Why Can’t You Stream ‘FEUD: Bette and Joan’?

Every once in a while there comes a show that’s so masterfully crafted yet delightfully sassy, you want to watch it forever. That’s what Ryan Murphy’s retelling of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis’ historic rivalry was to me. It was glamorous. It was emotional. It was well-acted. It redefined the word petty. I would very much love to rewatch FEUD: Bette and Joan a thousand times over. Unfortunately I can’t unless I want to pay for it on Amazon or iTunes.

I’m not opposed paying for a season of television I genuinely value. If it helps convince FX to let Murphy’s team run wild through history’s feuds, I’m all for it. But in the age of streaming it feels remarkably odd that you can’t stream this series even with a cable login. You can stream every other Ryan Murphy FX show through some combination of Netflix, Hulu, and FXNOW or the add-on service FX+. So why can’t you stream FEUD?

As I’ve covered before, FX’s status as a cable network puts it in a difficult place when it comes to streaming its original series. Senior Vice President of Media Relations at FX Networks John Solberg told Decider that FX owns the streaming rights to every episode in a current season of television. After a current season ends, FX then retains its streaming rights for a month and a half after that season’s finale. The season then enters a blackout zone after those 45 days, meaning that it’s only available to stream through Video On Demand (VOD) and home entertainment. Solberg said last year that blackout zone typically only exists for seven to nine months.

If FEUD: Bette and Joan followed FX’s traditional streaming distribution schedule, it should have been available to stream a long time ago. FEUD‘s finale premiered on April 23, 2017. Based on FX’s ownership schedule, the series likely remained on FX’s platforms for 45 days after this date or until June 7, 2017. From that date on it entered the blackout zone. But FEUD‘s first hasn’t been in a blackout zone for seven or even nine months. It’s been in that zone for a year and 36 days. The series isn’t even available on the network’s on-demand streaming service FXNOW. (UPDATE: A previous version of this article stated that FEUD was not available on FX+, which is a commercial-free subscription service only available to Comcast Xfinity or Cox Contour cable subscribers at an additional cost of $5.99/month, but an FX spokesperson clarified that FEUD became available on the FX+ service on July 13. It is still not on FXNOW or other non-VOD streaming services.)

Decider reached out to comment to FX about this article. Though FX provided the studio contact at Fox for FEUD, the Fox representative did not respond to multiple phone and email requests.

It’s true that FEUD is a bit more complicated than FX’s other shows. After all Olivia de Havilland sued FX Networks over the show, citing defamation. Then there’s Ryan Murphy’s move to Netflix, something could possibly effect the streaming future of his shows. But it’s not like FEUD: Bette and Joan has been pulled completely. Though TV Guide says that there are no listings of the series in the next 14 days, it’s still available for digital purchase. Also, in a strange twist, the first 4 episodes are available to stream on Delta Air Lines via their Delta Studios in-flight programming service. It hasn’t been completely wiped from the world of streaming; there’s just a surprising pay wall.

It’s no secret that traditional television has been stumbling in the age of streaming. Some networks, like the CW, have embraced the immediacy of streaming and the benefits of working closely with Netflix. Others, like Viacom’s networks, have largely rejected big streaming services. FEUD‘s absence from this realm serves as a singular case study into how complicated streaming can be.

And it’s a shame because FEUD: Bette and Joan is a show absolutely everyone should experience. Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon are revolutionary, walking the line between well-balanced camp and tear-filled pain. I don’t know why you can’t stream FEUD at the moment. What I do know is that for now you need an extra $20 to enjoy one of the sassiest and most glamorous shows brought to television.

Where to stream FEUD: Bette and Joan