Once upon a time, there was a show called Rizzoli & Isles, which aired on TNT. Not only did it air on TNT, but episodes were also available for viewing through TNT's web site, on a one-week delay from air date. This remained a constant throughout the show's first season and the beginning of the second season. Then, there were suddenly episodes that weren't available for online streaming. A few weeks later, and, from what I'm seeing on TNT's site, no episodes are available for streaming, unless a potential viewer logs in through their cable company.
Not only that, but logins are restricted to specific cable companies. My little, local cable company that stands no chance in hell of competing with the big boys? No way. That cable company doesn't count for logging in with TNT.
And that's OK, on one level; I don't actually have TNT as part of my barebones cable subscription. But other people who subscribe through the same cable company do. Tough luck for them. And, in the long run, tough luck for both TNT and Rizzoli & Isles.
I'm sure that most R&I fans are watching the show on their televisions, tuning in through either cable or satellite, but the future of television clearly lies in online streaming. The Internet is where fandoms thrive, and as we shift from broadcast/cable/satellite viewing more and more towards streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, those fandoms are going to become more important than Nielsen ratings, if they haven't already.
But I digress. My main purpose in writing this post (other than being a tad ticked off at what seems to me like a bait and switch) is to point out that the Internet isn't lacking for high-quality entertainment streamed for free, with no cable login required, directly to your computer. The hub of that entertainment is Hulu. And, to get you started, here's my own, personal list of some of the best free stuff that Hulu has to offer:
- Anyone But Me - Short drama about young lesbians. Very short. As in usually less than 15 minutes per episode. Generally best to just let a bunch of episodes play in succession.
- Being Human - SyFy's (yes, I cringed as I typed that) take on the British show of the same name. A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost are roomies in modern Boston.
- Burn Notice - A.K.A., Where I Learn to Be a Spy. Good show, but I miss the original opening theme song.
- Glee - Seriously? I'm not writing a description.
- In Plain Sight - Spend some time in Albuquerque! With the U.S. Marshalls! And Mary McCormack!
- Merlin - The magician as a boy. And, apparently, they want to keep him young, since only seasons 1 and 2 are up on Hulu.
- Pretty Little Liars - I stay up 'til 4am on Wednesday mornings just to catch this show as soon as it's up.
- Psych - Fake psychic, yada, yada. Counting the old Billy Squier Burn Notice opening, and the Pretty Little Liars song, this is one of three shows in this list with great themes. Y'all seeing the trend?
- X-Men Evolution - First animated entry on the list. Only for folks who are X-Men fans. If you aren't familiar with who Nightcrawler is, you might not be as thrilled as I was when Kurt Wagner showed up.
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Hulu appears to have one season at a time up for free viewing. And to skeptics who've never actually watched the show: You're missing out on some of the best dialogue to ever grace a television screen!
- Misfits - Absolutely amongst my most favorite of current favorites. A group of young adults are struck by lightning, and the lightning gives them super powers. Fantastic show! But a tad too naked to watch with my mom. Thank Tao, I watched it before asking if she'd like to see it, too, or I'd still be three shades of red.
- The Booth at the End - I'm still trying to figure out what to make of this show. Maybe that's one of the reasons I want to keep watching it.
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Best. Cartoon. Ever. For grownups. Bit too dark and violent for the kidlets. I'm soooo glad Hulu finally got a whole bunch of dubbed eps up to watch!
Hulu also has movies to watch for free, like The Backwoods, which was surprisingly better than I expected it to be. As does Crackle (I recommend D.E.B.S, Vacancy, Angel of Death, and Wind Chill). Supernatural episodes are available for streaming from The CW. I've yet to watch anything on KoldCast TV (no offense to KoldCast intended, but my viewing schedule is obviously pretty busy), but they appear to have some interesting offerings, too.
So, will I miss Rizzoli & Isles? Sure. But it's not like I'll be without entertainment provided by companies who actually "get" this whole Internet thing. And, hey, if I just miss listening to Angie Harmon talk, I've got that one episode that I actually purchased from Amazon Video. You know, back when I actually had a way to keep up with the show.
P.S. People who weren't pirating episodes before are pirating them now. Not that that's justified. But it's sure as hell happening.
P.P.S. Replying to questions, instead of ignoring them, is just good social media policy.
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