Every month, Netflix says hello and goodbye to multiple TV shows and movies.
In December, the streaming platform is set to lose a handful of popular shows, including one long-running TV sitcom that inspired its own short-lived Hulu spin-off and a live-action comic book adaptation that spawned an entire small-screen cinematic comic book universe. Two beloved horror series are set to depart Netflix in December as well, both of which feel spiritually linked despite one premiering 14 years after the other.
Here are five shows you should watch before they leave Netflix in December.
“How I Met Your Mother” (2005)
One of the signature sitcoms of the mid-2000s, “How I Met Your Mother” made waves back in 2005 with its unusual, flashback-laden structure and its uniquely earnest, overarching spirit of romantic yearning. 20 years after its premiere, the series remains a surprisingly singular achievement.
As is the case with most decades-old American sitcoms, not all of its jokes have aged particularly well, and Neil Patrick Harris’ womanizing Barney Stinson feels as much like a relic of another time as just about any sitcom character of the past 30 years. But the chemistry between the core cast members seems just as electric as ever, and many of the show’s biggest emotional swings still hit as hard now as they did at the time.
“Supernatural” (2005)
It may have premiered the same year as “How I Met Your Mother,” but the CW’s “Supernatural” could not be any more different from that CBS sitcom. Created by “The Boys” showrunner Eric Kripke, “Supernatural” produced 15 seasons and well over 300 episodes across its 15 years on the air. There is a reason why it kept viewers hooked for that long.
The series’ blend of fantasy world-building and supernatural horror felt genuinely revolutionary at the time of its premiere, and the brotherly chemistry established onscreen between stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki gave the show a strong enough emotional foundation to withstand plenty of misadventures over the years. All of its 15 seasons are streaming now on Netflix, but they will be gone from the platform on Dec. 18, which means now is as good a time as any to finally dive into “Supernatural.”
“Arrow” (2012)
There was a brief moment in the early 2010s when the CW felt like the network to go to find premiere-grade superhero television. “Arrow” was right at the forefront of that phenomenon. Developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, this episodic take on Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and his adventures as the DC Comics hero known as the Green Arrow offered a grounded and emotionally engaging take on a superhero character that has rarely been brought to life well onscreen.
Like many CW shows, “Arrow” probably went on longer than it should have, but that is only further testament to the attachments the show cultivated between its viewers and its characters. Fans wanted to see the adventures of Oliver Queen and his allies through to the end, and you have the chance to do the same before all eight seasons of “Arrow” leave Netflix on Dec. 18.
“The 100” (2014)
There are three CW shows set to leave Netflix on Dec. 18: “Supernatural,” “Arrow” and, last but not least, “The 100.” The latter drama, based on the young adult novel series of the same name by Kass Morgan, takes place on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth. It follows the young descendants of human survivors who escaped the planet’s nuclear destruction by taking refuge on a space habitat known as the Arc.
Plenty of drama, violence and conflict ensues after one group of descendants — comprised of rebellious juvenile delinquents — encounters another community of survivors. Like “Supernatural” and “Arrow,” “The 100” built a passionate and dedicated fanbase during its time on the air. Fortunately, Netflix subscribers still have the opportunity to find out why, but they will have to do so before all seven seasons of “The 100” exit the streaming service this month.
“Evil” (2019)
On the one hand, it is hard to imagine “Evil” ever being made without the influence and success of “Supernatural.” On the other hand, the latter still feels definitively like its own thing. This supernatural drama from “The Good Wife” creators Robert and Michelle King follows a forensic psychologist (Katja Herbers), Catholic seminarian (Mike Colter) and tech contractor (Aasif Mandvi) who are hired by the Catholic Church to look into alleged supernatural events and demonic activity.
“Evil” follows its heroes as they not only investigate different incidents, but also as they find their own lives increasingly influenced by their exposure to the supernatural world. There are inspired moments of horror rippling through every episode of “Evil,” a show that knew early on how to march unwaveringly to its own, off-kilter beat. In case that’s not enough, though, the series notably did not last as long as the other entries on this list, which would make binge-watching it before it leaves Netflix on Dec. 31 a bit of an easier task.
What's New on Netflix in December