What to watch during the writers strike:

As I write this, the WGA is still on strike (mostly) and most weekly original content series are out of production and will soon run out of new episodes - if they have not done so already. Even if the strike is resolved and the writers return to work, it will take weeks or months for production to catch up again. So I've been looking for interesting things to watch, since reruns of most shows, so soon, are not. These "things to watch" fall into several categories:

Internet streaming video

Fan Films

Webisodes

Reruns of shows I missed the first time (or don't watch regularly to begin with)

(extremely limited number of) Reality shows (I hate most of them and refuse to watch them, but there are a couple good ones)

Miscellaneous DVDs and VHS tapes from my collection

Classic satellite channels


Internet Streaming Video

Independent

You Tube has been in the news lately for picking up more traffic from new and current viewers looking for something to watch. You can probably find a clip from somebody of just about anything you can imagine. Just phrase your search carefully. Yahoo Video has a similar service, and I think there are a couple of others I can't remember now and/or don't know about. Here is one video I posted on You Tube - about Richard Dean Anderson's MacGuyver/Stargate connection.

Atom Films has a wide selection of independent professional and amateur videos. Some of my favorites are: Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers and Return of Pink Five (actually, the whole Pink Five series is good). I never watch music videos (well, not never, just rarely) but I found Twist by Goldfrapp at Atom Films a couple of years ago (now it's on You Tube) and discovered a new group I like (bought the Black Cherry CD because of it). So check out the music video section also.

I-Films has similar content - independent professional and amateur films. It appears to have been taken over (or assimilated?) by Spike TV - it used to be a separate entity. Most of the links I have to Star Wars fan films there still work, so I don't think they blew away any content. You can see Star Wars: Revelations here, as well as on their own site (more later under fan films). (Since I-Films is associated with SPIKE now, you can watch clips from most SPIKE shows here, also.)

Network

Most of the broadcast networks now offer - for viewing online - full episodes of their top shows, so if you miss an episode because you forgot to set your DVR or had too many shows to record at the same time, you might be able catch up with it on the network's website. Here they are: ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS. (some require you to install a player.)

Satellite and Cable Channels

A lot of the "basic cable" channels offer clips and full episodes for viewing online - too many to list here. Here are a few I like and recommend:

Sci Fi Channel - scifi.com (I forgot to record Eureka one night but was able to watch it online the next day.)

Mythbusters/Discovery Channel (for clips of outtakes and extra footage that wouldn't fit on the show - go to home page for full episode videos of other shows on Discovery, TLC, and Animal Planet.)

Turner Classic Movies (mostly clips, original trailers, and featurettes - but there are 194 pages of them!)

Adult Swim (full episodes of almost everything - best are Ghost in the Shell and Robot Chicken.)

Comedy Central (mainly for The Daily Show.)


More on the remaining categories in the next installment.