You know what the best thing about Netflix is? It’s being able to rip through 19 episodes straight of whatever show you’re watching without a single interruption. Well, the streaming service might want to take that ability away, as they’re testing a new concept in which each episode is bookended by a “recommendation” from the company. In other words, a commercial for another show on Netflix.
This is very dumb. Netflix has succeeded because their unique model frees subscribers from the trappings of normal TV—namely, commercial breaks. This makes Netflix more similar to normal TV, and that is not a good thing.
Now, a couple notes: Users would be able to skip the ads with the click of a button. Netflix compares it to the video preview system that makes a show or movie play if you hover on it for a beat too long. Netflix says it reduces the time people spend browsing, but that’s probably because we would do anything to stop the videos from playing, instead of those previews actually helping us make a decision. (h/t AV Club)