In another sign that Hulu is stepping up its game, the digital video giant has landed the SVOD rights to “Seinfeld,” cutting a deal with Sony Pictures TV for all 180 episodes of the enduring NBC comedy.
The deal is said to be valued at just under $1 million an episode, which translates to a nearly $180 million windfall to be split by distributor Sony TV, Time Warner’s Castle Rock and “Seinfeld” profit participants, including star/co-creator Jerry Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David. The pact is expected to be announced at Hulu’s upfront presentation on Wednesday.
Sony TV, which has long controlled distribution rights to the series on behalf of original producer Castle Rock TV, has been shopping the property for its first SVOD licensing pact for the past few months. A limited number of “Seinfeld” reruns have been available online via Sony TV’s ad-supported Crackle video platform, but the Hulu pact marks the first time the series will be available in its entirety in the new era of binge-viewing.
The deal is said to be valued at just under $1 million an episode, which translates to a nearly $180 million windfall to be split by distributor Sony TV, Time Warner’s Castle Rock and “Seinfeld” profit participants, including star/co-creator Jerry Seinfeld and co-creator Larry David. The pact is expected to be announced at Hulu’s upfront presentation on Wednesday.
Sony TV, which has long controlled distribution rights to the series on behalf of original producer Castle Rock TV, has been shopping the property for its first SVOD licensing pact for the past few months. A limited number of “Seinfeld” reruns have been available online via Sony TV’s ad-supported Crackle video platform, but the Hulu pact marks the first time the series will be available in its entirety in the new era of binge-viewing.
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Is Seinfeld worth watching?
ReplyDeleteI still think its the best TV comedy of all time. I've seen the episode dozens of times each and still always laugh
ReplyDeleteI loved it but like many shows of its era it may not work for people watching it now. Its very 90s but also brilliant.
ReplyDeletehate Seinfeld and hulu's "service" so another great reason to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome. Funny like Friends?
ReplyDeleteIs it as good as Friends? :)
ReplyDeleteI think its a lot better but its also really different. Friends is much more a standard sitcom, really well done and obviously had a great cast. Seinfeld has sitcom elements but its just a different vibe. I suggest checking out a random episode and seeing if you like the style or not.
ReplyDeleteMuch, much better than Friends (and I live Friends a lot) but it's totally different. There's no drama, no relationships.. people never learn and grow. That's a big part of what Seinfeld is known for. It's just non-stop jokes, there's never a theme of the week or something to be learned. It perfected long-term storytelling with comedy; over 9 seasons they built such a huge and memorable world of recurring characters and gags. It will probably take a while to get into. Seinfeld is the rare exception where a show actually kept getting better with age.
ReplyDeleteI think it's one of the 90s sitcoms that's held up the best. The first couple of seasons seem super dated, but they're still funny.
ReplyDeleteYeah I think its not too dated, I mean the clothes are hilariously 90s but that is to be expected. Even though I only watched Seinfeld for the first time a few years ago, because I grew up in the 90s I found it very easy to get any references.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback. I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to answer my question. :)
ReplyDeleteseinfeld could easily be in my top 10 fav.
ReplyDeleteIt is BUT it has aged poorly
ReplyDeleteYea, I mean I was born 2 years after it premiered so for much of its initial run I wasn't aware at all. But I grew up with my parents and family being huge fans and it was HUGE in syndication when I was young and started falling in love with TV.. now I own all the seasons on DVD.
ReplyDeleteSo have most shows. Humour wise it's still fantastic. And that hasn't changed with time.
ReplyDeleteGod I wish I could downvote.
ReplyDeletewhy, because I said what I think, well God f*cking forbid.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the 90's sitcoms I managed to watch reruns of recently, Seinfeld seem to have looked more dated than even season 1 of Friends in terms of how well-preserved its archived episodes are.
ReplyDeleteHulu is such a joke. Every person who pays for it needs slapped.
ReplyDeleteNever found Seinfeld or Friends for that matter funny at all.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's a US/UK humour translation thing. More of a Fawlty Towers/The Day Today/Spaced fan :)
someone gave me Hulu for a couple months as a "gift", tried watching an older TV show, it had over 6 commercials for a 30 minute show, never went back.
ReplyDeleteLoved Spaced and always got a kick out of Coupling. Am also a big Brit TV/Humor fan.
ReplyDeleteTrue but Seinfeld moreso than other shows of its generation. Mostly due to the then already out of date clothing and hairstyle. Plus the show was still shot on older cameras than appropriate for its generation (there's a whole chapter on Seinfelds then antiquated style of filming in my History of Film book for film studies).
ReplyDeleteHumor wise it's without a doubt still the best there is (have you seen Comedians in Cars getting Coffee? That one is getting close)
Well Seinfeld debuted in 1989 whereas Friends didn't come around until 1994 so it doesn't just look more dated, it IS more dated.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a cool course. Closest I've had to that was a Latin America Film History course. No I have not,I feel I should.
ReplyDeleteI'd be okay with it if they had ads during currently airing shows. Those have more value. The ads in the back catalog are a deal breaker for me though.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that that that money is also going to the very networks who have held back streaming for years leaves a bad taste in my mouth too.
also, there is the Netflix comparison. while they don't have the most robust catalog they have been doing really great originals and what they do have has no ads for the same price as Hulu.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I wish TV channels, on Rouk, Apple Tv, Xbox etc... would go to an al a carte and just let me pay a flat fee to watch that channel for an anual or smeiannual fee. but apparently the cable company's ball gag is well tight in the mouth of such an option.
Fawlty Towers is the best!
ReplyDeleteI do think culture has a lot to do with how we relate to comedy, so I totally get your point. Some jokes are just too North-American for me too...
At first I thought: "Whoa! That seems like quite a big fee..."
ReplyDeleteAnd then I did the math, and nah... it's pretty reasonable...
I would never watch anything on Hulu with ads coming up every 5 minutes.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the years of repeats on broadcast channels i'd never spend 180 mil for that,not when there are other shows/series that are out there... Its admiral that they want to play with the big boy but first get rid of all those commercials,or at least cut down on them...
ReplyDeleteDon't think you can just use the US/UK thing. I never cared for either of them myself. I do like Fawlty Towers but didn't care for Coupling. Of course, I'm not a big fan of most sitcoms.
ReplyDeleteIt is but unfortunately we also have a long as hell list of pretty much every antiquited camera operating system and shooting technique. I don't see movies/shows anymore...all I now see are production details :P (not really but it becomes apparent in a lot of scenes and reflects in my opinion). For example Arrow, it's shot in gorgeous sets but is lit very badly. That might be wanted but at times makes it hard to see several details (for example the first Arrow/Canary fight, where Oliver and Sara switch weapons. Beautifully shot but badly lit)
ReplyDeleteYou really need to, it's free on crackle http://www.crackle.com/c/comedians-in-cars-getting-coffee
It's not scripted but Jerry and his guests portray themselves as characters (still name themselves with their real names but are outworldishly quirky).
It's truly a show about nothing but thanks to Seinfeld and his guests incredibly hilarious to watch
what a waste... to think with that money they could of made their own shows like 4 or 5 of them.
ReplyDeleteits a no point to it comedy, there is comedy but no story.
ReplyDeleteYea one time I got the trial sub, before cuz at the time they were the only one who has a show I wanted when I was not at my house, and bam right after the opening credits ads! I was like wtf. what a poor service it is.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but then Hulu would be trying.
ReplyDeleteDamn that cast still is drinking from that sweet, sweet syndication tit.
ReplyDeleteI've never used Hulu...can u fast forward the ads?...or are u forced to watch them?...☺...
ReplyDeletemost comedy is too NA for me and I live here. I rarely watch any American comedy shows, they are just dreadful.
ReplyDeleteWell taste and personal sense of humour always matter, but I do very strongly believe that culture plays a part in it too.
ReplyDelete