Summary
The Drew Carey Showmight not have been the most popular sitcom of the 90s, but it’s one that I have particularly fond memories of growing up. Part of a long tradition of sitcoms designed as vehicles for their star,the series ran for eight seasons in the 1990s and into the early 2000s. For a long time, I’ve fondly remembered Drew Carey’s comedy and charm.
Since its final episode in 2004,The Drew Carey Showhas been notoriously hard to find. Unlike other popular sitcoms of the 90s that are still in syndication, this series simply hasn’t been anywhere when it comes to streaming services. Drew Carey himself has been easy enough to see on reruns ofWhose Line Is It Anyway?and now with his stint as a game show host, buttracing the nostalgia I get watching Carey back to its roots has been difficult to do without relying on home video releases.
The Drew Carey Show Cast: What They Look Like Now & Biggest Shows Since
The Drew Carey Show ran for nine seasons on ABC from 1995 to 2004. Here’s what the cast looks like now, plus which TV shows they’ve starred in since.
The Drew Carey Show Is Streaming For The First Time, 20 Years After The Series Finale
It’s Taken A Long Time
The Drew Carey Showhas never been available on streaming, and it hasn’t even been in syndication on network television since 2008. This is a long time not to be available to watch outside a home video release, and as the last holdouts of physical media begin to dwindle, it could have meant that the show would be left completely unwatchable anywhere. That would be a tragic end for a series, but thankfully that no longer has to be the case.
I was excited to read that every season ofThe Drew Carey Showhad shown up on Plex’s streaming service, with very little fanfare. The show was known for its crass humor and use of music,with its theme song from the third season onward being one of its most memorable features.The Drew Carey Showhad a strange path to airing, and an even tougher one to finding a home where modern audiences could even see it.
Why It Took So Long For The Drew Carey Show To Come To Streaming
Turns Out It Was Fairly Complicated
As for what took so long for such a popular gem to finally wind up on a streaming service, it seems that the issues it had to wade through aren’t that surprising at all, and hinged on one of the series' most enduring features; its music. In an interview with TVInsider in June, Carey explained thatit was the music rights that kept the series from syndication, with a promise that they would be trying to change things enough to make the series available again.
Regardless, it’s still surprising that there had to be a 20-year wait for these issues to be ironed out. That said, I’m glad it’s finally become available after all this time. In a world whereshows likeFriendsare experiencing continued popularity due to streaming, maybe it’s time forThe Drew Carey Showto get some of the spotlight again.
The Drew Carey Show
Cast
The Drew Carey Show is a sitcom that follows the everyday life of its titular character, Drew Carey, a middle-aged office worker at a Cleveland department store. The show showcases his interactions with quirky friends and coworkers while dealing with various life and work-related challenges.
