Dear Netflix and Hulu: Stop plugging yourselves during your TV shows and movies

USA Today

Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas insists the cameo by Hulu's Harlots in Season 4 was intended as a joke, but Kelly Lawler isn't buying it. "Yes, the cynical, capitalism-skewering Veronica stops an episode so the camera can linger on a scene from Harlots, allowing for some quick corporate synergy that's not only obvious but nonsensical," says Lawler. "Can longtime fans of the series really imagine Veronica or Logan choosing to watch an 18th-century period drama about prostitution? I certainly can't imagine them having the attention span or patience to binge-watch TV at all." Lawler adds: "Hulu isn't the only offender. Netflix has made a habit of promoting other shows in its original movies, be they corny holiday offerings, star-studded rom-coms or interactive science fiction. And it makes sense: Such plugs are free advertising in a TV landscape that's more crowded every day. But it's hurting storytelling, and it has to stop."