In the grand tradition of Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, aka Nirvanna the Band, let’s make a plan. On July 24, their movie, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, is coming to streaming on Hulu. It’s a beyond brilliant, hilarious sci-fi tale that makes you marvel at the art of filmmaking in ways you never thought possible. At the same time, the show that the film is based on, Nirvanna the Band the Show (which was recently not available to stream anywhere), is making its return to streaming on the same platform.
This is fantastic news, but now you have a choice:
Choice 1: Watch Nirvanna the Band the Show, which is two seasons of eight episodes each, to get the feel and tone of the story before watching Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.
Choice 2: Watch Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie cold, not knowing what to expect, and then go back and revisit the show. Which, we guarantee, you’ll want to do.
For some of us, this was not previously a choice. Nirvanna the Band the Show premiered on Vice in 2017 and ran for two seasons. It follows two friends, Matt and Jay, who have a band that wants to play a show at a local concert venue called the Rivoli. And so, each week, they come up with a plan to try do that, many of which are based on, or seen through the lens of, pop culture TV shows and movies.
In the years that followed, episodes of the show were legally accessible in some places, such as the show’s official site. However, around the time Matt and Jay got around to making a movie version of the show (which was released earlier this year) the episodes disappeared from anywhere legitimate. So, anyone who saw the movie and wanted to go back could not. At least, not legally.
This is the place I found myself in. I loved Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie and was dying to spend more time with these guys. However, I ran into brick wall after brick wall looking for the show. And yet, that was almost for the best because the movie kind of works better if you have no idea what the show is about, what the show is like, or anything about it.
Eventually, I was able to go back and watch both seasons of Nirvanna the Band the Show and found it to be incredibly hilarious. 100% worth your time. Things happen on that show I couldn’t believe, and it pays homage to pop culture better than almost anything I’ve ever seen. It was also, however, very familiar because I was now acquainted with the movie. And I think the movie worked better for me not having any idea what I was getting into.
Whatever the case, none of that matters now. As of July 24, both Nirvanna the Band the Show and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie will be on Hulu in the U.S., and whichever way you choose to watch, or revisit, it’ll be worth it.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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