Penny Thoughts ‘14—Sherlock: Many Happy Returns (2013) ***

NR, 8 min.

Creators: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat

Writers: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Rupert Graves, Jonathan Aris

“Sherlock” season 3 made its British premiere New Year’s Day to the highest ratings the series has ever pulled. It doesn’t premiere here in the States until January 19, but a couple of days before its British premiere this webisode hit the internet as a teaser for the whole world.

iSteve / *½ (NR)

Steve Jobs: Justin Long

Steve Wozniak: Jorge Garcia

Bill Gates: James Urbaniak

Melinda Gates: Michaela Watkins

Justin Long: Anthony Gioe

Funny or Die presents a film written and directed by Ryan Perez. Running time 79 min. Not rated. Contains language, depiction of drug use and brief sexuality.

This week the website Funny or Die released “the first Steve Jobs movie” online streaming free on their website and other streaming media outlets. “iSteve” is the first of three proposed movies about the pioneering computer engineer and programmer and co-founder of Apple Computers who passed away in October of 2011. It is also a joke, as is everything produced by Funny or Die.

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Electric City (2012) ***½

NR, 20 5-min. webisodes

Creator: Tom Hanks

Director: Joel Trussell

Writer: Tom Hanks

Starring: Tom Hanks, Holland Taylor, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Joey Kern, Tara Sands, Edith Fields, Jason Antoon, David Kaye, Tara Strong, John Rubinstein, June Diane Raphael, Paul Scheer, Georg Stanford Brown, James Urbaniak, Chad Coleman, Ginnifer Goodwin

Tom Hanks’ “Electric City” is an animated sci-fi web series that is totally unexpected. Taking place in a future world where some catastrophic event has totally changed our world, which has rebuilt itself into a more totalitarian state where electricity is a precious commodity that is controlled by the state. Anyone using electricity outside of the guidelines set forth by the state, even in small transistor radios, is dealt with by law enforcement. If their transgressions are more subversive to the establishment, there are assassins sanctioned to kill on behalf of the state.