When streaming first began, it was the Wild West. Netflix launched its streaming service in 2007, and as it grew it became the place where you could watch everything from Star Trek, to The West Wing, to The Office, all in one place. But as companies realized they could launch their own services instead of licensing out to Netflix, the streaming landscape became much more crowded. Now, Star Trek lives on Paramount+ with the rest of the CBS catalog, The Office is so popular on NBC’s Peacock that its initial pricing tiers were based around seasons of the series, and The West Wing is now on HBO Max alongside other Warner Bros. shows.
The most recent casualty of the streaming landscape is one of the oldest streaming services still running, and while it won’t mean any shows going missing, it raises some major questions about the viewing experience.
