Netflix acquires rights to the best sitcom ever made

Serenity now.

Yes, all art is subjective.

Yes, wantonly declaring any piece of pop culture to be the very best of its kind is only ever going to invite heated debate.

But come on guys, can we really argue against Seinfeld being the greatest sitcom in all creation?

Sure, you can come at me with Frasier, the golden age of The Simpsons, the UK Office, Fawlty Towers, Father Ted, Cheers, Curb Your Enthusiasm and maybe even Friends…

…and yet Seinfeld still towers over all of ’em, sorry.

If you missed out on the show during its original run from 1989 to 1998 or catching up after the fact via DVDs (remember those?) and the like, and you’re a patient soul; good news – Netflix has officially acquired the worldwide rights.

Currently housed on Hulu in the United States of America and Amazon in the rest of the world, the award-winning sitcom will make the move to Netflix in 2021.

The Los Angeles Times notes that the five-year deal will see Netflix present all 180 episodes to its 151 million subscribers throughout the world.

A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to JOE that the Irish platform will indeed carry the misadventures of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer.

Meanwhile, the Netflix UK & Ireland Twitter account made a point of retweeting the below, so it’s all looking pretty good.

Jerry &
Elaine &
George &
Kramer &
Netflix

All 180 episodes of the Emmy-Award winning Seinfeld are coming to Netflix — worldwide! — starting in 2021 pic.twitter.com/tLvcCKH4vl

— Netflix (@netflix) September 16, 2019

“Seinfeld is a one-of-a-kind, iconic, culture-defining show,” Sony Pictures Television Chairman Mike Hopkins said in a statement.

“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.”

It is unknown just how much it has cost Netflix to land Seinfeld, though the LA Times exclusive cites sources that say the streaming giant paid “far more” than the $500 million shelled out by NBC Universal for The Office and the $425 million Warner Media paid for Friends, both of which are set to leave the American version of Netflix in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

For anyone still totally not in the know; Seinfeld presents the exaggerated life and times of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his three closest allies; highly neurotic best friend George Costanza, witty ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes, and extremely over-the-top neighbour Cosmo Kramer.

Penned for seven of its nine seasons alongside Larry David, the show proved highly influential as well as a critical darling, and for good reason.

Best of all time, guys…

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