In a what is estimated to be multimillion-dollar, blockbuster deal, Hulu has picked up the rerun rights to more than 14 seasons of the CBS drama, "CSI," Hulu announced.
"CSI" was prime time's most-watched drama during the first seven years of its run. In early April, episodes from 14 seasons will be available on Hulu Plus as an SVOD exclusive.
According to Variety, the deal calls for Hulu to carry future seasons of the show, adding episodes after each season wraps on CBS. The publication says there has been speculation that the current season - the show's 15th - may be its last. The series launched a global franchise revolving around the work of criminal forensic investigators. The third and latest spinoff of "CSI," "CSI: Cyber," is expected to debut March 4 on CBS.
With more than 300 episodes in the can, Hulu is making a big financial commitment to the series. Variety's industry sources pegged the price tag in the mid-six-figure range per hour over the life of the multi-year deal. The high end of the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market was set recently by sales of Warner Bros. TV's Fox drama "Gotham" and Sony Pictures TV's NBC drama "The Blacklist" in the $1.8 million-per-hour territory.
Hulu's deal, conservatively valued at more than $120 million, is not without risk, because "CSI's" close-ended storytelling format is different from the serialized shows that have powered binge-viewing on digital platforms.
"'CSI' is one of the most popular television franchises in the world, and we could not be more thrilled make all episodes available on Hulu," said Craig Erwich, Hulu's senior VP and head of content. "This deal not only represents a huge growth in our offering of premium content, but it also represents an expansion in our partnership with CBS."
"CSI" reruns have never been available on SVOD, but episodes of "CSI: Miami" previously were available on Netflix as part of a larger deal for CBS programming struck when the netcaster was hungry for content for its then-fledgling streaming service. At the time, "CSI: Miami" had just wrapped its 10-season run on CBS.
