When CBS starts airing Stephen King’s new drama Under the Dome this summer, viewers will have two ways to watch it: On CBS or through Amazon Prime Instant Video. New episodes of Under the Dome will be available for viewing on the site four days after they’re first broadcast on CBS. It’s the first time that Prime Instant Video has offered access to an in-season show. In addition, viewers will only be able to purchase episodes of Under the Dome from Amazon.
In the release, CBS’s Scott Koondel mentioned Amazon’s connection to books as a reason that Prime Instant Video is getting the exclusive: “Amazon has the distinct combination of having a terrific video service with a huge fan base among their customers for Stephen King’s book, making them the perfect partner for this summer programming event.”
CBS has been reluctant to make new content available to outside services for streaming: The network has only given Hulu access to a few older shows, and most of those are only available to Hulu Plus subscribers. The network’s deal with Amazon on one show doesn’t necessarily mean that Prime Instant Video users should hold their breath for new episodes of CSI and The Mentalist, but it’s a possible step in that direction.