Features
Features, articles and essays on video on-demand shows and movies, streaming services and the VOD industry.
10 years on: Nathan Barley, the TV show that came true
February 11, 2015 | David FarnorExactly 10 years ago today, Nathan Barley premiered on UK TV. Exactly 10 seconds later, you wanted to punch him in the face.
Created by Charlie Brooker and Chris Morris, Nathan was a horrible person to behold. He spent … Read More
From worst to best: Woody Allen films ranked (and where to watch them online)
February 9, 2015 | Chris BlohmWith Magic in the Moonlight now on VOD – and Scoop finally emerging on UK shores almost a decade after it was made – we look back at the director’s 49-year career. From Tiger Lily to Blue Jasmine, here is … Read More
Top 13 TV shows and films on BBC iPlayer
January 28, 2015 | David FarnorThis month marks the release of the BBC’s most ambitious iPlayer release to date: Adam Curtis’ experimental documentary Bitter Lake, which deconstructs modern society, media and power to explain why the big stories that politicians tell us have become so … Read More
Full list of 2015 Oscar nominees – and where you can watch them online in the UK
January 15, 2015 | David FarnorNetflix has picked up its second Oscar nomination this year, with Virunga up for Best Documentary. The rest of the line-up, though, is a predictable affair of usual suspects, with Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel leading the pack with … Read More
Rumour control: Netflix’s VPN crackdown – and your other VOD options
January 11, 2015 | David FarnorNetflix has confirmed that is not cracking down on users accessing content available in other countries.
Earlier this month, VPN provider TorGuard reported that Netflix users had started to experience error messages when trying to access content not available … Read More
US TV shows and UK air dates – a 2015 VOD guide
January 8, 2015 | David FarnorIt’s the start of a new year, which usually means one of two things: you’re halfway through The Walking Dead and have developed a weird twitch while waiting for its return post mid-season break, or you’re frantically Googling every 2 … Read More
The Interview VOD release – 5 things we have learned
January 8, 2015 | David FarnorThe Interview has now made more than $31 million from digital downloads and rentals in the US.
Sony’s comedy about two journalists (Seth Rogen and James Franco) hired to kill King Jong-Un prompted a cyber-attack upon the distributor by hackers … Read More
Top 14 VOD films of 2014
December 31, 2014 | David FarnorAs 2014 draws to a close, we look back over the previous 12 months to pick our favourite films to be released on VOD. It’s been a good year for digital distribution, which continues to make movies accessible to the widest possible audiences, regardless of their budget or availability through traditional media.
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Top 14 TV shows of 2014
December 31, 2014 | David FarnorAs 2014 comes to a close, we look back over the year’s best offerings on television. What’s fascinating about the current age of entertainment, though, is that the very definition of “TV” continues to change. Whether it’s a Minecraft video … Read More
What’s on TV this Christmas? 2014 TV highlights (and where to catch up on VOD)
December 24, 2014 | David FarnorChristmas is here – and so too is a week-long battle of the remote control in the living room, as everyone tries to work out what to watch on the telly.
With BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD, though, … Read More