Heartlandreached a much larger US audience when the heartwarming family drama was added to Netflix - but today is a sad day for those who have come to love the series.
TheHeartlandcastmakes up multiple generations of the same family and their loved ones as they live and work on the family ranch. The series has seen several of its main characters grow up on the show, and Netflix has been along for the ride.
However, Netflix has now removed the show from the streaming service. The last day to watch the first 16 seasons ofHeartlandon Netflix in the U.S. was July 31. The series, which films and airs on CBC in Canada, has been available to stream on Netflix for nearly a decade, with the streamer adding new seasons as they become available.
Though season 18 finished airing in 2024,Netflix had not yet addedHeartlandseasons 17 or 18 to its catalogbefore the license expired.
Our Take On Heartland Leaving Netflix
Netflix Weighed The Licensing Fee Against Viewership
According to Netflix’s official site, the company takes numerous factors into account as a license comes up on its expiration, including the popularity and the cost. Their site reads:
Netflix licenses TV shows and movies from studios worldwide. Although we strive to keep the titles you want to watch, some titles may leave Netflix due to licensing agreements. Whenever a TV show or movie license is expiring, we consider things such as: If the rights to the title are still available, how popular it is in a region, and how much it costs to license.
Netflix would not have stopped streaming a long-running series, or one that has been on the platform for the better part of a decade, without carefully considering its options.It’s likely that Netflix’s team decided the expense ofHeartlandwas not returning enough benefitsfor the streamer.
The streamer did recently acquire U.S.streaming rights for another Canadian drama inSullivan’s Crossing. UnlikeHeartland,Sullivan’s Crossinghas only three seasons produced so far and is rapidly gaining a fan base outside of Canada. It was likely a less expensive option for the streamer, but it offered an international drama they believed would fill the void.
Unlike streamingSullivan’s Crossingin the US,Heartlandis also available to stream on a lot more platforms. Or at least, multiple seasons of the show are. With Netflix not having streaming exclusivity for the series, that may have played a factor as well.
Where Else Can You Watch Heartland?
Heartland Is Available On Several Smaller Streaming Platforms
If you are outside of the United States and Netflix has been the home forHeartlandin your region, it may continue to be.Netflix still retains international rights to the later seasons ofHeartland, at least for the time being.
In the US, however, there are other platforms that allow users to streamHeartland.
Hallmark+ also has 17 seasons of the show available, which makes sense given that the streamer is the online home for all things Hallmark, which is the network to airHeartlandin the US. There are also several more options forHeartlandfans on smaller streaming services.
UP Faith And Family, however, is the first streaming home for new seasons ofHeartlandin the USnow. It is the only streamer that hasseason 18 ofHeartlandcurrently available.
UP Faith And Family
