The official start of the fall season may be September 23 on the calendar, but don’t tell that to the major television networks, who have already started rolling out season premieres for new and returning shows alike. If you’ve already cut the cord on your cable or satellite bill, fear not -- here’s how to find all your favorite shows online, many without paying a dime beyond your internet connection.
Summer is officially behind us and the leaves are starting to fall in many parts of the United States, and that can mean only one thing: New iPods! (Um, let’s try that again: New TV shows!) Whether you get your jollies from singing along with Glee, need your crime and punishment fix from Law & Order: SVU or can’t wait to check out throwbacks to a kinder, gentler time with new shows Pan Am or The Playboy Club, here’s a look at where to go online to find them -- without going broke in the process.
This year will prove more challenging to those of us without traditional cable or satellite, especially if you live too far away to get a decent over-the-air signal from a local affiliate. Many networks have started requiring authentication to unlock shows the day after they air, part of a new initiative called “TV Everywhere” which requires a paid subscription with a service provider -- or a whole lot of patience.
Freeloaders on these networks now have to wait up to eight days to get their goodies without paying, by which time a whole new episode has likely been aired and you’ve probably lost interest anyway. Of course, there are cheaper ways around this blockade -- Hulu Plus, for example (more on that below), offers many of these authenticated shows the next day for only $7.99 per month, which looks like an absolute steal compared to what most of us pay each month for cable or satellite.
Can’t get enough of the pulpy drama of Desperate Housewives or is your secret obsession who’s going to have the best moves this season in Dancing with the Stars? Then you’ve probably already discovered the free ABC Player app for the iPad, which generally offers the last five episodes free with sponsored ads, with new episodes appearing within 24 hours of airing.
The familiar iPad user interface also appears at ABC’s website, right down to the exact same Featured, All Shows and Help buttons at the bottom of the screen. (How clever of you, ABC.) Although the Disney-owned network has expressed interest in jumping on board the “TV Everywhere” initiative outlined above, the Mouse network has yet to take the plunge -- so enjoy it while it lasts.
On the downside, ABC makes prior seasons go bye-bye when the new ones start rolling out. For example, the sophomore Dana Delaney thriller Body of Proof just aired its season two premiere this week which is available to view online -- but the first season has been wiped off the map for now.
By far the stingiest of the four major networks where current shows are concerned, CBS has rebuffed streaming services such as Hulu entirely in favor of its own web portal, or paid content outlets such as iTunes and Amazon. However, the network does make amends by generally posting new episodes within 48 hours of first airing, with a modest amount of commercial breaks and no authentication scheme as yet.
CBS also appears to be down on the iPad, with no official app for the network’s shows save for the just-launched CBS Fall Preview, and full episodes blocked completely from Mobile Safari -- ironically, clips for the network’s shows play just great in the iPad, and in HTML5 to boot. Hrumph...
The network that Murdoch built has teamed up with DISH Network for authentication, so unless you already have a satellite on your roof and are paying through the nose for that service, you better curl up with a good book for the next eight days -- that’s how long it will take for new episodes to unlock and be available free of charge.
The good news is, most of the network’s shows -- including popular choices like The Simpsons, Bones, Family Guy and Fringe -- post new episodes online the day after they’ve aired if you can authenticate your love of DISH. There are a few exceptions, most notably House and So You Think You Can Dance, which even authenticated viewers can’t access for eight or four days, respectively. Thankfully, those are in the minority, and even new shows such as New Girl get the “one day authentication, eight days free” model.
You’d expect a network that’s co-owner of the Hulu service to be more free with their content, and you’d be right in the case of NBC. New full episodes are generally posted the day after airing, although most of them expire after 30 days so you’ll have to move quickly if you want to keep up with all the new shows.
Proud as a peacock (ask your parents if you don't get it), NBC also gets a hurrah for updating the clips-only iPad app they debuted over the summer, which now offers the same full episodes as the website -- including for primetime shows like Community that you can’t watch on paid services like Hulu Plus (one of the few disadvantages of an otherwise excellent service, we say).
Despite looking for a potential buyer, Hulu.com remains one of the best ways to find your favorite shows online at zero cost to you other than the internet connection you’re already paying for. While CBS has chosen to sit out the fun, the remaining three networks all have a substantial presence on Hulu’s website, including a Coming Soon section which outlines which shows will have new episodes on the site in the week to come.
While you can plug a Mac mini or other computer into your home theatre system and watch Hulu for free (either via a web browser or the company’s own Mac or PC application), the better way to go is Hulu Plus. For a mere $7.99 per month you’ll get all current season episodes from popular shows, compared with only the five most recent on the free service -- as well as 70 shows appearing only on the Plus service, which range from America’s Funniest Home Videos and Hot in Cleveland to Monk and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Of course, the paid Hulu Plus is also the only way to access the service on smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes like the Roku. On the downside of things, you’ll still have to sit through some “limited” advertising, but would you rather get a month of entertainment or waste eight bucks on a big fancy coffee at Starbuck’s?
If all of the above choices have you more confused than ever, let Clicker come to the rescue. Billed as “the internet television guide,” the CBS Entertainment-owned website is the fastest way to see exactly which shows are available online free of charge and where to find them.
Can’t get enough of those poor slobs on Hoarders? A quick search on Clicker will show you how many seasons and episodes are available and where -- be it for free online or via Amazon Prime, or paid services such as Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, Comcast or Hulu Plus. The site even lets you create a “universal queue” for saving videos from all across the web, and even sharing recommendations and favorites with your friends.
Regardless of what particular television itch you want scratched this fall season, there’s never been a better time to cut the cord and enjoy free (or cheap) shows online. Armed with the information above, what will you be checking out this season?
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