This past summer I came to the realization that I wasn’t really watching much TV… well actually, to be more specific, I wasn’t watching much TV on TV. I noticed that with the exception of a couple shows I liked to make social events with friends, I was getting most of my TV fix strictly online.

I have a Mac mini hooked to my Television much in the same way my Tivo used to be, and I do everything from email to YouTube to DVDs to typing this blog all from the comfort of my good old boob tube couch. And so in early August I decided to cancel my cable subscription. As some of you already know, many of my colleagues and I have been working on web projects this year, so it also felt like the right way to be supporting the growth of video content online.

For those curious about what it is I watch exactly … for those wondering how anyone could replace TV for Internet TV… I’d like to share a list of some of the web programs I have enjoyed. Awesome! My blog’s first “list”!

Most of us already know about all the TV shows available on the Internet either at the major network sites, iTunes, Myspace, Hulu, or clips on YouTube, and I watch plenty of that stuff, believe me. But for the purposes of this post, I’m gonna stick solely to web originals… sometimes called web series… sometimes called webisodes… sometimes called vlogs or video podcasts. A medium that unfortunately is still widely perceived as the cheap user-generated alternative to good TV. But it doesn’t have to be… so here we go, in no particular order…

You Suck at Photoshop

You Suck At Photoshop: How do I describe this series? Well, it’s a Photoshop tutorial… so if you’re interested in learning some fun Photoshop tricks, this show will certainly help you out. But hold your Photoshop hating horses. It’s waaaay more than that. In fact the “more” of this show is waaaay better than the actual tutorial. Over the course of the series you get to know this tutorial instructor, Donny Hoyle on a oddly intimate level. A man who clearly hates himself and his life… even more than he hates you. And little by little, a strange, hilarious, and occasionally touching story starts to emerge. – mydamnchannel.com and on iTunes.

The Onion News Network: The creators of The Onion took the same brand of humor they’re known for in their print edition and applied it to video. What they got is a faux Fox/CNN type network satirizing big media. If you love Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, then this is for you. They have several different bits and characters that recur. My favorite is their parody of Good Morning America and the Today show, called Good Morning Today. I’ve always wondered where they find these actors. Do you think they mine the journalism community? Does anyone know? They’re so good. – theonion.com and on iTunes.

Clark and Michael: I know this is kind of old school now, but I can’t not mention it. This show feels to me most like something you would find on network television. And it’s funny as hell. If you love The Office or Arrested Development or Michael Cera in pretty much anything and you don’t know this show… go watch it… now… then come back and finish reading this post… don’t worry, I’ll wait…………… Okay, you back? It’s good, huh? – clarkandmichael.com

Play Value

Play Value: Right now, this is my favorite web series… hands down. I just wish new episodes would come out sooner! But if there’s one iTunes subscription that gives me butterflies every time I see a new episode in my subscription list, it’s this one. A VH1 style, witty talking heads show… kind of like those “Remember the 80s, 90s, 00s, etc.” Only difference is that instead of B/C list TV celebs, the show’s hosts are all important video game experts… who are surprisingly just as witty. Play Value tells the juicy, sometimes rocky history of the video game industry… it goes back well before Pong and as current as the Wii. Each episode covers an important era or genre in gaming. Console wars, intellectual property theft, and the products that never quite made it. Did you know that the Nintendo Wii probably wouldn’t even exist if it hadn’t been for Teddy Ruxpin? Watch the show. – onnetworks.com/videos/play-value and on iTunes.

Thumbs Up: my buddy @jakezim at Safran Digital Group actually just turned me on to this documentary series. I love it. David Choe and his sidekick Harry attempt to get from Los Angeles to Miami without spending a dime on transportation. As they hitchhike, hop freight trains, and wander through the backwoods, we get to see a beautiful, and often untouched American landscape. – vbs.tv (And if you don’t know any other VBS shows, browse their site. Some amazing stuff.)

LabCast: Anyone who ever begged their parents for Capsela as a kid has to check out this show. This is a documentary series showcasing the work of the MIT media lab. If you’re wondering how the future of web series’ will be different from TV, ask one of these guys. They’ll probably be the ones building that media future. The nerd factor on this series is pretty high, so be warned. – labcast.media.mit.edu/ and on iTunes.

geekbrief

GeekBrief.TV: You know those sections in Wired and Popular Science that show you a bunch of new gadgets and tech toys hitting the market? Watches, USB Lamps, Space Age Vaccum Cleaners, etc… Well GeekBrief feels kind of like the webseries equivalent. Actually, in truth it’s much more than that: Interviews, coverage of important tech shows/conferences, and reports on Internet culture and tech trends… pure, concentrated geeky goodness… The show’s host is a quirky and way charming techno-geek named Cali Lewis (pictured above). I think I envy these guys most cause I know they get so much awesome junk in the mail. *sigh* – geekbrief.tv and on iTunes.

Diggnation: I haven’t really been able to get into TRS yet, but I do like to indulge in the occasional Diggnation. Two guys sitting on a couch, drinking beer, and going through some of the week’s most popular submissions to the social bookmarking site Digg.com. I could browse Digg.com for hours looking at HDR photography and reading articles about green technology. This way, I only have to spend 45 minutes a week. I have to say though, this show is probably not nearly as enjoyable if you aren’t watching it from a couch… with your own beer. – revision3.com and on iTunes.

Threadbanger

Threadbanger: This is a documentary series on DIY fashion design and crafting with an indie rock edge. Episodes walk the layman through lots of cool spare time fashion projects, as well as spotlight the work of indie artists, crafters, and fashion designers. Wanna learn how to make that DEVO quilt you’ve always wanted? This series will show you how. – threadbanger.com and on iTunes.

Make Magazine (weekend project): You don’t actually have to make any of the projects on this DIY series in order to enjoy it. In fact after watching most episodes I’m left with the satisfied feeling that I HAVE actually made whatever it is. Kind of a “Cool, so now I know how to make a speaker out of a Styrofoam plate” feeling… you know the one. – makemagazine.com and on iTunes.

There are certainly other shows worth mentioning… I’m a huge fan of Dr. Horrible, but I think of it more as a 3 part movie than a series. And obviously many of you know about my relationship to the creators of PG Porn… another great project, but in fairness not yet proven as a series. UPDATE: The PG Porn guys are now one step closer to a full fledge series. A new 2 part episode, actually considered a prequel to the series, was just released at IGN.

And there are several other well known, and respected shows. Some I really like… they just didn’t make my cut. Maybe they’ll make yours:

The Guild
Rocketboom
Chad Vader
Kirill (this one was almost there for me)
IQ-145
Groundhog Crossing
Satacracy 88
Gemini Division
The ‘Bu
Sorority Forever
Black Man with an Axe

So if you’re like me and you love to consume web content of all shapes and sizes, what’s your favorite web series? Is it anything here on the list? Something I didn’t mention? I’d really like to find something great in the dramatic/mystery genres, for example.

Talk to me.