Netflix’s New Plan to Completely Take Over the Independent Media Space
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
It is legal. The last podcast on the left coming to Netflix. I first heard the news on Wednesday, January 21 during the weekly episode of Side Stories, when series host Marcus Parks announced that the true crime comedy podcast will be showing up on the Netflix feed at the end of the month. In this case, the long-running series is part of the licensed play, which means that video episodes from the back catalog will be easily available for streaming on Netflix for subscribers, while regular listeners can continue to use Spotify or their podcast applications as usual.
In other words, if you don’t have Netflix, you can still tune in week after week to listen to it The last podcast on the left. But if you’re a Netflix junkie, now you can catch a show there without changing your media consumption habits.
While this is good news for Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson, it also points to a much bigger change in the media landscape as we move into 2026. That change is Netflix making a serious push to dominate the podcast space.
The Last Left Podcast Reaches a Wider Audience
Hosted by Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson, The last podcast on the left is a true crime and comedy podcast that covers everything from serial killers and alien invasions to government programs and any other macabre topic imaginable. The series started in 2011, has had over 1,100 episodes, and has continued to grow in popularity over the years.
I’ve been gravitating towards the “Heavy Hitter” series, where they spend many episodes fleshing out the lives and crimes of figures like BTK, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Aileen Wuornos. That said, this show has been a part of my weekly listening routine for over a decade at this point, and I’m glad to see what started as a bootstrapped project continue to flourish. If you have a dark sense of humor and enjoy learning about the worst people and events in history while three guys pull off their shtick through thorough research, it’s hard to beat. I hope this Netflix deal helps the show reach a wider audience without compromising integrity or legacy.
Licensing Existing Properties Against Netflix Originals
Personally, I breathed a sigh of relief when Marcus Parks clarified that The Last Left Podcast involvement with Netflix was entirely a licensing arrangement. It’s still the same game, using Netflix’s infrastructure and reaching out to capture new audiences. Apart from that, the group also revealed more projects that will come to the streaming space in the coming months, which should expand their scope as podcasters, media personalities, and content creators. It sounds like an odd win-win situation, especially since ownership of the show wasn’t transferred through the process.
On a broader scale, Netflix plans to work hard on podcasts in 2026 in partnership with Spotify, iHeartMedia, and Barstool Sports as a way to distribute shows that already exist in the broadcast sector. On the other hand, this also means that Netflix is starting to produce their own podcasts to fill their ever-expanding content slate. As of this writing, Bridgerton: The Official Podcast will serve as a companion episode to the hit series and is scheduled to premiere on January 29, 2026.
Beyond that, it’s unclear what the first podcast concepts untied to existing IPs will look like, especially if they’re filtered through committee decisions and the kind of focus group feedback Netflix’s productions are known for. Netflix has already announced The Pete Davidson Showagain The White House with Michael Irvin recently saw its debut, but it seems inevitable that written podcasts will likely follow. If that happens, I’m curious as to how Netflix plans to get attention from distracted viewers who may not be listening to anyone’s voice.
