Netflix Removes ’30 Rock’

Comedy fans are reeling this month as Netflix has removed 30 Rock from its catalog. The iconic sitcom dropped from Netflix queues throughout the U.S. on Sunday, July 31. You can still stream the show on Peacock, including its free ad-supported tier for those interested, as well as on Hulu.

It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see 30 Rock departing from Netflix as the streamer continues to lose much of the licensed content that has made it popular over the years. Not only did 30 Rock air on NBC — it is virtually about NBC. Of all the shows for the company to call home, it makes sense that they would want this one to be a Peacock exclusive as soon as possible. As usual, Netflix warned fans that 30 Rock would be leaving in its July press release. Those in the middle of a binge-watch shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up on Peacock or Hulu — or purchasing the show directly elsewhere if they prefer.

If you’ve been meaning to get around to watching 30 Rock this is actually a great excuse to do so. The show is iconic for a reason — it seamlessly combines a single-camera sitcom setup with satire and absurdism all while introducing you to characters you find yourself loving against all odds. The show was created by Tina Fey and is a parody of Saturday Night Live at its core. It is about the writers, producers and stars of a variety show produced in 30 Rockefeller Center for a fictional version of NBC.

Fey plays Liz Lemon, the creator and head writer of 30 Rock‘s central show The Girly Show — later rebranded TGS. Alec Baldwin plays her boss, network executive Jack Donaghy. Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski play the two stars of the show, Tracy Jordan and Jenna Maroney, respectively. Scott Adsit plays producer Pete Hornberger and Jack McBrayer plays the unflappable NBC page, Kenneth Ellen Parcell.

The show started as early as 2002 when Fey was still the head writer for SNL itself. She originally envisioned 30 Rock as a parody of cable news, but gradually found it easier to focus on her personal experience on SNL. Fey later wrote about her experience developing the show in her memoir Bossypants.

You can stream 30 Rock on Peacock and Hulu now. You could also rent or purchase it on digital stores such as Amazon Prime Video. The complete series has also been released on DVD, and is available in a box set for just $45.99 at the time of this writing.