If you enjoyed shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty, Outer Banks, or Daisy Jones & the Six, there’s a new show that’s perfect for you! The Runarounds, on Prime Video which shares a director with the hit show Outer Banks, is coming up as the perfect new watch.
Jonas Pate, the director, describes the show as a “coming-of-age tale about a tight-knit group of teens navigating their dreams alongside their complicated families and budding romances in a small-ish town,” in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. It follows Charlie and his band, which happens to be his band in real life as well. It includes themes of drama and romance, and the music is incredible. The featured soundtrack has received praise from various generations of watchers, having gained inspiration from bands like U2 and the movie Almost Famous.
Crowley, a senior at Torrey Pines High School, exclaims about how much she enjoyed watching the show. “I found out about the show through social media and all of the ads they put out,” says Jamie. “I think that because the Runarounds are an actual band that their fan base will carry the show further than others.”
Despite the many praises, there has also been some controversy surrounding this new show. In an article from Variety, the series is labeled as a “complete waste of time,” diving into the fact that Lilah Pate, who plays the main love interest, is the creator’s daughter. “I think it’s an interesting choice but not necessarily a bad one,” adds Jamie, when asked about Lilah Pate being the director’s daughter. “She played the character well but it makes me wonder if someone could’ve played it better.
Another point of criticism was that the band featured in the show are playing versions of themselves. They are all full time musicians, not actors. “A feature-length documentary about the musicians’ actual lives might have been interesting and more authentic,” adds Variety.
The Hollywood reporter shares that the TV series is planning to continue with 4 more seasons. However, Prime Video has a history of cancelling wildly successful TV shows that are young adult based. One example is their past hit, The Motorheads, which, despite remaining in Amazon’s top 10 for around 3 months and received good ratings, was cancelled after just 1 season.
The Runarounds just announced their 2025 tour, with shows in San Diego and Los Angeles. With the close proximity and prominence of the band, the show is definitely worth a watch!
