Television on the Web Is Redefining Must-See Viewing

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Photograph by Jeff Lipsky

Funny or Die

Founded in 2007 by Will Ferrell, Chris Henchy, and Adam McKay, with funding from Sequoia Capital, Funny or Die has made agility its biggest asset. The site relies almost exclusively on one-off, zeitgeist-driven comedy shorts, spreading the word among its 1.5 million Twitter followers and 1.1 million Facebook fans to attract as many as 10 million viewers a month who press play some 35 million times. "If there's a formula, then you're doing it wrong," Glover says. "It really is a social dynamic, being part of folks' lives in a meaningful way." "Read More"

Next New Networks

As host of the Web series Freezer Burns, Gregory Ng has a dream gig--if you're a college kid who just attended a Phish concert. Ng, a creative director at a Raleigh, North Carolina, marketing company by day, masochistically ventures deep into the frozen-food aisle to review delicacies such as Carvel Cinnabon Slice'mmms Ice Cream Roll. "I've consumed more varieties of frozen food than anyone else on the planet," he says. His goal? To be renowned as the "Frozen Food Master." (Take that, Mrs. Paul.) "Read More"

Atom.com

Only in a Web series would inebriation and The Legend of Zelda be a match made in heaven. But ever since a gas-station attendant woke up hungover inside the classic Nintendo game nearly two years ago, The Legend of Neil has been one of Atom.com's most successful franchises. "Read More"

Babelgum

So far as I know, Babelgum is the only company paying Web-video creators money up front," says chief revenue officer Douglas Dicconson. And not for low-brow stuff, but ambitious professional works such as British documentarian Daniel Edelstyn's Vodka Empire, the unlikely 25-part saga of his discovery that he's heir to a Ukrainian vodka factory, and his attempt to bring Zorokovich 1917 to the modern spirits world. "Read More"

One Fine Day

I danced for four hours in high heels," Felicia Day says by way of apology for her morning-after sluggishness. Last night was the wrap party for season four of her Web series The Guild, and for once it was no set-up-the-Rock-Band-in-the-living-room shindig. "Read More"

Independent Spirits

Actor-comedian Donald Glover formed this sketch group with Dominic Dierkes and DC Pierson while a student at New York University, and it proved more important than his education: Glover was writing for 30 Rock after graduation, and he now stars in NBC's Community. The group still posts videos online--don't miss Gink, its Web 2.0 parody--and released the feature film Mystery Team last year. "Read More"

In Good Company

Ikea recently ordered a third season of this breakout comedy series, starring Illeana Douglas as--wait for it!--an actress who works at Ikea Burbank. Even with the in-your-face product place-ment, Easy to Assemble is scoring with critics (it won a Streamy for best ensemble); celebs (cameos from Jane Lynch and Jeff Gold-blum); and viewers (9 million--plus streams since 2008). "Read More"

Actor Kevin Pollak Reinvents Himself With Web Video

In his 30-year career, Kevin Pollak has appeared in more than 60 films and created indelible roles in such modern classics as A Few Good Men and The Usual Suspects. His Internet awakening occurred in 2009, when he started his Streamy Award winning weekly talk show Kevin Pollak Chat Show (as always, he's Chat Show) backed by Jason Calacanis (Mahalo). "Read More"

Al Thompson Uses Web Video to Fill the Void in the Internet's Heart

The creator of the Atom.com comedy Johnny B. Homeless will premiere his new drama Lenox Avenue this fall, which has already received critical praise, and features an impressive cast, including Michael K. Williams of The Wire. Nostalgic for the TV programming of the late 80s and early 90s, Thompson has set out to create series with heart, and he talked to us about it. "Read More"

Comedian Eugene Mirman Talks About How Web Videos Have Made Him Sort of Famous

Eugene Mirman started creating original Web content back when most of us were still using dial-up. As the online world has grown, so has the comedian's career. Between stand-up performances, film, and TV gigs (he plays the bad guy on Delocated on Adult Swim--season 2 debuts August 22--and one of the voices on Fox's 2011 animated comedy Bob's Burgers), Mirman took some time to tell us about his lasting love affair with Web video. "Read More"