Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Thing 43--Online TV and Video

I went to Hulu, which I had used before. I had used Hulu in the past to catch an episode of “Heroes” which I had missed. I also watched the first episode of “Time Tunnel” which had been one of my favorite shows as a child.

For this Thing, my husband and I walked down memory lane and watched the first episode of “St. Elsewhere.” We noticed that the older shows are more slowly paced, which gives time to develop characters and themes. We’re old enough to appreciate and prefer that approach. I found the selection of free movies at both sites to be very limited. I might be happy watching some older movies, but a lot of it was the dregs of filmdom.

While I appreciate the freedom to watch whatever I want whenever I want, I prefer the true communal comfort of watching on the TV in my living room. A computer screen is just not the same for me. However, I have noticed that my college-aged son sees no difference.

And more importantly, not everything is free. Many networks are limiting which shows you can catch on line and limiting how long they are available. The quality also differs—the shows on Hulu are not as crisp and clear as the ones I watch on TV or DVD.

So, like many things, I think that these sites provide options in addition to, but not instead of, TV and DVDs.

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My Grandmother Agnes