Earlier this week, news broke that the comedy streaming platform Seeso was shutting its doors. While it's easy for us to play armchair quarterback about how this happened, we mustn't overlook the impact the network had on younger, emerging comedians, with different voices. In addition to sporting a large catalog of many classic and necessary comedy programming, the network worked hard to roll out a lot of original shows that were incredibly artist friendly and allowed for new voices to be showcased. All in the name of comedy.
That's why this is unfortunate news for comedy - and it stings a bit more on the heels of @midnight ending for similar reasons - because Seeso took risks on interesting programming and new talent. Working with a spectrum of different funny people in comedy, and in a way that other networks have yet to really do on the same scale. Equal parts island of misfit toys, next generation, and heritage comedy that deserved to be easily accessible en mass.
While in the end, there might just not have been enough runway for this startup endeavor, it should be praised for building the platform it did in such a short time.
In short, comedians noticed. Not just the ones had shows on the platform, but comedians who saw the bigger picture and recognized what the network was trying to do. Here are just some of the comics paying homage to Seeso. Which in the end might be the best legacy the network leaves us with.
The truth is, @SeesoTV paid me and a lot of my friends to do a lot of shit that nobody else would touch and it sucks they're shuttering.
— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) August 9, 2017
Seeso let me make the exact show I wanted. I'm very proud to have been a part of it. I got to work with friends as well as my comedy heroes.
— Jonah Ray Rodrigues (@jonahray) August 9, 2017
I'm grateful to @SeesoTV for the gift of working with my longtime friend @kulap & being introduced to a new group of friends that I cherish.
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) August 9, 2017
Yeah, @SeesoTV produced American Cunt, uncensored and unedited. @eshap took a lot of risks and helped a lot of us get our voices out there. https://t.co/pMxP1TeqfB
— Jena Friedman (@JenaFriedman) August 9, 2017
THIS. Thank you @Seeso for taking a chance on my special. https://t.co/XvzuATZYJF
— Laurie Kilmartin (@anylaurie16) August 9, 2017
Huge thanks to @SeesoTV for helping a labor of love that started in Chicago in 2011. You were wonderful partners. @tedtremper @glasgowscrap pic.twitter.com/5Ow0PWmNyu
— Tim Baltz (@tim_baltz) August 10, 2017
Seeso paid and treated comics fairly and now it's no more while lots of places that don't,thrive. Really sad when you think about it.
— Mike Lawrence (@TheMikeLawrence) August 9, 2017
And perhaps more than anyone, Cameron Esposito really broke down what her project, Take My Wife did on the Seeso platform.I will forever be grateful to @SeesoTV for @BajillionTV. They let me make the show I wanted to make with the best cast, writers and crew. pic.twitter.com/Ul9Xr3BBac
— Kulap Vilaysack (@Kulap) August 9, 2017
Goodbye Seeso, those that knew you are grateful.Wanted to tell u what having a show on Seeso allowed us to do. I am so proud of #TakeMyWife. pic.twitter.com/UatqOyrPY7
— Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) August 9, 2017