Forget the Fan Favorites: Netflix has to start listening to their subscribers and stop taking off their most popular shows

When I was nine, my parents downloaded Netflix — the new wave streaming service that was gaining momentum in competition with cable TV.

It was mind-blowing — all of my favorite television shows available at the click of a button and void of commercials. However, as new streaming services like HBO Max and Hulu have popped up over the years, the platform’s popularity has begun to dwindle. 

Since then, Netflix has lost some of their bigger shows. I remember the shock everyone had when “Friends” — one of the most popular shows on the service — decided to pull from Netflix and go to HBO Max. 

Fan favorite shows being pulled from the platform has become a pattern. Just recently, “Vampire Diaries”, “Schitts Creek”, “Project X” and “Boogie Nights” were removed. 

“Vampire Diaries” has a borderline cult following. And not in the “oh my god so cute, I love this show” type of way, but in the obsessive way. Fans still fawn over the creepy, older Salvatore brother’s bloodlust.

Anyway, I decided to give the show a watch and it wasn’t half-bad. While the show is cheesy and the vampire fights are overdone, it wasn’t terrible. Though I couldn’t watch more than three episodes of it, I can understand the appeal. 

The problem comes in with Netflix’s decision to keep removing the show. Just recently, they added it back to their catalog after fans threw a hissy fit over its removal on TikTok. Now they’re pulling it again Sept. 28. 

This seems like a poor business decision on Netflix’s behalf due to the show’s popularity. If being in a virtual reality of Mystic Falls is someone’s comfort, then I say let them eat the bloody vampire cake. 

I vote to keep the show on Netflix. 

Moving onto one of my favorite shows from the past three years, “Schitt’s Creek.” During COVID-19, nothing was normal. I could tune in to watch the Rose family’s daily  struggles of their new-found poverty. 

There is no better way to describe the show than straight-up hilarious. It describes today’s society perfectly — how the wealthy would react if they had to live a middle-class lifestyle. From Moria having a breakdown everytime she realized she had to get ready in a motel bathroom, or Alexis realizing that can’t jet out of a rural town, every moment is perfect. 

I’m not only upset that the show was canceled, but I’m outraged that it’s leaving Netflix. Where else can I get my daily dose of laughs? Losing this show makes me sympathize with the “Vampire Diaries” fans.

I especially don’t understand the removal with the recent surge in popularity of the show. Not only is it a newer production, but I have friends who have just started watching it. It doesn’t seem like a good time to cut cords with the comedy series.  

I vote to keep the show on Netflix.

Netflix seems to have a pattern of disappointing people with  poor timing of these removals. Another highly popular movie that will be leaving the service is “Project X.”

Scrolling on my TikTok everyday to see new variations of a “Project X” party on my for you page wasn’t enough for me to give the movie a watch. But I suppose seeing that the movie will be leaving the platform in late September was. 

This was NOT another teen movie. I swear I’ve never had more FOMO of missing a party and I don’t even know these people. “What’s up, I’m your boy Costa” has been my only catch phrase for the past week after watching this movie. 

It seems everyone feels this way after the recent surge of popularity on social media. I really hope for Netflix’s sake that this is some sort of marketing strategy to get people rushing to watch  because there has never been a worse time to remove a more popular movie. 

I vote to keep the movie on Netflix. 

While everyone has seemed to be loving these new shows that Netflix has decided to part ways with, there is just as much love in viewers’ hearts for a classic. That’s why it was a shock to see “Boogie Nights” on the list of movies and shows leaving Netflix this September. 

Watching this movie for the first time transported me into the 1970s. I was in awe the entire time.

Netflix has really missed the mark this year on deciding when to let things go. Netflix, if the people love something don’t deprive them of it. That way you won’t lose any more viewers with the god-awful originals that you replace these fan favorites with. 

I vote to keep these classics along with all the others that Netflix subscribers are losing this month.