Eric Buchman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Eric is a TV Writer whose credits include ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva. When not working on a specific show, he enjoys writing about technology, chasing his toddler around the house, and being the Kalinda for his wife’s law practice.
You don’t know these new TV genres yet, but you know the shows
TV has taken a turn for the less formulaic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find categories. From a newfound obsession with L.A. to vile protagonists, you’ll recognize these 2016 tropes when you see them.
The golden age of TV: How we got here and why there’s no bubble to burst
Are we really experiencing a so-called ‘TV bubble?’ Is it possible there’s an unsustainable amount of really great TV? This week we examine the issue, or perhaps more accurately, the lack thereof.
How tech exposed the evil in the NFL, and made me quit watching
The transparency of the Internet, new research into brain injuries, and even the quest for high-tech stadiums have all exposed the darker side of the NFL.
Does porn still have the power to push new tech, or has it gone soft?
Porn has long had a reputation as technology’s king maker, pushing whichever tech it backs to success. But is that really the case?
Don’t worship your ‘definitive’ disc, movies were meant to evolve
Technology ushered in the age of the “definitive” version of movies with VHS, but streaming is about to shoo it right back out the door.
Somebody get these tech companies on Tinder, because they need to hook up
Corporate mergers have a bad reputation for burning consumers, but sometimes two combined companies can produce exactly what we’re dying for. Here are four hook ups we would love to see.
Netflix is the new HBO, YouTube is the new MTV, and everything new is old
Netflix and YouTube are turning TV upside down, but they’re also following the well-trodden path of the companies before them – and need to pay close attention to what did those companies in.
You’re supposed to watch TV shows, not try to write them. Remember?
The Internet has empowered superfans to not only obsess about their favorite shows, but control them through petitions and social media.
5 things we miss about TV that the Internet totally ruined
We love Netflix, too. But our new TV-watching habits, ushered in by streaming sites, aren’t all for the best. Here are 5 things we miss about the old way of watching.
Sick of ’90s reboots? Here’s why they’re not as bad as you think
From The X-Files to Coach, Twin Peaks and Full House, ‘90s TV shows are back. And though you might cringe at the lack of originality, revisiting the past can actually be a winning recipe.
Where do TV pilots go when they die? In the future, maybe they don’t
Studios spend millions on high-quality TV shows you’ll never see. But as new players like Amazon are proving, maybe it doesn’t have to be that way.
Where’s the line between fan-fic and copyright infringement? Ask the Power Rangers
A new “fan movie” called <em>Power/Rangers</em> has the Internet raving and Power Rangers owner Haim Saban fuming. When does fan fiction become so good it challenges the original?
6 ways for cable companies to redeem themselves and win customers back
Flexible alternatives like Netflix and Sling TV are nibbling away at cable’s supremacy, but it’s not too late for these powerful companies to reverse their fortunes and bring consumers back to their side.
Do theaters still matter? Amazon knows they do, even after The Interview
The Interview made headlines by skipping theaters and making its money online, but meanwhile, Amazon is trying to worm its way into theaters. What gives?
By streaming ESPN, Dish just dashed cable’s last leverage
The Holy Grail of content for cord cutters just arrived on a golden platter in the form of Dish’s $20 Sling TV package, and it may be just the thing to kill your cable addiction.
You missed these stories in 2014, but they’ll change how, what and who you watch in 2015
These news stories may not have even been blips on your radar in the same year that brought us consumer 4K and The Interview fiasco, but they’re poised to turn.
Curation kills: Why Netflix is just as doomed as cable in the long run
Consumers may be rejecting cable in favor of Netflix in droves, but when cable dies, the same desire for freedom will send them looking for even more flexible solutions.
Why are movies more expensive than ever when tech makes them easier to make?
You can get a cinema-caliber camera at Best Buy these days, but the budgets for Hollywood films has never been higher. Why hasn’t technology made movies cheaper to make? It’s complicated.
Why Kickstarter is great for coolers, and terrible for feature films
Oh, you want to make a movie? And the studios won’t bite? While the allure of Kickstarter is strong for aspiring filmmakers, the hidden catches of crowd funding start to make studio sharks look like the more appealing option.
For Hollywood hopefuls, tech like YouTube has been a blessing and a curse
The days of interns toiling away in the mail room have passed, and the days of Midwesterners toiling away on YouTube and waiting to be discovered are upon us. But wait: Is this actually easier?
Why Silicon Valley needs Hollywood more than Hollywood needs Silicon Valley
Pundits and pontificators paint Silicon Valley as the new center of media thanks to titans like Netflix, but in the Entertainment 2.0 landscape, is it the guys who own the cables or the content who really hold all the cards?
To keep TV shows alive, viewing is voting. But what’s the best way to watch?
Watching your favorite show on Netflix and buying an episode from iTunes are not created equal. Which will help keep the best shows on TV around for another season? We ranked eight different ways to watch.
TV and movies are melting into the same thing, and tech is stirring the pot
Serialized movies are coming out every year like TV shows, and TV shows are pushing creative boundaries like only movies used to. The line between the two is clearly blurring, but why? And what does it mean for viewers?
None of your favorite shows would have existed in an a la carte cable world
Mad Men? Breaking Bad? Sons of Anarchy? You might not like to admit it, but our current system of bundled, overpriced cable packages helped birth some of television’s best shows.