Cheers, Star Trek & Frasier all Coming to Netflix

[Scott Greczkowski]

Looks like you could soon be watching some of your favorite TV shows again... on Netflix.

Netflix has aquired a number of shows from CBS

Full seasons of sitcom greats "Frasier," "Family Ties" and "Cheers" will be
streaming instantly from Netflix. Episodes from the original "Hawaii Five-0"
are included in the package, as are episodes from all generations of the
definitive sci-fi series, "Star Trek," and the cult favorite, "Twin Peaks."
Installments of '60s classics, "The Twilight Zone" and "The Andy Griffith Show,"
will be available as well.

CBS & Netflix Announce 2 Year Licensing Agreement For Library Content

 

[TheKrell]

How did it happen that Star Trek is licensed by CBS rather than by NBC these days?

 

[HIFI]

sweet! always liked cheers

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Paramount Pictures is part of CBS now if I recall correctly.

Same goes for Cheers and Fraiser which were big hits on NBC.

 

[TheKrell]

Well... Your memory is better than mine you young whipper snapper.

From memory-alpha.org:

Paramount acquired the Star Trek franchise in 1967 when Desilu, the company producing Star Trek: The Original Series, was purchased by Gulf+Western, which owned Paramount at the time. Paramount, which came under ownership of the former Viacom when that company took over Gulf+Western in 1994, produced and distributed all Star Trek films and television shows from 1977 (when they were working on the abandoned Star Trek: Phase II) through 2005 (the final season of Star Trek: Enterprise).

Paramount Pictures formerly owned the television production company Paramount Television, through which it produced and owned the Star Trek television series. In 2006, the former Viacom was split into two separate companies: CBS Corporation and a new Viacom. CBS Corporation was given ownership of Paramount Television, which was renamed CBS Paramount Television, currently known as CBS Television Studios, and thus gained ownership of the Star Trek franchise and TV series, while Paramount Pictures retained the rights to the Star Trek films through a license from CBS Television Studios.

I hope this is fair use. Ownership of Star Trek seems to be irreducibly complicated.

 

[KAB]

How did it happen that Star Trek is licensed by CBS rather than by NBC these days?

Yep, NBC never owned it. Just aired it.

 

[Juan]

sounds like CBS is getting rid of TV.com

 

[Peter Parker]

If they have the old DesiLu library (probably without Lucy's own shows) that will be impressive. Tons of comedies and even a few dramatic series (untouchables etc). I have always found it sort of amazing that Lucy had a hand in trying to sell Star trek to other networks after CBS made it clear they would rather air "lost in Space". But maybe she was even more of a studio exec than I give her credit for.