When watching Prime Video’s new coming-of-age series The Runarounds, I found myself digging into the making of the series. What I learned was fascinating. The series was created by Jonas Pate, the visionary behind Netflix’s hit Outer Banks, and produced with his brother Josh Pate. The series takes a bold approach to the classic TV band formula. Instead of doing the usual “cast actors, teach them to play instruments” thing, the Pates flipped the script by casting real teenage musicians first, then building characters around their personalities and talents.

The project began with a social media casting call, boosted by Outer Banks stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline, that drew over 5,000 submissions. From that massive pool, five young adult musicians, William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock, and Jesse Golliher, were chosen to form The Runarounds. The band performed on Outer Banks, and even performed LIVE shows together before filming the series. So, they’re not just acting as a band; they are one.

This immediately reminded me of one of my favorite bands growing up: The Monkees. What began as a scripted TV experiment became one of the biggest musical acts of its time. Originally conceived in the 1960s as a television project about a fictional rock group that quickly evolved into a genuine cultural juggernaut. With chart-toppers like I’m a Believer and Daydream Believer, The Monkees blurred the line between TV and music, showing the world that a band born on-screen could thrive off it, too.

So could The Runarounds be the spark that creates the next real-life pop culture phenomenon?

TOPHER (Jeremy Yun), CHARLIE (William Lipton), NEIL (Axel Ellis)

Where The Runarounds stands apart is in its storytelling approach. The show follows a group of high school graduates in Wilmington, North Carolina, who come together to form a band and chase stardom during one unforgettable summer. Also, unlike The Monkees, the cast plays characters with their own names and storylines; it’s not them playing “themselves.” The Runarounds cast plays dramatized characters with different names and story arcs. 

Fast forward to the early 2000s, and another TV experiment made waves: Making the Band. The reality series created O-Town, a boy band that went on to achieve platinum success with their debut album and the hit single All or Nothing. While their story was very different from The Monkees ‘ and The Runarounds’, O-Town’s success proved once again that TV could be a powerful launchpad for a real band with staying power.

So, what will it take for The Runarounds to make mainstream success?

More than just a catchy theme song, that’s for sure. To succeed beyond the show, The Runarounds must establish credibility as musicians, not just actors. That means performing live, releasing original tracks that resonate with fans, and cultivating a loyal following that extends beyond Prime Video’s audience. The cast’s chemistry and authenticity will be critical, as fans today crave genuine artistry and connection.

While the series taps into the carefree nostalgia of music festivals, DIY concerts, and the thrill of youth, it also raises an exciting question: could The Runarounds follow in the footsteps of The Monkees, turning from a TV-created band into a chart-topping success, and backing it up by taking their music on the road with a real-life tour?

If they succeed, The Runarounds could be more than a TV series. It could launch a new wave of TV-to-band crossovers for the streaming era. Just as The Monkees defined the 1960s and O-Town defined a slice of the early 2000s, The Runarounds has the potential to capture the voice of a generation. With the right mix of storytelling, talent, and music, they may just prove that lightning can strike three times.

Prime Video’s The Runarounds Brings Back the Carefree Vibe of Millennial Summers