Netflix’s new plan will completely take over the officially independent media space
Author: Robert Skuch Published
It’s official. last podcast on the left Coming to Netflix soon. I first heard the news during the weekly Side Stories episode on Wednesday, January 21, when showrunner Marcus Parks announced that the true crime comedy podcast would be available on Netflix at the end of the month. In this case, the long-running series is part of a licensed slate, meaning subscribers can easily watch episodes from their back catalog on Netflix, while casual listeners can continue using Spotify or its podcast app as usual.
In other words, if you don’t have Netflix, you can still tune in week after week last podcast on the left. But if you’re a die-hard Netflix fan, you can now watch shows there without having to change your media consumption habits.
While this is great news for Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson, it also points to a larger shift in the media landscape as we enter 2026. The shift is part of Netflix’s ongoing push to dominate the podcast space.
The left’s last podcast reaches a wider audience
Hosted by Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski and Ed Larson, last podcast on the left is a true crime and comedy podcast that covers everything from serial killers and alien invasions to government conspiracies and almost any other horror subject imaginable. The show premiered in 2011 and has aired more than 1,100 episodes, continuing to grow in popularity over the years.
I’ve always loved the “Butterbuster” series, which used multiple episodes to reveal the lives and crimes of characters like BTK, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Irene Wuornos. That said, this show has been part of my weekly listening routine for over a decade, and I’m excited to see this bootstrapped project continue to thrive. If you have a dark sense of humor and enjoy learning about the worst people and events in history, and these three guys solve their tricks through exhaustive research, you’ll be hard to beat. I hope this Netflix deal helps the show reach a wider audience without compromising its integrity or legacy.
Licensing existing works and Netflix original works
Personally, I was relieved when Marcus Parks clarified this The Left’s Last Podcast The partnership with Netflix is strictly a licensing arrangement. It’s still the same show, just leveraging Netflix’s infrastructure and reach to attract new viewers. Beyond that, the group has also hinted at more projects coming to the streaming platform in the coming months, which should expand their reach as podcasters, media personalities and content creators. This feels like a rare win-win situation, especially since ownership of the show didn’t transfer in the process.
On a broader scale, Netflix plans to make a big push into podcasting in 2026, partnering with Spotify, iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports to distribute existing programming into the streaming space. On the other hand, it also means Netflix is starting to produce its own podcasts to complement its growing content. As of this writing, Bridgerton: The Official Podcast It will serve as a companion piece to the hit series and is scheduled to premiere on January 29, 2026.
Beyond that, it’s unclear what an original podcast concept not tied to existing IP would look like, especially when filtered through the committee decisions and focus group feedback Netflix productions are known for. Netflix has announced the pete davidson showand Michael Irving’s White House recently debuted, but it seems inevitable that a scripted podcast may be next. If that happens, I’m really curious as to how Netflix plans to capture the attention of upset viewers who may not be listening to what anyone has to say.
