Netflix makes a transparent attempt to jump on the Pedro Pascal hype train

Netflix has taken a clumsy stab at riding the wave of Pedro Pascal‘s ever-increasing popularity.

The streaming giant took to Twitter to post a panel of four screen captures of Pascal with the caption, “Four photos to remind you that Narcos = 30 episodes of Pedro Pascal.” If Netflix was attempting to be subtle with its essential pleading with subscribers not to forget it exists in light of The Last of Us‘ success, it failed miserably. Desperation is never a good look.

Though Pascal is currently starring in HBO Max’s aforementioned, absurdly successful adaptation, it appears that Netflix is eager to cut in on the game and remind his fans of his work on Narcos. Pascal appeared in all three seasons of the crime drama as real-life Javier Peña, a DEA agent assigned to investigate the operations of drug cartels in Columbia. The series tells the story of the rise and fall of the notorious Medellín cartel, run by drug lord Pablo Escobar, and the Cali cartel, a splinter syndicate. 

From the 1980s to the 1990s, Escobar ran the most profitable criminal operation in the world. He had a net worth of $30 billion when he died. Between 1993 and 1995, the Cali cartel held 80% of the global cocaine market, raking in an eye-popping $5 billion profit per year.

Pascal’s performance as Peña is spellbinding. However, Escobar’s brother threatened to shut down the show if Netflix didn’t pay him $1 billion. Tragedy struck when location scout Carlos Muños Portal was found dead in Mexico. Pascal left the show because he said Netflix failed to guarantee the safety of the cast and crew.

That makes Netflix’s tweet worthy of a full-on side-eye. 

The Last of Us airs on HBO Max on Sundays.