Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins confirmed that Hulu Plus will be bringing the 1990s hit Seinfeld to its online video streaming service. Subscribers can start viewing the show in the coming week.
The deal includes all 180 episodes from Seinfeld's nine seasons on broadcast TV.
Hulu Plus is a paid online video streaming service that carries an $8 per month subscription fee for its users. Those willing to pay for the service will instantly gain access to all 180 episodes of the hit comedy show.
Seinfeld, which saw its final episode air in 1998, was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. The show featured Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld), Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) and George Costanza (Jason Alexander) as its main characters.
Hulu executives are hoping that the move will boost the number of people subscribing to the service.
"We think it's a one-of-a-kind property," said Hopkins. "There aren't too many shows that have a puffy shirt in the Smithsonian, for example."
Currently, Hulu has nine million households that are subscribed to its $8 per month service. The company hopes that, with the added feature, they can somehow keep up with rivals such as Netflix, which now has more than 40 million households signed up to its service.
"We'd love to have that number and that's what we're shooting for," added Hopkins.
As a way to celebrate the upcoming debut, Hulu recreated the show's apartment at a New York location where fans can have an interactive experience as they explore some of the show's original settings and well-loved rooms and items, such as the kitchen and sofa.
Dubbed "Seinfeld: The Apartment," the latest attraction in New York City will be open to the public beginning on Sunday.
"It think it is going to be like Disneyland for so many of the fans," said actor Larry Thomas, who is more popularly known for his role as Soup Nazi, an immigrant chef who likes to carry out strict demands on his customers.
Hulu confirmed the deal in April with Sony Pictures Television, which allowed the company to acquire all of the show's nine seasons. Hulu is owned by Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox and NBCUniversal of Comcast Corp.
Hulu is only available in the U.S. and has not given a hint on plans of expanding overseas in the future. It remains to be seen how the new deal could help the company achieve the desired number of subscribers to its service.
