Month: December 2024

Who’s been watching these new spy thrillers? 
We’re seeing an audience that leans toward men (59% for The Agency; 54% for Black Doves) and those aged 30+ (77% for both). A male skew is common for the genre, with shows boasting especially action-heavy operations (e.g., Citadel, Citadel: Diana, The Terminal List – 64-68% men) often showing a more pronounced tilt than more drama-oriented series (e.g., The Night Manager, Homeland, Berlin Station, Counterpart, The Diplomat – 52-58% men).

What do these two shows have in common?
Danger and high stakes. As with any good spy thriller, both The Agency and Black Doves send their operatives on highly Dangerous Missions (136) where their lives are in peril (Life in Danger, 134) from sinister, shadowy foes. The former focuses on various CIA operations, while the latter centers on revenge for a murdered lover. Both also up the ante by exploring the dark Psychological Turmoil (135) of leading a double-life and the potential consequences of intense Emotions Running High (116).

What type of viewing experience is drawing in viewers?
Tension and suspense. Both shows lean heavily on the “thriller” side of their genre, trafficking primarily in more negative emotions that very effectively put audiences on edge and leave them holding their breath. Viewers are tuning in to experience emotions like Disgust (134), Terror (126), Fear (120), Surprise (115), Rage (123), and Vigilance (113) as they move from danger to danger alongside each series’ protagonist.

What makes each series stand out as unique?
Genre and focus. While both series offer up nail-biting suspense, Black Doves cuts the tension with moments of deliciously sharp wit, infusing elements of a cutting Buddy Comedy (128) with over-the-top violence and gore (Bloody Violence, 157; Stylized Action & Violence, 141). Here, one old friend tries to save another from her own tendency to go off the rails (Saving a Life, 145). The Agency, in contrast, takes a much more serious tone, focusing on the gray areas (Moral Ambiguity, 123) built into life as a spy within the secretive yet bureaucratic Central Intelligence Agency (122), where anything and everything could be a lie and the very underpinnings of world power could be at stake (Geopolitics, 119). Both series’ distinct elements are key drivers of ratings and bingeability.

What helped push these shows to their second season renewals?
Their wider worlds. Black Doves explores its protagonist’s seemingly normal Family Relationships (126) against the backdrop of her secret life as a spy, injecting ordinary ‘daily life’ conflicts amidst the heightened reality of her espionage. Set in London, the series also highlights quirky aspects of British Culture (132). The Agency, on the other hand, is more directly immersed in the world of international Espionage (127), delving into the Emotional Turmoil (120) and Moral Dilemmas (122) inherent in Working Undercover (118) on behalf of a government bureaucracy. These elements will help keep each show’s story engine churning through future seasons. The Agency’s connection to the popular and critically-acclaimed French series The Bureau, which ran for five full seasons, also contributes to its staying power (IP Extension, 126).

Who’s been tuning in for this TV show remake? 
We’re seeing a viewership that’s mostly women (66%) and mostly aged 30+ (67%). While this gender skew is typical of other teen drama fare, Cruel Intentions runs a bit older than similar streaming titles like 13 Reasons Why, The Society, One of Us Is Lying, Pretty Liars: Original Sin, Gossip Girl (2021), and Elite (all 47-59% aged 30+)–suggesting that late-90s fans of the original movie may be joining the audience.

Is the 1999 film important in getting viewers to check out the show? 
Absolutely. The fact that Cruel Intentions is based on the Gellar/Philippe/Witherspoon cult classic movie–and includes parallel characters for each of the original roles–is its #4 overall ratings driver (IP Extension, 124).

What does the show keep from the movie?
The diabolical stepsiblings at its center. As in the film before it, Cruel Intentions the series revolves around a pair of manipulative Antiheroes (133)–here renamed as Caroline and Lucien–in a semi-incestuous Stepsibling Relationship (125). These two pull the strings of power and rule their prestigious private school. When Femme Fatale (117) Caroline tasks sly lothario Lucien with seducing an innocent classmate, he accidentally develops genuine feelings that complicate her plans (Romantic Conflict, 122). These similarities, along with tense feelings of Surprise (133) and Contempt (122) throughout, are all key drivers of bingeability; the same story elements that made the film so compulsively watchable are working for this remake.

How is this new show different from the movie? 
It widens its lens. Where the film was set in high school, the show ages up the characters to explore well-known facets of College Life (138), offering up a broader commentary on the dubious world of fraternities, sororities, hazing, and Bullying (123). Similarly, Lucien’s seduction challenge in the film stems simply from a bet between bored teenagers, but the series incorporates a deeper motive: Caroline’s Ambition & Drive (114), accompanied by an examination of teenage power and status. Caroline needs Lucien’s efforts to preserve her place atop the social hierarchy, and his victim-turned-love-interest is no longer merely the headmaster’s daughter but the daughter of the US Vice President, raising the stakes and skewering High Society (126) more directly. These drivers all contribute to the show’s ratings, suggesting that fans are tuning in for its brand new take on the movie’s delicious tale of dark Romantic Obsession (127).

How does the show’s social buzz look? 
Strong. The late-October trailer drop resulted in an “outstanding”-level spike (to 135). The first season’s release on November 21 maxed out our social buzz meter (to 160), where it stayed for over a week. It is still hovering in “outstanding” territory (at 126) nearly three weeks later, suggesting comfortable longevity for a show following an all-at-once release plan.

Who’s been tuning in for this earnest new comedy? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s roughly gender-balanced (52% men / 48% women) and skewed toward those 30+ (70%)–almost an exact match for creator Schur’s previous streaming show Rutherford Falls. The showrunner’s past series (The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place) all premiered on broadcast networks, however, so their audiences were slightly different, reflecting the more definitive viewership skew typical of linear TV (59-65% women, 90-92% ages 35+).

Why have so many viewers been watching? 
For the undercover investigation. The basic premise of the show is proving quite sticky, with viewers largely tuning in to see Danson’s well-meaning but goofy Charles attempt to blend in with the regular nursing home residents and solve the disappearance of a precious family heirloom (Investigators & Detectives, 130)–without looking like the Fish Out of Water (129) he truly is. Audiences are also appreciating the show’s broad range of sympathetic characters (Cultural Diversity, 160) that are brought to the fore as Charles’s list of key suspects slowly turns into a list of New Friends (138).

What type of emotional experience are audiences looking for? 
A heartfelt yet realistic one. A Man on the Inside’s sense of warm, Feel Good Humor (154) is one of its top draws, but viewers are also tuning in to see the show gently reflect on heavier, real-life issues like dementia, purposelessness, aging, and death. The show’s infusion of a variety of complicated emotions, from Grief (145) to Sadness (145) to Anger (160) to Acceptance (131) to Joy (122), creates a rich, well-rounded viewing experience that’s keeping audiences engaged.

How does the show’s social buzz look? 
Excellent. After the late-October trailer release spurred a brief “outstanding”-level spike in chatter (to 120), the show’s first season episode drop firmly pushed it over the top, immediately maxing out our social buzz meter (to 160) and remaining there ever since. Charles’s undercover investigation as well as his late-in-life New Beginning (113) are driving the bulk of the online conversation.

What will help this series reach a second season? 
Its examination of aging. The show’s quirky nursing home setting allows it to explore a host of relatable topics around Growing Old (136), and its juxtaposition between senior citizen Charles and the younger people that surround him (the Age Gap (116) with his 30-something private investigator boss, the Father-Child Relationship (112) with his middle-aged daughter) provides plenty of fodder for a thoughtful look at intergenerational connection. These longevity drivers will keep the show’s story engine running through any additional seasons.