Netflix is my go-to for lazy weekend binges and late-night series marathons. But one day, something strange happened. I couldn’t find certain episodes of my favorite show. Poof! Just missing. I scratched my head for days before I figured out what was going on. Spoiler alert: it had to do with my ad-supported Netflix plan.
TL;DR
I upgraded to Netflix’s cheaper ad-supported tier to save money, but then I noticed some episodes were missing from my shows. Turns out, not all titles or episodes are available on the ad tier due to licensing restrictions. Netflix doesn’t really tell you this upfront, which led to a lot of confusion. Luckily, I found a sneaky little workaround that brought all the missing episodes back!
It All Started With a Missing Finale
I was watching the hit show The Good Place, zooming through episodes like a champ. Then suddenly—bam! The series finale was missing. Just not there. Like it fell into a wormhole. Was I going crazy?
I searched. I paused. I even tried restarting the app. No luck.
Then I dug through Reddit, Netflix FAQs, and support forums. That’s when I found it: Netflix’s ad-supported tier doesn’t include all episodes of all shows. Some are… wait for it… unavailable due to licensing agreements.
Yup. Basically, show creators and studios make deals with Netflix, and not all of them want their content playing with ads.
The Sneaky Side of the “Basic with Ads” Plan
I get it. Ads mean content creators earn money a different way. But what stung was that Netflix didn’t exactly shout this part out when I signed up. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s really going on.
- Some shows are partially available, like a season missing 1-2 episodes.
- Other shows are completely unavailable.
- You might see the season, but some episodes will be grayed out or just flat-out missing.
Even worse: no warning message! Netflix doesn’t pop up and say, “Hey, this episode isn’t here because of your plan.” They just ghost you. Cold.
The Workaround That Saved My Binge Watch
Okay, now here’s the magic fix. Buckle up, because it’s super simple—and I tested it myself.
- I borrowed my friend’s Netflix account (thanks, Sarah!). She has the standard no-ads plan.
- I logged into her account on my phone and—bam—the missing episodes showed up like magic.
So here’s the deal: the episodes aren’t really missing. They’re just hidden from you because of the ad-supported plan.
Once I confirmed they existed on the regular plan, I had two options:
- Option A: Switch to the standard, no-ads plan (more $$$, but worth it on binge weekends).
- Option B: Watch the missing episodes with a friend who has the standard plan (couch-party time!).
I went with Option A—at least temporarily. I switched, watched, and then switched back. A bit of a hassle, but totally worth it for the finale of The Good Place. Spoiler alert: tears were shed.
Why Is Netflix Doing This?
I get it—Netflix wants to offer cheaper plans to reach more people. And ads help cover the cost. That’s smart business.
But the problem is transparency. It really wouldn’t hurt to let users know upfront that some content is missing.
Imagine walking into an ice cream shop and finding out the cookie dough flavor you wanted is available only if you pay extra—but nobody told you until you tried to order. That’s how I felt.
Other Weird Quirks in the Ad Tier
In my deep dive, I noticed a few other oddball things with the ad-supported plan:
- No downloads: You can’t download episodes for offline viewing.
- More restrictions: Some devices don’t even support the ad tier (like Apple TV).
- Lower video quality sometimes, though this varies.
None of this is a dealbreaker on its own, but when you stack them up? It starts to feel less like a good deal and more like a trick.
What Netflix Could Do Better
This whole thing got me thinking: wouldn’t it be great if Netflix just added a little info icon next to missing episodes?
Click on it, and it says something like:
“This episode is unavailable on your current plan due to licensing restrictions. Upgrade to a different plan to watch.”
Easy-peasy. No mystery. No second-guessing your sanity. And no scavenger hunts through Reddit threads.
So, Should You Get the Ad-Supported Plan?
Honestly, it depends. If you’re a casual viewer, go for it. It’s cheaper, and most big content is still there.
But if you’re a hardcore binger who can’t stand missing scenes, or you’re super sensitive to plot continuity (like me), you might want to stick with the standard tier.
Or at least know how to work around it.
My Final Thoughts
I still love Netflix. But I’m a little more cautious now when switching plans. What seemed like a simple $6.99/month savings turned into a personal investigation filled with twists, confusion, and eventually—answers.
So if you’ve noticed wonky gaps in your favorite shows, guess what? It’s not a glitch in the matrix.
It’s just the ad-supported tier quietly hiding content behind the scenes.
But now you know the truth—and exactly how to bring those episodes back to your screen. Happy watching!