Families used to come together after dinner and watch their favorite shows. These shows would not be recorded by a DVR or released on DVD. There was only one opportunity for the viewer to catch his or her favorite television show.

Online videos and television episodes can be found on any primetime television Web site. ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC all offer viewers the opportunities to catch up on their favorite shows at their convenience online for free.

The new buzz is Hulu.com, a site where you can watch movies, popular clips and TV shows. Hulu.com is free and there is no need to sign up. Hulu’s mission is “to help people find and enjoy the world's premium video content when, where and how they want it. As we pursue this mission, we aspire to create a service that users, advertisers, and content owners unabashedly love.”

Hulu was founded in 2007 and is owned by NBC. Alec Baldwin has been seen on their popular television commercials advertising their site. Hulu does not require their users to download any type of new software. Flash player and an Internet connection are the only components you need to enjoy your shows and movies.

“For me, there is no need to own a television at home. There are so many online sites you can go to and watch movies and TV shows. I have watched several movies on Hulu.com and love it. The quality is great and their advertising commercials are brief so there is no interruption,” says Stacy Wood, graphic designer for the Office of Communications at Auburn University.

Hulu is neatly organized into categories based on your interests. There are different channels you can watch that include food and leisure, reality and game shows, action and adventure, science fiction and sports. If you have certain requirements, you can even watch your shows in HD.

Some links on Hulu send you to a different Web site, but you still are able to watch the shows. For example, if you wanted to catch last week’s episode of Desperate Housewives, Hulu give you the link that directs you to ABC’s episode player.

The majority of households own at least one computer and are connected to the Internet. In the future, people might be more prone to watch their shows online versus catching them on their television at the primetime spot.



Find more videos like this on The Loveliest Village