Pluto TV wants to reach Gen Z viewers, and they’re doing it by bolstering the lineup of content from the 2000s and 2010s, including four new additions coming to the service starting in May.
Today, Pluto TV announced that it will add Hart of Dixie, Arrow, The 100, and Everwood to its free, on-demand and linear channel offering in May and June. The move is based on NRG research showing that 72% of Gen Z viewers prefer early 2000s content. The Pluto TV library already includes other iconic titles like The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Fringe, Charmed and Ghost Whisperer.
The NRG report shows that 40% of Gen Z wants to stream older shows because they find them comforting and nostalgic. With the 18-34 demographic being the fastest growing audience on Pluto TV, the free streaming service wants to deliver on that comfort show category.
“Pluto TV is central to our direct-to-consumer strategy. Free streaming is expanding faster than any other segment of the market, and 18-34 year olds are our fastest growing audience,” said Cindy Holland, Chair of Direct to Consumer, Paramount Skydance. “We’re building a more deliberate and curated experience for our consumers that delivers real value to our partners. Free streaming doesn’t have to be a warehouse, it is a destination.”
“The data tells us that younger audiences don’t want new for the sake of new, they want good. Hart of Dixie, Arrow, The 100, and Everwood are shows with cultural staying power. Viewers know what they’re starting, they can binge the complete run from day one, and they don’t have to wonder if it’s worth their time,” said Will Gurman, SVP Content Partnerships and Programming for Pluto TV. “More than 400 episodes of television people already love, exclusively on Pluto TV. That’s a real answer to decision fatigue.”
Here’s more about the titles coming to Pluto TV in May and June.
- Hart of Dixie — The warmhearted romantic comedy-drama following a New York doctor who unexpectedly sets up practice in a charming small Alabama town. Originally aired 2011 – 2015. Four seasons of comfort viewing with 76 total episodes, available May 1.
- Arrow — The superhero series that launched a franchise, following Oliver Queen’s transformation from billionaire playboy to vigilante defender of Star City. Originally aired 2012 – 2020. Eight action packed seasons with 170 episodes, available May 1.
- The 100 — The post-apocalyptic drama with a devoted fanbase, following a group of young survivors sent back to a ravaged Earth nearly a century after nuclear war. Originally aired 2014-2020. Seven seasons with 100 total episodes, available May 1.
- Everwood — The beloved drama about a celebrated New York neurosurgeon who uproots his family for a fresh start in a small Colorado mountain town following his wife’s sudden death. Originally aired 2002 – 2006. Four seasons with 89 total episodes, available June 1.
Another upcoming addition to the lineup is My Wife and Kids, which aired at the same time.
In addition, My Wife and Kids joins a slate of incredibly well-watched Black family comedies including Sister Sister, The Parkers, The Game and Moesha – all of which regularly chart in the most watched series among the 18-34 audience on Pluto TV. Currently, Pluto TV is the only place viewers can watch My Wife and Kids for free.
- My Wife & Kids —The beloved family sitcom starring Damon Wayans as a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. Originally aired 2001 – 2005. Five seasons with 123 entertaining episodes, available May 1.
Watch it all for free starting next month on Pluto TV.