TVSquad

This article on Lifehacker.com lists a bunch of different ways to catch various TV episodes online for free. Since the name of the site involves the word "hacker", one can assume that some of these methods may not be entirely legal. Repeat at your own risk.

As someone who doesn't own any kind of recording device for the TV but has a great computer monitor, I tend to go to the network websites to catch episodes of certain shows. I'd hate to miss a week of Heroes or Bionic Woman and I'm glad the networks offer a chance to watch missed episodes online at one's leisure with minimal commercial interruption.

When I received the preview screeners for the new fall pilots earlier this summer, I resisted every request from friends to lend them out, copy the discs, or upload the contents. My feeling, and the feeling amongst everyone here at TVS, is that the networks are doing us a favor by sending these; why betray their trust by creating a Torrent of a show and distributing it?

I guess not everyone feels the same way we do. The Wall Street Journal recounts how pirated videos for ten pilots -- including Jericho, The Nine, and Heroes -- are making their way around the Internet. This is putting the networks in an odd position; they like the advanced buzz that has developed amongst the public before the shows even air, but they're upset because their shows are being pirated. For instance, a CBS spokesperson told the WSJ that "[w]e're pleased that there's an early demand for our shows but the marketing benefits can't excuse what is illegal theft of our programming."

What the article explains to me is how all these TVS readers have been able to see the pilots, as we've seen in the comments for our network previews. Actually, I kind of knew that these pilots were available as Torrents, but I guess I was just in denial.

[via Mediabistro]

For those fans who don't already know, you can download a feature-length documentary about the rise and fall of Firefly and the making of Serenity. It's called Done the Impossible, and it features interviews with die-hard fans (aka 'Browncoats') who attended Shindigs and worked to spread the word about Firefly to back-up Joss Whedon's efforts to make the movie, Serenity. It also features some interviews with cast members. Kinda sounds like Trekkies, except this time I'll totally identify with the fans.

The movie is for sale on this website or you can download it here (legally and for free!) but you need to have the torrent software to do so. I don't have the software on my computer yet so I can't tell you much more about it. But, TV Squad reader Tucker did notify us that Jenna Fischer (Pam on The Office) makes an appearance with her husband, who directed Nathan Fillion (Mal) in Slither.