Resurrecting Another Fanboy's Dream

Earlier in the year, I mentioned how my family has cut the cord on our television viewing...meaning that we no longer have cable or DVR and chose to stream our entertainment on-line through services like Hulu and Netflix.  So far, I've been fairly happy with the results (except for not being able to watch March Madness). We've even gone so far to cancel our discs from our Netflix account because we end up streaming so many television shows that we don't have time to watch movies on DVD that we honestly didn't want to see. If I want to see a movie, I go to it in the theater, and if I miss it there, Redbox is available and Amazon has digital rentals. So that's a quick update on the first few months on life without cable...but this entry is about how my love affair with Netflix has been heating up.

Jake Green and Robert
Hawkins comic-book style 

Streaming Netflix is addictive. I remember 3 years ago when we first moved here. We had basic cable and internet. I was streaming Netflix through my X-box360. This was all fairly new at the time. I noticed a show called Jericho (I remembered it looked interesting in the promotional ads on CBS, but I never had a chance to watch it). At the time, I was a stay-at-home-dad and my daughter was only a few months old. When she napped, I watched Jericho. After a couple weeks, I finished both seasons, but I wanted more. So, I Google'd it to find out the show was cancelled. I also read about the show's shortened (seven episode) second season only happened because fans caused an uproar and sent a bunch of nuts to the executives. The show has a cult following which in turn spawned a comic book series and talks about a feature-length movie. Nobody ever thought that the show would return to the airwaves...but people tend to forget about digital-era renewals. According to TVguide.com, Netflix is in talks to resurrect this series.

Fans love this
dysfunctional family

Will Neflix be the savior for another fanboy's dream?  I'm not involved with those negotiations, so I can't answer that. Still, Netflix has already resurrected Arrested Development after seven years of fans' whining to bring it back. I was at the forefront of that whining. Now, we're so close to witnessing the Bluth family back on the small screen (Netflix is distributing a 10 episode mini-series in 2013 that leads towards full-length feature film). Also, Netflix was negotiating to distribute the second season of one of the "Outstanding New Series of 2011" (#7 on that list). Terra Nova was cancelled by FOX and almost immediately Netflix was a front-runner to pick this show up.  Ultimately, they decided against it for financial reasons. And all I can say is that they can't fix all the mistakes networks make...but they sure better keep trying!

Breaking In holds the record for
fastest re-cancelled show

Some networks try to right their wrongs like when Family Guy and Breaking In returned to FOX (one of those was cancelled almost as quickly as it was the first time). Some shows are given life on other networks like when Futurama was picked up by Comedy Central. But nothing has compared to Netflix attempts at resurrecting fanboys dream shows.
The thing about Netflix is that the episodes are streaming, so you can pick up watching a series whenever you want. I was instantly addicted to Jericho (after we got our X-box360 and streaming service on our television in 2009). Since we cut the cord, I flew threw Firefly's first season and the movie Serenity in only a week or so. If Netflix wants to make a lot of fanboys happy, that's the next show they should look into resurrecting.  Someone start that campaign. I'm too lazy. I'll give you the hashtag for it....#NetflixReviveFirefly.  I watched Archer, Lie to Me, Weeds, and Bob's Burgers, and I've re-watched episodes of Supernatural, Reaper, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother, Better Off Ted, and 30Rock. What I'm saying is that streaming is legen...dary.

If any Netflix executives read this...
REVIVE FIREFLY!

Streaming has also allowed us to catch up on series that we missed initial seasons. Parks and Recreation, Numb3rs, Psych, and Friday Night Lights were all shows that my wife and I watched, but one or both of us never saw the first few seasons of. My wife caught up on Friday Night Lights so she could watch the shows on DVR with me.  I started watching Parks and Recreation during season 3 on NBC and instantly fell in love with Ron Swanson. Thanks to Netflix, I've now caught up on some great Ron Swanson quotes from the first two seasons, "Turf and Turf." Numb3rs like Psych is a show that I watched, but not religiously. Netflix has allowed me to watch episodes that I missed.  Most recently, I've been hooked to Eureka and my wife has been watching Merlin. Another nice thing about streaming, if your loved one isn't around, you can start watching an episode of your own series, pause it when your significant other arrives, and continue watching it at a later time.

Hulu & Netflix...this one is available too

Between Netflix and Hulu, I'd like to see a lot of shows-cancelled-before-their-time make a return. Recently, I finished Man Up!, a sitcom on ABS with Dan Fogler that was cancelled. It was one of the funniest shows I've seen. Hulu should bring it back. Someone start that campaign, too.  Fine....#ManUpHulu. Let me know in the comments what shows you'd like resurrected!

Lastly, I'd like to welcome my nephew, Greyson Lee, into this world. I know you can't read at one day old, but someday you'll be able to. Later on, you'll find the internet, and you just might stumble upon this blog and discover that your Uncle was really lazy and wonder what scripted television is because by then reality TV will have taken completely over. Most likely you'll never discover this blog but in case you do, Happy Belated Birthday....and scripted television was a glorious thing from the past where actors and actresses pretended to be other characters to tell a story to help the viewer escape from reality. It was like weekly movies on your television screen. I hope you are enjoying season 34 of the Jersey Shore.

Thanks once again for using the internet for something other than porn or Facebook, but be sure to quickly go to Facebook and LIKE the Point's Facebook Page. After watching the Avengers multiple times this weekend, be sure to stream some shows on Netflix and write some twitter updates with those hashtags I provided and comment me about shows that Netflix or Hulu should breathe new life into. Also, let me know anything else you'd think I should add to my queue. And do not forget to tune in next time for the zany adventures of the one and only self-proclaimed semi-professional procrastinator that doubles as an entertainment guru...or as my mom called me...that damn lazy couch potato.