Verizon Kicks Off Another Free Netflix Premium Promotion to Goose +play Starz Signups

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Separately but relatedly, we think we've finally figured out why lightly watched Starz originals like 'Party Down,' 'Heels' and 'Survivors Remorse' have better Rotten Tomatoes scores than 'The Sopranos'

Steven Amell Heels Starz
Starz original series 'Heels' (Image credit: Starz)

Verizon, which launched a successful "Netflix on Us" promotion late last year to kickstart the official launch of its +play wholesale channels market, is going back to the well. 

For a "limited time," Verizon wireless, 5G Home and LTE Home customers can get 12 months free of the $19.99-a-month Netflix Premium service when they sign up through the subscription hub for premium channel Starz. 

Additionally, through its customizable wireless service bundle offering, myPlan, which was introduced in May, Verizon is offering customers the ability to purchase $15 in monthly +play credits for $10 a month. 

"The offer continues to demonstrate the complementary nature of our service that can be easily bundled together as a valuable addition to broad-base offerings," said Alison Hoffman, president of domestic networks for Starz.

Lionsgate said during its fiscal Q4 earnings report in May that Starz has 29.7 million subscribers across its linear and OTT Starz Play platforms. 

The Canadian media conglomerate specifically called out the success of "fan favorite" original series Party Down for helping drive 1.3 million global streaming signups during the quarter. 

On Wednesday, Party Down didn't receive an Emmy nomination from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. In fact, only two Starz shows, incarceration-themed comedy-drama Blindspotting (choreography) and strip-club-set drama P-Valley (hairstyling), received any Emmy love at all. 

As Starz subscribers ourselves, we continue to be puzzled by aggregate TV critic adoration for Starz shows, which seems to far outpace the viewership popularity and awards prowess of the content. 

Consider these Rotten Tomatoes scores ... and keep in mind that HBO's The Sopranos and The Wire, which are arguably two of the best TV series in the history of the premium cable originals format, have Rotten Tomatoes aggregation scores of 92% and 94%, respectively

* Survivors Remorse -- 97%

* Heels -- 96%

* P-Valley -- 95%

* Party Down -- 94%

* Outlander -- 90%

Of course, TV critics are people, too, and often, TV fans first, and they respond to attention like everyone else. Politically adept Starz showrunners seem to understand this. Or maybe, when compared to The Sopranos, Survivors Remorse is just a better written, better acted TV show. 

Daniel Frankel
Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel is the managing editor of Next TV, an internet publishing vertical focused on the business of video streaming. A Los Angeles-based writer and editor who has covered the media and technology industries for more than two decades, Daniel has worked on staff for publications including E! Online, Electronic Media, Mediaweek, Variety, paidContent and GigaOm. You can start living a healthier life with greater wealth and prosperity by following Daniel on Twitter today!