Rapid Insights: Pam & Tommy

Rapid Insights: Pam & Tommy Spark Another Media Frenzy

Already earning major buzz in the media, Hulu’s scripted new limited series fleshes out the deeply personal story behind one of the 90s’ most notorious real-life celebrity sex scandals. Here’s what you need to know about Pam & Tommy:

How do Pam & Tommy viewers differ from those of other recent celebrity bio-dramas?
They’re younger and more male (53% male / 47% <30), thanks to the show’s sexual overtones. Audiences for similarly dramatized famous media scandals, such as American Crime Story (FX), A Very English Scandal, and Feud, instead tend to be more female and overwhelmingly aged 30+.

Have audiences been talking about the series premiere?
Yes. Social Buzz in the days leading up to release was very high (150), outstripping anticipation for the first seasons of similarly true stories American Crime Story, Feud, and A Very English Scandal.

How different is Pam & Tommy from other present-day dramas set in the 90s?
It pulls in a broader range of genres. Compared to similarly throwback series like American Crime Story, Pose, Clarice, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, and Selena: The Series, Pam & Tommy has fewer overly dramatic elements and instead dials up the Comedy (109) and Romance (112).

Do viewers need to be familiar with the real-life scandal before jumping in?
No. The fact that the series is Based on a True Story (101) is only a modest reason for audience engagement; instead, the intricacies of the core couple’s Romantic Relationship (112) are a much bigger draw.

What emotional experience best makes viewers want to binge Pam & Tommy?
The core couple’s outrage at their privacy being violated. Tommy’s Aggressiveness (125) and Pam’s Anger (125) at the leak of their private sex tape both contribute to the series’ bingeability and link to today’s current reckoning with the way 90s pop culture eviscerated celebrities.

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