Roku, Apple TV, Showtime, IO, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, HBO Go -- this is the future of television. Gone are the days where you had to stay home on Saturday nights in order to watch Saturday Night Live. Now, you can watch SNL any day of the week (and still enjoy your weekends out). Television has adapted to a new audience of procrastinating college students, activity-laden families and busy professionals whose schedules are no longer predictable. People are abandoning their cable companies for instant play. Leisure on demand is as simple as popping a bag of popcorn, scrolling through your favorite genres, and pressing play.
Stunned by the hundreds of on-demand programs and don't know what to start with? Here's our top picks.
If you're a classicist…
You can't quite get more classic than The Sopranos, the award-winning HBO series about Tony Soprano, the Italian-American mobster's psychological rumblings between his domestic and "work" lives. Available on HBO on demand, it's now easier than ever to get addicted to this rough and wild jump into the minds of one of American television's most complicated criminals.
If you're into politics…
Close follow Frank Underwood's fiery campaign trail in House of Cards. The Netflix Original Series was adapted from both a novel and BBC mini-series. It's clear people can't get enough of Underwood's charming South Carolinian accent, his wife Claire's ice-sharp drive, and a supporting cast of equally manipulative, yet fragile politicians. Watch the whole series on Netflix.
If you need a good thrill…
Sink your teeth into the zombie-ridden post-apocalypse of AMC's The Walking Dead. In a world where humans and zombies sometimes seem more similar than different, alliances and enemies form quickly, and too often end in exorbitant amounts of oozy guts and blood. Stream this chilling series from Direct TV or Netflix, but be sure to keep the lights on.
If you need a good laugh…
Where else can you get ridiculous political spoofs, live musicians, and celebrities making fools of themselves? Look no further than the late-night classic, Saturday Night Live. SNL is a show that will never go out of style, as even the old episodes are delightfully nostalgic. Each cast has a different energy, and each show is greatly attuned to current events. It doesn't shy away from political correctness either! Watch on IO, Direct TV, or NBC.
Get ready to cuddle up on your couch or bed and enjoy the latest and greatest in on-demand programming.