Life After Lost

One era ends as a new era begins. Last night, the final episode of Lost aired. Although this is a show that doesn't get the same ratings as, say, American Idol, it's enjoyed 6 years with an incredibly loyal following. Many who have watched it since the beginning are wondering how to fill the hole that Lost has left behind. The easy answer is: watch it all over again. And what better way to do that than on the iPad?

Netflix is one of the primary apps that offers TV series in their entirety (or at least as much has been released on DVD/Blu-ray). Many other shows are available on ABC's app; CBS is kicking off its new HTML5 site, followed soon (we hope) with Hulu's app. This means that a lot of great TV is or will be at our fingertips.

Watching TV on a computer has never been ideal; TV is simply best enjoyed on the sofa, in bed, or any number of other favorite comfy spots. For movies, we put up with uninterrupted viewing in sometimes uncomfortable seats in theaters; for TV, though, we want to relax. TV is for unwinding.

This got me thinking about how amazing the iPad is for TV watching. I'm no longer relegated to a specific area to enjoy great TV. I don't have to be in the living room. I can go sit by the front window or sit outside in the shade. Granted, I could do all this with my iPhone, but you can't deny that you're sacrificing quality for having that privilege. I can do it on a laptop, but that's really no better than sitting at a desk.

The iPad affords me the opportunity to watch TV whenever and wherever, doing so in an ultimately satisfying way. I can watch an episode of Better Off Ted before turning off the lamp at night. I can finally get around to finding out what all the hype over Firefly was about. Or I can start Lost again from the beginning so I can better see how the story really played out over these 6 years.

Watching movies on the iPad is great; it's fun on an airplane ride or if I want to watch something with my wife while away from home. But TV is where I think the iPad really shines as far as video goes. And it's why I think Hulu might actually have a shot when it launches its iPad subscription service. TV on-demand could really catch on, and the iPad could be the catalyst. Wait and see.