Classic Comedy SCTV Coming to Netflix in September
Starting September 1, 2026, Netflix will stream all six seasons of the classic Canadian sketch-comedy series Second City Television, known as SCTV, across multiple international regions including the United States and the United Kingdom.
The History and Setup of SCTV
Originating from the Toronto branch of the Second City improv troupe, SCTV originally ran from 1976 to 1984. The program is set at a fictional, low-budget television station located in the town of Melonville. According to reports, Netflix has secured the rights to all 135 episodes of the beloved series for its subscribers in the US, UK, and various other international regions.
https://x.com/netflix/status/2090212213898309788
This major streaming acquisition follows earlier regional deals. According to reporting from C21Media, Amazon’s Prime Video previously secured exclusive rights to the sketch series specifically for Canada. While Canadian viewers watch through Prime Video, audiences outside of Canada will access the historic show directly through the Netflix platform starting Tuesday, September 1st.
A Launchpad for Comedy Legends
The series served as a launchpad for a generation of comedy icons. Its roster of alumni went on to shape modern comedy over the last four decades. Notable cast members who contributed to the historic run include Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Martin Short, Harold Ramis, Andrea Martin, and Joe Flaherty.
Many of these performers maintained a steady presence on Netflix through other prominent projects. Catherine O’Hara starred in the Netflix Original film Pain Hustlers alongside Emily Blunt, appeared as Justice Strauss in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and achieved global syndication success with Schitt’s Creek. Eugene Levy also starred in Schitt’s Creek, which found a massive new audience on the platform. Martin Short teamed up with Steve Martin for the 2018 Netflix Original comedy special An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life, voiced a character in The Willoughbys, and appeared in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Other alumni achieved lasting recognition in film and television. John Candy starred in classic comedies like Uncle Buck and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, while Harold Ramis appeared in films such as Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters. Joe Flaherty, who portrayed characters like Count Floyd and Guy Caballero on SCTV, appeared as Harold Weir in the cult classic Freaks and Geeks and played an unforgettable role in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore.
Accessing Classic Media Archives
The arrival of SCTV on Netflix marks the time the complete 135-episode run becomes widely accessible to streaming subscribers outside of Canada.