Buckle up and get ready to enjoy some really off-the-wall programming. DIRECTV has turned on IFC for all subscribers for over a month!
What is IFC?
IFC was originally the “independent film channel” but like so many channels in the 2000s its purpose drifted. It went years without really knowing what it was. In the last several years it has started airing commercials, stopped airing independent films, and shaken up its identity. It’s become a fairly rare bird.
I say that because, with its blend of cynical comedy and off-the-wall weirdness, it almost seems as if this channel actually targets Generation X. If you’ve never heard of Generation X, I don’t blame you. Millennials, now the largest generation in history, seem to ignore those born between 1965 and 1980. Those people are looked at as having practically no purpose in today’s world. Millennials seemingly embrace 1980s and 1990s pop culture without recognizing who that culture originally appealed to.
IFC shows embody the spirit of self-referential double entendre that oozed out of nearly every TV show in the 1980s and 1990s. It’s as if Ferris Bueller himself were the top programming executive.
The shows of IFC
Sherman’s Showcase is undoubtedly the show that IFC wants me to talk about here. It’s a sketch comedy show that premieres during the free preview period. But while you’re there, check out Comedy Bang! Bang!, Maron, Garfunkel and Oates, and the extremely well-reviewed and Gen-X pandering Portlandia. These scripted shows really do a great job of keeping the spirit of cynicism alive while mixing it with quick wit. They also feature a smattering of our most beloved (former) slackers.
Watch IFC now
DIRECTV has IFC on channel 333, in high definition of course. If you’re tired of millennials running the conversation and if you can take a few minutes away from helping your local baby boomer with her computer problems, you’ll find some great shows that make sense to you.
