Netflix Removed That '70s Show From Service Monday Morning

After already losing Friends, and knowing that The Office and Parks and Recreation are set to exit [...]

By Charlie Ridgely

After already losing Friends, and knowing that The Office and Parks and Recreation are set to exit sometime in the future, Netflix fans were especially devastated to wake up on Monday and realize that another popular comedy had suddenly disappeared from the streaming service altogether. Netflix has long been home to all eight seasons of That '70s Show, but that changed this week, as the entire series is nowhere to be found. Not only did it leave Netflix, but it isn't currently streaming on any other major service.

This news comes just three days after Netflix lost all seven seasons of Once Upon a Time, though the situations are a little bit different. For one, Netflix has previously announced that Once Upon a Time would be leaving the service, as it was included in the "Last Chance" section of the September newsletter. Fans also know that Once Upon a Time is heading to Disney+, where it will debut later this month. That '70s Show wasn't on the September newsletter, nor has it announced a new streaming home been announced. It's just stuck in TV limbo.

There has been some major spending over the last few years in order for streaming services to get access to some major sitcoms. NBCUniversal paid more than $400 million to regain the rights to The Office for its new Peacock service. WarnerMedia shelled out $500 million for Friends and reportedly double that for The Big Bang Theory. Netflix even made its own (likely nine-figure) move to acquire Seinfeld in 2021. These popular shows are laying the groundwork for streaming catalogues going forward.

While That '70s Show won't command a price tag has high as some of the other programs mentioned previously, it's still an eight-season series that has a pretty substantial following. The fact that it only took a few hours to get the series trending on Twitter after its Netflix removal should make that point pretty clear.

It'll be interesting to see where That '70s Show goes next, and how long its new streaming deal will last. There's always a chance, of course, that the series makes its way back to Netflix, but other options are absolutely possible as well.

Are you disappointed to see That '70s Show leaving Netflix? Where do you think it will end up next? Let us know in the comments!

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