Netflix's 'BoJack Horseman' is coming to international TV networks

At this rate, BoJack Horseman is so ubiquitous that it might be harder to avoid the Netflix show than to watch it. Hot on the heels of the Comedy Central deal, Variety has learned that Lionsgate's Debmar-Mercury has secured the rights to sell the first three seasons of the animated series to international TV networks. The most recent seasons should be available later. While this isn't Lionsgate's first Netflix pact (it also sold Orange is the New Black outside the US), it expands a distribution deal that was already rare in the streaming video business.

As before, this is mainly possible thanks to the looser restrictions around Netflix's earlier originals. It was more open to TV deals at a time when it both had to strive harder to get exclusives and couldn't offer its streaming service to as many countries. You probably won't see this kind of wide distribution for newer blockbuster shows like Stranger Things, at least not in the near future -- it's just not necessary to maintain rights or reach an international audience.

Even so, this could be a test run for Netflix. Production company Tornante's founder Michael Eisner told Variety that this was effectively an "experiment" in seeing how Netflix shows fare after their streaming-only days are over. If it proves to be lucrative, Eisner argued, Netflix might open the door to other deals. That's not a far-fetched idea. While Netflix would no doubt want to keep newer seasons to itself, it could generate extra revenue from its classics with relatively little effort.