How to watch your favorite TV shows online for free

Ever miss an episode of your favorite TV show, but don't know how to catch up? Or maybe there is a show from your childhood that you would like to watch. Here are some ways to watch these shows online.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Internet

1. Check network Web site for that show:

2. ABC: Go to www.abc.com. Click on "Full Episodes" towards the top left of the screen. Choose a show from the list. They have many of their new shows online as well as My So-Called Life.

3. ABC Family: Go to www.abcfamily.com and click on "Watch" towards the top. Choose a show from the left-side column and choose an episode. Not all episodes are available for each show. They also have older shows such as Seventh Heaven, Everwood, and Smallville (older episodes).

4. CBS: Go to www.cbs.com. Click on "Video" towards the top. Choose the show on the left, then click on "Full Episodes" at the top right (they have a lot of short clips and this filters them out, so only full episodes are shown. If you click on "TV Classics" from the left-hand menu, you can also see classics such as Family Ties, Beverly Hills 90210, MacGyver, and The Love Boat.

5. The CW: Go to www.cwtv.com. Click on "Video" towards the top. Choose a show on the left side and the episode on the right. They don't always have their newest episodes online. Sometimes you have to wait a week after it airs.

6. NBC: Go to www.nbc.com. Hover over "Watch Video" and then choose a show from the list. The shows with full episodes will have a green arrow circling around to the left of the show's name.

7. Scifi Channel: Go to www.scifi.com. Click on "Full Episodes" at the top.

8. There are other networks with online episodes. If there is a show you're wanting to watch, go to the networks site and see if they have full episodes online.

9. Go to www.hulu.com and click "TV" and then "Alphabetical." This site has some new shows and some old including Who's the Boss, ALF, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Party of Five. If you click on "Movies," they also have movies you can watch including Ghostbusters, Bring It On, and Wuthering Heights.

10. Go to Netflix.com. If you already have a membership which includes online viewing, this site has a ton of movies and TV shows you can watch for free. If you don't, sign up for a free trial membership. If you don't want to, you don't even have to put anything in your queue; you can just watch movies and TV online, and then cancel at the end of two weeks. Shows include newer shows like Numbe3rs, CSI, and The Office, and some older shows such as Leave It to Beaver, Charles in Charge, and Coach. They even have some shows that will post new episodes every week, such as Numb3ers, CSI, and Wizards of Waverly Place. There are also shows for children such as The Wiggles.
    
    Along with TV shows, movies are available to view online including some Alfred Hitchcock movies, Superman movies, Dirty Dancing, and Men In Black. The quality of Netflix shows is better than I've seen on any other site and unlike the network sites and Hulu.com, there are no commercials.

[brandy1123]

on 11/27/2008 GREAT

[gibsonsg2]

on 11/3/2008 I didn't know there were so many resources for free!

[shewolf52002]

on 10/31/2008 I will have to check that out! Thanks

[RENorton]

on 10/29/2008 Great article. I do occasionally watch a little TV online, especially when I've missed an episode of CSI, Bones or Chuck. Great info. Thanks!