Hulu has obtained sole rights to stream the comedy series “Schitt’s Creek” to its U.S. subscribers. All six seasons of the show will be available on Hulu beginning October 3, 2022.
“We can’t wait to share the award-winning, blisteringly-funny, yet heartwarming series and characters with our subscribers,” said Hulu president Joe Earley in a statement. “We know they’ll fit in nicely.”
Hulu snagging “Schitt’s Creek” is significant as the show has been hosted on Netflix since 2017. The series, which initially premiered on Canada’s CBC Television network, arguably gained substantial exposure on Netflix, as this Vulture article suggests.
The streaming rights shift also comes just after Netflix reported suboptimal first quarter earnings. Netflix told shareholders it’s “doubling down on story development and creative excellence” with regards to content.
The “Schitt’s Creek” move is indicative of the fragmented streaming landscape, as content migrates from one service to the next. For SVOD particularly, diversified content is key. According to analyst firm MoffettNathanson, viewers who cut the cord are increasingly doing so because of content access, less so due to pay TV costs.
Hulu isn’t likely to face a content drought anytime soon. The service in March began offering subscribers a Disney+ add-on for $2.99 per month. These additions could helps bolster content as NBC moves its broadcast next day episodes from Hulu to Peacock beginning this fall. Hulu this month also introduced unlimited DVR for all Hulu + Live TV subscribers.