"Out with the old, in with the new" takes on new meaning today for Netflix members, as more than 85 titles expire. Film titles such as Titanic and Braveheart, as well as TV series like Saturday Night Live: The 2000s and The Kids in the Hall will likely be missing the next time you check your live streaming queue.
What's Out
The good news is, many Netflix members had no idea the online streaming service had such expiring films as Foxy Brown and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind until Reddit posted its list of the shows that are going away. It's important to note, however, that sometimes titles reappear soon after they vanish, as the service renews contracts.
One item that likely won't be back anytime soon is Saturday Night Live. Netflix caught the media's attention last spring when it lost the rights to past decades of the sketch comedy show to rival streaming service Yahoo. The site reportedly paid more than $10 million for exclusive video streaming rights to the show, leading to the majority of episodes being dropped from Netflix last fall. This final expiration wipes out all episodes from the 2000-2001 season on.
What's In
The news isn't all bad for Netflix subscribers, however. The service is slated to add a new group of movies in 2014, starting with January's list that includes such classics as Raging Bull, Bull Durham, and Ghost. Parents will also be watching for more of the 300 hours of programming coming to the service via its partnership with Dreamworks. The first film in the partnership, Turbo FAST, debuted on Christmas Eve, and will be followed by a dozen or so TV series based on DreamWorks movie characters over the next three years. The partnership marks Netflix's leap into original programming for children.
Original programming is where Netflix is expected to focus its efforts next. While there's a huge demand for popular series like Breaking Bad and Scandal, which are both currently available to subscribers, Netflix has gained industry-wide attention for its original shows, starting with House of Cards. In 2013, the site had another hit, with Orange is the New Black. The site doesn't release data on the number of views each of its series gets, but series creator Jenji Kohan told the New York Times the network was very pleased with the success of the show.
In 2014, Netflix will release the second season of Lilyhammer. While the first season wasn't a hit, it does go down in history as Netflix's first attempt at original programming. The service is also catering to its subscribers' binge-watching habits by releasing the entire next season of House of Cards on Valentine's Day.
Original programming is a safe bet for Netflix. It provides unique, original programming that prompts subscribers to come back month after month. By beating competitors with the best original programming, Netflix is able to continue to maintain its leadership role in the industry. Plus, the site doesn't have to worry about expiring contracts on those shows.
What's Out
The good news is, many Netflix members had no idea the online streaming service had such expiring films as Foxy Brown and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind until Reddit posted its list of the shows that are going away. It's important to note, however, that sometimes titles reappear soon after they vanish, as the service renews contracts.
One item that likely won't be back anytime soon is Saturday Night Live. Netflix caught the media's attention last spring when it lost the rights to past decades of the sketch comedy show to rival streaming service Yahoo. The site reportedly paid more than $10 million for exclusive video streaming rights to the show, leading to the majority of episodes being dropped from Netflix last fall. This final expiration wipes out all episodes from the 2000-2001 season on.
What's In
The news isn't all bad for Netflix subscribers, however. The service is slated to add a new group of movies in 2014, starting with January's list that includes such classics as Raging Bull, Bull Durham, and Ghost. Parents will also be watching for more of the 300 hours of programming coming to the service via its partnership with Dreamworks. The first film in the partnership, Turbo FAST, debuted on Christmas Eve, and will be followed by a dozen or so TV series based on DreamWorks movie characters over the next three years. The partnership marks Netflix's leap into original programming for children.
Original programming is where Netflix is expected to focus its efforts next. While there's a huge demand for popular series like Breaking Bad and Scandal, which are both currently available to subscribers, Netflix has gained industry-wide attention for its original shows, starting with House of Cards. In 2013, the site had another hit, with Orange is the New Black. The site doesn't release data on the number of views each of its series gets, but series creator Jenji Kohan told the New York Times the network was very pleased with the success of the show.
In 2014, Netflix will release the second season of Lilyhammer. While the first season wasn't a hit, it does go down in history as Netflix's first attempt at original programming. The service is also catering to its subscribers' binge-watching habits by releasing the entire next season of House of Cards on Valentine's Day.
Original programming is a safe bet for Netflix. It provides unique, original programming that prompts subscribers to come back month after month. By beating competitors with the best original programming, Netflix is able to continue to maintain its leadership role in the industry. Plus, the site doesn't have to worry about expiring contracts on those shows.