Content:  

Historically Fox has been low on quality programming, often seemingly kept afloat by The Simpsons and The X-Files while such luminaries as Herman’s Head, The Chevy Chase Show, and Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire were given their shot. While we are the first to agree that Fox has had more success of late than in years past, the Fox on Demand is still comes up short on quality programming. This is due their reliance on solely Fox TV programming. Our number 1-ranked site, Hulu, pulls in content from the likes of NBC, FOX, Comedy Central, Bravo, the Sci-Fi channel, and more. By comparison, Fox on Demand is a barren wasteland with a few desert flowers here and there. 

Ease of Use:  

Searching for shows by name, date, and popularity is not as easy as we’re used to. This is due the fact that there’s no search box on the Fox on Demand site.  Yes, you can believe what you just read. If you are just aching for reruns of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., you’re out of luck. Should you suspect your neighbor of that string of burglaries back in 1999 (because he was partying like it was that year ALL YEAR LONG), you can neither search for America’s Most Wanted Episode 1734, nor can you search for America’s Most Wanted by year.

The lack of a search function is disappointing in and of itself, but add to that the need for a special media player to view any of the videos and you have a recipe for irritation. Installation doesn’t take more than a few minutes, but if your browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer) doesn’t restore the other tabs you may have had open, you can lose your work/research/Scrabulous game. Yes, after installing the special Fox on Demand player, you have to close your browser and reopen it.  

Advertising:  

Advertising is unfortunately here to stay on the internet, and one wouldn’t expect a major network to provide ad-free viewing in any shape or form. Fox is no different, although we did not enjoy seeing the same WaMu (Washington Mutual) ad FOUR times during Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles in addition to the persistent WaMu ad right next to the player.

In addition, there is a nice “Dim Lights” feature that dims the screen so the video is the most prominent…AND the WaMu ad!  

Features:  

Fox on Demand has a fairly standard feature set. We say “fairly” because it’s missing what has become standard in online TV viewing. Notably, you can’t watch anything in HD resolution, and if you’re a blogger that likes a particular show, you can’t embed a Fox on Demand video in your blog. It’s a strange decision Fox have made, not to allow other people to give them free advertisement.

On the positive side, Fox on Demand has a user community and a ratings system, so you can show your approval or discontent with any episode Fox on Demand offers. 

Help/Support:  

Fox on Demand offers basic help and support, should navigating the site or problems installing the player plague you. You can contact them via email, look at the FAQ, or browse the User Forums.

Fox on Demand is not the best Internet TV site you’ll find, hence its ranking. A shallow library and lack of basic functions make it both difficult to find what you’re looking for and an overall hassle to use. Four of our top 5-ranked Internet TV sites all have Fox programming available, and you’d be better off searching for your favorite show on Hulu, Fancast, and Modern Feed.