In the age of YouTube, DVRs and Internet piracy, everyone is looking for effective, free ways to bring TV into the future.
For NBC, Fox and their partners, the answer to the Internet problem lies in Hulu, a new Web site – currently in private invitation-only beta testing – that posts video clips and full episodes of dozens of TV shows online for free viewing.

For anyone lucky enough to get into the beta testing, Hulu might prove to be a valuable asset in catching up on missed episodes or discovering new shows. But the site still has some work to do before it takes itself public.
Content-wise, the site’s biggest problem is inconsistency. There are plenty of titles available, from “Prison Break” and “House” to “30 Rock” and “The Office.” Even cult shows like “Arrested Development” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are present. But many of the shows are only available as short video clips – not full episodes. “Project Runway,” which for viewers without cable is difficult to find online, only has one full episode on Hulu. The rest of the show’s videos are short clips and profiles on all the contestants. Knowing which shows have full episodes is nearly impossible without actually going through and individually checking each title.
Fox has an impressive lineup of shows on the site, but its newest show, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is totally absent from Hulu. Full episodes of the action-drama are only available on fox.com, which doesn’t make sense. If Fox is going to put its content online, it should choose a method and stick with it. Jumping back and forth among different sites is bothersome and likely to deter users.
In spite of its shortcomings, Hulu certainly does some things right. Longer videos, like full episodes, have embedded ads that viewers can’t skip, which ensures that advertisers’ ads will be seen. Networks can no longer claim the Internet isn’t profitable if they have effective ways to display advertising.
The site also has a clean, uncluttered interface that puts all the focus on the videos. Videos are large enough to fill most of the window, and there are no annoying user comments to distract the viewer from the content. There’s even an option to “lower the lights,” which darkens the screen around the video and makes it easier to focus on what’s playing.
On top of all this, the quality of Hulu’s videos is impressive for streaming content, and it’s way better than anything on YouTube, creating a wholly painless viewing experience.
What really sets Hulu apart from other online TV ventures like Joost and Veoh is that it is entirely online. There is no software to install (other than Flash), and videos are streamed rather than downloaded, making things faster and easier for quick, on-the-go viewing.
Some viewers may be turned off by Hulu’s corporate ownership, but the site has plenty going for it – if it makes a few tweaks. After all, it’s time for the big wigs to stop alienating their customers and start embracing the digital world.
To sign up for the Hulu beta test, visit hulu.com, or just wait for the site to go public, which is expected to happen around the end of March.
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