Month: November 2021

Rapid Insights: Dexter: Still Killing It

Picking up ten years after the serial killer drama’s original finale, Showtime’s new Dexter revival premiered to strong ratings and set a streaming record for the channel. Here’s what you need to know about Dexter: New Blood:

Has the audience changed since the show’s first incarnation?
No. Viewers for New Blood tend to be older women (56% female / 83% 35+), a near-perfect reflection of the original as well as similar murder dramas Bates Motel and Hannibal.

What is the impact of Dexter’s move from Miami to a small town in New York?
Increased bingeability. Watching Dexter try to hide within Small Town Life (126) instead of the big city’s anonymity ups the stakes and suspense and keeps viewers coming back for more.

How important are New Blood’s ties to the original version of the show?
Crucial. The revival’s longevity depends on its IP Extension (129), and the inclusion of sister Deb, son Harrison, and Dexter’s Dark Passenger from the earlier series make New Blood feel more like a continuation than a reboot.

Has Dexter’s evolution influenced why viewers keep watching?
Yes. While the character remains key for bingeability, audiences originally cheered him on as an identifiable Antihero (123); now, they’re intrigued to see how his Mysterious Background (141) is revealed.

What does New Blood bring to the table for brand new viewers?
A more ominous tone. Where Dexter often leaned into its crime procedural elements (reading as Crime (133) and Mystery (130)), New Blood takes more risks with the genre, deepening its air of foreboding (and landing instead as Horror (137) and Mystery (128)).

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How did a seemingly niche western gain such a broad audience?
Streaming pulled in brand new viewers. Much like Breaking Bad before it, Yellowstone’s past season availability on Peacock attracted a much younger, more male audience (58% male / 60% <45) that’s now feeding into its new-season cable-only broadcast.

What makes Yellowstone so universally appealing?
It spans genres. It isn’t just a Western (157) with high stakes and Action (120), it also showcases the soapy family dynamics of a heightened Drama (123) and is topped with a dose of History (127).

Which early elements have helped drive the show’s explosive growth?
Its rich portrayal of the affluent Dutton family. Similar to other familial dynasty series like Succession, Dynasty, and Bloodline, the generational Tension (144) and Wealthy Lifestyles (114) arising from the Family Working Together (148) to run their core business are key drivers of longevity.

How does Yellowstone’s family patriarch differ from Succession’s?
They have opposite motivations. Kevin Costner’s Rancher John Dutton protects his family at the expense of business (driven by Idealism (160)), while Succession’s Logan Roy protects business at the expense of family (aiming for power and Social Status (159)).

How can the upcoming prequel series 1883 leverage Yellowstone’s success?
By keeping the same core ratings drivers: revenge and family. Bringing the original’s crucial sense of Family Tension (144) and the driving force of Revenge (125) into the past should help keep viewers coming back.

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Do ghosts shift Ghosts’ audience from the typical sitcom viewer?
No. Ghosts appeals most strongly to older women (54% female / 76% 35+), the same demographic that leans into traditional multi-camera comedies like Mom, United States of Al, and The Connors.

Which characters are the most important to Ghosts’ success?
All of them. The crux of the show is its hilarious culture clash, both between humans and ghosts and between ghosts of different historical eras. The Team Dynamics (126) of opposing spirit personalities Living Together (137) with humans drive both ratings and longevity.

What emotional dynamic is really firing up the audience?
The push-pull of Love (137) and Annoyance (126). The ambivalence towards the ghostly squatters both heightens the comedy and makes for a feel-good viewing experience.

How important are the supernatural elements?
They drive social buzz. The Haunted House (120) setting has a very strong impact on word-of-mouth, but viewers mostly tune in for the show’s more relatable human aspects.

Does the quirky humor of the original series translate for Americans?
Not without some changes. The show’s IP Extension (110) is somewhat important for bingeability, but it’s the story-based group dynamics of the remake that generate the comedy and thus drive ratings and longevity in the US.

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Producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s latest Starz series has been making waves as of late, both from its success as a spiritual heir to Power and from the sudden early leak of episode 7. The show depicts the true story of two brothers who rose from poverty by creating one of America’s most influential crime families.

Here’s what you need to know about BMF:

What makes BMF’s audience unique?
It’s skewing a bit younger. Thanks to the show’s heavy focus on a teenaged Meech and Terry, BMF lands more solidly with that group (53% male, 21% <30) than similar urban dramas Snowfall, Power, and The Chi.

Is its violent depiction of the 1980s a draw?
Yes. The show’s Late 80s (115) period setting is a key driver for bingeability, and its portrayal of the era’s gang warfare and Gun Violence (116) tees up a suspenseful throughline that will help carry it to Season 2.

Which drives viewership in BMF, the M(afia) or the F(amily)?
It’s the combination. The Flenory brothers’ homemade Crime Family (119) and tunnel-vision Focus on Business (114) together provide the narrative engine that will help sustain the show for the long haul.

How does the show benefit from its associations with big-name music artists?
They help boost ratings. 50 Cent’s name in the production credits and recurring appearances from the likes of Snoop Dogg and Eminem not only attract buzz, but they also legitimize BMF’s close ties to the hip hop Music Industry (123).

Is the show’s focus on its Black protagonists effective?
Absolutely. The perspectives of the Flenory brothers and their Black Mafia Family highlight extremely topical Racial Issues (126) from an African-American POV (156). These drivers are just as crucial for BMF as for other recent Black-focused series (like The Underground Railroad, Watchmen, Atlanta, and The Wonder Years).

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Is Succession’s audience in line with other satirical wealthy family dramas?
It skews more male. Succession’s viewership (57% male, 68% 35+) is nearly identical to Billions, but both are odd-men-out compared to other popular shows about generational dysfunction: Dynasty, The Righteous Gemstones, and Empire all have greater female appeal.

Is Season 3’s social tracking in line with Season 1’s?
It’s higher. The show’s buzz has grown since its 2018 premiere, and the social discussion around S3 so far puts it on track to outpace both prior seasons.

How does Succession effectively walk the line between comedy and drama?
The Twisted Family Dynamics (Drama: 141, Comedy: 121). The show’s sibling rivalries, toxic father-child relationships, and incestuous business dealings both amp up the stakes and add a layer of pitch-black humor.

What are the risks of Logan being pushed out and losing connection to his kids?
It may dampen engagement. The kids’ push-pull interplay with the family patriarch brings up themes of Trust and Loyalty (120) and Betrayal (115), crucial in driving the show’s bingeability.

What’s Succession’s secret weapon?
The Strong Female Characters (123). It’s winner takes all at family conglomerate Waystar Royco, and the women in contention are just as power-hungry as the men. Viewers tuning in love to see them hold their own.