A lot of iconic comedies have started streaming over the past several years, including shows like Friends and Seinfeld, that have had a long shelf life in syndication prior to being made available for binge-watching. However, there's one popular syndicated show that hasn't been snapped up by a streaming service, yet, although now it looks as if Hulu will be rectifying that situation. That's right, The Golden Girls is headed to streaming.
Reports this week indicate that Hulu has struck a deal with the owners of the former NBC comedy to bring it to streaming, in full, for the first time. The announcement was made at Hulu's TCA press panel (via Deadline). The news also stated that The Golden Girls will be streaming very soon, as the entire library of the series will hit the service on February 13.
While Netflix has spent a ton of its budget creating original programming, Hulu has spent more time cultivating a library of fan favorites, including the aforementioned Seinfeld. Hulu does have some originals, as well, but Hulu's Head of Content Craig Erich openly stated at the press day that the hope was to bring in more series that are "fan favorites" and would work best with "longtime fans." That's pretty much the opposite of what Netflix is trying to do right now, making Hulu a viable option in a different way.
The Golden Girls originally ran from 1985-1992 on NBC. That's a relatively long time for a TV series, and it's managed to stay so memorable mostly due to its incredible cast, including Betty White, Rue McClanahan and others, and its relatively underdone premise, which featured four older women living together in Florida after the owner of the house puts out an ad for roommates. The show has also maintained relevance over the years by reappearing on networks like TV Land, and getting shoutouts in pop culture, even by movie characters like Deadpool.
In addition to adding shows like The Golden Girls to the Hulu lineup, the streaming service is also looking to expand in another big way. Right now, Hulu is putting together a live TV streaming option, which will include most of the major networks, like CBS, and will be a direct competitor to something like Sling TV. We'll let you know if the streaming service makes any other big moves in the coming months.
Along with The Golden Girls, new seasons of The Path and The Mindy Project are expected to hit Hulu this winter, and Hulu also recently reported it nabbed the exclusive streaming rights to ABC's black-ish. To find out what else is headed to television, take a look at our midseason TV premiere schedule.
