Category: Uncategorized

Is the same NCIS audience tuning in for this spin-off? 
Yes. We’re seeing a viewership that leans toward women (56%) and is mostly aged 35+ (90%)–a nearly spot-on match for the other NCIS-branded series, even though they aired on broadcast and Tony & Ziva is native to streaming. This new show is also helping to attract more women to Paramount+, as many of the platform’s other recent releases (MobLand, Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, 1923) have appealed much more strongly to men.

How important is the franchise connection? 
Extremely. Tony & Ziva’s link to the original NCIS is its #1 viewership driver and overall ratings propeller (IP Extension, 150)–a fact it actually shares with its predecessor, itself a spin-off of 90s drama JAG (NCIS: IP Extension, 160). Similarly, the fact that the new show brings back two long-departed fan-favorite NCIS characters–they’re together again onscreen for the first time in twelve years (Reunion, 122)–is stoking fan fervor, with their electric On Again, Off Again Relationship (125) taking center stage in a way it never could on the main series. The pair’s continuing love story is contributing to Tony & Ziva’s bingeability, longevity, and social buzz.

Does Tony & Ziva rely on the same elements that have made NCIS so successful?
No. The D.C.-set NCIS as well as its prior spin-offs (Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawaii, Sydney, and Origins) are case-of-the-week Police Procedurals (160), each following a series of episode-long Criminal Investigations (130) driven by a US Federal Agency (122) and peppered by the Workplace Dynamics (116) of its staff. While this formula has proven to be episodic gold, propelling the original series through twenty-three seasons and counting, the new Tony & Ziva is branching out into less familiar territory, leaning heavily into serialized storytelling and landing closer to an international spy thriller.

What’s making Tony & Ziva stand out as unique? 
Character drama and sustained suspense. While the original NCIS hinted at Tony and Ziva’s personal lives and peppered in a few reveals, their new namesake show delves much deeper into their complicated Family Life (145) as Protective Parents (146) to a 12-year-old daughter and clashing exes who still feel a spark. The series amps up the tension–both personal and professional–by sending them on the run together across Europe with their Lives in Danger (127) as mysterious foes both set them up and try to take them down (Being Hunted, 135). The thrill of watching them Search for the Truth (130) in a Race Against Time (130) to clear their names and save their child is helping to drive ratings and bingeability, while their unusual family dynamic offers great promise for future seasons.

—

Who’s been adding this dark thriller to their queue? 
We’re seeing an audience that skews toward men (54%) and those 35+ (78%), but not too different from the gender-balanced viewership of Ozark (50% men / 50% women), also starring Jason Bateman. Other Netflix-based action-laced crime dramas like Narcos and Peaky Blinders tended to bring in even more men.

What’s the show’s main pull? 
The brothers. The show follows ambitious, slimy restaurateur Jake and his seedy gambling-addict brother Vince, and their fraught, dysfunctional Sibling Relationship (160) is Black Rabbit’s #1 overall viewership driver. The pair have a long history of codependency, resentment, and trauma (Family Dysfunction, 121), and their current dynamic–a reignition of greed, anger, and Sibling Rivalry (115) after a long period of estrangement–sets up such an arresting trainwreck that viewers can’t look away. At the same time, and even in spite of mutual Betrayals (118), the pair’s loyalty runs bone-deep, with Jake risking his own neck and club to save Vince from past bad decisions. These multiple layers of complexity make for a compelling central relationship.

What’s making the show so addictive?
Suspense and tension. When Vince rolls back into town, on the run yet again from another deal gone bad, he’s suddenly faced with repaying a substantial debt to a dangerous loan shark who’s extremely eager to collect. With the loan shark’s enforcers threatening their livelihoods and loved ones (Near Death Experience, 115), the brothers must figure out how to get the money without getting anyone killed (High Stakes, 120; Under Threat, 114) or losing ownership of Jake’s top-tier restaurant. The series goes to some very bleak, pitch-black places (Dark Themes, 125) as it follows the pair’s chaotic decision-making, and it’s this overarching sense of stress and darkness that’s keeping viewers tuned in to see what happens next.

What could earn the show another season? 
The bookies. If Netflix and the showrunners change their minds about stopping at one season, there’s more juice to be squeezed from the unique and compelling Criminal Organization (135) that’s introduced in the show. Head boss Mancuso, his brutal henchmen, his keen-to-prove-himself son, and their wider criminal network are collectively Black Rabbit’s top driver for longevity, and the ins and outs of their sordid business offer plenty of opportunities for future storylines. Audiences will want to return for more of the same dark overtones and tense-filled emotions (Aggressiveness, 125; Contempt, 121; Disapproval, 113) that they ate up in season one.

—

Who’s been tuning in for this intense new drama? 
We’re seeing an audience that skews toward men (56%) and those 35+ (92% on linear HBO)–a not-atypical viewership profile for male-fronted gritty crime thrillers on HBO. Shows like We Own This City, The Penguin, and the first season of True Detective had a similar bent. The showrunner’s own Mare of Easttown, however, leaned much more toward women (57%), likely because of its strong female lead.

What’s the show’s main pull? 
Parallel group dynamics. Task follows both a crew of violent drug den robbers, led by optimistic everyman Robbie, and the cross-agency task force assigned to bring them down, headed by haunted FBI agent Tom. The complex interplay within the teams, heightened by the compellingly unique personalities on each (Team Dynamics, 129), make up the show’s #1 ratings driver, with both sides balancing out the yin to the other’s yang. At the same time, Task goes deeper, tracing the fractured Family Relationships (116) in Tom and Robbie’s home lives as neither man can protect his loved ones from the darkness he’s drawn into at work. This secondary focus makes the series somewhat unique, as the Team Dynamics driver in gritty crime is much more likely to be paired with themes based on the group mission (Ambition & Drive, Dangerous Mission) rather than the players’ families back home.

How important are the individual protagonists? 
They drive the show’s bingeability. In addition to fitting the team dynamics, both Robbie and Tom make for fascinating character studies in their own right, with audiences eager to see them counter traumatic backstories (Overcoming Adversity, 135), grapple with questions of fatherhood and family, and generally confront their darkness and pain (Struggling, 114). The cat-and-mouse game that unfolds between them, with Robbie and his crew trying to outwit Tom and his team of agents (Being Hunted, 124)–culminating in a final resolute showdown (Confrontation, 110)–is keeping viewers glued to their seats, waiting to see how and if each man subdues his own demons.

What type of story is Task telling?
A multi-faceted one. While most obviously a dark, grim Crime (131) Thriller (119), the series also weaves in elements across several other genres to construct a more complex whole. Tom and Robbie’s archetypal standoff (cop vs criminal, good vs evil) alludes to a typical Western (118) while going much deeper, as both sides are much grayer than the stereotypical black and white.  At the same time, while Task is no whodunnit, it preserves some elements of Mystery (117) as Tom’s task force must link Robbie’s law-abiding public identity to his after-hours criminality (Secret Identity, 111), and both Tom and Robbie’s home lives offer up fertile ground for emotional Drama (113).

—

Who’s been tuning in for this quirky new sitcom? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s 53% men and 69% aged 35+–a notably different viewer profile than other similar shows because of its streaming-only format. Previous workplace comedies like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Abbott Elementary, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and 30 Rock, all of which aired on the broadcast networks, have all tended to skew much more toward women (59-62%) and even more heavily to those 35+ (87-92%) thanks to built-in differences between the linear and streaming audiences.

What does The Paper carry over from The Office?  
Its set-up. Like its predecessor, The Paper relies on a clever mockumentary format to explore the offbeat Workplace Dynamics (145) and unusual Co-worker Relationships (145) in an office populated by a host of eccentric characters, and its humor relies on the cringe-worthy Awkward & Funny Moments (153) born from their interactions and direct-to-camera asides. These common elements are the series’ top viewership drivers overall and likewise played an important role in The Office’s success. Additionally, both shows share a common character, with exasperated accountant Oscar unhappily finding himself once again in front of the cameras after he moves away from Scranton.

What’s defining The Paper as its own thing? 
A New Beginning (125), both for the show and its titular newspaper. The first season of The Office was, more or less, a recreation of the original British series, and fans already knew what to expect in terms of characters, relationships, and general storylines. This connection (IP Extension, 124), as well as the anticipated themes of Workplace Romance (149) and Male Friendships (140) that were transposed from one set of characters to another, drove early interest, and even non-fans could see how these compelling dynamics would start to play out from the trailers. The Paper, however, is starting with more of a blank slate and viewers know a bit less about what to expect; consequently, its direct link to The Office is nowhere to be found among its top drivers, and the themes propelling its ratings are more generalized (“Co-worker Relationships” rather than the specificities of “Workplace Romance” or “Male Friendship”). Instead, this new series is mimicking its protagonists as they venture into the unknown and reconfigure their lives (Lifestyle Change, 123).

What about The Paper’s style of comedy?
It’s landing as more topical. Whereas both The Office and The Paper take the same humorous tone and feature branches of the same paper manufacturing conglomerate, the latter zooms in on a subgroup attempting to revive a small local newspaper and tracks mediocre paper salespeople striving to become decent amateur journalists. This semi-serious focus on legacy media and struggling reporters at a time when the legitimacy of the press and News Reports (125) are widely questioned may be helping The Paper to feel especially current and of-the-moment. Its witty Satirical Humor (140) and overall style of Parody (138) are driving its bingeability, whereas these particular flavors of comedy did not register at all for The Office’s first season.

—

Who’s been watching this exciting new series?
We’re seeing an audience that leans toward women (58%) and is mostly aged 35+ (84%)–an older and more female-skewing viewership than we often see for action-heavy spy thrillers on streaming services. Shows like The Night Agent, Jack Ryan, and the Citadel franchise tend to appeal more strongly to men and pull in a few more <35s than Butterfly. The latter’s deep exploration of a father-daughter relationship and its two strong female leads (one protagonist, one antagonist) may help account for its differing demographic profile.

Why have viewers been tuning in? 
For the amped-up excitement. Butterfly offers up plenty of gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, car chases, explosions, and other heart-pounding Action & Violence (139) as former agent David Jung is forced to tangle once again with the dangerous intelligence agency that betrayed him nine years prior. Determined to finally take them down (Dangerous Mission, 139), David must recruit his estranged daughter (Team Up, 111) and fight back against an army of ruthless operatives (Overcoming Adversity, 116) to achieve justice at long last. The fact that the show is set in South Korea and boasts a  diverse ensemble cast (Cultural Diversity, 127) adds to its draws and sets up another key ratings driver.

What’s making this first season so bingeworthy? 
The family drama. Butterfly examines the complex Father-Child Relationship (134) between David and the troubled daughter he left behind, and it’s this recognizably human story within the morally gray world of Espionage (118) that gives the show its beating heart. David and daughter Rebecca must work to overcome a Troubled Past (131) full of Trauma & Tragedy (111) in order to truly reconnect; at the same time, Rebecca’s talent as an assassin and loyalty to her father’s sworn Archenemy (111)–the manipulative head of the spy organization–infinitely complicates their reunion. Audiences are leaning forward to root for their touching connection and see how their relationship will ultimately unfold. In addition, these same themes that play into the show’s bingeability are also driving its longevity and will help propel the story forward if Butterfly is renewed for another season.

How does the show’s social buzz look? 
Very strong. Online activity rocketed to the top of our buzz meter (at 160) with the August 13 release of the full six-episode season and has consistently remained there in the three weeks since. Such a promising start suggests the show will have legs, as viewers post and tweet about the showstopping action, dangerous spy missions, and central father-daughter relationship.

What’s standing out about the show in South Korea? 
The spy genre. Set and filmed on location in Seoul and across the country, Butterfly provides an authentic look at the vibrancy and beauty of South Korea. However, while this setting stands out as a major ratings draw in the US, it’s unsurprisingly much less of a distinctive selling point in its home market (Cultural Diversity, KR 91). Instead, Korean audiences are expected to be pulled in by the show’s clever spycraft and Espionage (KR 120) trappings–much more so than the tense Action & Violence (KR 94) that’s the #1 driver for Americans.

—

Is the same Outlander audience watching this new spin-off? 
Definitely. For Blood of My Blood, we’re seeing a viewership that skews heavily toward women (64%) and those 35+ (96%)–a near exact match for the original Outlander (65% women / 91% aged 35+). This audience profile fits much more closely with other romance-forward dramas like Bridgerton, When Calls the Heart, and Virgin River than period-piece sagas like Game of Thrones, Vikings, The White Queen, or The Tudors, which tend to be more gender-balanced.

What is this new prequel carrying over from the original Outlander? 
An epic love story that crosses time. Blood of My Blood follows in its predecessor’s footsteps by transporting a disoriented English character from the mid-20th century into 18th-century Scotland through a formation of mystical standing stones (Time Travel, 129). Both shows then delve into the ins and outs of the complex Scottish clan dynamics of the period (Family Relationships, 129) while its lead characters fight against terrible odds to stay together (Falling in Love, 118). However, while Outlander tracks only one pair (Claire and Jamie), Blood of My Blood follows two–their parents: after producing Claire, a very-much-in-love married English couple must move heaven and earth to find each other again after passing through the stones, all while inadvertently helping Jamie’s Scottish parents to meet and fall in love for the first time. These basic bones of such a timeless story are top viewership drivers for both series.

What’s different from the original Outlander? 
The IP’s trappings are now table stakes. In addition to its core love story, Outlander’s popularity originally hinged on its fascinating depiction of a brutal era in Scottish history (British Culture, 121; Non-US Setting, 127) as well as its deliciously spicy (Sexual Activity, 114) adaptation of a blockbuster romance novel (Based on a Book, 114); all four of these key drivers were crucial to the show’s success, particularly its longevity. While these elements are equally present in Blood of My Blood, however, they no longer appear in the spin-off’s list of top drivers, suggesting pre-set viewer expectations. Fans already know the prequel will give them exactly what they want in terms of setting and sex, and so they’re no longer the draws they once were; audiences instead may be looking for Blood of My Blood to distinguish itself in a different way.

What’s helping to distinguish Blood of My Blood as its own show? 
Action and intensity. While Outlander’s first season offered up plenty of stressful violence to offset its sweet romance, the Scary Situations (130) in its prequel are more immediately prominent from the very first episode, driving both ratings and bingeability in a way they didn’t for the original series. Blood of My Blood opens on a period of warfare in two eras: the bombs and mustard gas of WWI and a bitter, bloody Rivalry (116) between Scottish clans in 1714. Larger scenes of Battle Action (121) as well as the everyday life-or-death dangers (Life in Danger, 121) inherent to the era–especially when one core couple comes from warring clans, Romeo and Juliet-style–is creating an especially tense emotional ride characterized by Vigilance (123), Anger (120), Terror (112), and Fear (111). The English couple’s desperate attempts to reunite in a strange land and era (A Missing Loved One, 117) add an original twist to the suspense as well; while Jamie’s Scottish family history is described in the Outlander novels, Claire’s parents’ story is new for the TV shows.

How is the new show’s social tracking? 
Stellar. Online activity for Blood of My Blood jumped to an “outstanding” level (peaking at 137) with its mid-July trailer drop, then rose again in the two weeks leading up to its early August premiere. The show ultimately maxed out our buzz meter (at 160) and now continues to hover near the top of the range. Outlander saw a parallel rise in chatter at the exact same time, likely spurred by fans comparing the established canon and characters of the original series to those in the new prequel.

—