Saturday, November 05, 2011

Digital Digest: Has Internet TV Been Worth the Hype?

Welcome to the weekend, and welcome to Digital Digest! The pace has slowed down here tremendously this week, but we are here nonetheless with your news and a feature story about where Internet TV (specifically Google TV) has been so far, and where it may be going. Let's get started!

DIGITAL NEWS

DVD announcements have been very slow this week (and with the holiday season approaching, and those DVDs already having been announced, we expect things to be this way for a while), but we do have one announcement. Meet the Browns - Season Four is set for a January 24 release. The three disc set will contain episodes 61-80 of the Tyler Perry series.

Netflix and ABC Studios have announced a deal to extend their licensing agreement to stream series from the studio on the service. Though details of the deal were not disclosed, current seasons of ABC series will be available on the service thirty days following the final episode of the season, and it will also bring new content to the service, including the complete run of the series Alias.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (November 8) doesn't bring much to DVD, except for one really big set (which we aren't going to be covering), Law & Order - The Complete Series. It comes at a $699.99 MSRP, and even with discounts, expect to pay about $500.


BLOG FEATURE STORY

Has Internet TV Been Worth the Hype?

Over a year ago, we told you all about the then "upcoming" Google TV, which was purported to change the way that we view TV. The idea appeared to be innovative and cutting-edge, but a year after this product has debuted, it seems that we haven't really been hearing much about it anymore, and we don't hear about anybody saying that they are using this. So what exactly is going on here?

It appears that this new and innovative technology, as nice as it is, has had some major hurdles that essentially have made the technology useless. Not even months after the service debuted, all four major broadcast networks--ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC--essentially decided to block their programming from being streamed on the service out of fears that allowing the service to be used would affect advertising revenue. Even Hulu can't be streamed on the service, meaning that much of the service is limited to Netflix and YouTube. Many of the networks allowed their programming to be streamed on the service initially, which may have enticed some consumers, but that didn't last too long. Other prominent content providers were blocking the service as well, and all of this culminated in this deeply embarrassing story about sales of the product: basically, returns were outpacing sales on the device!

Google's fight to make Google TV succeed isn't over, but even the latest attempts to make the product succeed are falling flat. A new version of the service has a nicer interface, but is still plagued with bugs and isn't bringing any new content. So is it possible that this service can ever succeed with these problems?

It seems that it may be an uphill battle that may be difficult to fight. While in theory, Google had a great idea with Google TV, the reality is that without cooperation from content providers, the device is essentially just going to be a sleek way of watching YouTube videos and Netflix on your TV. This is a problem, though, considering that you can already do this with many Blu-ray players, video game systems, and devices such as Apple TV (which is not even considered a major product for Apple, yet seems to be more successful than Google TV).

Most of this seems to be a battle over advertising revenue, and how the networks can manage to be profitable while allowing their program to be streamed on the device. Unfortunately, even though this is indeed a serious issue that must be resolved in some fashion, this is the one thing that is keeping us truly attached to our standard antenna/cable TV viewing habits. At some point in the future, internet TV will probably become more prominent and useful. But in the short term, it appears that any such offerings will have limitations that are going to be very difficult to overcome in a world where everybody wants a piece of the revenue, since such technology requires cooperation from multiple parties.


CLICK OF THE WEEK

Tim's TV Showcase (http://timstvshowcase.com) - We often like to feature some of the "original" TV websites out there as our Click of the Week, and Tim's TV Showcase is one of the oldest sites out there, and still one of the better ones out there. When you go to the main page of the site, you will find several "channels" to choose from to get started. These well-organized channels will help you get to the content that you are looking for in an easy fashion. Channel 1, for example, brings you a page for all of the series, and you'll find a total of 955 of them listed here, along with a little bit of information about each one.

On Channel 2, you'll find a lot of the "special features." The best part of the content that can be found here are the classic TV commercials. Here, you can take a look back at some classic commercials from the past of television. There is some other content here as well, but the commercials are undeniably the best part. On Channel 3, you can find links to all of the networks. Of course, these are not hard to find elsewhere, but here we have them all on one page. Channel 4 will give you links to other TV websites out there. Unfortunately, the Channel 4 page hasn't been updated in a very long time, so it won't necessarily give you all of the latest pages that are out there. By and large, a lot of the content on this website can be found if you do a lot of Google searches, but what is great about this website is that you get it all easily on one well-organized site with virtually no hassle.

That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, April 8

Scrubs - "My Odds" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
J.D. has finally hit his stride as the new chief of medicine, only to be shaken by an unexpected visit. Meanwhile, Elliot grapples with being a good mentor for the interns while still holding them accountable.

Abbott Elementary - "Trip" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Janine and Gregory plan a vacation. Meanwhile, one of Melissa’s most successful former students comes back for a visit.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Wednesday, April 8

  • Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Watch Jean on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me/Guys Like Us) - Linda appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show) - Bryan stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Robby is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle) - Frankie talks about Hulu's Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Taylor Ortega (Big Mistakes) - Taylor talks about Big Mistakes on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Halle Bailey (grown-ish) - Halle talks about You, Me and Tuscany on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Elle Fanning (Margo’s Got Money Troubles) - Elle talks about Margo's Got Money Troubles on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Nick Offerman (Margo's Got Money Troubles/Parks and Recreation and Thaddea Graham (Margo's Got Money Troubles - Nick and Thaddea talk about Margo's Got Money Troubles on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Riz Ahmed (Bait) - Riz talks about Hamlet on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia talks to Drew about being a mother, her breast cancer journey and being married to a comedian on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

04/07 - CBS Announces Late-Night Lineup After Colbert Ends; Hulu Special Nikki Glaser: Good Girl Drops April 24
04/06 - Bonus Episodes of Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Coming to Prime Video; Ramy Youssef's Third HBO Special
04/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 6, 2026)
04/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Colin Jost Lands Role in New Peacock Series; Cincinnati Radio Station Gets WKRP Letters
04/03 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Final 4-Part Event; Hulu's Deli Boys Returns May 28
04/02 - Prime Video Releases More Details on Kevin; Additional Cast Members Joining Tires Season 3 on Netflix
04/01 - Hulu Releases First Look at Alice and Steve; Tubi to Stream 250 Sesame Street Episodes
03/31 - CBS 2026 Season Finale Dates; Wanda Sykes Returns with Third Netflix Special
03/30 - Saturday Night Live April 2026 Schedule; NBC Renews Chicago Series for 2026-27
03/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 30, 2026)
03/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: More Casting News for Reboot of A Different World; Amy Poehler Produced Comedy in Development at Netflix
03/27 - The Ms. Pat Show Renewed for Season 6; SisterS Returns April 22 on AMC+, Acorn TV and IFC TV
03/26 - Great Entertainment Television to Honor Chuck Norris; ABC's R.J. Decker Gets Time Slot Upgrade
03/25 - Netflix Announces Details of Nobody Wants This Season 3; Paramount+ Renews School Spirits for Season 4
03/24 - Hacks Returns for Final Season on April 9; America Says Is Back for Sixth Season on Game Show Network
03/23 - The Roast of Kevin Hart LIVE on Netflix; HBO Renews Late-Night Series
03/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 23, 2026)
03/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Sets Plans for Final Episode of The Neighborhood; ABC Pulls The Bachelorette
03/20 - TBS Orders Season 13 of Impractical Jokers; HBO's Josh Johnson Comedy Special
03/19 - Netflix Casts Scooby-Doo Live-Action Series; Darren Star's Next Comedy Series Uncorked
03/18 - Saturday Night Live UK to Launch This Weekend; Hulu Renews Paradise for Season 3
03/17 - Netflix Renews Free Bert for Season 2; The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special in April
03/16 - Color Theories by Julio Torres on HBO; Lifetime's Ripped from the Headlines Spring Slate with Two New Movies
03/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 16, 2026)
03/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy's Stewie Griffin Getting Spinoff; NBCUniversal Cancels Several Daytime Shows, Including Last of the Daytime "Trash Talk"
03/13 - NBC Summer 2026 Schedule; Malcolm in the Middle Revival Series Trailer
03/12 - Season 9 of Rick and Morty This May; Fox Entertainment Studios Lines Up Frankie Quiñones for Comedy Series
03/11 - Antenna TV's Hazel 65th Anniversary Marathon; Kountry Wayne Prime Video Comedy Special
03/10 - XO, Kitty Season 3 Trailer Released for April 2 Launch; The Drew Barrymore Show Talker Gets 2 Season Renewal
03/09 - Beef Returns April 16 on Netflix; Remembering Jennifer Runyon of Charles in Charge
03/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 9, 2026)
03/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Returns to Big Ratings; New Garfield Series Coming to Paramount+