If you’re planning to put in some major TV time this Labor Day weekend, Netflix obviously has plenty to offer, but you might want to take note of some last-call series that are leaving the service in September. The churn of licensing and syndication never stops, which means, as usual, a few binge-worthy shows are leaving Netflix soon. This month, there’s a soapy OWN original, two iconic HBO Max war dramas and a mythical animated comedy from the creator of “Rick & Morty.”
Here’s everything to know about the shows leaving Netflix in August, how long you have left to watch them and how many seasons you’ll need to speed through before the expiration date. Or, if you’d rather watch a movie after all, here are the must-watch movies leaving soon.
“Greenleaf”
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 9
If you’re in the mood for something soapy, Netflix has a long-running Oprah Winfrey Network series that should fit the bill — but you’d better get a move on, because the first binge-worthy show leaving Netflix this month is also the longest! The 60-episode OWN original (which also features the occasional appearance from Oprah herself) follows the Greenleaf family, who own, operate, preach and praise at the Memphis megachurch Calvary Fellowship World Ministries.
Through the perspective of the prodigal daughter, Grace (Merle Dandridge), who returns home after 20 years following the death of her sister, “Greenleaf” peels back the veneer of prestige and piousness to reveal the ever-juicy hypocrisy, rivalry, adultry and plenty of good old-fashioned family drama. Extremely watchable, full of dishy moments and thinly veiled insults, “Greenleaf” also stars Keith David, Lynn Whitfield, Kim Hawthorne, Desiree Ross, Lamman Rucker, Tye White and Lovie Simone.
“Change Days”
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 14
Keeping with the dramatic, Netflix will lose Season 2 of the Korean reality dating series “Change Days” in September (Season 1 is streaming on Viki). Perhaps a good fit for fans of “The Ultimatum,” “Change Days” Season 2 brings together four couples who are all questioning their relationships and sends them off for a two-week trip, where they date each other’s partners and have to make a choice. At the end of the show, they can stay together, couple up with their new date or choose to leave alone.
The 16-episode series takes its time exploring each relationship and potential new spark, following the couples through hash-outs and in-depth heart-to-hearts, while a panel of judges offers insight and commentary into the dynamics between the budding or bifurcating pairs. Just make sure you’ve got enough time, you’ll want to know how it turns out, and the episodes are lengthy, often more than an hour in runtime.
“Band of Brothers”
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 15
You’d be hard-pressed to find a limited series more acclaimed than “Band of Brothers,” HBO’s 2001 war drama created and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Over the course of 10 episodes (some of which are nearly feature-length), the series follows the “Easy” Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division through World War II, from training to D-Day to the liberation of a concentration camp.
It’s a stunning piece of essential television, and as you might expect, shares a lot of DNA with Spielberg and Hanks’ 1998 WWII film “Saving Private Ryan,” particularly in its rich treatment of each soldier’s character. But “Band of Brothers” is even richer, based on true stories and benefits from the long-format storytelling.
“The Pacific”
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 15
Nearly a decade later, Spielberg and Hanks returned to HBO for another war drama, the also excellent “The Pacific.” While it’s not quite considered the piece of TV perfection of “Band of Brothers,” the 10-episode 2010 miniseries is still one of the best war dramas ever put on TV, with another knockout ensemble (especially early-career Rami Malek as the unforgettable ‘Snafu’) and thoughtful exploration of men at war.
This time, they set their sights on the Pacific War through the stories of three marines in different regiments. That structure gives “The Pacific” a very different texture feel than “Band of Brothers,” as does the drastically different jungle setting, and even more gruesome, brutal depiction of warfare.
If you watch both “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” and you’re craving more of Hanks and Spielberg’s approach to war dramas, you’ll have to head over to AppleTV+ next, where you’ll find their 2024 series “Masters of the Air.”
“Krapopolis”
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 15
If you’re in the mood for something a bit lighter, “Krapopolis” makes for much easier watching than some other entries on this month’s list. Fox’s adult animated comedy, from “Rick & Morty” and “Community” creator Dan Harmon, is set among the gods and monsters of mythical Ancient Greece. The series follows Tyrannis, king of Krapopolis and son of a Mantitaur (part centaur, part manticore) and the goddess of self-destruction.
It’s every bit as silly as it sounds — sillier even, and though it’s yet to reach the heights of Harmon’s comedy greats, it’s an easy binge-watch if you’re looking for a laugh. Not to mention the hilarious voice cast, which includes Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry and Hannah Waddingham. Netflix has the 23-episode Season 1 through mid-September (and if you’re in the mood for more, you’ll find Season 2 on Hulu).
The Good Place
Leaving Netflix on Sept. 26
One of the most exceptional comedies of the 2010s is leaving Netflix in September, so if you haven’t seen “The Good Place,” do yourself a favor and watch all four seasons before it’s gone. Created by “Parks and Recreation” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” co-creator Michael Schur, “The Good Place” follows Kristen Bell’s Eleanor Shellstrop to the afterlife, where nothing is what you’d expect.
Anchored by an all-time great ensemble that puts Bell alongside Ted Danson, D’Arcy Carden, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto, “The Good Place” is an endless font of laughs, creativity and surprisingly cathartic existential musings on friendship and what it means to be a good person.