CBS Launches Online Streaming Service

That's right, you heard me. CBS is the first broadcast network to create a stand-alone streaming option for viewers.

It's been a good week for television fans. On Wednesday, HBO announced that their streaming service will be available to people without their pay-TV subscription starting 2015. On Thursday, CBS announced CBS All Access, a new streaming device for $5.99 a month that includes current and previous programming. That's right, kids. You no longer have an excuse to not watch The Good Wife.

“CBS All Access is another key step in the company’s long-standing strategy of monetizing our local and national content in the ways that viewers want it,” CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves said in a statement. “This new subscription service will deliver the most of CBS to our biggest fans while being additive to the overall ecosystem. Across the board, we continue to capitalize on technological advances that help consumers engage with our world-class programming, and we look forward to serving our viewers in this new and exciting way.”

This is huge, because CBS is the largest broadcast network. The Big Bang Theory, one of CBS's programs, was the most watched television show of last season, and had more than 18 million tune in for the Season 8 premiere last month. CBS All Access will also include special programming, like the Grammy Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. There will be ads for current programming, although commercials will run between 9-12 minutes, as opposed to the 12-16 minutes of advertisement on television. Another big plus is that previous programming, like Twin Peaks (which seriously all of you need to watch if you haven't already), will not have advertisements.

My only complaint is that CBS All Access will not include the NFL games. Hopefully they add those one day. Speaking of adding onto the service, CBS All Access will initially only be available in major cities, including New York City and Los Angeles, of course. The network, however, said it plans to expand.

The Big Bang.....again?

Admittedly, I do not watch as much TV as I should for a TV-R  major but I happen to catch a few shows in between classes. Aside from American Horror Story, which is my favorite television show of all time, I watch The Big Bang Theory on CBS. The Big Bang Theory originally aired on CBS in 2007 and has recently been renewed for three more seasons. The show became CBS' highest-rated evening show. I started watching this show for the simple fact that it was always on. After watching about four episodes I realized that I actually enjoyed the show and was pleased by the familiar cast which features Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki. I do not go out of my way to watch this show but I definitely don't mind watching it when it's on. It think the show provides enough comedy to momentarily fill my entertainment void.

The character that attracted me the most to the show was Sheldon Cooper Ph.D, played by Jim Parsons. I was attracted to his character because of the complexity and intelligence he brought to the show, which I usually don't see on CBS. I was fascinated by his obsession with routines and very obvious lack of social skills. His lack of common sense and knowledge of  his surroundings creates a comedic effect of his methodological behavior.  Sheldon is constantly reminding his roommates and neighbor about their human flaws and plays as the nuisance of their relationships. Jim Parsons does an excellent job playing Sheldon Cooper and has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, a  Golden Globe Award, and a Critics' Choice Television Award for his performance

I think that The Big Bang Theory is definitely a show worth checking out if you'r ecruising through the channels on your TV or are interested in some intelligent humor. I am glad that I was exposed to this show and think that it is one of the better shows I have watched in the last 3 years, on basic cable.  Anyhow, check out the clip below of Sheldon.

Peace,
Brie

The Big Bang Theory

Here's a show that I've been nonstop addicted to. I always saw the previews before and never thought about watching it until two weeks ago.

It's about a group of friends who work together in the science department as physicists, astronomers, or engineers at a university. Anyways, Leonard and Sheldon live together and this girl, Penny, moves across the hall from them. While playing the clichés that the nerdy kid wants the hot cheerleader throughout this series, the whole series focuses on the development of these characters. All of them extremely hilarious and I don't think I've watched an episode without laughing out loud.

The writers of this show are complete genius' by staying completely true to each character . . . especially Sheldon. He is so proper like a robot that it is extremely humorous when he disagrees with someone or proves them wrong. Each time he brings in his psych out phrase . . . "Bazinga," it is so true to his character of him being intelligent but being funny towards the audience without knowing it.

If you haven't checked out The Big Bang Theory, I'm telling you . . . WATCH IT.

Big Bang, Big Characters

For the longest time I protested watching the show The Big Bang Theory. In 2010 when Jim Parsons won best lead actor at the Emmy Awards for his portrayal the annal scientist, Sheldon Cooper, I was confused at how such a show could win. Finally this summer my friends convinced me to watch the show and I found to my surprise the show was not only hysterical, but it's characters were relatable on some level (despite large involvement in science and science fiction). I thought since I do not like science and I'm very into science fiction I would not get most of the jokes, but I found out that the writes realize that it is uncommon for most people to understand most of the dork/nerdy jokes, in fact they depend on it and the lack of understand leads to most of the hilarity.

The humor is not the whole thing that keeps the audience coming back, like it most other comedies, the jokes aren't always the key part of the show and eventually you start to shape a outline of an on going plot with developing characters. For me well developed characters that an audience can relate to is a major key to success. Though for the most part the characters on Big Bang are caricatures, they are relatable on some level and you come to love their quirks. A lot of people relate to Penny the new girl who moves across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. Penny is not very smart so when she befriends Leonard and Sheldon as well as their two friends Raj and Howard, she tends to get lost among the guys geek/nerd talk. Leonard is another character a lot of people relate to because even though he is very nerdy, he tries the hardest to blend in with the rest of society and wants to be excepted by others. As they grow closer Penny and Leonard teach each other about their culture and they both start to understand their world. In a way the audience is taken on the journey of socialization through these characters.

Now that I am done watching the show I am very much looking forward to what the writers have in store for the upcoming season of The Big Bang Theory. The characters have greatly developed over the the last four seasons and has turned the series from comedy show with funny characters to a show with interesting characters with a growing plot that happens to be funny. It is the diversity of the characters and intrigue of what funny situation they will get into next that keeps the audience coming back.