5 television shows I want added to Hulu
Hulu has quickly become one of the leaders in online video. Providing professional content from major networks and movie studios, the site has welcomed millions across the U.S. who want to watch streams of their favorite shows or movies online.
I'm certainly one of them. But after catching up on Battlestar Galactica and watching the same five episodes of The Office over and over again to memorize Dwight Schrute's lines, I'm left wanting more.
That's why I've compiled this list of five television shows that I'd like to see added to Hulu.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm creator and star, Larry David, co-created Seinfeld with Jerry Seinfeld. And although this show doesn't quite live up to the popularity Jerry's show did, it's easily one of the funniest shows on television and one that I would watch every day if it was available on Hulu.
Curb takes you through the trials and tribulations of being Larry David. He's a rude, abrasive person who has little respect for anyone or anything. But it doesn't matter--his total disregard for people's feelings and his penchant for arguments makes the show a winner. Adding it to Hulu makes perfect sense. It's an HBO show--a network that Hulu currently doesn't partner with (but should)--and its cult following could help the site capture an even larger audience. I don't see any downside.
Seinfeld
What can be said about Seinfeld that hasn't already been discussed by its millions of fans and countless pundits? Seinfeld is, in my opinion, the funniest sitcom ever created and its cast of characters was second to none.
A show about nothing, it took some time for Seinfeld to captivate audiences. But when it did, they were taken by off-the-wall stunts, strange characters (George Costanza was based on Larry David), and hilarious story lines. Perhaps that's why I simply don't understand why NBC, one of the main companies backing Hulu, doesn't feature one of its most popular sitcoms of all time on its own online video service. Maybe it's contractual or maybe NBC suits don't want to offer it for free if they think they can incur more revenue on DVD sales, but bringing Seinfeld to Hulu would, in my mind, make the video site a more compelling service.
The Sopranos
Another huge HBO hit, The Sopranos is one of my favorite series and probably the show I'd most like to see on Hulu.
The Sopranos follows the life of mobster, Tony Soprano, but it doesn't inundate the viewer with scenes of mob violence, though there is quite a bit of that. Instead, The Sopranos uses Tony's family and psychology as the backbone of the story and employs the Mafia angle to provide color and drama as needed. Suffice it to say that The Sopranos is more about sociology and human interaction than the Mob. But one aspect of the show that probably keeps Hulu away is the profanity and sexual content--it's everywhere. Look for age verification if it ever gets to Hulu.
Sportscenter
Putting Sportscenter on Hulu seems like the logical next step for the video streaming service. Except, of course, that Sportscenter is broadcast on ESPN, which is owned by ABC--a company that has yet to partner with Hulu. But that shouldn't stop us from wanting the premier sports news show on television to make its way to Hulu.
Sportscenter is the single source for daily sports highlights and with so many rebroadcasts each day, it's conceivable that you'll see the same show three or four times in just a few hours and never tire of it. That's the kind of viewer Hulu needs and I don't know of any other show besides Sportscenter that could provide it.
The Wonder Years
Am I alone in thinking that The Wonder Years was one of the best television shows of the past 15 years? I thought it was poignant, funny, and most importantly, real. Yet I can't find it anywhere on DVD and as far as I know, it might never be released due to contract disputes. But that shouldn't stop it from coming to Hulu.
The Wonders Years is easily one of my favorite shows of all time. Following the formative years of Kevin Arnold, the show's viewers were able to relive teenage years that were rife with uncertainty, misunderstanding, puppy love, and a strong desire for whatever the future might hold. Its writing was superb, its acting even better. The Wonder Years was, to both children and adults alike, a tale of life. I'd like nothing more than to be able to immerse myself in that world just one more time on Hulu. And I'm willing to bet its cult following is right there with me.
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
-Don
Other than that, how about the new Battlestar Galactica? Newer episodes of Pysch and a whole section for Discovery Science.
There are a lot of mediocre sites; I really wish the networks would recognize that people WILL watch TV shows online, viewers like the 'on-demand' concept, and they/we don't mind seeing a few ads to support them.
I love fancast, however, it seems that their rotation of shows is pretty quick. I like to watch an entire season but have to be fast, otherwise some episodes will disappear and never come back.
It's obvious that your a Larry David fan, which is fine, but just because you like it doesn't make it "the funniest sitcom ever created." It may be in the top ten sitcoms, but it doesn't crack the top twenty best shows. And Curb Your Enthusiasm is self obsessed drivel. The Sopranos is the best show on your list, but even it is inferior to The Wire or Damages. Come to think of it, Damages is the best show on the air right now and probably for the last ten years or so.
because I saw Disney-ABC Domestic Television logo before 1-15-09.
- by January 18, 2009 6:15 AM PST
- The big bang theroy
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