The Big Picture
Disney and Netflix have struck a non-exclusive licensing deal, allowing This Is Us and other popular series to be available on both platforms. The deal is secured for 18 months, giving viewers ample time to catch up on the acclaimed series. This Is Us became popular due to its heartfelt stories, compelling structure, and talented cast.
Whether you’re a huge fan of the Pearson family or have heard all about them but never actually sat down to watch the critically acclaimed and hugely popular drama series This Is Us, we’ve got great news for you. If Netflix is your preferred streaming service, you’ll be glad to hear of a new licensing deal in which Disney will share some titles with the pioneer streamer, including but not limited to the Emmy-winning series.
The licensing deal is non-exclusive, which means that Hulu subscribers will still be able to binge This Is Us over there. Now, however, all six seasons of the series will exist in both platforms and subscribers can pick and choose where they’ll watch it — or finally get Disney content if they never subscribed to Hulu. Initially, this deal is secured for 18 months, which means you’ll have a good amount of time to get up to speed with the series and find out what all the fuss is about.
The additional Disney titles, which include other popular series such as Lost, Home Improvement, How I Met Your Mother and The Wonder Years, will roll out throughout 2024, with some of them becoming available on the Netflix catalog as early as January. With This Is Us, you’ll be able to start watching as early as January 8, 2024.
Why Was ‘This Is Us’ So Popular?
Even though some shows’ popularity can’t be fully explained – sometimes people just respond to it for no explicit reason — it’s not hard to pinpoint why This Is Us became such a massive success during its run. The first and most obvious element was the heartfelt stories that the series covered across generations of the Pearson family. Additionally, the structure of the series made it even more compelling, with episodes flashing back and forward as stories from different decades connected to show how a family can transform, stay the same or be impacted by different events at different times.
Across its 106-episode run, This Is Us snagged four Emmys and was nominated for countless more, and the categories included acting noms for the show’s whole main cast. It includes Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember), Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls), Sterling K. Brown (Black Panther), Justin Hartley (Smallville), Chrissy Metz (Breakthrough), Susan Kelechi Watson (The Blacklist) and Chris Sullivan (The Calling). The series also had notable guest stars such as Sylvester Stallone (The Expendables 4), Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill) and musician John Legend.
This Is Us debuts on the Netflix catalog on January 8, 2024.