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TV on the Internet: When and Where to Watch Fall Shows on the Web

When September hit, we hit back with our Everything Guide to 2011’s Fall TV Schedule.

This week, we’re catering to those of you without cable subscriptions and DVRs. That’s right– the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free …from cable bills. Cord-cutters, we hear your cries for a reliable TV streaming calendar. We’re answering.

Here’s the catch: Not all shows are treated equally online, because not all networks trust the internet the same way. So, to understand any given show’s online routine, you’ve got to get to know the source.

Let’s break it down real slow-like:

Like all good conspiracy theorists, we’ve spent countless hours creepily stalking tons of networks’ web habits and have discovered some key patterns. These patterns point to what we can stream online and when.

Networks that Offer Next-Day Free Streaming:

ABC

Where: All ABC shows are available to stream next-day on Hulu or ABC.go.com.
Exceptions: The Middle has never been available for free streaming online. Maybe this year? Doubtful.

CBS

Where: All CBS shows are available to stream next-day on TV.com or CBS.com.
Exceptions: Mike & Molly, Criminal Minds, and The Mentalist were not available for free streaming last year. The late night talk shows tend to post online 3 days after air, sometimes inconsistently.

NBC

Where: All NBC shows are available to stream next-day on Hulu or NBC.com. Even Law & Order: SVU, which wasn’t available last year.

MTV

Where: MTV’s primetime shows are available to stream next-day on MTV.com.
Exceptions: Daytime filler shows like 10 on Top rarely make it to the web, but if it’s popular and primetime, you can expect it to be there.

Comedy Central

Where: The very few Comedy Central shows that are available for free streaming are available next-day on Hulu and ComedyCentral.com. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are the most consistent. South Park is available for next-day streaming at SouthParkStudios.com.
Exceptions: All other shows aside from those listed above are too inconsistent to note at this point.

Networks that Offer Delayed Free Streaming

The CW

Where: All CW shows are available to stream online at CWtv.com 2-3 days after they air on TV. Posting habits are not entirely consistent, but all episodes do get posted online within that 2-3 day window.

FOX

FOX used to be a next-day streaming network, but it’s a next-day streaming network no longer. Sad face.
Where: All FOX shows are available to stream 8 days after airing on TV via Hulu or FOX.com.
Exceptions: American Idol has never been available for online streaming. Similarly, The X-Factor will not be made available for online streaming. I Hate My Teenage Daughter is not expected to post online, either.

FX

FX is a particularly frustrating network to follow online. Just about all of its shows are available 30 days after air. 30 DAYS! Who wants to catch It’s Always Sunny one-month after everyone’s done talking about it? So lame.
Where: Hulu and FXnetworks.com.
Exceptions: New episodes of Wilfred are available 8 days after airing on TV. Archer is posted 30 days after air, but the episodes aren’t necessarily released in sequential order. American Horror Story and Nip/Tuck are not available for online streaming.

SyFy

SyFy is a mixed bag, which makes it difficult to follow online while it’s airing on TV. Of the shows that do make it to the web, most aren’t available to stream until after the on-air season ends. At that time, episodes are released on a rolling basis.
Where: On Hulu and SyFy.com.
Exceptions: Warehouse 13 offered up its first two episodes day after air, but the following episodes won’t be available until after the on-air season is over. Merlin Season 3 is not yet available to stream, even though the season is over. No explanation there. Ghost Hunters Academy gets special treatment and is available just 30 days after air (suddenly that seems like no time at all).

For our ultimate guide to the 2011 Fall Schedule for Online TV, jump to the next page.

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