Loving the internets in America

For my new contract, I've had to spend a lot of time looking at TV and movie sites on the web, nosing through their content, assessing their video players, seeing how they have things organized, that kind of thing.

Now, I already knew there was a lot of good stuff to be watched online, but really, I had no idea the extent of it.

For a start, I found 30 Days on Fancast. I loved the first season of this Morgan Spurlock series that's like wife swap without the nuptials. I'm definitely going to dig into seasons 2 and 3 when I get the chance.

After seeing Milk the other night, I said to my man, "that was pretty good, but it just makes me wish I'd seen the documentary about Harvey Milk instead". Guess what, Fancast has that, too. Sweet. 

From an interview with Joss Whedon I discovered The Guild, which must be the best web series ever. It's at least as funny as your average episode of The Office, and it makes me want to be best friends with Felicia Day. Already finished watching all of the eps, so hurry and make more please, best buddy!

I used the Showtime website to watch the first episode of United States of Tara. I can't decide which is more lackluster, the actual show or the Showtime website. Both made me never want to return, which is too bad, because I loved Juno and I love Toni Collette, so I was hoping for good things from UST. Maybe it'll get better as it grows into itself. Which I will never know unless they put more episodes online for free.

Flight of the Conchords premiere episode was on Funny or Die for a while. Oh wait, it's still there. I love this show almost enough to fork out for HBO. Only, I think I can wait until the DVDs come out.

Then there's Hulu, which has House and Lost and Scrubs and all the other shows my DVR

 insists on accidentally not taping each week. Plus, Hulu's website is  waaay better than any of the network's sites, which just adds to the watching pleasure for me. Plus, on Hulu, you can watch a load of old favorites like The O.C., and Party of Five (remember when Jack was

 Charlie?),  and um, Silver Spoons, and Sliders. 

Really? Who is watching Sliders?

What does all this mean, besides even more hours logged watching the goggle box? Well, to me, it's just TV pointing itself in the right direction. Why tie us down to schedules and 42" screens when we can watch anywhere, anytime, ad-supported and free? I love it. 

Now if only someone could -- a. tell me where to watch True Blood for free and b. get the BBC to open its borders so I can watch their video, too -- things would be extra super cool.

Guess I can't complain though, since my Canadian and UK friends are locked out of all the goodies I've just mentioned. And it's snowing where they live. Ha. 

Right now, in sunny California, I'm gonna watch that episode of the O.C. where they use the word 'yogilates' like 300 times. Golden.