Rapid Insights: ‘Paradise’, ‘Zero Day’, ‘The Diplomat’, and ‘The Residence’ Reimagine Presidential Fiction

Do these shows appeal to the same audience? 
Not at all. While all four series delve into the presidential, their unique takes on the office and its trappings lean into different viewership profiles. Comedic murder mystery The Residence appeals most strongly to women (57%), thrillers Zero Day and The Diplomat skew heavily toward men (61% and 58%, respectively), and sci-fi drama-thriller Paradise is roughly gender-balanced (53% men / 47% women). All of these shows do, however, land in the same age range, largely pulling in adults 30+ (75-80%).

How important are their ties to politics? 
They’re keeping viewers watching. All four series portray fictional worlds with fictional presidents, and none explicitly dips into the flashpoints of today’s highly-charged arena or obviously mimics any specific politicians. They largely take an escapist approach to real-life politics, whether leveraging them for inspiration as to what might happen (The Diplomat, Zero Day) or ignoring them completely (The Residence). Nevertheless, audiences are finding their portrayals of White House machinations irresistible as a potential glimpse behind the real-life scenes, and their common themes of Political Life, Political Manipulation, and Power Struggles are top drivers of bingeability. The politics of these series are keeping viewers glued to their seats–even if they’re not what’s initially pulling in audiences.

What draws viewers to these types of series?
Dangerous Missions (125) and High Stakes (121). The White House offers a uniquely heightened setting for thrilling suspense, and all four of these shows leverage it to the utmost–even when cutting it with comedy. Tense thrillers Zero Day, which stars Robert De Niro as a former president investigating a deadly cyberterrorism attack; Paradise, which tracks Sterling K. Brown as a Secret Service agent investigating the president’s murder; and The Diplomat, which follows Keri Russell as an ambassador defusing international crises on behalf of the US government, all lean into a number of hardhitting drivers that ramp up the tension: Under Threat (160), Emotional Roller Coaster (145), Police Action (144), Life in Danger (144), Scary Situations (129), Tough Decisions (128). Even the humorous The Residence, in which eccentric detective Uzo Aduba investigates a murder at a state dinner, still leans into the more serious aspects of its plot for ratings: Dark Secrets (122), Murder Mystery (121), Emotions Running High (118). But while these shows’ absorbing escapism is ultimately their main attraction, their political topicality surely helps them cut through the noise.

Is there a strong opportunity for social buzz with this topic? 
Most definitely. The recent release of all four series–season two for The Diplomat, season one for the others–generated strong online activity, and every one immediately rocketed to the top of our social buzz meter (to 160). Zero Day, Paradise, and The Diplomat remained at the top for at least three solid weeks–Paradise lasted two full months–while The Residence, released just over two weeks ago, is still going strong. Their powerful convergence of topicality and escapism may be keeping these shows so top-of-mind.

Do US political themes appeal internationally? 
Sometimes. Other English-speaking markets (the UK, Australia, New Zealand) appear to have a greater potential interest in these types of shows than elsewhere, with Zero Day and Paradise gaining a bit of “promising” traction there thanks to themes of Political Manipulation. The Residence, on the other hand, stands out globally for its “outstanding”-level storyline exploring Political Life in a US Federal Agency, but The Diplomat’s American-centric drivers look comparatively soft everywhere outside the US.