Is The Vampire Diaries leaving Netflix? Here's what you need to know

21 February 2019, 14:43

By Katie Louise Smith

Netflix has announced that The Vampire Diaries will be taken off the streaming service on March 1st 2019 but only in certain countries.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there's a bit of chatter on the internet about Netflix removing one of your favourite TV shows and we are sad to say that those rumours... are true. Kind of. For some of you.

Yesterday (February 19), Netflix confirmed on Facebook that The Vampire Diaries would be leaving the streaming service on March 1st. Tweets started circulating, people started freaking out, angry complaints were thrown and the whole world was up in arms. Netflix without the Salvatore brothers? Without Nina Dobrev's ageless face?! What are they THINKING?!

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But before you start spiralling at the thought of life without Damon, Stefan and Elena, it's not every country that will be losing the show. The Vampire Diaries will not be leaving Netflix US or Netflix UK. It will, however, be leaving Netflix ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) and here's why...

Why is The Vampire Diaries leaving Netflix?

The Netflix ANZ Facebook account posted a status update earlier this week reading: "Sadly we must say farewell to the Vampire Diaries on March 1st. If you’ve got a spare 5 days, 2 hours and 33 minutes, give it one last complete binge before it’s gone."

Without any context, it's cause for concern right? Did they mean from the ENTIRE platform? In all the countries? What is happening? That status update was shared over 70k times and over 100k people from several countries took the time to stress how much of a terrible decision that was.

Hours later, after making absolutely everyone sweat over the fact that that they might not ever be able to have their favourite episodes of TVD at their fingertips at the click of a button ever again, the page confirmed that the show will only be leaving Netflix in Australia and New Zealand: "Just to clarify, this is just for Australia and New Zealand fam..."

ONCE AGAIN, TO CLARIFY: The Vampire Diaries will only be leaving Netflix for everyone who lives in Australia and New Zealand. It will not be leaving Netflix US and it will not be leaving Netflix UK and Ireland. Yet.

As for why the show is leaving? It's because of the licensing agreement between The CW and Netflix. Following up the announcement on Facebook, Netflix wrote: "Let's talk about licensing for a second. When we acquire the licenses for shows or movies, they're not ours forever. Sometimes we're able to renew stuff, but occasionally we don't get the option. We hate losing shows just as much as you do, but it just comes with the territory."

Of course, The Vampire Diaries is a CW show. It's not owned by Netflix but there's a deal in place that allows Netflix to stream external shows in certain regions. When that contract comes to an end, those shows will either be renewed and live to stream another day, or they will be removed from the platform.

In this instance, it sounds like Netflix were not given the option to renew the license for The Vampire Diaries and it could have something to do with WarnerMedia's plans for a new streaming service. (If the service goes ahead, all your favourite CW shows - including Riverdale, Jane The Virgin, Supernatural and the Arrowverse - will all be taken off Netflix and put onto a new platform.)

All we're saying is... US and UK viewers, start your rewatches now before it's taken away completely.