Month: January 2025

Who has been tuning in for this intense new western? 
We’re seeing a viewership that’s mostly men (62%) and heavily 30+ (35%)–slightly more skewed than the general sweet spot for TV westerns. While a few other shows in the genre are a close audience match (Deadwood, Lawmen: Bass Reeves), the recent crop of popular oaters, such as Yellowstone, 1883, Godless, Hell on Wheels, and The Son, tend to be a bit more gender-balanced (52-55% men).

Why have so many viewers been watching?
For the suspenseful thrills. The story follows a mother and young son traveling the rugged west who become ensnared in the brutal, bloody confrontations (Action & Violence, 128) between Utah’s early Mormon settlers, the armed forces of the US government, and the native peoples inhabiting the area. With the help of a Tough Guy (125) who steps in to protect them, they must use their hardened Survival Skills (139) to navigate Scary Situations (136) that put their Lives in Danger (144), and audiences are leaning in for the resulting life-or-death tension.

What’s making this miniseries so bingeworthy? 
Its depiction of a dark episode in American History (130). The Utah War of 1857, an escalating conflict over governance and autonomy within the territory, included the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre, where a militia disarmed and murdered over 100 uninvolved settlers traveling through to California. The show delves into the Dark Themes (125) and gritty tone of the period, including the many Wild West-style Abuses of Power (123) where the cruel and violent were free to exploit the vulnerable. Viewers are on the edge of their seats to learn whether the mother can protect her son from the massacre, and whether a sympathetic stranger can save them both (Protectiveness, 135).

How is the show’s social buzz? 
Sky-high and sitting pretty. American Primeval’s full episode drop on January 6 rocketed its level of online chatter to the very top of our buzz meter (to an ‘outstanding’ 160), where it has firmly remained ever since. Viewers are talking about the against-all-odds westward journey (Outdoor Adventure, 121) of the show’s vulnerable protagonists (Underdogs, 133) as well as the events’ broader place within American history.

Is the show’s deep dive into American history a selling point internationally?
Not as much as in the US. While American Primeval’s historical angle has an ‘outstanding’ level of pull in a couple of English-speaking markets–namely the UK (125) and New Zealand (129)–the rest of the world is somewhat less interested in such a stereotypically American western story. Instead, the show’s theme of Protectiveness is the most compelling global draw; audiences abroad primarily appreciate seeing the strong defend the weak in such a harsh, cruel environment.

Who’s been tuning in to this exciting new show? 
Thanks to its streaming-only origins, The Pitt carries a slightly different viewership profile than its linear-based brethren. While this series does lean to women (58%) and those 30+ (75%), other medical dramas–largely the domain of the broadcast networks–show a much more pronounced audience skew, with titles like Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor, Doc, Brilliant Minds, The Resident, Chicago Med, Code Black, and New Amsterdam all landing at 65-69% women and 90-94% aged 35+.

Why have viewers been watching? 
For the intense realism. The Pitt’s central conceit–a real-time look at a single shift in a chaotic ER–is what sets this drama apart, and audiences are lining up to watch the show’s doctors work together (Teamwork, 120) to make Tough Decisions (121) in an extremely high-stress and Difficult Workplace (132). With the characters battling understaffing and limited resources in their fight to save lives (Overcoming Adversity, 130), many real-life healthcare workers are even touting The Pitt’s spot-on accuracy to their own professional experiences.

What type of emotional experience is drawing in audiences? 
The rawness of life-or-death. The show’s ratings are being driven by a wide range of rich, intense, opposing emotions, from Contempt (132) to Admiration (126), Optimism (126) to Disapproval (132), Awe (120) to Anger (120), and Aggressiveness (120) to Submission (117). This emotional roller coaster parallels the highs and lows of The Pitt’s fast-paced, do-or-die stakes and will keep viewers glued to their seats and wanting more.

How does the show’s social buzz look?
Encouraging. Online chatter spiked immediately with the release of the first two episodes and then jumped again with episode three, peaking at an “outstanding” level (131) as more and more people latched onto the show. As is typical of weekly roll-outs, its buzz has been cooling slightly in the days between new episodes, but even then it still hovers in the “promising” range (at 116), indicating a fairly robust and ongoing online conversation.

What will help propel The Pitt into a second season?
The tried-and-true Medical Drama (123) formula. While viewers are tuning in for the show’s intensely unique take on its genre, it’s actually the themes, characters, and cases that The Pitt has in common with other hospital-set series that will keep its story churning for the long haul. The Medical Professionals (160), Doctor-Patient Relationships (124), Medical Procedures (122), and patient Lives in Danger (113) are its top longevity drivers, in the same way that similar elements assured long runs for shows like Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Doctor. This genre is so rich in built-in stakes and an endless flow of new story opportunities that its basic building blocks are enough to keep viewers hooked.

Does this series appeal largely to the gaming audience? 
Yes. We’re seeing a heavy skew toward men (76%) and a slight lean toward those under 30 (52%), the sweet spot for the typical video and tabletop game player. This viewership profile is also an exact match for Marvel’s What If, another animated genre entry that explores imaginative new directions within familiar properties.

What types of stories is Secret Level telling? 
Fantastical ones. In addition to its obvious grounding in the realm of Animation (137), the series pulls genre-focused elements from the various games that inspired its episodes: Sci-Fi (135), Adventure (135), Action (129), Fantasy (128), and even War (115). These pieces combine to weave rich, complex new stories that fit perfectly within the show’s various pre-existing worlds.

What’s bringing in so many viewers? 
Gaming excitement. The same thrilling selling points that have made the source games so popular and timeless are pulling audiences into this streaming series. Viewers are geared up to watch epic clashes between white hat heroes (Heroism, 116) and their evil opponents (Good vs Evil, 130) set in a series of elaborate, Distinctly Realized Worlds (126) that they recognize from each beloved franchise. Add in a heavy dose of suspense via perilous adventures (Life in Danger, 125) and brutally effective action sequences (Bloody Violence, 122) and audiences can’t look away. These same top ratings drivers are also propelling the show’s longevity and helped it win its already-announced renewal for season two.

What type of emotional experience is appealing to audiences? 
An eclectic one. The fifteen different stories included in the fifteen episodes of season one cover a wide range of tones and sentiments, and all play a part in attracting viewers and keeping them hooked. Fans are signing on to experience everything from Rage (122), Aggressiveness (117), Fear (115), and Disgust (113) to Amazement (117), Optimism (117), Admiration (112), and Awe (112), all right alongside their various gaming heroes.

How does the show’s social buzz look? 
Encouraging for its second season. After the show’s mid-December premiere on Prime Video, it rocketed to the top of our social buzz meter (to 160) and remained there for nearly two weeks, a pattern that suggests widespread interest and prolonged online discussion. Though the chatter has since cooled a bit, that level of engagement suggests that fans are already eagerly awaiting its eventual season two.

Who has been tuning in for this new true-crime drama? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s gender-balanced (51% men / 49% women) and leans heavily to those aged 30+ (81%)–and particularly to those aged 45+ (56%), who may well remember the original news coverage of the bombing in 1988. Streaming viewership skews slightly older than previous dramas based on real-world events, such as Chernobyl, Waco, Dopesick, American Crime Story, When They See Us, and A Very English Scandal (62-78% aged 30+).

What’s been driving the show’s ratings? 
Jim Swire’s struggle. Devastated by the loss of his daughter (Death of a Loved One, 160), a passenger on the ill-fated plane, Swire embarks on a single-minded quest for the truth: who put the bomb on Flight 103, how did they get it there, what country was backing them, and why does the UK government seem to be blocking his demand for answers at every turn (Conspiracy and Cover Ups, 148)? Audiences are watching to see Underdog (135) Swire defy overwhelming odds and several governments to expose the truth so that Justice (145) can finally be served.

What type of viewing experience are audiences looking for?
A cathartic one. The top emotions attracting viewers clearly express the devastating horror of the bombing and the endless frustration of Swire’s crusade for Honor (134) and Vengeance (130): Disgust (139), Loathing (135), Anger (135), Rage (135), and Aggressiveness (132). Audiences want to see their own real-life feelings about the tragedy acted out on screen.

What’s making the show so binge-worthy? 
The real-world history. Lockerbie depicts an infamously Tragic Event (124) that most viewers have likely heard about (Based on Historical Events, 116), and its direct links to large-scale Terrorism (126) unfortunately give it heavy modern-day relevance. Viewers keep watching to see events unfold and whether this deeper story lines up with their own memories of what happened.

What drove interest when this series aired in the UK? 
The significance of the event. The strongest viewership drivers for British audiences lean into the same elements that are making Lockerbie binge-worthy in the US: the scale of the very local tragedy (Tragic Event, UK: 123) and its nefarious underlying cause (Terrorism, UK: 118).