Why Did Netflix Remove Designated Survivor?

Designated Survivor was one of the most popular shows on Netflix before it was abruptly removed from the streaming platform. The show follows Tom Kirkman, a low-level Cabinet member who is suddenly thrust into the role of President of the United States after an attack on the Capitol during the State of the Union address.

The series, which originally aired on ABC, debuted on Netflix in 2018 and quickly became a fan favorite. Fans were devastated when Netflix announced that it would be removing Designated Survivor from its library in 2020. So, what exactly happened?

The removal of Designated Survivor from Netflix was due to a licensing issue with Entertainment One (eOne). The studio had previously owned the rights to the show and licensed them out to ABC for broadcast and Netflix for streaming.

However, in late 2019, eOne was acquired by Hasbro, which chose not to renew its licensing agreement with Netflix. This meant that Designated Survivor could no longer be streamed on Netflix, as Hasbro had taken over exclusive rights to distribute it elsewhere.

As a result, Designated Survivor fans were left without a place to watch their beloved show. Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long for a new home for Kirkman’s adventures – in July 2020, it was announced that Designated Survivor had been picked up by streaming service Hulu and would be available there shortly afterwards.

So why did Netflix remove Designated Survivor? In short, it was due to a licensing issue between Hasbro and Entertainment One that prevented Netflix from continuing to stream the show. Although fans were initially disappointed by the news, they soon found solace in Hulu’s acquisition of Designated Survivor and can now continue their journey with President Kirkman.

Conclusion: Netflix removed Designated Survivor due to a licensing issue between Hasbro and Entertainment One that prevented them from continuing to stream the show. Although this was disappointing news for fans at first, they can now continue their journey with President Kirkman through Hulu’s acquisition of Designated Survivor.