The CW sci-fi series The 100 has taken a novel route into the Canadian market, landing with Netflix Canada as part of an exclusive first-run licensing deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

The futuristic thriller will debut on the Canadian video streaming platform on March 20, within 24 hours of the show’s U.S. broadcast on The CW Network, where it airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m.

Warner Bros. bypassed Canadian broadcasters when selling The 100 north of the border, to go with Netflix Canada.

That includes Shaw Media, which has a long-standing output deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution and passed on picking up the U.S. sci-fi series.

Sean Carey, VP of content acquisition for Netflix, said in a statement that sci-fi series have a proven track record with Canadian TV viewers, which makes The 100 a welcome addition to its Canadian lineup.

The CW drama is set 97 years after a nuclear holocaust, and a spaceship called the Ark that houses the lone human survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents to Earth to see about re-colonizing the planet.

The 100 is produced by Bonanza Productions, in association with Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television.