The Drew Carey Show was unavailable for streaming for an extended period primarily due to complex music licensing issues, but it is now streaming on Plex as of August 2024.
The Licensing Labyrinth: Why Music Rights Matter
One of the primary reasons The Drew Carey Show faced significant delays in becoming available on streaming platforms was its extensive use of popular music throughout its episodes. Drew Carey himself was known for incorporating a lot of music into the series, which greatly contributed to its distinctive feel and popularity.
Acquiring the necessary rights for music used in television shows, especially for new distribution channels like streaming and syndication, can be a complicated and expensive endeavor. Music rights are often negotiated separately for different forms of media (e.g., broadcast, DVD, digital downloads, streaming), and these agreements need to be renegotiated or new ones secured for modern platforms. This process can be particularly "pesky" as rights holders for each song must be identified and new terms agreed upon.
The Challenge of Legacy Shows
This issue is a common hurdle for many older television series that heavily featured licensed music. When these shows were originally produced, streaming wasn't a widespread concept, and contracts didn't account for such extensive digital distribution. Many beloved shows from the 1990s and early 2000s have encountered similar problems.
The process of bringing such a show to streaming involves:
- Identifying Every Song: Pinpointing every piece of licensed music used across all episodes.
- Locating Rights Holders: Finding the current owners of the music rights, which can change over time due to mergers, acquisitions, or individual artist estates.
- Negotiating New Licenses: Securing new agreements for streaming, which can be costly depending on the song's popularity, artist, and publisher.
- Clearance Issues: In some cases, if rights cannot be secured or are too expensive, shows might opt to replace the original music, which can alter the viewing experience. Thankfully, The Drew Carey Show appears to have retained its original music for its streaming debut.
Where to Watch The Drew Carey Show Now
After years of being inaccessible to fans eager to rewatch the sitcom, The Drew Carey Show officially became available for streaming.
Current Streaming Platform Availability
| Platform | Availability Date | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plex | August 20, 2024 | Free | Ad-supported streaming, all episodes |
How to Access Plex
Plex is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a vast library of movies, TV shows, and live TV channels.
To watch The Drew Carey Show on Plex:
- Visit the Plex website or download the Plex app on your preferred device. Plex is available on smart TVs, streaming devices (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast), game consoles, mobile devices, and web browsers.
- Create a free account if you don't already have one.
- Use the search function within the Plex platform to find "The Drew Carey Show" and begin streaming.
