Audience: Viewers Status: User Guide
A show is a creator’s collection of episodes. This guide explains how a show page is laid out, how to browse and watch its episodes, and how to tell which episodes you can watch for free and which need a subscription or a purchase.
Finding a show
Each show lives at its own web address. That can be a subdomain on Third Coast TV or a creator’s own custom domain. Opening that address brings you to the show page, where the episodes are listed.
How a show is organized
Creators arrange their episodes in one of three ways, so a show page looks a little different depending on the style:
- Seasons. Episodes are grouped into seasons, the way a series often is. You pick a season and then an episode within it.
- Absolute. Episodes are one ongoing numbered list rather than being split into seasons. This suits an open-ended run of episodes.
- Events. Episodes are presented as events, which fits one-off broadcasts and occasions.
In every style the listing shows each episode with its thumbnail and title so you can scan for what you want.
Browsing and watching episodes
Select an episode from the show page to open its page, where the player and the episode details live. Playback starts on its own, and the player chooses the right quality for your connection. For a full walkthrough of the player and its controls, see vod-public.
From an episode you can move on to the next one using the Next control in the player.
How access works
Some episodes are open to everyone, and some are limited. Each episode page makes clear what you can do:
- Free episodes play for anyone. Some episodes are open only to people with the direct link rather than appearing in the show’s listing.
- Subscriber episodes need an active subscription to the creator. Some are limited to a specific subscription tier.
- Perk episodes are limited to viewers who hold a particular perk.
- Purchase episodes are sold on their own. The purchase can be permanent, so you keep access, or a rental that lasts for a set time. Some of these also unlock with an active subscription.
- Ticketed events are live broadcasts sold by the ticket. One ticket covers the live show and a replay window afterward. See Buying a Ticket to a Live Event.
When an episode needs something you do not have yet, the page tells you what is required instead of playing the video.
Subscribing or purchasing
If an episode is gated, the episode page is where you go to unlock it.
- To unlock subscriber and tier episodes, take out a subscription to the creator. A subscription unlocks the creator’s subscriber episodes, and a tier subscription also unlocks the episodes set to that tier.
- To unlock a purchase episode, buy or rent it from the episode page. A rental gives you access for a set window, and a permanent purchase keeps it.
For more on memberships, tiers, and what a subscription includes, see subscriptions-public.