Dr. Horrible and the Future of Entertainment

Last night, Joss Whedon of Firefly and Buffy fame began releasing Dr. Horrible. Independently produced on a budget in the low 6 figures, with a cast that includes Neil Patrick "Doogie Howser" Harris and Firefly's Nathan Fillion, this show has the feel of a tipping point. Certainly, they've done so much right here, in terms of Internet entertainment, it's worth pausing for at least a brief comment and a hat tip.

To start with, the financial/distribution model is sweet. The show's being released in three parts, each of which can be purchased on iTunes for $1.99 or seen for free (and here's the key part) until July 20th. Free-then-pay encourages urgency -- wild-fire word of mouth. Spikes of enthusiasm over three release days. And of course it doesn't hurt that the overlap between Twitter users and Whedon's fan base is, well, substantial. (Just Twitter-search the show in the hours before a new episode comes out to see the frenzy build.) After July 20th, it's not hard to picture happy viewers paying to watch it again, or new viewers paying to get in on an event they missed the first time around.

The key to this show in particular and Internet entertainment in general, says Whedon, is the power of silly. From the LA Times blog:

“The things that have hit on the Internet have almost all had that quality”... “From 'Star Wars' kid, to 'The Landlord,' to 1,500 prisoners doing 'Thriller.' Not just the I-made-it-myself aesthetic, but the truly, transcendently goofy. The absurd (which is important to me, as an Absurdist) is part of the Internet’s identity.”

The execution's beautiful -- lovely use of their video player, high-quality production, but not so glossy it starts to feel remote, toe-tapping tunes, and an opening shot that lasts about four minutes and keeps the viewer transfixed, waiting for the cut.

It's a safe bet the entertainment business is transfixed too. Something smart is happening here.