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Netflix is about to lose 7 shows — stream them before they’re gone
Netflix regularly loses shows from its deep content library. Granted, the streaming service is also adding new ones nearly every day, and adds far more in a month than it loses — just look at the list of everything new on Netflix this August. But you still need to keep an eye out for when a favorite show or that acclaimed series you’ve been meaning to watch might be leaving Netflix.
This month, the time to start keeping an eye out for what’s leaving Netflix is right now. Between Aug. 15 and Aug. 19, the streaming service is going to remove seven shows from its library, and these shows aren’t slouches either.
“Ballers” was a big hit for HBO, and I enjoyed its first season — it’s gone on Aug. 15, so you’ll want to start binge-watching its five seasons now. Love a British crime drama like “MobLand”? Then you’ll want to check out the acclaimed first two seasons of “Gangs of London” before the show goes back to being just on AMC Plus.
Here are all seven shows that Netflix is about to lose this month, and why each one is worth watching before it’s gone.
‘Ballers’ seasons 1-5
“Ballers” stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Spencer Strasmore, a former NFL player who has moved on to the world of financial management. Of course, the easiest clients for him to find are former NFL players, including mercurial wide receiver Ricky Jerret (John David Washington).
This show is definitely more “Entourage” than “Any Given Sunday,” and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t rather be watching either of those over this HBO series. By the end of season 5, I was officially hate-watching the show, committed to seeing it through to the end.
That said, the first season of the show was genuinely good, especially ther performances of Washington as Jerret, Omar Miller as lineman Charles Greane and Rob Corddry as Spencer’s partner in crime, Joe Krutel. If you just want a fun show with some sizzle, there are worse things to watch.
Watch “Ballers” on Netflix until August 15
‘Unreal’ seasons 1-4
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“Unreal” stars Shiri Appleby as Rachel Goldberg, a young reality show producer. She was a producer on the reality dating show “Everlasting” until she had a meltdown during the filming of a season finale.
Now, she’s back, rehired by her boss, Quinn (Constance Zimmer), much to the surprise of everyone on the show. Now, Rachel has to balance rebuilding her reputation, keeping the show as salacious as ever, and working alongside a rival producer, Shia (Aline Elasmar), and Rachel’s cameraman ex-boyfriend Jeremy (Josh Kelly), who already moved on to someone else.
This show got rave reviews across its first three seasons, when it aired on Lifetime. Its fourth and final season moved to Hulu and admittedly seems to be a forgettable one based on its 46% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences still liked it.
The best endorsement I’ve seen for “Unreal” came from Entertainment Weekly’s Dalene Rovenstine after the series premiere aired. “If you love ‘The Bachelor,'” she wrote, “you’re going to like ‘UnREAL.’ If you hate ‘The Bachelor,’ you’re going to like ‘UnREAL.’ So basically, Lifetime has done it: They’ve found the perfect show for everyone.”
Watch “Unreal” on Netflix until August 19
‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ seasons 1-2
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With a title like “Kevin Can F**k Himself,” you’d assume this show might be about a guy named, well, Kevin. But you’d be wrong, because it’s really about Kevin’s wife Allison (Annie Murphy), who’s had about enough of being in an unhappy marriage with Kevin.
To be fair, she’s right to be fed up. Kevin is the worst — an immature narcissist whose behavior borders on domestic abuse. But what causes her to snap is when she learns from Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden), the sister of Kevin’s best friend and one of her and Kevin’s neighbors, that Kevin had secretly drained their savings account.
What really sets this show apart is how it treats its portrayal of Allisons’s life. When she’s with Kevin, the show presents itself as a multi-cam sitcom complete with canned laughter. But when she’s away from her awful husband and on her path of self-discovery, the show transitions to a single-camera comedy-drama. “Kevin Can F**k Himself” is worth checking out for this masterful technique alone, and at just 16 episodes, it’s a quick binge-watch.
Watch “Kevin Can F**k Himself” on Netflix until August 19
‘Gangs of London’ season 1-2
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If you liked the “MobLand” season finale and can’t wait for “MobLand” season 2, let “Gangs of London” tide you over while you wait. This crime thriller series takes its name from the 2006 video game of the same name, which was a spin-off from The Getaway video game franchise.
The series centers around the Wallace crime family, which had been led by Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) until his shocking death at the beginning of the show. This throws the London criminal underworld into chaos, with Finn’s son Sean (Joe Cole) and widow (Michelle Fairley) trying to keep the Wallace criminal enterprise intact.
Like with “MobLand” and the British crime movies that “Gangs of London” draws inspiration from, there’s no shortage of violence in this show, so much so that critics and audiences dinged the second season for being too violent. Which, given that “Havoc” director Gareth Evans created this show, maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. But season 1 received near universal acclaim, and is worth watching before it’s gone from Netflix.
Watch “Gangs of London on Netflix until August 19
‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ season 1
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In “The Walking Dead,” Andrew Lincoln stars as Rick Grimes, a Georgia sheriff’s deputy who leads a group of survivors during a zombie apocalypse. By the end of his time in the show, he became the leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, but in “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” he’s been conscripted into the Civic Republic Military (CRM), potentially the most powerful military left on Earth.
However, despite being ostensibly held captive by this powerful force, nothing is going to stop him from trying to reunite with his wife, Michonne (Danai Gurira), a katana-wielding killing machine who has been searching for Rick since season 10 of “The Walking Dead.”
As the old saying goes, “All’s fair in love and war,” and this six-episode miniseries has plenty of both. So whether you’re a “Walking Dead” fanatic or just want a bingeable drama, “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” is a must-watch before it leaves Netflix this month.
Watch “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live” on Netflix until August 19
‘Preacher’ seasons 1-4
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“The Boys” wasn’t Seth Rogen’s first foray into a comic book adaptation. Years before and his creative partner Evan Goldberg would serve as executive producers on the Prime Video superhero show based on the iconic Garth Ennis comic, they developed “Preacher” for AMC, based on another beloved Ennis comic series.
For those who missed the show, “Preacher” stars Dominic Cooper as Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher with a penchant for hard-drinking and chain-smoking. During a crisis of faith, he becomes infused with an extraordinary power called Genesis, and it gives him some serious superpowers. It also convinces him to go find God (literally) and make God answer for all He’s done wrong.
Jesse won’t be going alone though. He’s bringing his violent ex-girlfriend, Tulip (Ruth Negga), and his new vampire friend from Ireland, Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun). If you love an irreverent superhero show like “The Boys,” then definitely check out “Preacher” before it leaves Netflix.
Watch “Preacher” on Netflix until August 19
‘Into the Badlands’ seasons 1-3
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I’ll freely admit, “Into the Badlands” is the one show on this list I had never even heard of before. But after watching the trailer and reading more about the martial arts drama, I’m bummed I missed it and will need to check it out before it leaves Netflix for good.
“Into the Badlands” stars Daniel Wu as Sunny. He exists 500 years in the future, where war has turned Earth into a post-apocalyptic world. Sunny serves as a chief warrior to the Badlands’ most powerful baron, Quinn (Marton Csokas).
The world building in this show sounds incredible. “Into the Badlands” exists in a world largely, but not entirely, devoid of technology, where barons control vital resources and rule over a caste system that includes “cogs” (slaves), “dolls” (prostitutes) and “clippers” (warriors). If you’re someone like me who loves a sci-fi or fantasy show with deep lore to explore, then “Into the Badlands” might be the show to prioritize binge-watching before it’s gone.
Watch “Into the Badlands” on Netflix until August 19
Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He’s not one to shy away from a hot take, including that “John Wick” is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here’s what he’s been watching lately:
