Here’s some good news as you head into the weekend.
Alton Brown’s instant-classic cooking/science show Good Eats is now on Netflix. For years, fans of the show have pestered Food Network, as well as Brown himself, to make this happen. It joins other Food Network shows like Cutthroat Kitchen (also an Alton Brown affair), Cupcake Wars, and Chopped – which are also new additions to the Netflix catalog.
There are new episodes of some Travel Channel shows as well, including Man v. Food and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
Good news, right?
So here’s the bad news – the selection is limited, to say the least.
You won’t find full seasons of Good Eats, Chopped, or No Reservations. Instead, you’ll find “collections” consisting of 25 hand-picked episodes. These collections are not season-specific.
Long story short – yes, there are now Good Eats episodes on Netflix, but not many.
The reason for all of this is a recent licensing deal that Netflix inked with Scripps Networks, whose umbrella shields Food Network, HGTV, and Travel Channel. According to the Wall Street Journal, “the deal appears to be limited in scope, with one person familiar with the matter saying the life of it is ‘relatively short.’ The deal only covers the U.S., not other territories, the person said…”
You may recall that Food Network shows like Chopped used to be available on Amazon Prime Instant Video – but were dropped in March. that’s because Scripps’ and Amazon let their licensing deal expire.
Point being, these deals have a history of being brief. What does this mean for the future of shows like Good Eats and Chopped on Netflix? Simply put – enjoy it while you can. And while you can remain hopeful that more episodes could be added at some point, don’t count on it.
Plus, if you’re really needing your Good Eats fix, the whole show’s on YouTube. And remember, it’s all the Good Eats you’re ever going to have…
— Alton Brown (@altonbrown) November 19, 2013
Image via Food Network, YouTube screenshot
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