Month: November 2024

Early next month, Disney+ will release its newest buzzy entry in the Star Wars TV canon, this time mixing it up by focusing on a younger set of protagonists. Set in the same time frame as The Mandalorian (just after Return of the Jedi), the show tells a coming-of-age story about four pre-teen kids who, after becoming lost, must embark on a cosmic adventure through the perilous galactic underworld to find their way back home.

Here’s what you need to know about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew:

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

Will this newest series attract the same Star Wars audience? 
Almost but not quite. For Skeleton Crew, we’re predicting a viewership that skews toward men (67%) and those aged 30+ (62%). While previous live-action Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka hit this same sweet-spot audience quadrant, they generally leaned a bit older (66-70% aged 30+) thanks to their more adult-focused storylines; Skeleton Crew’s pre-teen protagonists, in contrast, will likely attract a family audience as well.

Why will viewers be tuning in? 
For kid-friendly adventure. The series focuses on four rebellious pre-teen heroes (Child POV, 127) who, lost in an unfamiliar and dangerous galaxy, band together (Team Up, 135) to survive and forge an Unlikely Friendship (138) with a mysterious rogue who promises to get them back home. Audiences will want to see how the group navigates Scary Situations (141) within the galactic underworld that put their Lives in Danger (131), all the while knowing that the stakes will never grow too high for a family audience.

What type of emotional ride will fans want to experience? 
Exhilarating fun and suspense. The top emotions driving Skeleton Crew’s ratings celebrate the wonder of its immersive Star Wars setting and the gumption of its four young protagonists, from Awe (138) to Ecstasy (138) to Joy (138) to Admiration (138). Coupled with these are nods to the tension built into their predicament: Apprehension (138), Vigilance (138), Fear (125). Both aspects will combine to create a memorable and engaging viewing experience.

What will keep audiences engaged once they start watching? 
Its connection to the Star Wars Universe (126). As with every other series in this franchise, the various trappings of its imaginative, Distinctly Realized World (115)–the Space Travel (126), the Alien Technology (114), the unusual planets and lifeforms–coupled with references to familiar characters and events from across the IP are the top drivers of bingeability. Fans will stay tuned to see the show paint in entirely new areas of the universe they adore.

How is fan anticipation for the show? 
High. Skeleton Crew is following in the footsteps of its live-action Star Wars brethren in terms of online chatter, spiking into the ‘outstanding’ range on our social buzz meter every time a new piece of information or trailer is released. As its early-December release date nears, the show will likely continue to rise, ultimately cruising along at the top of our meter (at 160) throughout its first season roll-out in the same way that the likes of The Acoylyte, Ahsoka, and Andor did.

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Later this month, Paramount+ is releasing a new western-tinged drama from prolific creator Taylor Sheridan that’s based on the popular narrative podcast “Boomtown.” Featuring a stacked cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, and Jon Hamm, this new series delves into the scheming, speculation, and profiteering within West Texas’s oil industry.

Here’s what you need to know about Landman:

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

Will Landman pull in the same viewers as Taylor Sheridan’s other series? 
Mostly. For Landman, we’re anticipating an audience that skews to men (62%) and those 30+ (77%)–a viewership profile extremely similar to the creator’s other male-led gritty dramas (1923, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King). Both Special Ops: Lioness and Yellowstone, however, are much more gender-balanced, the former thanks to its strong women protagonists and the latter to its origins on linear TV, which brings in a different audience.

What type of story will Landman be telling?
A morally complex one. Combining elements from the Western (130), History (119), and Drama (115) genres, the show follows a number of unscrupulous players within the booming big oil industry, led by Billy Bob Thornton as the titular landman who negotiates property leases and heads off brewing crises on behalf of a striving oil conglomerate. With each player jockeying for high-stakes success, their selfish desires for Independence (114), Power (111), Family (111) dominance, and Money (111) form the core motivations showcased throughout the series.

Why will audiences be tuning in? 
For the family tensions. As with many of Sheridan’s shows, Landman explores themes of kinship, legacy, and Family Relationships (136) within a high-pressure environment–elements that have also proven to be important viewership drivers for Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, and Mayor of Kingstown. In this case, it’s every family unit for themselves in the wild west of big oil, with Thorton’s crisis manager in particular a stalwart Protective Parent (137) who would do anything for his son. And with Gun Violence (134), treachery, and subterfuge all too commonplace in their world (Dark Themes, 138), tight-knit families–even those straining from within–are the best way to protect against outsiders and come out on top.

What will make this series bingeworthy? 
The clashes of the rich. Landman juggles Multiple Storylines (124) as it follows various moneyed parties locked in a tenacious Power Struggle (114) to dominate the oil business, with their overwhelming Avarice & Greed (117) clearly evident–especially when juxtaposed against their already Wealthy Lifestyles (116). Audiences will lean forward to watch these amoral characters scheme and battle, wielding all of their wealth and power as formidable weapons.

What will help the show earn a second season? 
Its focus on the oil industry. This slick, shadowy, big-money arena provides a rich and compelling source of drama for the show, and Landman’s focus on its inner workings (A Focus on Business, 132)–and the Moral Dilemmas (125) it brings to the fore–will keep viewers coming back for future seasons. Also helping? The fact that Landman is based on actually true, real-life events that have occurred (and are still occurring) during the modern-day Texas oil boom (Based on a True Story, 120).

Introducing Genre DNA™

Redefine your understanding of TV subgenres

Introducing Genre DNA™ – TV subgenres redefined by groundbreaking AI analysis to reveal the true drivers of viewership.

See the insights that others can’t

Genre DNA™ goes beyond traditional TV genre classifications by analyzing over 1,000 scripted and unscripted series on both linear and SVOD platforms from the last 5 years.

Each Vault Genre DNA™ report offers a precise analysis of your chosen TV subgenre, uncovering its unique drivers of viewership.