When will Seinfeld be on Netflix? Everything we know so far…
(Credit: NBC)

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When will Seinfeld be on Netflix? Everything we know so far...

Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” -Jerry Seinfeld 

2020 has been a mixed bag. While most of it has brought nothing but despair, some of the good events have managed to keep us going. For instance, although Netflix has already lost streaming rights to one of the most popular fan favourites Friends, according to rumour mills, the streaming platform has acquired rights to the wonderful US series, SeinfeldThis beloved and celebrated sit-com were aired from 1989 to 1998 on NBC for nine long years, falling under the picks for “must-see” TV shows.  

Based in Manhattan, the series focuses on a group of neurotic and oddball friends, mainly on the observant and eccentric titular comedian Jerry Seinfeld. The disjointed events make ‘worlds collide”; much like a “comedy of manners”, the various petty conflicts and struggle of urban life sere as a backdrop for the events surrounding the lives of these city dwellers. 

While fans are excited for this ten-time Emmy winning series to finally air on their favourite streaming platform, in this era of fake news, a lot of rumours have confused them regarding the release date as well as other adjoining information. Here, at Best of Netflix, we have put on our Sherlock hats to dig deep into the matter, debunk the myths and help the fans conclude the deal struck between Netflix and Seinfeld

Let’s get started for our upcoming sessions of Seinfeld and chill. 

Is Seinfeld coming to Netflix?

According to Mike Hopkins, Chairman, Sony Pictures Television, “Seinfeld is one-of-a-kind, iconic, culture-defining show. Now, 30 years after its premiere, ‘Seinfeld’ remains centre stage. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Netflix to bring this beloved series to current fans and new audiences around the globe.”  

This gives us confirmation that the beloved series will be aired on Netflix quite soon. 

Michael Richards and Jerry Seinfeld. (Credit: Alan Light)

When is Seinfeld coming to Netflix?

In 2015 Seinfeld had struck a deal with Hulu for a whopping $160 million, wherein it made its streaming debut. However, its deal with Hulu has come to an end with an expiration period of five years. Netflix, who was on of the top contenders in acquiring the rights to the show alongside HBOMax and Comcast, finally won the bidding race, by purchasing streaming rights for a massive $500 million, to compensate for its loss of Friends and The Office

Seinfeld will be streaming on Netflix in 2021 as a part of its five-year global deal. As the Chief Content Officer at Netflix, Ted Sarandos affirmed, “Seinfeld is the television comedy that all television comedy is measured against. It is as fresh and funny as ever and will be available to the world in 4K for the first time. We can’t wait to welcome Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer to their new global home on Netflix.”

How many episodes of Seinfeld will stream on Netflix?

Seinfeld ran for nine successful seasons with 180 episodes, receiving 68 Emmy nominations. All the episodes will be streaming on Netflix as a part of its worldwide deal.

Since Netflix has acquired global streaming rights, Seinfeld will be available worldwide for fans to stream. 

Will Netflix improve the picture quality of Seinfeld episodes?

As Sarandos confirmed, Netflix shall be acquiring the episodes in a format upscaled to display 4K images.

Being old, the episodes might have lower resolution, but that has not been confirmed yet. 

Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. (Credit: Alan Light)

Will Hulu and Netflix share commonalities while streaming Seinfeld?

Hulu had a special feature of a shuffle button that allowed viewers to randomly watch an episode according to their algorithm. Netflix’s algorithm is far more complex and nuanced than the presence of a simple button. It has never had the shuffle feature for any other show and will most likely not have one for Seinfeld either. 

There has been a recent buzz regarding Netflix sharing streaming rights with Hulu. However, none of the companies have confirmed this. As of now, Seinfeld shall be streaming on Netflix, and it is time to rewatch the old series and binge on it, cracking up to the odd humour and sarcasm.  

How is Seinfeld the game-changer for Netflix?

Netflix recently let go of its streaming rights of Friends to WarnerMedia for $425 million and The Office to NBCUniversal for $500 million. However, the companies shelled out mammoth amounts, gaining only domestic streaming rights, concentrated to the United States. Shows like The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men are returning to their parent companies; Netflix refuses to waste its resource pursuing these shows as the parent companies would end up essentially paying themselves in the due course of the bidding. 

Seinfeld, which is more popular in the US, has been pursued relentlessly by Netflix, the reason behind which remains rooted in the show’s popularity despite being dropped by NBC nearly 20 years back. Netflix, which already streams Jerry Seinfeld’s popular series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, did not allow their business deal to be influenced by personal and professional relationships. As we all know, to the current Netflix streamers, if a show does not exist on this giant streaming platform, the show probably does not exist at all. One would not take up a Crackle or a Comcast subscription to view their favourite show. Sensing the impending increase in viewership of the adorable series that aged like fine wine, Netflix, like a true business corporation, has acquired its rights. Give Netflix a whiff of business and it will pursue that aggressively!