Netflix is a cheap TV solution for many families, but one of the downsides to Netflix is its penchant for dropping popular programming. Unfortunately at the end of the month, most of the BBC shows that are currently available are being cut from the subscription streaming service. You may not care as much about the short-lived Hyperdrive, but you may care when the likes of Doctor Who, Torchwood, Red Dwarf and Coupling are pulled from the streaming service at the end of the month.
Four or five BBC shows are quite a few to lose, but it actually gets worse. Beyond, Doctor Who and Coupling, What’s on Netflix Now reports there are actually a slew of programs that will all be leaving the lineup at the end of the day on Saturday, January 31. The critically acclaimed hit Luther starring Idris Elba will be gone. The original version of House of Cards will be gone (we're talking about the original British series, not the Kevin Spacey-led show). Fawlty Towers will be gone. Are you a car aficionado? Top Gear will no longer be a Netflix option. Do you like science fiction programs? Unfortunately, Survivors and several more great programs will be no longer be a couple of clicks away. In fact, the list is so lengthy, you are better off just perusing it, below.
“A Bit of Fry & LaurieAll Creatures Great and SmallBlack AdderCanterbury's LawCopperCouplingDr. WhoDr. WhoFawlty TowersHouse of CardsHyperdriveLittle BritainLutherMI-5Michael Palin TraveloguesNorth & SouthPrimevalRed DwarfSurvivorsTorchwoodTop GearWalking with...seriesWallander”
It's a simple fact of life that Netflix can’t afford to keep every program it has ever signed on to the subscription streaming service. A few months ago, Netflix notably kicked Battlestar Galactica out of its lineup, devastating everyone who was trying to power through the melodrama. This time around, with a lot more shows leaving the service, there are bound to be more people affected by the changes. I can’t even begin to imagine being one of the subscribers who are halfway through Doctor Who’s lengthy history of content right now.
There are definitely other ways to nab the programming. If you are fully committed to finishing a series, you can always pick up individual Doctor Who Blu-rays and DVDs, although those will run you a prettier penny than Netflix’s super reasonable $7.99 a month fee. On the bright side, Netflix is always adding to its content. I heard Friends just hit the streaming service this month. (Let’s just hope Friends isn’t the reason we are losing some sci fi favorites.)
