Rapid Insights: ‘The Runarounds’ Demonstrates How Music Reframes the Classic Teen Drama

Who’s checking out this new series? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s leans female (61%) but evenly balanced across age groups (51% aged <30 / 49% aged 30+). Though The Runarounds is very much a musical featuring plenty of original songs, its age profile places it much closer to other streaming teen melodramas (e.g. The Summer I Turned Pretty, Gossip Girl (2021), Elite, The Society, One of Us Is Lying, 13 Reasons Why, Outer Banks) than previous series that placed music front and center (e.g. Empire, Nashville, Atlanta, Star, Daisy Jones & the Six–all of which leaned much older).

What does this show have in common with Outer Banks? 
A focus on Teen Life (160). The Runarounds, like many other teen dramas, offers an inviting Coming of Age (153) story about a group of high school students (School Setting, 160) struggling to define themselves and discover their futures in an uncertain world. Both this series and its predecessor set up a series of archetypal teen storylines (social pressures, stress at home, Falling in Love (149), Rebelling (136) against expectations) with sympathetic lead characters, and it’s these wholly relatable moments of growth and discovery that are pulling in audiences of all ages and driving ratings and bingeability.

What twist does it bring to the teen drama format? 
Music. The five actors in The Runarounds originally auditioned for a house band of the same name that appeared in Outer Banks’ third season; they were individually selected, molded into a real-life performing group, and voila–a musical sensation was born. Their new series leverages their charisma and talent to tell a (fictional) story about a teen rock band struggling to make the big leagues after high school graduation, and the first season supports their journey with lively performances of catchy songs (Song & Dance, 148)–another crucial ratings driver for the show. The audiences for teen-focused series may place greater weight on musical numbers than those watching more adult dramas; The Runarounds mimics Glee and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series in the strength of its Song & Dance driver, whereas the performance component ranks much lower in importance (if at all) for shows like Nashville, Daisy Jones & the Six, Atlanta, Dave, and Empire.

How does the series’ social buzz look? 
Headliner-level buzz. The level of online chatter maxed out our social buzz meter (at 160) with the eight-episode drop of the show’s full first season and is continuing to hold. This level of activity easily eclipses Outer Banks’ original 2020 premiere (which peaked at 143) and looks much more like that show’s later, more established seasons.

What will help propel The Runarounds into a second season? 
The band’s journey. The group’s personal and professional trajectories will drive the show’s story engine forward as its five members continue to reach for the stars (Ambition & Drive, 116) and learn more about life (Journey of Self Discovery, 122) and each other (Camaraderie, 138) along the way. Audiences will want to keep coming back to root for their success and cheer along every win, reveling in upbeat emotions like Joy (116), Acceptance (114), and Optimism (111).

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