A Guide to Watching TV Shows Online

I have already written an article about what to do if you miss a television show. Most networks have their programming available online so you can watch a missed show at your convenience, as long as you wait a half-day or so after the new episode ends.

Now I'm going to take you to the next level. Right now, television and the Internet are living in a temporary cease-fire that will soon erupt into a full-blown war. The first opposing side offers just-released television at set times, while the second offers commercial-free viewing whenever the viewer wishes. The second is slowly beating the former, and the only copyright laws keep the first on top.

This is a problem that television programming itself is slightly responsible for. For some odd reason, more television shows have shifted away from the episodic format. Sure, you may be able to watch The Simpsons in any order, but what about shows like Prison Break, 24, or Grey's Anatomy? These shows have a definite "story-arc" that demand every episode be watched, in a specific order. The days of just sitting down and having a "one-night stand" with a show are over as more and more shows demand commitment. The problem is by the by the time a viewer learns a show is worth watching, he or she has to get "caught-up" in order to tune in.

Now, the viewer could use a VCR, DVR, or buy the TV on DVD editions, but there is a cheaper, less time-consuming solution that more and more internet users are opting for: watch it on a video-posting site. Sites like YouTube used to just host personal videos, but it soon became crammed with other material such as television episodes. One can find several full-length Simpsons episodes on YouTube, usually in sliced up into parts. However, if you're willing to wait on the loading time (which is getting faster each day) you can have, at your fingertips, a number of Simpsons to watch at any time. There are other sites like www.veoh.com and www.dailymotion.com, and some episodes were ready at a click's notice.

Video Hosting companies like these may soon replace major networks.

Credit: Veoh and Daily Motion

Copyright: Veoh and Daily Motion