As per Netflix’s Co-CEO Ted Sarandos’ statement, “This is the first time we’ve taken a risk of this nature, going [all-in] on nine seasons at the jump. But Jerry has created something special with this sitcom that nobody has ever done. I truly think he and Mr. David have enormous futures ahead of them and I’m thrilled Netflix could be the home for them to grow their fanbases.” Of course, for those who didn’t get Netflix’s meta-esque humor, it references the award-winning show as if it was something new, which it obviously isn’t. Netflix event went as far as to hype the show as “2021’s hottest new show” before clarifying that it isn’t really new - just new to Netflix.
Why did it take so long for Seinfeld to premiere on Netflix?
Netflix penned the lucrative five-year deal with Sony Pictures Television back in 2019, acquiring the rights of the former NBC series. Unfortunately, the show was still under a different streaming deal with Hulu. Because of this, Netflix had to wait for the deal to run its course through the middle of 2021. Seinfeld is an iconic sitcom where Jerry Seinfeld stars as a fictional version of himself alongside an ensemble cast that includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jason Alexander. The show follows all four cast members as they try to navigate their way through New York City, all the while fighting over parking spaces and forgetting where they parked, as well as so much more. The show is also bookended by Seinfeld’s stand-up comedy, as his character in the show also works as a comedian, albeit someone who is obviously less successful than his real-life self. The NBC show originally ran for nine seasons from July 1989 and May 1998 where it won 10 Emmy awards. The addition of Seinfeld to Netflix is good news for U.S subscribers. The streaming platform has lost a handful of iconic sitcoms over the years, chief among them are Friends and How I Met Your Mother. Although Seinfeld is up there in age compared to the two aforementioned sitcoms, we think that it’s still enjoyable for younger audiences.
