http://www.wherearethejoneses.com
zeroinfluencer on January 8th, 2008 at 12:55 pm - Permalink
For a very different change of pace I would check out answerstv.com
Very good Food, Health and Magic content. Not fully entertainment, but extremely valuable information in a gorgeous presentation.
Pia Zadona on January 8th, 2008 at 1:05 pm - Permalink
NewTeeVee ?
radupress on January 8th, 2008 at 1:06 pm - Permalink
Hey Chris!
Thanks for the mention.
Our next episode is coming out next week on monday everyone, so, stay tuned!
-Yuri
Yuri on January 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am - Permalink
Here’s a shameless plug…
you can also get tipped off to all kinds of online comedy series and other “professional” comedy videos at our site - http://www.whipitoutcomedy.com
Whip It Out Comedy on January 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm - Permalink
Well, here’s a plug for an online Urban Western that does aspire to have “the same “production values” or “good acting” as those high-falutin’ traditional TV programs:”
http://thewestside.tv
Y’all covered it here.
Ryan on January 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am - Permalink
Chris,
Thanks for the recognition. Very cool.
Episode 6 is fast on its way!
Robb on January 11th, 2008 at 7:39 am - Permalink
Thanks for the mention.
Our next episode is coming out next week on monday everyone, so, stay tuned!
-Yuri
muhabbet on July 17th, 2008 at 3:57 am - Permalink