'Best show' leaving Netflix after fans binge-watched it in days

Netflix subscribers have merely days remaining to catch a series that had viewers reaching for the tissues.

The American drama Greenleaf initially premiered in 2016 on Oprah Winfrey Network, with the chat show legend serving as executive producer.

The programme spanned five series before concluding in 2020, featuring Keith David, Lynn Whitfield and Merle Dandrige in leading roles.

Additional cast members comprised Desiree Ross, Lanman Rucker, Kim Hawthorne and Deborah Joy Winans.

The storyline centred on the Greenleaf dynasty and the web of secrets and controversies enveloping them alongside their Memphis megachurch, reports the Mirror.

The plot sees patriarch and matriarch of the family Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn) come to terms with their estranged daughter Grace (Merle) returning home after 20 years, following the mysterious death of her sister Faith.

As the family battles to stay close, they're faced with secrets, lies, adultery, sibling rivalry and issues threatening to pull them apart.

"Although members of the Greenleaf family run a Memphis megachurch, their business and personal lives are tainted with greed, adultery and other sins," the synopsis teases.

The first five seasons of Greenleaf are now due to leave Netflix on Wednesday, 10 September.

Fans have been raving about the show since it first landed on screens, rating it 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.

One reviewer said: "I couldn't go a day without watching Greenleaf."

Another wrote: "I just discovered this show and can't get enough of it. I binge-watched the entire Series 1-3 in a matter of days and was riveted throughout."

"This is an amazing show!! Brought tears to my eyes at the end!!" a third added.

Someone else wrote: "Best show on television!!! The show is so perfect and well meticulously written. They leave no questions unanswered!"

"Brilliant TV series. A must see if you have Netflix," another said.

One fan wrote: "It's a juicy, scandal-ridden guilty pleasure with some of the best actors and actresses. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing."

When the first season of Greenleaf aired, Oprah spoke of how it helped promote her mission in accurately representing African-American families.

Having served as an executive producer on the series as well as starring as Mavis McCready, she said: "It's always been my dream to use the platform of drama and storytelling to reflect the lives of people of color onscreen in such a way that we can accurately see ourselves.

"Not melodrama, not soap, not over the top, but just you see a family sitting around a table and there's something about the connection in that family, the way that family looks, the way they respond to each other, the language they use, the nuances in their being with each other, when they're not even speaking, that you feel and see yourself."

"It's a different kind of pacing that feels more like life, or like you and me," she added.

Greenleaf is available to watch on Netflix for subscribers with ad-free standard and premium plans.