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After Years Off Air, ‘Moonlighting’ Will Be Available To Stream

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Moonlighting is coming back
Moonlighting is coming back

Before he was an action icon, Bruce Willis was the quintessential funny guy in Moonlighting, a comedy-drama that aired on ABC from ’85 to ’89. A costly licensing mishap kept Moonlighting from streaming services – even to rent or buy – but finally, it can be enjoyed on demand, and very soon too!

Moonlighting is recognized as essential in kicking off Willis’ career, although his experience on the show made him an unlikely candidate for Die Hard, to the dismay of the film’s crew. He co-starred opposite Cybill Shepherd in a program that set the groundwork for the “dramedy” but also cost quite a bit because of one catchy thing.

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‘Moonlighting’ is finally available for streaming after a decades-long battle

An age-old conflict is coming to a very exciting close. All 67 episodes of Moonlighting will come to Hulu starting on October 10, according to a September 26 announcement by the streaming service. The show faced an uphill battle despite its unprecedented success and influence on TV. However, recent events have brought a renewed interest in getting the program its time in the spotlight.

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“With all the attention that Bruce has been getting, hopefully, one good thing that might come out of it is we can reinitiate the conversation with Disney about releasing the streaming rights,” mused series creator Glenn Gordon Caron.

While fans of the original can expect everything to be a full and faithful display of the show they fell in love with, it’s also coming with a pleasant surprise.

An expensive dilemma has a crisp, clear resolution

Caron actually teased a potential return of Moonlighting in some form or another. One year ago, Caron took to Twitter and posted a photo of Willis and Shepherd as their characters along with the caption, “Disney and I have put our heads together and come up with a plan.”

A decades-long battle has been won
A decades-long battle has been won / ©ABC/courtesy Everett Collection

But why is it only now that fans are getting Moonlighting on streaming, when the show enjoyed praise from both viewers and critics alike, netted 16 Emmy nominations, and has an episode that ranks well on TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time? The answer is a complicated web of music and ownership changing hands. At the end of the day, the soundtrack was just too expensive to work with when distributing.

“When deals were made for the music, no one anticipated streaming,” explained Caron. “In order to exhibit the show [on streaming], the owner of the shows, which is the Walt Disney Company, has to go back and make deals for all that music — and they’ve resisted doing that for six or seven years now.” Now, finally, a hit show gets to be celebrated once again.

Moonlighting will be available for streaming at last this fall on Hulu
Moonlighting will be available for streaming at last this fall on Hulu / ©ABC. Courtesy: Everett Collection

RELATED: Why ‘Moonlighting,’ Bruce Willis’ Breakout Gig, Isn’t Streaming Anywhere

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About Dana Daly

Dana Daly is DoYouRemember’s Editorial Manager. She has written and edited nostalgia stories and YouTube scripts for the site since 2019.