‘ER’ is Definitely Not Coming to Netflix

Netflix will not get the popular medical drama ER. After months, if not years of waiting, ER had never had a streaming home but a new exclusive deal with Hulu means that Netflix won’t be getting the series for the foreseeable future.

Netflix is in dire need of new dramas about medical issues, especially after House MD was removed from Netflix by Fox. The NBC medical drama which spanned over 300 episodes would’ve been a great fit for Netflix. The future of streaming shows has been uncertain for years. Hulu picked the show up last week.

NBC and Netflix have a pretty good working relationship having secured recent rights to the show Taken. In the last few years, they also secured all seasons of Friends both on Netflix US and Netflix UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLimsM3lXK0

It is a question of why it was placed on Hulu. The usual answer to this question is money, which will also be true for ER. Hulu is part-owned by NBC and has a similar stake. The likely scenario is that Netflix and Amazon had the chance to bid but didn’t offer the right amount. The series is now available on Hulu default.

Why didn’t Netflix offer enough money? Again, we’re speculating but Netflix has to fork out a lot of money shows. They’ve also given a preference in recent years of choosing newer series to bid for as they’re more relevant which means they’re more likely to have a good return on investment.

Alternatives to ER at Netflix

Netflix currently has only a handful of medical dramas. Grey’s Anatomy remains the biggest show on Netflix which comes from ABC. Every summer, Netflix releases new seasons. Private Practice, the spinoff of Scrubs is available on Netflix as well. Before being removed, Scrubs was available on Netflix. You can also watch Hart of Dixie and Nurse Jackie, as well as Emily Owens.