For nine seasons, Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee web series was the flagship original program on Crackle. But Netflix has successfully courted Seinfeld into a new deal that Crackle simply couldn’t compete with.
Via Deadline, Netflix will pick up the rights to the first nine seasons of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, in addition to a 24-episode tenth season that is expected to drop later this year. To further entice Seinfeld, Netflix also included a development deal that features new stand-up specials as well as scripted and non-scripted shows. Seinfeld’s first comedy special for Netflix is also expected to debut this year.
In a statement, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos said “Jerry is known the world over as both a great TV innovator and beloved comic voice. We are incredibly proud to welcome him to the Netflix comedy family.”
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The Deadline report also notes that Seinfeld was eager to find a new home for the series after his stint on Crackle. Seinfeld released his own statement with the announcement. “When I first started thinking about Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, the entire Netflix business model consisted of mailing out DVDs in envelopes. I love that we are now joining together, both at very different points,” said Seinfeld. “I am also very excited to be working with Ted Sarandos at Netflix, a guy and a place that not only have the same enthusiasm for the art of stand up comedy as I do, but the most amazing technology platform to deliver it in a way that has never existed before. I am really quite charged up to be moving there.”
Netflix has recently been very aggressive in its pursuit of comedians to tape new stand-up specials, including Dave Chapplle and Chris Rock. Signing Seinfeld fits in with the company’s rapidly expanding plans.
