Friends no more - Netflix to lose TV comedy classic in 2019
Going, going, going - gone! Netflix is set to lose television perennial Friends, a crown jewel in their streaming library, in 2019.
On October 10, WarnerMedia announced it is entering into the streaming game with a direct-to-consumer streaming service set to launch at the end of next year.
Not only does this mean there will be yet another streaming service for increasingly frazzled television consumers to keep track of, but that older Warner Bros films and television series, ranging from the Harry Potter films to the Looney Tunes cartoons to the beloved Friends, will be yanked off services such as Netflix.
While WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey stated while announcing the new venture, "our job is to build a compelling offer of content….[my job] isn't to build another Netflix,” it wouldn’t be surprising if landing a blow against the streaming Goliath was in the back of his mind.
The withdrawal of a nostalgic and addictively bingeable series such as Friends could become a major thorn in Netflix’s side.
Once Disney and WarnerMedia regain their content from Netflix, a large hole in its content library will need to be filled in order to replace iconic entertainment brands.
Friends will be sorely missed once it leaves Netflix. The decade long sitcom beat more contemporary shows to top the list of the UK’s most popular shows on streaming services, according to an Ofcom Media Nations report.
What better incentive to watch a series than knowing it will soon disappear?
