Are the 8000 channels (approximately) not enough for you? Do you need more entertainment than even TV can provide? If so, then you’re in luck, because nowadays we have this amazing thing called the Internet. This “system of tubes” is so advanced that it can even bring television-like programming direct into your home in the form of web series.
You’ve probably heard of web series. Maybe you’ve even seen a couple — they’re pretty easy to stumble across on YouTube, Funny-or-Die and other video sites. But what are they, and how do you keep track of them?
The short answer is that there are no short answers when it comes to web series. The format is very much still in its Wild West stage, with new series popping up all over the web at any given time. A few of the series command large audiences and gain corporate or entertainment-industry sponsorship. Most of the others toil in obscurity, combining low production values with mediocre to incredible creativity.
There’s no organization. There aren’t central locations capable of keeping track of everything. And there are no rules.
As a result, it can be tricky to get a handle on all of the web series out there. This article and those that follow will take a look into the subtle art of finding, watching and enjoying the best of web series. Look for updates to appear weekly throughout the summer as we explore the standouts, genres and future of the web series.
The Web Series Series
- The Big Time: Web series you may have heard of.
- Up and Comers: Web series you may hear of eventually. Or not.
- Sponsored Content: Who pays for all of this?
- The TV Connection: When television broadcasts alone are not enough…
- Comedies: The Cheap and the Funny
- Dramas: Pushing the Boundaries
- The Stars: Who do you know in web series?
- Plus, more to come as I think of it…
Do you watch web series? Which ones are your favorites? How do you find out about new series to watch? Leave a comment below!
(Images courtesy of Mutant Enemy Productions, Effinfunny, Babel Networks, Rooster Teeth, The Guild and Impulsive Productions)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
