Netflix Loses Major Sci-Fi Franchises in the New Year

Star Trek fans all around the world have been enjoying the luxury of watching their favorite franchise on Netflix, while Americans unfortunately lost this privilege years ago. For fans in places like Canada, the UK, and beyond, Netflix has been the go-to spot for exploring every Star Trek episode, one after another. But come the New Year, global Netflix subscribers will have to say goodbye to every Star Trek series, meaning it’s time to find a new streaming home like Paramount+ or services such as Pluto TV.

Stateside, the journey of Star Trek leaving Netflix began back in 2021 and continued into 2022, as part of a big push to encourage fans to subscribe to Paramount+. However, the franchise has remained on Netflix worldwide since then, until now. On January 9th, every Trek series on the platform will be removed, including what many consider to be the golden era of the franchise.

What exactly is disappearing? International Netflix viewers will no longer have access to Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. While personal opinions may vary on which show is the best (personally, I’m all about DS9), collectively, these series represent a legendary sci-fi franchise loved by many. That’s 30 seasons and a whopping 717 episodes of content that fans will now have to find elsewhere, possibly through Paramount+ or Pluto TV.

Don’t want to subscribe to Paramount+ just yet? No worries. Pluto TV, a free ad-supported streaming service, is another option where you can catch Star Trek. Whether you’re watching a rotating selection of on-demand episodes or following live streams dedicated to specific shows, Pluto TV provides a nostalgic TV-watching experience, complete with occasional commercials. It’s a casual and free way to enjoy Star Trek without having to choose which episode to watch next.

As for the future, is there a chance Star Trek could return to Netflix? While never say never, it doesn’t look promising. Given the competition between Netflix and Paramount, with Paramount launching its bid to take over, it’s unlikely that Star Trek will be making its way back to Netflix anytime soon. The recent departure of Star Trek: Prodigy from Netflix was a sign of changing tides, and fans worldwide may have to adjust to a new era where Star Trek is less accessible. It’s a tough time for fans, but the journey to find their favorite franchise continues.