Netflix, Please Chill: Netflix Plans to Remove Several Beloved, “Binge-Watched” Shows in 2019

by The Cowl Editor on September 28, 2017


Arts & Entertainment


The Netflix logo inside a television.
Graphic design by Kerry Torpey ’20

by Madeline Weaver-Nolting ’19

A&E Staff

It seems that every month more beloved and addicting TV shows and movies are leaving  Netflix Instant Streaming. With over a 1,000 TV shows and more than 4,000 movies, Netflix has proven itself to be the best way to “binge-watch” anyone’s favorite TV show or movie. However, some of TV’s most popular shows and movies will be leaving Netflix within the next few months.

According to the Netflix Help Center, there are three factors they consider when removing a movie or show: “Are the rights to renew the licensing to stream still available? What is the popularity and cost of a particular title? Are there other seasonal or localized factors?”

Unfortunately for many fans, the renewal of licensing for many beloved shows and movies will be ending in the following months because of licensing changes.

Disney Productions is one of the companies that will be stopping several shows and movies with Netflix within the next two years. Movies, including Moana and the new Beauty and the Beast will be removed by 2019, along with Marvel movies.

Not only are recently released Disney movies scheduled to be removed, the older movies that many of us grew up with are at risk of being removed as well. Disney will not be renewing the licensing with Netflix because it will launch its own streaming service that will likely incorporate new content and original shows.

Another major film studio that will end its partnership with Netflix is 20th Century Fox—TV shows, such as American Horror Story, How I Met Your Mother, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will be removed.

In fact, 20th Century Fox has made a new deal with Hulu rather than Netflix, strengthening the competition between the two services. As Hulu will be taking what are now very popular TV shows and movies to watch on Netflix, it leaves the question as to whether or not Hulu will become the new Netflix.

It makes sense that shows and movies would leave because of renewal of licensing issues, but Netflix is also pushing to remove older content to add new work. Kasey Moore of the website, What’s On Netflix, says, “As Netflix continues their strategy at becoming a platform with exclusive content, they’re clearly shifting some of the older, albeit loved titles off of Netflix.”

This may explain why popular shows like One Tree Hill and Friday Night Lights will leave Netflix in early 2018. Netflix renews shows for a fixed fee, allowing Netflix to be able to pick and choose which shows and movies they wish to continue showing.

There are a few ways to get your voice heard if you are extremely distraught that your favorite show or movie is being removed, such as responding to the Netflix social media accounts or submitting titles to Netflix on their help site.

How will letting go of so many memorable and popular shows and movies impact Netflix? Will there be a decline in Netflix subscriptions? Or only an increase in Hulu subscriptions? Only time will tell if these choices made by Netflix and its partners will be beneficial or not.