My full review of ABC's new online-only show "Squeegees" -- the first show from the new Disney digital production unit, Stage 9 -- will appear tomorrow in THR. I'll link it up when it's live. But for now I wanted to post a little more about something I didn't get to cover much in the review, i.e., why networks need to produce videos that appeal to more specific cohorts, instead of regurgitating network fare intended for a broad audience.

To make "Squeegees," ABC hired Handsome Donkey, an online comedy troupe that garnered some praise last year for their frat boy-ish comedy videos. Take a look at their vids. Le Montage: a spoof on movie montages and their inevitable feel good endings. Photograph: A spoof on a Nickelback song, and horrendous music video filmmaking techniques. Bad Candy: on ill-conceived confections. These are all highly specific, mostly guy-oriented vids. Dude humor for dudes.

Now watch "Squeegees." It's about as basic as sitcoms come. Instead of riffing on cultural themes, the show uses gag humor. Naked dudes hanging from straps. Stupid dude eating glass. This is lowest common denominator fare, made to appeal to a general ABC audience.

That's what I don't understand. Why treat online video like TV? Why create something meant to appeal to a broad spectrum, when what the Web does best is coddle small(ish) groups of devoted viewers. If ABC wants to push boundaries -- and don't tell me that hookup in the office scene was a boundary pusher, 'cause it was laughable -- then they should identify specific parts of their larger demo and appeal directly to them.

In its rush to copy the success of short form online videos, ABC has only managed to copy the format of the videos. That's the wrong tack to take. The real value is in the content.

P.S. The intro to the show reminds me of that crappy video Ben Stiller made from Winona's tapes in "Reality Bites." Just sayin. Fail.