“Route 66” available on Hulu today

The first season of the critically acclaimed 1960s drama “Route 66” and part of the second season are free to watch today to the Hulu online platform.

Shout! Factory, which acquired the rights to the series in late 2011, pledged to make the television show available for streaming online, in addition to releasing all four seasons in a DVD box set.

Hulu created a landing page for “Route 66.” Those with a Hulu Plus account can watch the first 58 episodes on televisions, smartphones and other devices. However, those without an account can watch those episodes on a PC for free, with commercial interruptions.

If you’re new to the series and aren’t sure where to start, the first very episode, “Black November,” remains among the most-praised among aficionados.

The Emmy-nominated “Route 66” co-starred Martin Milner and George Maharis as chums traveling in a Corvette convertible from town to town, looking for adventure. Although the “Route 66″ program seldom was ever shot on the Mother Road, it remains a major reason the real U.S. Highway 66 became such a major part of pop culture.

I interviewed Maharis in 2007 about the “Route 66” series. Maharis now is about 85 years old. Co-star Martin Milner has been in poor health for years and was unavailable for an interview.

UPDATE: Tom Chen at Shout! Factory said some, but not all, of the episodes from “Route 66’s” second season have been uploaded to Hulu. The rest of season two will be uploaded later. But for now, Shout! Factory is promoting the availability of “Route 66’s” entire first season. The story has been updated and clarified to reflect that.

(Hat tip: Home Media Magazine)

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