Once upon a time, streaming wars erupted and HBO Max became more financially powerful than ever. Back in 2019, WarnerMedia’s shiny new platform was set to shell out $1.5 billion to secure The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men.
Why is it so expensive? These CBS stalwarts had never made a full appearance on any streaming platform before. This was completely new territory, unlike Friends and The Office, which were already making waves on Netflix. And new means a lot of money. HBO Max aimed to make these two household favorites exclusive and attract millions of sitcom fans.
According to Deadline, The Big Bang Theory alone is expected to fetch $1 billion. After bringing in two and a half people, the deal jumped to $1.5 billion. For context, HBO Max spent $425 million on Friends , and NBC Universal acquired The Office for more than $500 million. But TBBT? It’s a completely different league.
The Big Bang Theory ended its 12-season run as the top half-hour show in the 18-49 demo with a legacy of geeky humor. Two and a Half Men has long been a sitcom titan of the 2000s.
Both shows were sitcom classics with quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and syndication success. No wonder HBO Max was willing to cough up this fortune.
By the time it started streaming on HBO Max, Friends and The Office had already proven that nostalgia sells. Netflix’s streaming of these classics has seen incredible viewership and become a must-see. But here’s the kicker. Friends and The Office had been streaming for years, but The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men were newcomers to the online world. Its exclusivity has earned it a premium tag.
While HBO Max was bagging these shows, Sony Pictures Television was busy shopping around for Seinfeld. With Hulu’s contract set to expire, Netflix stepped in and acquired Jerry and the Gang for over $500 million. It’s a sitcom arms race, with legacy shows becoming pawns in a multibillion-dollar chess game in the streaming game.
The addition of The Big Bang Theory to HBO Max marks a milestone for WarnerMedia. Chairman Robert Greenblatt called the show a “comedy juggernaut” that, like most other shows, captured the “mainstream zeitgeist.” That addition, along with Friends and Two and a Half Men, creates a trio of sitcoms that solidify HBO Max’s spring 2020 launch strategy.
These deals made headlines for their exorbitant prices, but they also served as a reminder that sometimes owning a box set isn’t such a bad idea.
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