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Comment by jaems33 | Hacker News Reader

What web-streamed shows come even close to the quality of HBO produced shows? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm curious. Yahoo produces a lot of their own 'shows' but it all seems amateurishly directed that I can't bother to watch a second of it.

Edit: I think funnyordie videos are actually really well produced.

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It's difficult, because low-budget web shows often have quite a short turnaround, whereas a high budget show can take several years to get off the ground (at least a year in development, and a year to write, shoot, and edit).

For example, Netflix are shooting for (comparatively) high-budget original content with several shows due to drop in 2013 (like Arrested Development) - there's also been a move towards joint production deals where the shows are produced for streaming on a service like Netflix in the US but then sold for TV broadcast in other countries.

People may downvote this but I'll say it anyway: PBS has done a pretty damn good job with Downton Abbey, especially in providing a really simple and well functioning streaming player.

I watch full episodes of How I Met Your Mother for free on cbs.com. No need for Pirate Bay. Unless, of course, you're talking about web-exclusive shows.

Web exclusive shows.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog comes to mind. It won an Emmy in 2009.

Quality, yes. Cost, hell no.

Dr. Horrible cost over $200k. Game of Thrones costs upwards of $60 million per season.

I'm willing to bet that if every person who watched the Game of Thrones Season 2 premiere (6.3m, http://www.wetpaint.com/network/articles/63-million-people-w...) paid $10, that would pay for the entire season.

I'm also willing to bet that there's no way you could get enough people to do that.

Why aren't you already assuming that the majority of those viewers are paying for it?

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