Losing Lost

So Lost ended last night.  I’m not going to review the show or express my feelings now but rather speak about the changes and influence Lost had on television, and how much I appreciate that.

Lost was amazing specifically because it had never been done before.  Serialized story telling, huge ensemble cast, sci-fi plot on network television, nothing should have worked, and yet the show is one of the most successful shows ever.  Without Lost Heroes would not have existed, Flash forward, and V would not have been attempted, and in this world of Hulu and Youtube no one would have paid $900,000 for a 30 second commercial spot.

Yet, this all did happen.  It was the right show at the right time.  You could watch live to avoid spoilers and then review and search for Easter eggs on Hulu the next morning.  You could discuss on message boards, and watch sneak peak clips on fan sites.  Lost worked not only because of its incredible story telling but also because of its ability to transcend television, to reach out online and for fans to reach out to each other.

It’s over now, but Lost will have forever changed television.  Not only what networks are willing to endorse, but also the ways we can and do interact with the stories we love.

Hulu Plus

Hulu is upping the price.  Anything would be more than free, but starting in May Hulu will begin testing Hulu plus, a $10 monthly service through its site.

What will you be getting for you money?  Right now it sounds like a far more extensive selection of shows, not simply a mere five episodes, but perhaps a whole season. It’s like loading up your DVR without having to remember to record anything.  Is it worth it?  Maybe.  We’ll have to wait and see what the actual offerings end up to be.

Can 3-D save cable tv?

With so much content become available online via Hulu, iTunes and network sites, cable television is increasingly finding itself in a challenging spot. However, new 3-D enterprises by channels such as ESPN, DIsney, Discovery and more.

ESPN plans to start offering programming before the FIFA World Cup in June with more than 80 live events this year.

Manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic plan to offer 3-D capable televisions soon too. The problem, says experts, is getting enough content out there for people to justify buying new sets. That, and getting people to wear those glasses.

However, within the decade, 3-D will likely be mainstream and like other technologies before it, we won’t be able to imagine our life before it.

I feel like the queen of the world

Ok–that may be an overstatement, but I do feel pretty awesome!  Let me explain . . . I finally figured out how to hook up my laptop to my television to watch streaming video via Hulu or whatever I want, whenever I want.   We’ve had limited cable for a while now so this is like opening a whole new world.

Nothing on TV–just watch a movie or a show on a station I don”t even get on my television. There are also an increasing number of HD channels and HDMI outputs from computers so you don’t have to sacrifice image quality.

I know this isn’t rocket science, but it really is liberating to make it happen. It was so simple, actually. Just connect the S-video cable from your laptop to your television. Change your control panel display settings to enable dual monitors–the television primary and the laptop as secondary and voila–instant slave.

To get the sound to work you have to get an audio cable with an adaptor to plug into your computer’s headphone jack and into the t.v.’s audio in jacks.

Pardon me while I go play now.

Free Friday

This Friday Hulu will begin broadcasting commercial free entertainment (for one night only).

Again, through it’s advertising partners (this time specifically brought to you by Mcdonald’s McCafe ) Hulu will be able to provide legal, free, and quality streaming of both movies and television on the internet.

I’m not a big coffee or fast food person, but I fully support and appreciate this step by Mcdonalds and hope that other companies may follow suit and provide more than one commercial free day.  Nissan used to provide limited commercial breaks during Heroes episodes on NBC and I appreciated the extra show time and limited interruptions even then.

There is still a way for companies to advertise without hindering the viewing experience or losing out to Tivo.  Advertisers just need to get creative, you get more with honey than you do with vinegar.

TV Trends

The time has come, Lost and Heroes are both going to be on Hulu!

Disney has officially joined Hulu and thus ABC shows will be available on the great legal video streaming site.  Supposedly ABC shows will start appearing this summer.  I’m all for it, Hulu is simpler, clearer, and more convenient than most other video streaming services, but the truth is, if the shows aren’t there we all find ways to watch anyway (that’s why Disney was wise to join up).

Now, many shows appear on Hulu the next day already, but not all.  House for instances does not post episodes until the week after they have aired.  I understand that this is supposed to bottleneck viewers off to the network’s official web site, but the truth is it doesn’t.  Lots of the time people don’t even wait until the next morning none the less the next week.  On other less reputable sites shows often make appearances a mere hour after they air.  When you don’t have a Tivo these sites are a big draw.

As always, as with the Disney deal, things continue to improve with network presence and availability on the internet, but if networks (and movie studios for that matter) want to really utilize the web as a distribution tool a lot of work still needs to be done.

TV on YouTube?

Not that you haven’t already been checking out choice tv snippets and shows on YouTube, but now the site has formally partnered with names like Sony, LionsGate, CBS and MGM to offer favorites like 90210, StarTrek and MacGyver. YouTube’s show channel also has offerings from PBS, old favorites like I Dream of Jeannie and even soaps.

Joining Hulu and an ever-growing number of web tv sites, YouTube is trying to stay with the wave that is moving viewers online (and subsequently on-demand).

So how many hours a week do you watch on your computer rather than your tv?

Copyright Compromise

Movies have started their legal clime into the world of Youtube.  After years of copyright infringement and movies posted in twelve parts a new era seems to be making its way online.

MGM has become the first major Hollywood studio to sign a deal with Youtube.  The hope is that other studios will follow suit.  Things aren’t perfect yet of course, right now the only official clips to be aired on the web site are shorts and television shows, but the deal does open a line of communication that didn’t exist before.

Perhaps Hulu is the best streaming site for official shows and movies at the moment but it seems Youtube is ready to work its way into the legitimate market.  Only so many “funniest home videos” are funny for long.