In the past few months, there’s been a lot of talk about SeeSo, NBCUniversal’s upcoming ad-free, subscription-based, streaming comedy service (say that five times fast). While we’ve known that this was in the offing for a while now, Vairety reports that the network has finalized the service’s launch date and its initial lineup of content.
The channel will launch January 7, 2016, and will include a melange of original and classic comedy shows that subscribers can access for $4 per month. SeeSo’s library includes high-definition, remastered versions of old favorites like Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Kids in the Hall. It will also feature a host of new series, all of which will offer their initial episodes free for non-subscribers, with all future episodes limited to those who pony up for the service.
Said Evan Shapiro, executive vice president of NBCUniversal “We think the world needs more laughter, so we put together what we think is the best collection of comedy in one place. Come, SeeSo for yourself.”
Here’s a the recently finalized full list of original series and specials available at SeeSo’s launch:
A late night comedy entertainment show featuring the world’s best comedians getting drunk in a diner at 2 a.m. at the world’s largest festival. Hosts include Jena Friedman, Alex Edelman, Greg Proops, and more. Executive Produced by Gary Reich for Brown Eyed Boy.
Matt Besser is here to air some grievances and break some comedy records. With a new set of commandments, a collection of letters to the editor and his nemesis making an appearance, this special is like no other! Filmed live at the UCB Theater in Hollywood.
A comedic sketch and gameshow that makes impromptu love connections between contestants plucked off the streets of New York City. Starring and executive produced by Dave Ahdoot and Ethan Fixell. Executive produced by Jen Danielson, Ashley Bearden, and Josh Poole for Above Average.
Rory Scovel: The Charleston Special
Rory Scovel’s first hourlong stand-up special, directed by Scott Moran and filmed at the Woolfe Street Playhouse in Charleston, South Carolina. The special was produced entirely, from building the set to hanging lights, by Rory and a crew of his closest friends.
Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane
A musical comedy about two mismatched housemates from the acclaimed comedic duo, Sammy J (a human) and Randy (a purple puppet). Starring Sammy J and Randy. Created and written by Sammy J and Randy. Produced by Donna Andrews with co-producer Chris McDonald, directed by Jonathan Brough, Sticky Pictures executive producers Donna Andrews and Stu Connolly, ABC executive producers Rick Kalowski and Brett Sleigh. A Sticky Pictures Production in association with the ABC TV, Screen Australia, and Film Victoria.
An animated comedy series based on the popular web comic, which has cultivated a passionate online following with more than 4.9 million YouTube subscribers and 821 million views, including a record 117 million monthly views this past August. Created and executive produced by Rob DenBleyker, Kris Wilson, and Dave McElfatrick of ExplosmEntertainment; and executive produced by Collective Digital Studio.
The Guest List: Live From The Barrel House
Comedy fans get exclusive access to hottest up-and-coming stand-up comics in an intimate former speakeasy. This isn’t open to the public. The only way in the door is to get on The Guest List. The inaugural show features from this year’s season of Last Comic Standing, Clayton English, Andy Erikson, Michael Palascak, Ian Bagg, Andi Smith, and host Matt Lieb. Executive produced by Rooftop Comedy.
A weekly variety showcase for the best sketch, characters and stand-up homegrown at the UCB Theatres in LA and NYC. Hosted by Upright Citizens Brigade co-founders Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh and filmed with a live audience at UCB Sunset in Hollywood. Executive produced by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Bart Coleman, and Lou Wallach.
China just gave Hollywood a cautionary tale about AI filmmaking. Sanxingdui: Future Past, billed as the country's first fully AI-generated movie, hit theaters on October 23 and bombed at the box office.
According to Futurism, the film's reported $1.5 million production budget landed on more than 10,000 screens. Yet it pulled in only about $181,000, averaging roughly $20 per screen, making the budget difficult to recover.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?