Game of Thrones reenactors are put out of work in HBO Now’s new ad

HBO Now, the stand-alone streaming service that was launched last year on the back of Game of Thrones Season 5, hasn’t done too badly for itself. Although it only had 800k subscribers after the first 10 months of its existence, far short of competitors like Netflix, that was partly due to a slow roll out across platforms. Over the course of Season 5, for instance, HBO Now was only available via Apple TV, and did not come to Roku until midsummer. It came to other platforms even later, in part because by focusing on being compatible on one platform at a time let HBO release it earlier than if they had attempted to roll it out everywhere at once. That also meant the streaming service wouldn’t be plagued by crashes in the early going.

Things have gone better in 2016, as the system hit the million subscriber benchmark ahead of Season 6. (Though those crashing problems finally did rear up towards the end of that season.) And yesterday, HBO CEO Richard Plepler said that the second quarter numbers for the service showed “enormous momentum.” Along with now offering the service in South America, HBO is apparently planning another push this fall on the back of Jon Stewart’s new comedy series, timed for the election season.

But HBO Now hasn’t forgotten what it is their subscribers are really signing up for: unfettered access to Game of Thrones Seasons 1-6. As their latest promo spot boasts, it’s working so well, that they’re putting “the reenactors” out of work.

Heck, even the Dany reenactor couldn’t help but sign up. But to be fair, she probably needed to, since her costume is outdated by about three seasons now. She should do the Jon Snow reenactor a favor and share her password, so he can update his look to the “Stark Blues and Manbun” look of Season 6.