As the new year rings in, Netflix has decided to remove two beloved classics from their streaming platform: The Office and Gossip Girl. Fans of the two shows are outraged but Netflix claims the removal is because of licensing agreements. 

The Office is the second NBC sitcom to go off Netflix, as Friends left precisely one year ago. The Office was everyone’s favorite workplace comedy and could be described as a comfort show for many. It took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and revolved around a paper company: Dunder Mifflin.  What made fans genuinely fall in love with the show was the boss of the workplace, Michael Scott. Michael was infamously known for never doing work and always referred to the employees as his family. He never failed to bring a smile to our face as he hosted the Dundie Awards, threw a Casino Party in the warehouse, and even fell in love with his boss, Jan. The Office had various other plot lines that appealed to fans, but the one that sticks out to everyone is the relationship of coworkers, Jim and Pam. Jim started as a guy who had a crush on the engaged Pam, but their strong friendship eventually turned into them, tying the knot and being the office romance story. Fans of the show are already mourning the loss of Michael’s jokes, Dwight’s quirkiness, Jim’s pranks, Creed’s one-liners, and the other characters’ attributes that made the show a true classic. 

Gossip Girl was the epic teen drama set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It centered around the lives of Serena Van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass, Nate Archibald, and Dan Humphrey. These characters attended an exclusive prep school in the city, but their deepest and darkest secrets were being revealed on a website by the notorious Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl’s identity remains the biggest mystery and central premise of the show as the website continues to stir the pot. Throughout the show, there were several romances but also constant scandal and heartbreak. The CW continued the series for six seasons, and fans were truly shocked when they discovered who was sharing their secrets to the world. 

Although these shows won’t be available on Netflix, The Office will move to NBC’s Peacock, whereas Gossip Girl will make its transition to HBO Max. 

By: Brooke Marotti’21, Co-Executive Editor-in-Chief