At one point in time, Netflix seemed like the ultimate place to go for entertainment. Now with so many other streaming services in the mix – it’s become much more complicated. For example, Netflix recently removed a fan-favorite series that was only on the service for a single year. The beloved 1990s sitcom was first added to Netflix a year ago, and while many subscribers figured the series would be available for at least a few years, it seems that wasn’t the case.
Netflix removed Saved by the Bell – and not just the original series, but also Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas. Now if fans want to watch these various Saved by the Bell shows, they’ll have to do so on Peacock. This particular platform not only has the aforementioned incarnations of Saved by the Bell, but they also happen to be the exclusive home for the Saved by the Bell revival. While this certainly makes sense then for Peacock – it’s strange to see Netflix remove the show so quickly. Especially after they’ve been known to hold other sitcoms for years at a time.
It seems likely that Netflix let the license expire so that they could save money. At a time when so many streaming services are competing with one another, it isn’t exactly surprising to see Netflix cutting corners. Of course, that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. Especially for those fans who’ve grown accustomed to watching Saved by the Bell on Netflix at any time. It goes to show that streaming can be just as inconvenient as it is convenient. It’ll also be interesting to see what other surprises Netflix might pull to save money. As such, stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.
The original Saved by the Bell series first debuted in the year 1989. It became increasingly popular throughout the early 1990s and paved the way for three TV movies and three spin-off shows including the recent revival.
Saved by the Bell is currently still available on Peacock.