With Prime Video ordering the new series titled The Runarounds comes the palpable idea of a serious music-natured teen drama hit.
Produced by Skydance Television and created by Jonas Pate, co-create of Outer Banks, with a teleplay from Fringe’s David Wilcox, The Runarounds is a fictional young adult drama inspired by the real-life band with the same name.
The show will follow a close group of friends who come together from different aspects of life to form a rock band after graduating high school, and we are here to tell you why The Roundarounds has the potential to be worth watching!
The Runarounds Cast
The cast will be made up of real-life band members William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock, and Jesse Golliher, along with Lilah Pate and Kelley Pereira.
This cast has some serious potential. William Lipton was a General Hospital fan favorite, and the change of scenery only means a different side of him will flourish before our eyes.
Lilah Pate, daughter of Jonas Pate, has made several appearances in Outer Banks, and no one can deny the impact that show has had on teen-drama lovers.
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Her OBX stint, relation to multiple masterminds behind it, and the fact she literally lives in Wilmington, NC, where the show will be filmed, means she understands the aesthetics and personalities that can make for an Outer Banks-type phenomenon.
As for the rest of the group, the fact that they had never performed together before auditioning in front of Pate for his OBX casting call and were then chosen for the part really speaks volumes about just the type of aura and draw they must exude.
The band can be seen performing in Outer Banks Season 3 Episode 7 at Mike and Anna’s anniversary party, where they are heard throughout the scene with covers of Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” and Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real’s “Find Yourself.”
After some Instagram stalking of the band’s account, it can be seen that their natural vibe is one that Pate will not only be able to work well with but, without a doubt, can amplify to create a genuine show that will be relatable yet inspirational.
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Although Jeremy Yun is on private and Zendé Murdock only has two posts, it is evident from Axel Ellis, Jesse Golliher, and William Liptons’ profiles that the bunch are adventurous, artsy, and almost tailor-made for a show of this nature.
This is key, as the same can be felt from the Outer Banks cast. Without that authenticity, there is a trying-too-hard effect that tends to be a serious turn-off. Even if the majority of them have never acted before, it adds a deeper level to a show when the characters are truly being themselves.
Outer Banks And The Runarounds Share Creators
Now, this is not an Outer Banks spin-off, but the connections can’t be ignored.
Jason Pate is not the only OBX creator who will be working on the eight-episode series. Co-creators Josh Pate and Shannon Burke will also be joining in on the band’s courageous journey to making it big.
“I am thrilled to reunite with Jonas, David, Josh, and Shannon on a show that is so personal to them and so brimming with heart and soul. We are grateful to Amazon for their partnership, and we can’t wait for the world to meet The Runarounds,” said Matt Thunell, Skydance Television president.
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Just that quote alone should generate anticipation for a show with no release window yet to air. Anything with true heart and soul that is also personal to the creators and writers is sure to be incredibly captivating.
The fact that Pate can tie the theme of treasure hunting and teen drama together means whatever thrills and tensions he decides to create for The Runarounds will undoubtedly be authentic, unique, and enthralling.
The Runarounds Location
Jonas Pate is originally from Raeford, NC, but spent summers on the barrier islands near Charleston with his mom.
The mix of the two environments is what helped create the small-town haves and have-nots dual that draws us to OBX, specifically the real-world environment that Pate claims Kiawah and James Island embody.
The filming locations for the two shows are extremely similar, and no one can deny that a sun-soaked barrier island backdrop is extremely sublime.
While Outer Banks was originally supposed to be filmed in Wilmington, NC, they decided to relocate to areas around Charleston, SC.
The Runarounds will actually be filmed in Wilmington, NC, and because of that, it is exciting enough for those of us who haven’t been to OBX to know we will get a taste.
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Even if the two places aren’t visually identical, the lifestyle and overall aura are captured well by OBX creators, and it’s not just the scenery that brings in the fans; it is also the adventurous, daring, outdoorsy feel that is so enjoyable to watch.
The teenage freedom depicted by OBX is one of a dream, and as someone who grew up on a barrier island in Florida, I can attest that the lifestyle of living on a Southern Atlantic barrier island was, for the most part, accurately depicted.
Maybe it’s a different state, and Florida gets picked on, but watching the show brought on some serious nostalgia.
That nostalgia comes straight from Pate’s brain, and there is no doubt that the same liberating way of life is hinted at being a part of The Runarounds. I mean, just the title alone screams brazenness.
Successful Music-Drama Series
Prime Videos most recent music-drama miniseries, Daisy Jones & The Six, was a big success. It earned multiple nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
The series follows a fictional band, partly inspired by Fleetwood Mac, set in the LA music scene of the 70s.
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Based on the novel of the same name by Taylor Jenkins Reid, it depicts the highs and lows of the rock band in a documentary style with interviews from band members and footage of concerts and recording sessions.
The show was highly praised for its cast and music. It felt real, the performances were real, and the emotions were well captured.
Now, if Amazon can create this with people who were not actually in a band, then just imagine what will be on screen from true musicians who have toured together.
If this series is any indication of even a smidgen of what is to come from The Runarounds, then the music will be stuck in our heads, and the vulnerable trials and tribulations created by both Pates, Wilcox, and Burke will be even more intense.
Maybe it’s our want for what we don’t have, love for music, the perception of being a famous musician in a rock band, or the lifestyle, that draws people into shows of this nature.
Whatever it is, whatever that common thread that OBX and Daisy Jones & The Six have, it’s hard to deny the fact there’s a certain kind of magic that both music-centered series and beachy adventurous dramas manifest.
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That is not the only example of a successful music-drama. Both Empire and Nashville did extremely well. Empire has an average score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes for all of its five seasons, and Nashville has a 91% for its six seasons.
Not many other details have been released about the new show. A pilot was filmed, but it is still in its infancy.
But dipping its toes in the music-based drama waters with an Outer Banks-adjacent series is a good move for Amazon Studios and Prime Video. We’re excited to see where it leads.
As we receive more information, we promise to pass it along!
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Eve Pierpont is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow her on X.
