In a unique deal, Hulu and Peacock have both acquired the streaming rights to the hit ABC comedy “Modern Family.” All 11 seasons of the Emmy-winning series will be available on both platforms beginning Feb. 3.
The deal marks the first time that all 250 episodes of “Modern Family” will be available to stream. During its run, Hulu had next-day rights to the series, which is produced by 20th Studios. Disney owns both the studio and Hulu.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Peacock will offer the series in a similar fashion as “The Office.” The first 12 episodes of Season 1 of “Modern Family” will be on the streaming service’s free tier, with the rest behind the paywall, which can cost between $4.99 and $9.99 a month. Comcast and Cox subscribers get the premium tier included in their TV packages.
NBCUniversal has cable TV syndication rights, airing episodes on USA Network.
An individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap that the sharing agreement between Hulu and Peacock allowed the full series to hit streaming earlier than planned.
According to Val Boreland, executive vice president, content acquisitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment, television & streaming, there were talks about Peacock acquiring the series exclusively, but that the sharing agreement “is what worked out best and was mutually beneficial for the three of us.”
“As a new service, we have to be very selective and strategic in what we want to buy exclusively,” Boreland added. “It doesn’t need to be exclusive on our platform to still perform.”
The series ran from 2009 to 2020 and featured an ensemble cast including Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Sarah Hyland, Rico Rodriguez and Ariel Winter. It won 22 Emmy Awards including five for Outstanding Comedy and multiple supporting acting wins for Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen.
“Thanks to its sharp writing and an eccentric but exceedingly likable cast of characters, ‘Modern Family’ ushered in the return of the family sitcom and offered viewers a unique and refreshing portrayal of family life,” said Brian Henderson, vice president, content partnerships for Hulu, in a statement. “We were fortunate to bring this beloved series to Hulu audiences next-day during its celebrated run, and now we’re excited to offer every episode so new fans can meet the Pritchetts, Dunphys and Tuckers and old friends can visit them again.”
“Modern Family” was produced by 20th Television in association with Steven Levitan Productions and Picador Productions. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd were co-creators/executive producers. Paul Corrigan, Brad Walsh, Danny Zuker, Abraham Higginbotham, Jeffrey Richman, Elaine Ko, Stephen Lloyd, Vali Chandrasekaran, Jack Burditt, Jon Pollack and Jeff Morton also served as executive producers on the final season.