Netflix announced a non-exclusive 2 year deal with CBS to stream catalog titles, with the first titles arriving in April.
Content covered under the new deal includes the long-running drama, "Medium" and the summer season favorite, "Flashpoint." Also covered under the agreement are episodes from some of television's most iconic franchises. Full seasons of sitcom greats "Frasier," "Family Ties" and "Cheers" will be streaming instantly from Netflix. Episodes from the original "Hawaii Five-0" are included in the package, as are episodes from all generations of the definitive sci-fi series, "Star Trek," and the cult favorite, "Twin Peaks." Installments of '60s classics, "The Twilight Zone" and "The Andy Griffith Show," will be available as well.
Thanks to Justin, John, Carl, James and everyone else for sending this in.
Awesome!
Posted by: Crow550 | February 22, 2011 at 04:59 PM
"CBS retains an option to extend the agreement for up to two additional years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed."
Notice that CBS gets an option for a contract extension, but Netflix doesn't. So if Netflix revenues plateau, CBS gets to whack Netflix with the option for another two years. Whereas if Netflix keeps going gangbusters, CBS can throw away the option and refuse to extend the contract without more money. All the leverage is on the CBS side.
I'm curious why this clause is in the contract. Has it been in the other streaming contracts?
Posted by: Tom | February 22, 2011 at 05:09 PM
Which version of Star Trek is it? The newer remastered ones, or the original effects versions?
And JUST the original Star Trek? There were six series total, I'd like to see them ALL up there, not just the first one.
Posted by: Dopefish | February 22, 2011 at 05:10 PM
Clause for CBS option is in probably for Netflix to get the deal done. I'm sure netflix has priced in the possibility of a plateau in their negotiations, but if this does good for both of them, maybe a new deal will serve up with newer-ish content as well (CBS is just getting its feet wet.....again).
Posted by: Justin | February 22, 2011 at 05:11 PM
I thought it was every season of all the Trek series?
Posted by: Crow550 | February 22, 2011 at 05:16 PM
I'm going to assume they mean only the original Star Trek
Posted by: Jamie | February 22, 2011 at 05:16 PM
This phrase: 'as are episodes from all generations of the definitive sci-fi series, Star Trek' - meaning every series! Otherwise they would have stated just the original trek. This is EXCELLENT news!
Posted by: MSR | February 22, 2011 at 05:20 PM
"Notice that CBS gets an option for a contract extension, but Netflix doesn't."
Doesn't it sort of go without saying that Netflix would want to keep the CBS stuff after two years? This is very desirable programming and it's not like they can get these shows from someone else.
Posted by: Dennis | February 22, 2011 at 05:35 PM
"Ah, Seven of Nine, we meet again. What's that about resistence? Oh, you naughty Borg, you. Just make sure Janeway knows she's the third in this party."
Posted by: dAVe | February 22, 2011 at 05:38 PM
Yippee more usless tv shows that I could find on TV land at 3:30 Am in the morning. signing up for Amazon Prime baby!!!
Posted by: jolly | February 22, 2011 at 05:42 PM
Sweet, even more options from Netflix. Not like I was running out of content to watch.
@jolly
Have fun with inferior video quality.
Posted by: ScottZ | February 22, 2011 at 05:49 PM
@jolly
LOL, TV Land has long since abandoned the really good classic tv shows-at least during primetime, and mose certantly at 3am!
Posted by: TigerT | February 22, 2011 at 06:13 PM
ok
Posted by: alan | February 22, 2011 at 06:17 PM
Glad to see "Family Ties" is back. I watched the first season via streaming a few years ago. Such a great cast with amazing chemistry.
"Twilight Zone" is always a fun watch, but I already own all of the episodes.
Posted by: Ryan | February 22, 2011 at 07:07 PM
i hope "Melrose Place" & "I Love Lucy" will be streaming...;o)
Posted by: D | February 22, 2011 at 07:34 PM
put me down for Carol Burnett, please
Posted by: sit10 | February 22, 2011 at 07:51 PM
I hope we get alot of newer shows: NCIS, CSIs, and the like. And others such as Dallas and Dukes of Hazzard.
Posted by: Matt | February 22, 2011 at 08:10 PM
There are Amazonian tribes who have never had ANY contact with any other humans and have never seen anything harder than a rock that are already sick of Twilight Zone, Cheers and Family Ties. I'll be excited as long as they offer something more rare. The hour-long Carol Burnett, Barnaby Jones, Sonny and Cher, Alice & The Equalizer would be a good start.
Posted by: PRTV | February 22, 2011 at 08:18 PM
Uhm guys, it says right there "all generations" of Star Trek. I would assume that means every series, from the original to Enterprise.
Posted by: vio | February 22, 2011 at 09:14 PM
Glad to see the twilite zone added. Timeless stuff rite there.
Posted by: FearNo1 | February 22, 2011 at 09:50 PM
Where's the love for TWIN PEAKS in this chat??? That is a show that is what NETFLIX STREAMING is all about in that it's a cult classic you can't find anywhere that a whole new generation of people will get an opportunity to appreciate and behold!
Posted by: Nasty Nate | February 22, 2011 at 09:58 PM
I think One Step Beyond would be a a nice compliment to Twilight Zone.
Posted by: Kyle | February 23, 2011 at 01:25 AM
How is it that shows like "Family Ties", "Cheers" and Frasier", which aired on NBC, are in CBS' library?
Posted by: Galagatron | February 23, 2011 at 03:30 AM
@Fraggle Rocker - Because CBS studios produced/made the shows, even though they originally showed on NBC.
A lot of TV programs are like that, oddly enough.
Posted by: Major_kerina | February 23, 2011 at 05:01 AM
@ Fraggle -- TV shows are owned by the studios that make them, not the networks that air them, just as your TV is a product of Sony even though you bought it from the distributor Best Buy. These shows are now under the CBS umbrella, though a number (Cheers, Fraiser, and the Trek) were made by Paramount... which is owned by Viacom, which owns CBS. (Adding to the fun, classic Trek WAS owned by Desilu, which was bought by Paramount, which was bought by Viacom....)
Posted by: Matt Lafferty | February 23, 2011 at 05:07 AM
This is a step backwards unless (like the Criterion/Hulu deal) it opens the vaults for content that won't realistically get a home video release.
Otherwise, why would you want to watch THE TWILIGHT ZONE and STAR TREK this way, instead of on Blu-ray, in 1080p, with copious extras?
Posted by: Perkins Cobb | February 23, 2011 at 06:07 AM
Not much of interest to me here but very cool to see it expanding. People are far too inpatient
Posted by: things | February 23, 2011 at 08:20 AM
@ Crow550 The same, I also thought it was every season of all the Trek series.
Posted by: onychomycosis treatment | February 23, 2011 at 11:40 AM
AWESOME! I was just hoping Cheers would show up.
Posted by: Zaphod | February 23, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Oh, and PRTV: Maybe you prefer "The Sonny and Cher show" to The Twilight Zone, but the rest of the planet doesn't.
I'm hoping it will be available in HD since those have been released on Blu!
Posted by: Zaphod | February 23, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Please oh please let Taxi come to instant streaming. The DVD method is becoming cumbersome.
Posted by: Michael | February 23, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Yeah more crap to have to sift through to find a quality movie to watch.
Posted by: jolly | February 23, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Reading further into this, it sounds like it's just "select episodes" of Star Trek. I don't want them if we aren't getting the full seasons. I'll want the DVDs anyway!
Posted by: MSR | February 23, 2011 at 02:27 PM
60 Minutes?
Posted by: Rock | February 23, 2011 at 03:08 PM
Real Trekkies have memorized all the dialog from every episode of the original series. We don't need that one broadcast.
Posted by: PatB | February 23, 2011 at 03:27 PM
According to a NY Times article CBS most popular recent shows are EXCLUDED from the deal
Importantly, the deal excludes all of CBS’s biggest shows, reiterating the network’s position that television comes first and the Web comes second for now.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/in-deal-with-netflix-new-revenue-for-cbs/?ref=television
Posted by: Jamie | February 23, 2011 at 05:07 PM
To me, it would be alright to stream shows that have ended their run. Also, if a show is on for more than four years we should be able to stream at least the first couple seasons. Why can't networks syndicate their shows to netflix like they do for other networks?
Posted by: Matt | February 23, 2011 at 07:34 PM
I am very excited about Star Trek. I want to re-watch TNG and Voyager really bad. I also want to watch Twin Peaks for the first time.
Posted by: InstaFlicka Podcast | February 23, 2011 at 07:43 PM
Something to replace the Criterion catalogue, I guess ... Trading La Règle du jeu for Family Ties is a bit of a let down, I suspect.
Posted by: Duke of Omnium | February 23, 2011 at 09:21 PM
What's everybody forgetting is that Netflix is adding something, but what are the dropping(Fox shows)?
Posted by: Matt | February 23, 2011 at 09:40 PM