It seems like just a year ago that I was writing to all of you recapping 2011’s web series, because it was a year…almost exactly.
Now, here we are in the home stretch of 2012, and it’s time to think about all the things that the Internet has given us lo these many months — the stars it’s birthed, the jokes it’s broadcast, the dreams it’s made come true. Most of all, it’s time for a little holiday relaxation time during which you’d be remiss if you didn’t go back and take a second look at the all the funny things so many talented people poured their hearts into in this, the year of the Mayan apocalypse. Celebrate our survival, celebrate the season, celebrate some of the best web series around.
Until 2013, dear Splitsider readers. Until 2013…
Why you should watch again: Fantastic premise.
Why you should watch again: Very few things in this life are better than a funny music video.
Why you should watch again: The only thing more difficult than being consistently funny is being consistently poignant and funny.
Why you should watch again: Reality show parodies are overdone, but this one will teach you to love them again.
Why you should watch again: When you blend babies and infomercials, you get magic.
Why you should watch again: Never underestimate the power of star…power. David Spade is back! Sort of, in this sketch at least.
Why you should watch again: If you like Seinfeld, you’ll LOVE I Hate Being Single. You’ll also like Seinfeld.
Why you should watch again: Nothing hits harder than comedy satirizing the worst elements of human social interaction.
Why you should watch again: Mike O’Gorman knows a thing or two about impersonations. He actually knows like a million things about them, I undersold him quite a bit back there.
Why you should watch again: It’s creepy and that means it’s working.
Why you should watch again: Gender norm reversal, also it’s hilarious.
Why you should watch again: Characters, characters, characters will make even the most overdone settings (read: office) feel fresh…if said characters are strong. They are in this case.
Why you should watch again: Danny McBride plays a Kenny Powers-esque roadie for Tenacious D. You know you want to watch this again, so just do.
Why you should watch again: It’s part of the holy grail of genre parody.
Why you should watch again: Deft generational commentary.
Why you should watch again: Specific jokes are funny jokes.
Why you should watch again: Another wonderfully structured genre parody featuring big names.
Why you should watch again: Strong use of a procedural format—a difficult feat in short-form web series.
Why you should watch again: Top-flight impressions.
Why you should watch again: If you want your audience to laugh, make sure they can relate to the things you’re making fun of. Everyone talks to himself in the bathroom mirror. It don’t get more relatable than that.
Why you should watch again: Sketch comedy like only the Aussies can make.
Why you should watch again: This one puts the “man on the street” back in “man on the street”.
Why you should watch again: When the richest, most famous comedian of all time starts making web series, you know there’s been a major cultural shift in the way we get our laughs and you should pay attention.
Why you should watch again: Simple and hilarious.
Why you should watch again: Brave in its reluctance to format, and now it’s a FOX pilot, so…
Why you should watch again: Smart writing.
Why you should watch again: Gross out humor in a highbrow way.
Why you should watch again: Bad improv’s horrible to watch. This is the opposite of that.
Why you should watch again: Writing what you know really does work, especially if you’re a parent writing about passive aggressive moms.
Why you should watch again: Can’t beat production values.
Why you should watch again: Funny female duos are as funny as male duos any day of the week. I see you Cera, I see you J-Hill.
Why you should watch again: It’s like watching Veep, only on the web and not on HBOGo or anything, because it’s not actually Veep. Same feel though, seriously.
Why you should watch again: Self-deprecation is a comic’s most powerful weapon.
Why you should watch again: Maybe the single smartest web series format around.
Why you should watch again: Beautiful exploitation of a tent pole event.
Why you should watch again: Visually stunning, conceptually genius.
Why you should watch again: Refreshingly filmic.
