‘E.T.’ Returns… To Sell You Cable

We’ve been working hard on getting the Holiday Gift Guide ready to launch later today, so we missed the big E.T. video that hit NBC yesterday. A day later, the video has 4 million views and more than a few divided opinions on whether or not it should have happened. From our perspective, it should not. We get that Spielberg gave his blessing and we acknowledge how cool it is that they got Henry Thomas back to reprise his role as Elliot. What we’re having trouble with is that E.T. wasn’t brought back to tell a story, he was brought back to sell a cable bundle. The entire commercial/ 4-minute movie is geared towards selling different products and services for Xfinity.

It was a mashed together product placement with spurts of nostalgia like cupcakes with Reese’s Pieces, a flower coming back to life, and bikes flying for no apparent story purpose. In the end, it’s cool to see E.T. again, but it just feels like the way they do it did nothing but sell product. Given that Spielberg gave his approval, we look forward to the eventual Jaws sequel film where police chief Brody’s grandson kills the shark by blowing up an oversized can of Mountain Dew in its mouth.

After 37 years, E.T. comes back to visit his friend, Elliott, for the holidays. During his stay, E.T. learns that Elliott now has a family of his own and that technology has completely changed on Earth since his last visit. Learn more at xfinity.com/ET