Picture Credit: Duplass Brothers Productions
September 2026 marks the expiry of licensing windows for several shows on Netflix, including all 8 seasons of classic sitcom Girlfriends, and fan-favorite historical drama Spartacus. Here’s all the licensed shows departing the streamer throughout the remainder of the month.
So far this month, Netflix subscribers have seen numerous highly-rated series depart the streamer, including all five seasons of Orphan Black and The CW’s popular superhero series Black Lightning. As we look ahead to the remainder of the month, seven more big licensed titles are leaving Netflix. Consider this your final call to watch them.
Be sure to check out here for the full list of movies and shows departing Netflix throughout September. Or if you’re more inclined to see a positive list, we’ve compiled all of the movies and shows headed to Netflix in September here, which is spearheaded by new projects involving Hollywood stars Ben Affleck and Florence Pugh.
Girlfriends (Seasons 1-8)
Leaving Netflix: September 11th
Classic American sitcom Girlfriends has been on Netflix US for six years at this point after a licensing agreement with CBS in September 2020, making it among the longest-standing licensed sitcoms on the streamer. However, on September 11, that licensing window is up, seeing all eight seasons and 172 episodes disappear from Netflix’s library. The original deal was set to expire in 2023, but Netflix ultimately renewed the licensing agreement and the sitcom stayed around for three more years.
Since it landed on Netflix, Girlfriends Season 1 alone has racked up more than 21,800,000 hours viewed, with many viewers sticking around until Season 8, which has 6,600,000 total hours viewed.
Starring Jill Marie Jones, Golden Brooks, Persia White, and Tracee Ellis Ross, sitcom Girlfriends follows the four friends long after they went their separate ways after school. Years later, their paths cross once more, and they rekindle their former friendships — all while struggling with the day-to-day stress of their adult lives.
Netflix’s multi-year deal with Mara Brock Akil in 2020 would see other projects from the Girlfriends creator be made at the streamer, most notably with romantic teen drama series Forever (2025), which is currently streaming on Netflix.
Heels (Seasons 1-2)
Leaving Netflix: September 15th
In 2024, Netflix struck a two-year licensing deal with Starz to bring wrestling drama Heels to its library. Both seasons landed on Netflix on September 15, 2024. Now, two years later, the deal has not been renewed and both seasons of Heels are departing. When Heels landed on Netflix back in 2024, there were distant hopes that it could find extra life and get renewed for a fourth season, but stars Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig were already tied up in other projects to commit to another season, and the renewal never happened. Even so, both seasons work extremely well and don’t leave viewers hanging for another instalment — it was aspirational rather than required.
Heels takes place in a quaint Georgia community and follows a family-owned wrestling promotion, where two highly-strung brothers and rivals battle over their late father’s legacy, both inside and outside of the ring. The series was a huge success over its two seasons. It currently stands at a very strong 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nashville (Seasons 1-6)
Leaving Netflix: September 15th
After a short, one-year licensing agreement, all six seasons of drama seasons Nashville are leaving Netflix on September 15. When the series landed on the streamer in 2025, it was its first stint on Netflix — and viewers were delighted to see it in the US library. The excitement was reflected in viewership too, with the series racking up 118.6 million viewing hours, which translated to 8.1 million views across its run. It would’ve made a lot of sense for Netflix to retain such a consistently popular show on its library — 124 episodes equates to a lot of viewing hours — but the license has not been renewed.
Starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere, Nashville is a love letter to country music, following legendary country musician whose popularity wanes in the twilight of her career, and an up-and-coming country singer stealing the spotlight.
Spartacus (Seasons 1-4)
Leaving Netflix: September 15th
Netflix licensed Spartacus Seasons 1-4 in the same one-year agreement that saw Nashville also arrive in the library. However, unlike Nashville, this show had already endured stints on Netflix dating back to 2015. It was a prudent move for Netflix to bring the series back on a 1-year agreement, with the franchise airing an alternate-history sequel House of Ashur in December 2025.
The deal saw Netflix become the one-stop home to all things Spartacus, including Blood and Sand, prequel miniseries Gods of the Arena, and the Vengeance and War of the Damned seasons. In terms of viewership it soared, racking up 259.4M viewing hours since its triumphant return to Netflix.
Despite a strict, 12-month lease to Netflix, the Spartacus franchise is almost a guaranteed win whenever it’s on the streamer.
Castle and Castle (Seasons 1-2)
Leaving Netflix: September 17th
Shortly after the first season of Nigerian drama Castle and Castle premiered in 2018, Netflix signed an exclusive deal with EbonyLife TV. Netflix became the home of the series, and when Season 2 released in 2021, it aired as a Netflix Exclusive for a 5-year licensing window. That window expires on September 17, and there’s no indication that Netflix is intent on renewing the deal.
A Nigerian legal drama and Africa’s first legal procedural drama, Castle and Castle follows a married couple, Remi (Dakore Akanda) and Tega (Richard Mofe-Damijo) Castle, whose opposing legal forays put a strain on their marriage.
The series has performed low-to-modest during its time on Netflix. Looking at our engagement tool, both seasons have a combined 460,0000 total hours viewed, though 2026 figures have not yet been accounted for.
Lopez vs. Lopez (Seasons 1-2)
Will Lopez Vs Lopez Season 2 Be On Netflix Jpg
Leaving Netflix: September 18th
American sitcom Lopez vs. Lopez debuted back in 2022. Created by George Lopez and Mayan Lopez, who star as fictionalised versions of themselves. the series and events of the series are loosely shaped by their actual relationship and experiences. It’s the ultimate, laid-back sitcom that you can turn your mind off and enjoy, filled with dysfunctional family drama, and the headaches of adulthood.
The first season of Lopez vs. Lopez landed on Netflix in November 2023 through a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Universal Television. The licence was only granted to Netflix US; no other regions had the show. Per our engagement tool, both seasons of Lopez vs. Lopez combined have garnered 34,100,000 total hours viewed during their time on Netflix.
Seasons 1-2 of the show leave Netflix on September 18. Fans don’t have long to binge it all, but with 32 episodes across 2 seasons at 22 minutes each, it’s possible!
Penelope (Season 1)
Picture Credit: Duplass Brothers Productions
Leaving Netflix: September 24th
Rated 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, the 8-episode coming-of-age survival drama Penelope was a huge breakout success when it made its debut during the ‘Episodic Pilot Showcase’ at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. It attracted interest from across the streaming world, and ultimately Netflix US acquired the rights. International rights fell to other services, such as Sky in the UK.
The series follows our 16-year-old eponymous lead, played by Megan Stott (Aftermath, Little Fires Everywhere), who grows tired of modern society and instead takes herself into unknown wilderness, forging a new life for herself.
Penelope departs Netflix on September 24, giving US viewers two weeks to complete the series.
The Good Place
Leaving Netflix: September 25th
Note: The Good Place is leaving Netflix internationally, a year after being removed from Netflix US in 2025.
A sitcom with a brilliant, fantastical twist, The Good Place begins with everyone dead, in some version of Heaven. Our protagonist, Eleanor (Kristen Bell), lived a pretty morally corrupt life as a salesman, yet still finds herself in a Heaven-esque afterlife. Realizing that she only got there as a result of mistaken identity, she attempts to conceal her dodgy past life to remain there.
The Good Place began in 2016, running for four terrific seasons. The ratings speak for themselves, with the series currently holding an impressive 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. It has accumulated over 371,900,000 total hours viewed during its time on Netflix, as gauged by our engagement tool.
We have written about the status of The Good Place on Netflix in more detail here.
Which of these licensed series will you be watching before they leave Netflix this month?