Streaming TV comes on strong with fall lineup
Eva Longoria's fall animated comedy series "Mother Up!" is about a disgraced former music exec transitioning to suburban parenthood. It premieres on the Hulu streaming service Nov. 6. Credit: Hulu
Streaming TV has arrived. Just look at the best drama series nominees in Sunday's Emmy Awards: Not one show from the broadcast networks. Four cable dramas. Public TV's "Downton Abbey." And one series that debuted online. Netflix both funded and premiered Kevin Spacey's political drama, "House of Cards," now up for Emmy's top trophy alongside heavy hitters like "Homeland" and "Mad Men."
At last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, the subscription streaming service picked up early wins for "Cards" casting and cinematography.. Almost instantly with the February debut of its first big-name, big-money original production -- all 13 episodes available at once -- Netflix changed the image of streaming video from its early days of cute cat clips and viral selfies. Then the service cemented its status as a series-showcase alternative by debuting the thriller "Hemlock Grove" and new episodes of "Arrested Development."
Other streaming outlets also have picked up the pace -- and widened the program options. Rival subscription service Hulu provided a new platform for axed ABC daytimers "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," then launched Seth Meyers' animated comedy, "The Awesomes." Sony-owned Crackle showcased Jerry Seinfeld's road trip "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" and Milo. Ventimiglia's cat-and-mouse thriller, "Chosen." Even Amazon jumped in, asking its Video on Demand users to watch original pilots and vote which they'd like to see go to series.
This fall, TV critics' annual 10-best lists may well include both "House of Cards" and fellow Netflix original. "Orange Is the New Black," the prison portrait from "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan. And streaming is only getting started. Having pushed beyond computers into set-top boxes like TiVo and Roku, it's moving onto mobile tablets and phones. More and more "smart TV" sets are being sold, with wireless capability built-in, turning streaming into "real" TV. Soon, even your Luddite parents will get it.
Here's some of what to expect this fall:
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