netflix to Stream Mad MenSince it began offering internet streaming of movies alongside its successful DVD-by-mail rental business, Netflix has been steadily amassing an ever-growing arsenal of online TV and movie offerings.

For instance, the company recently scored a major coup by outbidding several cable and TV outfits to gain exclusive broadcast rights to the much-anticipated David Fincher-produced television series and political thriller, House of Cards that will star Kevin Spacey.

Now The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Lions Gate Entertainment, which owns the hit television series, Mad Men, has struck a deal with Netflix to stream all seven seasons of the popular show about a 1960s advertising firm.

The deal is in the $75 to $100 million range meaning Netflix will pay nearly $1 million per episode of the acclaimed series. Though it's difficult to dig up any of the specifics, Netflix is also said to be in negotiations with Comcast's NBCUniversal over a new deal that would haul in many of NBC's TV episodes and other broadcasts on an exclusive basis.

The House of Cards thing was big, this Mad Men deal is huge, but if the rumored NBC deal bears fruit, Netflix will deserve mention alongside all other broadcast concerns rather than just being considered a dumb rental company.

Also of note, Netflix announced on its blog that it has partnered with Viz Media to bring to streaming, subtitled episodes of anime titles, Bleach, and Naruto and Inuyasha, as well as others. Also hitting streaming in July will be the original Star Trek, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and Star Trek: The Next Generation later this year. Also, as part of its past deal with Starz, Netflix is now streaming Pixar's popular animated movie, Toy Story 3 just nine months after it first appeared in theaters.

Netflix has received some criticism of late regarding its perceived policy shift away from DVD rentals and towards the online side of its business model. But if they can continue to reel in the big fish like in these most recent announcements, DVDs and blu-rays lose their luster very quickly.