(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
It was just a day before the U.S. premiere of The Death of Stalin, which Fox pushed back from May to Sunday so it could run at its later slot of 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and fans and critics were already pointing out that one key episode of The Simpsons, “Lisa’s Substitute,” would not be available to watch online when Disney+ launches in December.
The episodes of Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers would be available for 24 and 40 hours after airing, respectively, as they air across their respective networks. “Lisa’s Substitute” was supposed to be available on the streaming service at the same time the episode aired on TV. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple and YouTube were also pursuing opportunities to be the service’s exclusive provider of The Simpsons. But as streaming giants compete for viewers, a lack of stock on a popular series isn’t a free ticket to the front of the line.