In the late 1980s and 1990s, the garage rock scene that flourished in the 1960s saw a resurgence. A group of young people getting together to form a rock band and practicing in their parents' garage was a big thing. Pop music was also in the spotlight, and we witnessed the rise to fame of boy bands like the Backstreet Boys in the late 1990s and the Jonas Brothers in the mid-2000s. By the 2010s, the world witnessed the rise of a new wave of boy bands like One Direction and Big Time Rush, and with it came K-pop band craze, especially BTS.
As digital presence and social media took over teen lives, garage band culture began to fade, but the good news is that it's resurfacing, and the bands are quite iconic. True Blood now has 2.5 million followers on Instagram. Their fans adore them for their talent and also for the nostalgia they evoke. Amazon Prime's new series, The Runarounds, captures this recent resurgence of garage rock bands. Similar shows have been produced before, such as the American comedy "Big Time Rush," starring the real-life band members, which dealt with the struggles of a pop band. Almost ten years ago, we saw Sing Street, a more grounded story about a fifteen-year-old trying to start a band in South Dublin.
Stars: Axel Ellis, Jesse Golliher, William Lipton
The Runarounds is a fictional story performed by real musicians, and in case you didn't know already, they have a band called "The Runarounds"! The band formed in 2021 and also appeared in the TV series Outer Banks. The series is about Charlie Cooper and his friends, Neil, Pete, Tropher, Wyatt, and Bez, who formed a rock band immediately after graduating from high school. Charlie was an optimist convinced that if he and the boys just pushed themselves, they would achieve greatness. They only had one summer to prove to their friends and family that The Runarounds had a lot of potential and wasn't just a dream.
The positive public response filled them with hope, but they knew there were many bands struggling like them, and that the chances of making it in the mainstream music industry were slim. There were times when they wanted to give up, but the thrill of performing on stage always drove them on. They knew that if they didn't make it, they'd have no choice but to pursue safer career paths. Summer could make all their dreams come true, or simply be a chapter in their lives where they tried something they'd longed for, but it just didn't work out. In the eight one-hour episodes, the band overcame personal hardships and professional setbacks, and unfortunately, every good news always has a catch. The series is essentially about whether The Runarounds would manage to survive even after all the crises they faced.
The plot is predictable. A group of friends came together to form a band that started out pretty ordinary, but after a couple of changes, their music improved drastically. Of course, you'd expect setbacks in this kind of story, but since it's a lighthearted teen drama, you can already guess how it's going to end even before you start watching the series. The series incorporates almost all of the genre's typical subplots: a secret that nearly emotionally destroys the band's leader, a father coughing up blood, the parents of the band's most prominent male student kicking him out of the house for choosing his band over his career, the son of an addict searching for a place to belong, and the drummer being offered a spot in a famous rock band, having to choose between his friends and a life of guaranteed success.
The clichés worked to a certain extent, because the series ultimately feeds into nostalgia, but by the climax, it started to feel a bit overwhelming. After a long, heated up mood, the confrontations and final revelations didn't quite hit the mark. By the final episode, it felt like we were moving from one subplot to another because it was time to close the chapter. The narrative structure is simplistic and doesn't contribute much to the plot.
One thing is certain: the band, The Runarounds, will get the spotlight they deserve. The music is fun and lively, and honestly, that's the only reason you might want to watch all eight episodes. When they're on stage, they can be themselves, and that makes the whole journey even more believable. The band, as they should be, is the best part of the show. There are many performances, and you might end up listening to the songs over and over again.
Considering they're musicians with no acting experience (except for William Lipton, who plays Charlie Cooper, the frontman), their performances were decent. In some cases, the acting felt a bit over the top, but that can be overlooked. I don't like the character of Charlie Cooper. He's supposed to be a spontaneous dreamer, but honestly, he just seemed reckless and, to a degree, self-centered. He's not someone you want to root for, and the character is supposed to have some flaws. But luckily, Charlie faces the consequences of his actions, and he can be forgiven for being a little too passionate! Pete (Máximo Salas) and Charlie's little sister are the most entertaining characters in the series. Ruthie Bender (Marley Aliah), the documentary filmmaker and photographer, is a captivating character. She's a mix of fun, adventure, and emotion, and, most importantly, a reliable friend.
The Runarounds doesn't put a radical spin on the gang drama genre. It falls into clichés and is extremely predictable. The nostalgic touch suits the series wonderfully; it's always heartwarming to see a group of teenagers dream big. The idea was to produce a series that took into account the rise of garage bands in the United States, and Amazon Prime hit the mark with the premiere. Let's hope the series inspires more teenagers to take risks. The length is one of the show's biggest drawbacks; spending eight hours watching something so conventional seems like a waste of time. It's too long to recommend, even as a relaxing and comforting film after a tiring day.
I watched the show with my teenage daughter, and we both ended up feeling the same way you described here — it was predictable, cliché after cliché, and far too drawn out. I didn't make it past the Pilot, and my daughter made it half way through the season, but we too are just waiting for all the loose ends to get tied up, exactly like you said. I appreciate your honesty in pointing out the flaws instead of just praising the nostalgia (from someone who was in her 20s during the grunge era). As a 53-year-old mom who actually wanted to enjoy this with her teen, I can say your review nailed why the show just doesn’t work, and I don't think a second season is necessary.
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