The rock band reminisces on their 40-year career and greatest hits in this docuseries.
Documentaries about rock bands aren’t a new concept, but with TV projects becoming even more popular through streaming, more music docuseries are being made. The next project in this format is Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, a four-part docuseries examining the 40-year-long trajectory of ’80s rock group Bon Jovi. The series, directed by Gotham Chopra, will take fans behind the scenes on some of the band’s career highlights, from kicking off this music journey in New Jersey to years later continuing to tour and putting out new music. With insights from Bon Jovi members and close friends, this is how you can watch it on streaming.
When Did ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ Premiere?
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story
Exploring the career of a famous rock band, a film delves into their early days, breakthrough hits, and the highs and lows of the music industry. It captures the essence of their enduring appeal through behind-the-scenes insights, concert clips, and candid interviews with band members and those who know them best.
- Release Date
- April 26, 2024
- Cast
- Jon Bon Jovi , David Bryan , Tico Torres , Hugh McDonald
- Main Genre
- Documentary
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
The Bon Jovi docuseries is available for Hulu subscribers in the US, but the project was first shown at the 2024 SXSW. The band had the opportunity to walk on the festival red carpet on March 14 not only to promote the series, but to also hint at what’s next for them in their music career. If 40 years weren’t enough to put out rock anthems, Bon Jovi also shared with the world the first single (“Legendary”) off of their upcoming album Forever on the same day the show premiered at the Texas event. A little over a month later, their series will be out for fans to watch at home. The official release date on streaming was Friday, April 26, 2024.
Can You Watch ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ Without Hulu?
If you aren’t subscribed to Hulu yet, you should look into creating an account soon. After all, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story will only be available to watch through the streaming service. The ad-supported plan costs $7.99 per month and allows full access to Hulu’s content library. Students looking to subscribe to the ad-supported plan can pay as low as $1.99 per month if they are considered eligible. The no-ads option costs $17.99 per month and also grants access to all the shows and films in the streaming catalog without ad breaks in between. There are also Hulu + Live TV plans to consider if you want to include ESPN + and Disney + to your subscription. These bundles range from $76.99 per month to $89.99 per month, with prices subject to change depending on whether ads are or aren’t included in the deal.
Watch the ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ Trailer
On March 7, 2024, the official trailer for the docuseries came out featuring an inside glimpse at what the four-part project will be about. The clip begins with several images and concert videos from early into Bon Jovi’s career to the sound of one of the band’s hits, “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Jon Bon Jovi even goes on to say “I got a story to tell”, prefacing that the group will be diving into their long-term music journey. The band’s frontman shares that, launching Bon Jovi into the ’80s rock scene was always the plan, and the dream slowly morphed into reality when they started to get recognition outside New Jersey. Their energy and anthemic choruses (especially in songs like “Living on a Prayer”) made the group stand out and reach a wide audience. However, the more successful the rock band became, the more stressful the relationship between band members. These conflicts even led Alec John Such to quit the group in 1994 and Richie Sambora to leave in 2013. Despite the setbacks, Bon Jovi continues to put out music and tour all over the world. By the end of the clip, members even say that they will continue to further their legacy.
What is ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ About?
Here is the official synopsis for the docuseries according to Hulu:
“Thank you, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story” joins the band in February 2022 and follows their real-time journey with its fits and starts as they attempt to chart out their future. 40 years of personal videos, unreleased early demos, original lyrics, and never before seen photos that chronicle the journey from Jersey Shore Clubs to the biggest stages on the planet. The series relives the triumphs and setbacks, greatest hits, biggest disappointments, and most public moments of friction.”
What’s the ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ Episode Schedule?
As previously mentioned, the docuseries will be split into four parts, each tackling a chapter of Bon Jovi’s trajectory in the music scene. Here is a breakdown of each episode:
Episode # |
Episode Title |
Description |
Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Episode 1 |
“New Jersey vs. Everybody” |
Teenage Jon cuts his teeth performing in bars and rushing back for school. Now, on the cusp of his 60th birthday, he reflects on the past 40 years. |
April 26, 2024 |
Episode 2 |
“Nowhere to Everywhere” |
The band becomes an overnight hit, but tensions escalate even as success burgeons for Bon Jovi. The cocktail of fatigue vs. ambition highlighted by a performance in Guadalajara, Mexico could just be Bon Jovi’s demise. |
April 26, 2024 |
Episode 3 |
“Brothers in Arms” |
With renewed perspective, Bon Jovi introduces themselves to a new generation of fans at the turn of the millennium with a fresh sound and the same iconic reputation – until the band is ripped apart by Richie’s sudden and painful departure. |
April 26, 2024 |
Episode 4 |
“Legendary” |
Following Richie’s sudden departure, Jon slips into darkness. With the downtime during the pandemic, the healing time from surgery and a milestone 60th birthday, Jon is left exclusively to wonder if he’s become the man he was meant to be. |
April 26, 2024 |
More Music Docs Like ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’ To Watch Next
‘The Beatles: Get Back’ (2021)
Before Bon Jovi came to be, The Beatles became the blueprint of rock’n’roll in the ’60s. In this docuseries directed by Peter Jackson, the British band is the focal point, especially their time writing and recording the last album of their decade-long career. With over 8 hours of footage, each episode of The Beatles: Get Back hones in on Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison‘s creative process, experimenting with exotic instruments and coming up with well-known tunes like the title track “Let It Be” and “Get Back.” Although the three-part documentary doesn’t go deep into their story as a group, it does show a glimpse of what it was like for them to work together for the last time before they officially parted ways in the early ’70s.
‘Cobain: Montage of Heck’ (2015)
Bon Jovi is a rock band, but not one attached to the grunge era. The ’90s rock scene was marked by grunge artists, primarily Nirvana. In this documentary crafted by Academy Award-nomineeBrett Morgen, a mix of archive footage, interviews, and animations helps to tell Kurt Cobain’s (Nirvana’s frontman) life story in a rather intimate way. The only film to be fully authorized to tackle the rock star’s journey from being a creative child with a rough upbringing to a sell-out act, this project doesn’t gloss over the hardships Cobain experienced on and off the stage. In the same as the Bon Jovi docuseries doesn’t shy away from the band’s struggles under the spotlight, Cobain: Montage of Heck addresses the side effects of the Nirvana singer’s battle with addiction and how it affected his music endeavors and his newly-formed family.
‘The Velvet Underground’ (2021)
Similarly to The Beatles, The Velvet Underground also came into the rock scene in the early ’60s. Although they weren’t a commercial success, the band did help pioneer the punk and new wave movements through their experimental discography. Throughout this Todd Haynes-helmed documentary, viewers learn how this New York City group came to be and how its early formation changed by the ’70s.
This article was originally published on collider.com