Deadline is reporting that Netflix has acquired the rights to NBC’s hit show The Blacklist for $2 million per episode. It’s being called the “biggest subscription video-on-demand deal for a TV series” ever and is set to come into play next weekend. That’s right, in just over a week you’ll be able to stream the entire first season of the James Spader-starring show on Netflix. As for future seasons, expect those to appear on the streaming service shortly after they finish their run on television.
Previously, the most expensive show that Netflix had was The Walking Dead, which it snagged for a reported $1.35 million per episode. They also paid quite the hefty fee for New Girl, which cost them $900,00 per episode. While I’m surprised that The Blacklist cost more than both of those aforementioned shows, its high price tag does make sense. It’s NBC’s flagship scripted series and is quite popular. It’s also a pretty damn good show and has a massive fanbase.
But still, $2 million per episode, that’s a hell of a lot of money. I’m sure it will pay off, as Netflix obviously knows what it’s doing at this point, but I’m still having a bit of trouble swallowing that figure, especially when I compare it to what they paid for The Walking Dead and New Girl.
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