What's On: The Best TV on the Web
If we had a choice, most of us would rather watch a new episode of a TV show than a rerun. Why then do so many networks think that taking what we've just seen and slapping it up on a Web site is acceptable? Part of what makes the Web enjoyable is that you can see and do things that are different from what you get with a click of the remote. Those sites that keep this in mind are the ones to spend time at. Which, not so coincidentally, is something found on all three of the following: each doing a lot more to add to the viewing experience than just repackaging what's been broadcast and pasting it on the Web.
E! Online
www.eonline.com
With a hip attitude that seems to ping-pong between Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers (without a noticeably bias towards either), E! Online piles up information on the film and TV industry in an entertaining and informative way, combining straight reporting with interviews and special presentations. Movie reviews, gossip and tons of factoids are mixed with special "events" ranging from Q&A with stars, live chats with personalities and any of a variety of surveys for users to participate in. One of the highlights of the site is an irreverent game to play that ties in with recent entertainment themes. Recent games include Steven Spielberg attempting to "sink the Titanic" and an Oscar contender pie tossing contest. There's a fair amount of sophisticated technology used on the site, such as Java and Shockwave, which requires the Web browser be capable of handling it. The results allow for quick navigation through the site and lots of clever animations that add to the enjoyment. E!'s great strength is not so much its access to the Hollywood community as it is the way the content is presented- with strong graphics and other visual devices enhancing what could have become an enormously large, but boring, amount of information for the film/TV aficionado. Thanks to E! Online's commitment to change the site daily, this does not happen.
Sci-Fi Channel
www.scifi.com
Called The Dominion, the basic purpose of this companion site to the popular Sci-Fi channel seems to be to remind you what programs can be found by turning to their spot on the dial. The designers, however, have also created a crisp and effective format that goes beyond that single purpose. Besides providing the expected information on the various shows due out that week (a guide can be quickly programmed to display a grid for your time zone), synopses of the programs are often combined with videos and still photos to give you a preview. An entertaining and original feature is "The Seeing Eye Theater," which broadcasts a "radio show" that you can listen to using RealAudio (one recent example was "The Death of Captain Future" starring Marina Sirtis from Star Trek: Next Generation). Those seeking the skinny on science fiction can check out various online resources. The Sci-Fi Buzz television program is the definitive science fiction news source, and its online counterpart (done in a magazine format with interviews and reporting from the world of sci-fi) is equally comprehensive. There are also listings for conventions and events, discussion groups and contact information should you wish to expand your knowledge about many of the shows. The site relies most heavily on still images to make its point, but the results are just as effective as if little green men were buzzing about the page.
Showtime
www.showtimeonline.com
Showtime needed to move faster to the Web, because someone else owns their "name" online - so the first time visitor is more likely to end up at a ticketing site when trying to see what the channel is offering on the Internet. Once past this bugaboo, you're treated to a graphically rich site designed with a bit more of an "edge" than you might expect. The site highlights the channel's programming - which means a healthy dose of what shows are going to be broadcast during the month as well as "behind the scenes" looks at original productions. Related Web sites such as the Movie Channel, among others, are also accessible from the home page from within a frame. Those programs dealing with science fiction seem to have the cleverest "special effects." A nifty feature available on the Showtime Web site, and increasingly available on leading companion content sites, is the "automatic e-mail reminder" function. The site will let you check program listings two months in advance and set up e-mail "reminders" that send a message the day before a desired program is scheduled to air. With simple and effective navigational graphics, Showtime is a site that's worth checking out if you're interested in what's playing. Just don't blame us if you end up elsewhere buying concert tickets instead.
Marshal Rosenthal is a freelance technology and digital entertainment journalist.
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