30 Rock will leave Netflix Oct. 1, joining the good seasons of Futurama (the later Comedy Central seasons are sticking around until early 2018) and very nearly every non-Netflix Original Series anyone would want to watch.
Tina Fey’s satirical sitcom, capturing the behind-the-scenes drama on the set of a Saturday Night Live-esque sketch show, ran from 2006 to 2013, wrapping after seven seasons and 138 episodes. The award-winning comedy was known for its large and well-developed supporting cast, cartoon-y sense of humor and joke density (The Atlantic counted 7.44 a minute). 30 Rock was compulsively rewatchable in a way few comedies since Arrested Development have been.
Netflix’s library of movies and TV shows have steadily dwindled in recent years, as the company has apportioned more of its spending to original series. Meanwhile, studios and networks have increasingly opted to start their own boutique streaming services, instead of licensing content. As the streaming market fragments, it seems fewer and fewer shows will be available on middleman services like Netflix.
Since 2012, the Netflix catalog of TV shows and movies has shrunk by more than 50 percent. 30 Rock is neither the first high-profile show to leave the streaming service, nor will it be the last. Fox shows are next; the early seasons of Futurama were only the first victim. The network signed a new streaming deal with Hulu, which means that shows like Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23, Family Guy, How I Met Your Mother, Last Man Standing, Malcolm in the MIddle, My Name is Earl and others will soon be leaving Netflix. FX shows, including Archer, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, American Horror Story and Louie are likely to follow (FX and Fox share a parent company).
The Netflix movie situation is similarly dire, particularly with the end of Netflix’s agreement with Disney. That means no more (or far fewer) Pixar, Disney, Marvel and Star Wars movies.
Though nowhere near a replacement rate, Netflix has rapidly expanded its original programming. 30 Rock fans can check out Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But beyond that, the sitcom situation on Netflix is a little thin, unless you’re really into Fuller House and The Ranch.
Netflix has a requests page to suggest TV shows or movies for them to pursue, should you want to indicate your displeasure with the loss of 30 Rock .
30 Rock, you will be missed.
