Rapid Insights: The Franchise Delivers a Satirical Love Letter to Studio Interference

HBO’s upcoming new satirical comedy takes a world that seems both aspirational and exhilarating to the average viewer and seeks to correct this widespread perception. Inspired by real-life behind-the-scenes incidents from various Marvel and DC movies, the show–created by industry vets Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci, and Sam Mendes–follows the cast and crew of a fictional superhero film as they attempt to overcome disaster, chaos, and studio meddling and complete their mega-budget production.

Here’s what you need to know about The Franchise:

Vault uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Who will be tuning in for this new satire? 
We’re predicting a viewership that leans to men (60%) and especially those 35+ (89%). This audience is notably more male than many previous comedies about the inner workings of the film and TV industry, including Barry, Entourage, 30 Rock, Episodes, and Bojack Horseman (all 38%-57% men).

What’s the show’s most important viewership driver?
Humor. The Franchise is a zany yet biting comedy about the stranger-than-fiction absurdities inherent in the franchise filmmaking process, and its multitude of Awkward & Funny Moments (134) across various mishaps, clashes, and disasters are crucial for all four key areas we measure: ratings, bingeability, social buzz, and longevity. The series’ sharp wit (Sarcastic Humor, 118) also helps specifically with making it feel bingeworthy.

Why else will viewers be watching? 
For a behind-the-scenes look at Show Business (119). Audiences will want to see the often dysfunctional (and presumably fictionalized) Workplace Dynamics (123) on a big-budget film set, with the built-in Conflicts of Interest (121) between the development execs, director, actors, crew, and other suits and creative types who all have a stake in the movie (Co-worker Relationships, 119). The resulting chaos and drama will prove an irresistible hook, helping to drive the show’s ratings.

What type of viewing experience can audiences expect? 
An Emotional Roller Coaster (127). Underneath the show’s overarching humor, viewers will sympathize with the film’s beleaguered below-the-line crew as they struggle desperately to keep their massive production afloat. Audiences will bounce between a bevy of emotions right alongside the main characters, from Surprise (120), Terror (118), and Loathing (117) to Optimism (117), Ecstasy (117), and Acceptance (117).

What will help push The Franchise to a second season? 
Its sense of urgency. The series’ fictional superhero production is rapidly spiraling out of control (Losing Control, 123), and the consequences are potentially dire thanks to the incredible amount of money involved. The cast and crew are in a Race Against Time (134) to complete filming and must make some increasingly Tough Decisions (126) before the studio intervenes and possibly fires them all. This overwhelming sense of crisis will help ramp up the stakes and propel the show’s story engine into a second season and beyond.

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