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'Mad Men' makes its way to Netflix streaming

The first four seasons of the acclaimed TV show are available now on the streaming service, a notable addition as Netflix fends off criticism for a subscription price hike.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read
"Mad Men" can now be streamed via Netflix.
"Mad Men" can now be streamed via Netflix. Screenshot by Don Reisinger/CNET

The critically acclaimed "Mad Men" is now available on Netflix's streaming service.

According to the company, all four seasons of the show are available for users to start streaming right now. Future seasons of the show will be added each year after they air on the AMC network.

In April, Netflix acquired the rights to stream "Mad Men." At the time, the Los Angeles Times reported that the company paid $900,000 per episode just to get its hands on the show. Netflix never confirmed that report.

The addition of "Mad Men" to Netflix bolsters the company's streaming lineup, and follows the recently announced availability of the Oscar-nominated movie "The Fighter."

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Those two additions come at an important time for the company as it tries to weather complaints from customers upset about the recently announced 60 percent price hike on those who want both unlimited streaming and DVD rentals.

Netflix seems confident, though, that it won't face too much backlash when all's said and done. The company said during its second-quarter earnings report this week that it expects "most to say with us because each of our $7.99 plans is an incredible value."

Even better for Netflix, it expects the price hike to eventually help it generate $1 billion in quarterly revenue--a milestone that it has so far been unable to reach.

Update 7:43 a.m. PT: Netflix and CBS (the parent company of CNET) have announced a two-year deal that will allow certain shows--such as those from past seasons of Showtime's "Californication" and "Dexter"--to be streamed to Netflix subscribers in Canada and Latin America.