Breaking Bad spin-off gets international Netflix premiere in 2014

AMC's Breaking Bad spin-off will be available on Netflix in Latin America and Europe as soon as it airs on US TV, and US Netflix users will be able to stream the series as soon as the season ends on TV.

Better Call Saul is the spin-off from the wildly successful Breaking Bad, the AMC show that followed chemistry teacher turned drug manufacturer Walter White. The spin-off's titular lead character is lawyer Saul Goodman, who proved popular with fans of the original show.

When each episode of Better Call Saul airs in the US in 2014, it will be simultaneously available to Netflix users in Europe and Latin America. To protect the host cable TV channel AMC, it won't be simulcast in the US, but as soon as the series has finished, it will be available in its entirety on Netflix in the US and Canada.

Digital streaming and fast-tracked international rights deals are becoming more popular as services like Netflix continue to grow. Australian subscription TV provider Foxtel has found success with fast-tracking Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead and other popular US TV shows, so it's possible that this trend could continue with Better Call Saul.

An alternative avenue would be for Netflix to launch local operations in Australia some time in 2014. An Australian launch for Netflix has been reported to be imminent for the last few years. Securing deals with rights-holders, likely competing with Foxtel and other subscription and free-to-air digital TV providers, means that while a 2014 launch is possible, it's certainly not guaranteed.