Apparently Netflix takes requests. This is something users might already know if they’ve spent enough time digging around on the streaming site’s somewhat unpublicized Help Center, maybe looking for troubleshooting tips or just a place to complain. But most people apparently aren’t aware of the “request a title” form, at least according to comedian Chelsea Peretti. Recently, a fan in the Philippines tweeted the official Netflix Philippines account to object because Peretti’s 2014 comedy special One of the Greats wasn’t available on the service. The Netflix account directed him to the form:
Peretti had her own opinion on whether the original user should have known about the request page:
There’s no easy way to tell whether Netflix’s user base does or does not know this drill, but the link tweeted by the Netflix Philippines account does work in other countries as well, at least for Netflix subscribers who are logged into the service. The real question is how useful it is to send suggestions to Netflix. The service obviously has to license its content from the owners, and some titles simply aren’t going to be purchasable, because they’re licensed to other services, or were created as original content for those services. You can request that Netflix pick up Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale or CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Discovery until your typing fingers wear away, but it isn’t likely to happen.
Still, for cases like One of the Greats, it might be worth trying the request. The comedy special is available on Netflix in America, so there’s evidence that the streaming rights are available in at least some cases. Netflix is much more likely to respond to a campaign of interest than to a single user, but at least the form offers an option. It also might be a useful outlet for users to be aware of the next time a beloved show like Brooklyn Nine-Nine gets cancelled, and fans immediately turn to Netflix in hopes of a revival. “This form is the one and only place to submit content requests,” the page says. There’s one good reason for that — petitioners have to be Netflix subscribers to access the form, so the company already knows they’re hearing from their own fan base, not just whoever wants to gripe about a cancelled show on social media.
Besides, it’s worth knowing about the request form because it’s a sly way to provide feedback about some of Netflix’s more questionable choices. It’s unlikely that Netflix is going to be swayed by a single request for any given title or any given chance, but at least it’s a fun way to express your opinions.