"It went on for a little too long"— Fans point out "egregious product placement" in The Rookie season 7

The Rookie season 7 continues to chronicle LAPD officer John Nolan and his work. In episode 14, Mad About Murder, the story centres on an investigation of an organized hit-for-hire through an underworld website.

The episode includes branded content, including a scene featuring a Toyota Tundra, which appears with focused camera work and dialogue. Another instance consists of a conversation in which the character Bailey references Amazon Prime. Both segments include direct mentions or visual emphasis on the respective brands.

Reddit users commented on these brand placements in the episode and trolled the show, as Amazon Prime Video is also the series' official streaming platform. The thread involves commentary about the structure in the scenes and brand visibility.

A Reddit thread entitled "Egregious Product Placement" started on April 17, 2025, to comment on this scene with,

"Am I the only one who thought Bailey's spiel about Amazon Prime in S07E14 "Mad About Murder" was cringe? I'm sure the show made a LOT of money off this product placement deal... but it was so poorly done! Ew."

Fans began commenting on this post, and as one wrote:

"It went on for a little too long, like she dragged."

Fan reaction to Egregious Product Placement in The Rookie season 7 (Image via Reddit)

Another one wrote:

"It felt a little like The Truman Show. Who are you talking to?”. Who are you speaking to?"

A fan compared the concept of the scene to an episode of Black Mirror.

"Episode 1 of the new season of Black Mirror has somewhat a similar premise where a character with a brain injury tries a new experimental treatment that makes you blurt out commercials," noted a fan.

Another comment labelled the truck segment as:

"The truck one was a straight up commercial. Even the crazy in your face Prime sh*t is more subtle."

One user referenced the constant mention of Amazon deliveries throughout numerous shows.

"True. but at the same time the number of Amazon deliveries feels a bit much. and how much they put such a emphasis on them. once or twice in a season? sure. but multiple episodes? feels excessive," said a fan.

Another user wrote,

"I thought it was fine, those product placement scenes rarely sounds 'natural' lol. Back second season was Nolan and his Tundra truck, which they even got the mistake of using the wrong truck one time."

Recap of The Rookie season 7 episode 14

In The Rookie season 7 episode 14, Mad About Murder, LAPD officers pursue an investigation for an alleged hit-for-hire that was facilitated by an underworld website on the dark web. The investigation results in their targeting Malvado, an existing known hitman.

In an attempted arrest, Detectives Lopez shoot and kill Malvado when he goes for a firearm. The case is concluded through cooperation with federal agents. Officer Celina Juarez becomes drawn into a case that gets reopened because of a podcast about her sister's still-unsolved murder.

The podcast subsequently turns to another missing person's case, pregnant Aria. Officer Juarez and Officer Chen find Aria and rescue her from illegal detention. The child and the woman are recovered safely. The segment features an in-show product placement sequence focusing on the Toyota Tundra.

The scene features prolonged views of the car and conversations about its features. Reddit viewers reacted to this segment. Officer Miles Penn addresses departmental internal practices by suggesting revisions to old training clips.

The idea is to enhance existing instructional materials. The series also features scenes with Officers Tim Bradford and Lucy Chen that mention past choices and upcoming assignments.

Fans can watch new episodes of The Rookie season 7 every Tuesday on ABC at 10 pm ET. The episodes can be streamed on Hulu the following day.

About the author

Muhammad Zain-Ul-Abedin is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda. A graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, he began his journey as a content writer during his undergraduate years.

With certified training in Content Marketing and Advertising from the government platform e-Rozgaar, he worked at Celeb Tattler for over one year, and at Sports World News for another year before transitioning to his current role. As a skilled writer covering the entertainment industry, he prioritizes thorough research backed by verifiable sources, and upholds ethical journalism. He enjoys how entertainment reporting blends culture, creativity, and community, fostering a transcontinental synthesis of diverse voices.

When not working, he enjoys researching on a wide range of topics, seeking to refine his skills and expand his epistemic base. He also likes to spend time tending to animals, and play a range of games, which serve a dual purpose of offering a fun escape and sharpening his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. His favorite celebrity is Tom Cruise, whom he admires for his dedication to performing his own stunts, alongside his adaptability and compelling screen presence.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande