Easy to Assemble was often hailed as a success story in the star-crossed world of original Web content. The show featured Hollywood actress Illeana Douglas and a seemingly perfect fit with sponsor Ikea as an integral part of the programming without it coming across as heavyhanded. In a sea of one-off amateurish shows and forgettable projects from the TV world, Assemble attracted big-name actors like Jeff Goldblum, Jane Lynch, Tom Arnold, Ed Begley Jr. and others. Its first season, in 2008, attracted a million viewers. Ad executives often cited it as one of the best examples of branded entertainment online — the show takes place in an Ikea, where a fictional version of Douglas has supposedly given up acting and taken a job.
So why was Easy to Assemble missing for two years before inking a deal with My Damn Channel to return this fall?
More in Media

Why publishers are questioning the effectiveness of blocking AI web crawlers
Publishers are unsure if blocking AI web crawlers is enough to protect their content from being scraped and used to feed AI tools and systems.

Meta adds a human element to AI, while others warn it all could be too ‘human like’
New features include a new chatbot called MetaAI, Bing search integration, new AI image tools, and dozens of celebrity characters.

Financial Times targets U.S. and global readers with subscription app products
The Financial Times has launched another lower-priced, subscription-based mobile app product a year after the debut of FT Edit to reach international readers.