On Online TV Shows

With the rise of easier access to technology, a younger age of becoming comfortable with it, and a growing online society and culture, it is only a natural response for entertainment to turn to this new media of communication. From reading blogs like this one, recapping things in real life, to forums where people create and work together, art sites where you can now share what only your mother cared about, entertainment can be found everyone online. But the thing that really intrigues me are the concept of televised programs online.

The beauty of television was the intimacy. When it first hit households, it replaced the fireplace as the centerpiece of the parlor and living rooms. It become centerfold for entire families for many years, who would gather around and collectively find something on the five or so channels that broadcast anything and enjoy life together. It was there, like another member of the household. Collectively, you cared about the happenings of the characters, the plights of their narratives.

This idea held true for decades, as the television continued to create new versions of itself, from the introduction of cable, to adult specific entertainment (not just porno, kiddies, thought that is a part of it), to eventually cauterizing into so many different channels with the advent of further broadcasting and satellite television that you have to pick what your mood is. Comedy? They got a channel. Cartoons? What decade? They got one for each decade starting with the 70's, with litterings of older shows on other channels.

I cannot as a historian (as I am not one) say with an form of definitive answer when the television moved from being the centerpiece of the home, but it did, to be replaced with the computer. Now, each household had multiple televisions. Hell, the average number of televisions per household is 2.4. Now, not only have the channels become cauterized and separated, but so have the viewers. Don't want to watch CSI with mom? Go upstairs and plug in the X-Box 360. But still, there was only one computer. For awhile.

All this history and theoretics of history aside, now a new society has erupted and become the norm. It started with Livejournal, moved to Myspace, continued to Facebook, and now exists strongly as the Youtube community.

Ah, Youtube. A place to find stupid people doing stupid things, rare videos, fan-made AMVs, and more recently, actual television. It didn't take long, but now there are many actual televison shows, even one specifically created with Youtube Celebrities as the cast, and to be honest, there is some really good content among the v-logs and copycats:

- Man in the Box: An office comedy show that has me laughing harder in two minute segments than The Office ever did.
- I'm a Marvel ... and I'm a DC: Created at first as just a pardoy of the popular Mac vs. PC commercials, it turned into a life of its own, giving commentary on the wave of comic book and superhero movies that have been flooding the media (I have an opinion on that, trust me) and then from there into actual plot and narrative. All in stop motion by one RandomGuy and a RandomGirl, with sometimes a RandomCat.
- Barack Paper Scissors: The first really well made Youtube Gameshow! Inspired by the new president (but not truely about him, you staunch Republicans, so give it a shot) and taken to ridiculous lengths, with weekly winners and new competitions weekly.
- Hooking Up: The aforementioned first actual Youtube television show with Youtube Celebrities.

But just like with television, once something becomes very good, with the accessability to do almost anything creatively online, shows have begun cauterizing to be more specific, this time by production company or front-man, normally both. But these guys are now making money doing their goofy shows, and the production quality becomes higher and higher.

- Cinemassacre: Started as a joke for his friends by a film-maker-in-the-making James Rolfe, it has blown out of proportions into a megaplex of fandom. Getting famous with his curse-spewing, beer-swilling video game reviewer of retro and classic shit the Angry Video Game Nerd - now with two seasons under his belt (avaliable on DVD) and grow production values (15 minute long episodes when most shows run around 3) - James has begun to shape an enterprise of internet television.
- That Guy With the Glasses: A group, run by one funny guy and his friends, that started with just goofy 5 sec cliffnote-style parodies of movies, then leading to his arguably best character the Nostalgia Critic, now they have expanded to 20+ shows from many contributors. Some are good (the aforementioned Nostalgia Critic and his female counterpart; Full Circle by a "true music lover" Paw), while some are what you would expect (Game Heroes game reviews and podcasts considered to be amazingly "Awesome") to the just the plain bad (you don't have to look hard). But doesn't mean they don't deserve props.
- Runaway Box: A production company, the one that puts together Man in the Box that I mentioned above, has more than that. Original Music Videos, parodies, Eric Estrada, Lando Calrissian and more, these guys are great. Sure all the videos are still posted on Youtube, but they have a vision, and work their asses off getting content out for their viewers. They will be famous someday, I am sure of it. Hell, you could technically say they are now!
- Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog: How can I leave this out. This is the product of the writer's guild strike, and it was great! Check it out, and get the DVDs, folks! Support the stuff you like.

There are more and more than this, and these are just a few that I tune into weekly. You should be as well.