Hulu's new 'ad-free' subscription option will still have ads

Hulu finally launched its long-awaited alternative subscription plan on Wednesday, which will offer customers a way to stream the service's programs without commercial interruptions, making it more competitive with streaming rivals Netflix and Amazon. Until now, even Hulu's paid subscribers had to endure multiple commercial breaks, which could not be skipped, while they used the service.

But before you rush over to upgrade your subscription to the ad-free version — priced at $12 a month, up from $8 — you should know the plan has one little caveat: It will still contain ads. Yes, the commercial-free package will still run ads on some programs, Variety reports, including popular titles like Scandal, New Girl, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and a handful of others.

Hulu's CEO Mike Hopkins explained that the exceptions are a result of studio rights held on certain series. "They have other commitments that they couldn’t free them up for a complete commercial-free offering," he said.

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The good news is that remaining advertisements will be confined to pre- and post-roll slots, so you can at least sob through old Grey's Anatomy episodes without any pesky interruptions.