Hulu: Your Latest Timesuck And Obsessive-Compulsion Awaits

By know you surely know that we here at MamaPop loves us the television viewing technology, even when it doesn't love us back. However, I for one had long imagined that a glorious post-Tivo and On Demand day would soon come -- a day when we'd all be able to watch TV shows and movies on the internet whenever we wanted to for free, as easily as we've watch them on our television sets for decades, with no extra equipment or irritating subscriptions involved.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm delighted to say that day may be upon us.

Allow me to introduce you to my little friend, Hulu.com.

Founded in March 2007 by the evil overlords benign dictators over at NBC Universal and News Corp., Hulu's mission statement hints at it's promise:

Hulu's ambitious and never-ending mission is to help you find and enjoy the world's premium content when, where and how you want it. We hope to provide you with the web's most comprehensive selection from more than 50 content providers including FOX, NBC, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, and more to deliver premium programming across all genres and formats, television shows, feature films, and clips. Watch full-length episodes of current primetime TV shows such as The Simpsons, The Office the morning after they air, classics like Miami Vice and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and clips from Saturday Night Live, Nip/Tuck, and others. Hulu also offers full-length feature films like The Usual Suspects, Ice Age, Three Amigos!, and The Big Lebowski as well as clips from films such as Napoleon Dynamite, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Devil Wears Prada and many more. Hulu is free and ad-supported — available anytime in the U.S.

Okay, so the bit about providing just clips from some of those films is kind of lame, but hey, they're just starting -- still in their infancy, really. And in any case, how cool is it to know that you can plop down and watch all of Buffy Season 2 on your computer any ol' time? And having access to Ice Age for the kidlets on any computer with a high speed internet connection? Yeah, that'll definitely come in handy at some point.

So check it out. Watch some movies and shows. Let us know what you think. Love it? Disappointed by it? What say you, internet pop culture geek target audience?

Comments

[gala]

wow. unbelievable. just went to hulu.com and almost got sucked into watching an episode of firefly. this could be dangerous...

[Mrs. Kennedy]

Yes! I've been stuck at my Mom's house for a week and rationing out the 30 Rock episodes on hulu. They need more Simpsons over there, but overall I'm pretty delighted with the selection. Some decent kid stuff, too, which I know will come in handy someday.

[Nosaby]

I could watch Buffy all day, every day.

Yipee!

[brandi]

I love hulu! We used it to get caught up on Friday Night Lights. Now y'all should use it to do the same. They better bring that show back - I have to know what happens with Tim and Lyla!

[Nicole]

It is awesome. I've been using it for a couple of weeks (a beta user) and I'm in love. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT!!!! weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[Wendy]

I've got a serious Hulu problem and may need an intervention. I have it playing on my laptop while I am working on my desktop (yay for working from home). I am happy it is open to the general viewing so I don't have to see how many hours of shows I've watched.

[Christy]

Seriously, and they wonder why internet addictions are growing. But this is why we arent' paying for satellite tv anymore - we're just going with satellite internet. :)