OPINION: Netflix removes numerous T.V. favorites

To start off 2021 Netflix removed multiple shows and movies leaving people confused and irritated. On January 1st, 2021, 48 shows and movies were removed from the platform, and a total of 67 were removed in the month of January. Some of these shows and movies included “The Office”, “The Notebook”, all three “Back to the Future” movies, “Pride and Prejudice”, and “Gossip Girl.” Here is a full list of all the movies and shows removed:

The Office: Seasons 1-9

The Notebook

Not Another Teen Movie

Airplane!

An Education

Anna Karenina

Baby Mama

Back to the Future

Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part III

Bad Teacher

Barbershop

Being John Malkovich

Cape Fear

Casper

Charlie St. Cloud

Coneheads

Definitely, Maybe

Dennis the Menace 

Drugs, Inc.: Season 6

The Dukes of Hazzard

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Fargo 

For Love or Money

Frida

Gossip Girl: Seasons 1-6

Grand Hotel: Seasons 1-3

Her 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The Inbetweeners: Seasons 1-3

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark 

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 

The Interview

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Nacho Libre

Octonauts: Seasons 1-3

Poltergeist

Pride & Prejudice

Session 9

Splice

Starsky & Hutch

Superman Returns

The Town

Troy

WarGames

The Witches

Bloodsport

QB1: Beyond the Lights: Season 2 

Mara

The Monster

The Tudors: Seasons 1-4 

Mary Poppins Returns

Haven: Seasons 1-5

The Master

A Serious Man

Dallas Buyers Club 

Waco: Limited Series

Friday Night Tykes: Seasons 1-4

Fireplace 4K: Classic Crackling Fireplace from Fireplace for Your Home

Fireplace 4K: Crackling Birchwood from Fireplace for Your Home

Fireplace for Your Home: Season 

When Calls the Heart: Seasons 1-5

We Are Your Friends

Swiss Army Man

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Many people are outleting their frustration on social media. It seems like Netflix is trying to discard old or unpopular T.V. shows and movies that don’t have as many streams so that they could replace them with better ones. However, not all of these selections are unpopular. In fact, movies like “The Notebook” and shows like “The Office” and “Gossip Girl” have recently been on Netflix’s “Trending” or “Popular on Netflix” sections. So if Netflix is taking away some of the most well-liked classics, what are their ulterior motives?

When these selections got removed from Netflix, some went to other T.V. platforms including Peacock and HBO Max. Peacock offers a few seasons of “The Office” to anyone for free. After that, paying is mandatory in order to continue watching the other seasons, so watching the full show isn’t an option without extra payment in addition to the Netflix subscription payment. 

Other shows like “Gossip Girl” got moved to HBO Max which requires a separate and more expensive subscription than Netflix. HBO Max is $14.99 per month for basic subscription, and Netflix is $8.99 per month for basic subscription. For most people, this isn’t an appealing option at all. Before the removal, they could watch their favorite shows while soley paying for their subscription for Netflix. Now however, they have to pay for multiple subscriptions every month if they want to do that. 

This all sounds like a scam for money. If someone wants to watch their favorite T.V. show, they have to pay even more money now. What is the reason? Separating popular T.V. shows into multiple different T.V. platforms is forcing people to pay so much more than they used to for the same shows. And the truth is, not everyone can afford that. There is no purpose in removing and replacing entertainment media unless it was to make people spend more money.

Another plan that Netflix is enacting is the production of more Netflix Originals. Netflix Originals are shows that are made by Netflix and are only available to watch on their platform. They usually come out with one season at a time and if the show is successful, they release another season about a year later. This could be an alternative reason for removing old shows and movies and Netflix may be wanting to replace them with their own shows, and so far they have been pretty successful.

Netflix could be trying to replace old cable T.V. shows with their own, or they may be trying to get more money out of people. Honestly, for all we know it could very well be both. By giving their movies and shows to other T.V. platforms, the other platforms would be making more money because they now own more popular movies and T.V. shows. Netflix would also be adding more of their own stuff, which if done successfully, would make them a good deal of money as well. 

Regardless, people are angry and do not want to have to pay the extra money for favorite shows and movies. Hopefully Netflix lives up to its expectations of something great in the making to make up for its removals.