Netflix Is Losing All Seasons of Shonda Rhimes’ Best Political Thriller in 2026

Calling all Scandal fans. You have just over six months to binge-watch all 124 episodes of the series before it leaves Netflix.

Yes, Shonda Rhimes’ best political thriller is set to leave the streaming giant on Dec. 17, 2026. This is despite it being one of viewers’ favorite shows, getting a strong second life on Netflix after it ended its run on ABC.

There isn’t a new streaming home set for it just yet, which isn’t surprising considering how long Netflix has had the licensing rights for it. However, there are some strong speculations considering it’s a Disney/ABC-owned series.

Why Is ‘Scandal’ Leaving Netflix?

What’s On Netflix didn’t officially give the reason when announcing Scandal would be leaving Netflix, but there is one main reason for a third-party licensed show. It’s all to do with the contracts and the licensing agreements. As with the likes of Supernatural, Gossip Girl, and Seinfeld, the streamer only gets to make the content available on its platform for a set number of years.

That timeframe differs per show. While originally added in September 2014, Scandal was initially removed 10 years later. It then came back to Netflix in June 2025. It looks like the licensing deal was for 18 months, and that’s why it’s leaving in December 2026.

‘Scandal’ Is One of the Best Political Thrillers Ever

Disney hasn’t confirmed just yet, but it’s likely that the series will head to Disney+ and Hulu after its stint on Netflix. These two streaming platforms are owned by the giant that has the rights to the Kerry Washington-led series.

Scandal made waves in the land of TV when it first premiered on April 5, 2012. Washington became one of the first Black women to land a leading woman spot on broadcast TV, with a show that was smartly written, included flawed and intriguing characters, and proved it had the longevity needed to make a mark.

In fact, ABC didn’t even cancel the series. Rhimes wanted to make sure Olivia Pope had the ending she deserved, and she chose to end the series after seven wonderful seasons. Now is the time to catch up, rewatch, or even watch for the first time before Scandal is gone from Netflix.

Related: Netflix Is Quietly Removing Gripping French Crime Drama with Almost-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score