'Ted Lasso' began as a series of promotional videos

'SNL' began as a low-budget replacement for reruns of 'The Tonight Show'

Johnny Carson, host of "The Tonight Show," asked NBC to move his reruns to weeknights instead of weekends. That freed up a weekend slot and the network decided to try a new live show.

'Lazy Sunday' was YouTube's first viral hit

Initially aired on television, the 2005 "Saturday Night Live" digital short featuring Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell took off on YouTube, becoming one of the platform's first viral videos. The song may be a joke, but its success underscored how online video could extend the lifespan of regularly televised content.

The network’s early days were focused on movies and sports

HBO launched in 1972, with an initial focus on commercial-free movies and sports events. The network’s first-ever broadcast was an NHL game between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks, signaling its commitment to premium, live content.

'Love on the Spectrum,' a popular Netflix reality show, is following people on the autism spectrum as they navigate romantic relationships

This is one of Netflix's biggest shows, something this podcast says is due partly to the fact that the series both scratches the itch for people who enjoy reality dating viewing and the program is conducted in a nonexploitative, sensitive way that makes viewers truly want the best for the people navigating these situations.

The streamer no longer just offers TV and movies

As a means of keeping existing subscribers engaged, and to add new users on the margins, the streaming service began releasing its own original video games. Many are based on existing Netflix titles and franchises. See their current offerings here.

The 'Ratatouille' musical started as a joke on TikTok

It all started as a meme: What if “Ratatouille” were adapted for the stage? Just a few months later, though, it was an actual production, featuring genuine Broadway stars.

How Netflix's sound logo 'Tudum' was designed as a key sonic differentiator

The Netflix sound logo—called by the company "Tudum!"—debuted in 2015 and has become one of the world's most iconic sound symbols, designed to provoke anticipation. An immense amount of creative work went into designing this three-second sonic marker, which is heard daily worldwide by millions. Key players in its existence weigh in on its creation in this absorbing episode.

The NFL is so successful because it is perfectly suited for television

The predictable weekly cadence of football games ritualizes the experience of watching together, and their relative scarcity makes every game meaningful. With the stop-and-go play of the sport, there are predictable, repeating stoppages to allow broadcasters to sell lots of advertising inventory. The league sits in the sweet spot compared to MLB (many games) and NBA and soccer (continuous play with fewer ads). This Acquired episode distills fascinating insights into the NFL's business and history.

Movie trailers used to air after the film, hence why they’re called ‘trailers’

These in-theatre advertisements used to “trail” the movie rather than precede it. The first movie trailer shown at the movies dates back to 1913, when marketer Nils Granlund put together rehearsal footage of an upcoming Broadway musical to drive ticket sales.

Mo Amer shares his immigration journey through comedy and storytelling

In the 2025 "Code Switch" podcast, comedian Mo Amer discusses how his Netflix series, "Mo," and other stand-up specials draw on his real-life experience as a Palestinian refugee navigating the US immigration system.

'I Love to Eat' was the first nationally televised cooking show

Beard’s show, cohosted with Julia Child, debuted in 1946. It was invaluable in setting the stage for today’s massive trove of televised and online cooking content.

USA Television Network fictional series Royal Pains spotlights concierge medicine

This fictional television series, that aired from 2009-16, chronicles the adventures of a doctor who transitioned into offering concierge medicine for a big-spender clientele. As a private physician-for-hire he is on call to provide care 24/7.

The X Games pioneered broadcast innovation with live drone coverage

In 2015, ESPN used untethered drones for the first time in US live sports—deploying them at the X Games to capture aerial footage from angles previously impossible.

Watch every episode of David Attenborough's 'Life on Earth' series

A three-year global expedition by Attenborough and his team produced the television series, which debuted in the UK in 1979 and documented over 600 species in 40 countries. The series is estimated to have been seen by over 500 million people in more than 100 territories, including within the US, where is debuted on PBS in 1982.

A guide to YouTube TV

In addition to giving users the ability to watch videos for free, supported by ads, YouTube also offers premium subscription products that include an ad-free version of YouTube—as well as YouTube TV, which lets viewers stream live TV channels over the internet. This CNET overview of YouTube TV explains what viewers get with the service, including which channels and networks, as well as a cloud DVR and the ability to cancel anytime.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Sam Altman gave his first-ever startup pitch after dropping out of Stanford

He dropped out of Stanford to start Loopt, which sold in 2012 for $43.4M. You can watch his first-ever startup pitch in a video.

Watch a medley of Pets.com commercials with the famous sock puppet mascot

Pets.com used a sock puppet decorated like a dog (operated by comedian Michael Ian Black) as the company's mascot. The sock puppet became synonymous with the brand. An auto lender company called BarNone Inc. later purchased the sock puppet for $125K and rebranded it with the slogan "Everybody deserves a second chance."

Watch Budweiser's 2026 Super Bowl ad

Budweiser's Super Bowl LX commercial is called "American Icons" and features a Clydesdale foal.

Soap operas earned their name thanks to the sponsorships of soap brands

Many early 20th-century radio programs for women were sponsored by brands that introduced each new episode. Because these dramas were aimed at women, many of their sponsors were for household products, like soap. The association led some to refer to the shows as "soap operas," a title that stuck.

Hockey romance novels have become an unexpected sensation

The combination was not an obvious hit, but books like "Hockey With Benefits," "Body Check," and "Puck and Prejudice" (a Jane Austen fan fiction) have grown popular thanks to a romance novel boom and an interest on TikTok. Now, HBO and Amazon are taking note with streaming adaptations. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

A timeline of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour's primary rival

In 2021, the rival professional league LIV Golf Investments was unveiled. It was a move that reshaped men's professional golf. This Sports Illustrated Timeline dives into the twists and turns occurring since the announcement. Learn what star players left the PGA for LIV. Also, get details about the mutual agreement outlined in 2023, which has yet to come to fruition.

Hulu debuted a movie about Bumble Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2025

The film, called "Swiped," follows the story of Wolfe Herd's post-college career at Tinder, her ill-fated affair with Tinder cofounder Justin Mateen that led to her being pushed out of the company and an eventual lawsuit, and how she created Bumble. Wolfe Herd was not involved in the creation of the movie.

Tracey Ullman sued 'The Simpsons' after the cartoon left her show

The legendary and long-running animated show debuted as a series of shorts on "The Tracey Ullman Show" in 1987. Years later, after a standalone "The Simpsons" series became a breakout success, Ullman sued 20th Century Fox, the show's parent company, claiming she was owed royalties for merchandise based on the show.

Before it was a popular book, 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' began as a radio series

The science-fiction comedy began as a radio play on BBC Radio 4, broadcast between 1978 and 1980. The first novel appeared in 1979; two years later, it was adapted for television.

The Tony Awards were founded by Brock Pemberton

A Kansas boy who went on to become a groundbreaking Broadway producer, Brock Pemberton is also the founder of the Tony Awards. He went from a prodigious Midwestern newspaper reporter to a New York drama critic and quickly caught the attention of a local producer, who offered Pemberton a job and kick-started his decades-long Broadway career, which included cofounding the influential American Theatre Wing.

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, star of 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone,' quit 'Saturday Night Live' after just one week to return to her old job.

Walt Disney's early film 'Alice's Wonderland' was a groundbreaking innovation in the silent film era

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

SpaceX's S-1 or 'prospectus' revealed many previously unknown details about the company, including its unprofitability despite doing $18.7B in revenue in 2025, exactly how many voting shares Elon Musk will have in the company (roughly 85%), and more.

Children are now three times more likely to say they want to be a YouTuber when they grow up than an astronaut, with some even attending 'YouTube camps' that teach kids how to create content for the platform.

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Long before Major League Baseball began allowing instant replay for balls and strikes, an umpire reluctantly used the technology to determine whether a hit was a home run, a move that inadvertently ushered in a new era for the sport.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

The Beatles' US label rejected the band's first two singles, 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You,' with one executive calling the band 'dead in the water.'

In 2009, the nation was gripped by the story of a missing young boy who was believed to be floating over Colorado in a homemade balloon, until it was revealed that he was at home the whole time.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

Mid-century modern graphic designers, known for their bright colors and bold lines in advertising, also found success with children's books.

Search a massive database of over 4 decades of clues from the TV quiz show 'Jeopardy!'

'Saturday Night Fever,' the 1977 film that introduced disco to the mainstream, was based on a fabricated magazine story.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

Hear about the 250-year history of the United States Postal Service, complete with some of its strangest deliveries, important innovations, and the figures that made it an American institution.

Explore the known asteroids, comets, and spacecraft involved in asteroid studies within our solar system with 'Eyes on Asteroids,' a 3D visualization from NASA.

Brandi Chastain, the star of the 1999 US victory over China in the 1999 Women's World Cup, was a last-second choice to take the penalty kick that sealed the victory.

The name 'Silicon Valley' arose from the founding of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in Fairchild Semiconductor in 1956-57, founded near Stanford University in Palo Alto

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

An Ebola vaccine was developed during the 2018 west African Ebola outbreak, but the 2026 Ebola outbreak is with a different species of the virus, not the one that the vaccine is approved to treat.