By Sarah Osman

The Runarounds is loosely inspired by the rock band’s actual experiences, which may be why the show feels more realistic than similar musician-centric dramas.

A scene from The Runarounds. Amazon Prime

Back when season three of Outer Banks was being filmed, a casting call went out for musicians. Singers/guitarists Axel Ellis, William Lipton, and Jeremy Yun; drummer Zende Murdock; and bassist Jesse Golliher responded to the call. At the time, only two of the five musicians knew each other. But co-creator of Outer Banks Jonas Pate knew this group was special. And the group, now named The Runarounds, kept playing together. And that inspired Pate’s idea for his newest show.

The Runarounds is loosely inspired by the band’s actual experiences, which may be why the show feels more realistic than similar musician-centric dramas. The series opens as the band graduates high school; its members are stuck in that awkward summer before everyone goes to college, the army, or takes on a job in the workforce. Charlie (William Lipton) is supposed to go to college, but has decided he’d rather focus on his band. Neil (Axel Ellis), aka Buddha, breezes through life and spouts (supposed) bits of wisdom. Bez (Zende Murdock) is the band’s spunky drummer. Wyatt (Jesse Golliher) is a sensitive poet stuck at home with his abusive mother. Topher (Jeremy Yun) is torn between Princeton and his love for performing. And there’s Pete (Maximo Salas), a hot mess and the band’s pseudo-manager.

Many teen dramas suffer from a similar flaw. Unbelievable characters, especially the boys. The members of the Runarounds actually look and behave like high school students. They make terrible decisions, such as sneaking into bars. They’re terrible with women. There’s a sweetness to their friendship — such as when they celebrate after gigs at a 24-hour diner. Through it all, they confront the problems young adults actually do face: impossible parental expectations, identity crises, and romantic entanglements.

Also admirable: the girls who serve as the band’s love interests aren’t just relegated to the side. The most compelling is Charlie’s paramour, Sophia (Lilah Pate), a brainy poet who is dealing with her alcoholic father. Some critics see Pate as a nepo baby because her father is the creator of the show, but Lilah Pate justifies her casting. She vacillates, with ease, among complications: she’s the understanding girl next door, a rebel, and a resigned daughter.

The Runarounds is set and was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. Having lived in the place for three years, I was curious to see how the town would be portrayed. The real Wilmington and The Runarounds Wilmington are eerily similar. Pate captures life in a small beach hamlet whose primary industry is tourism. Wealthy characters have access to Wilmington’s good ol’ boy club, whereas everyone else works in restaurants. So, while I did get a thrill when I recognized a random cafe or street, I really appreciated Pate’s attention to the class divides in Wilmington. The town, while picturesque, is far more problematic than it seems, and Pate acknowledges this.

Unlike other series that follow a band, the music in The Runarounds is solid. Since the actors are actual musicians rather than actors (who had a boot camp course in rocking out), the songs in The Runarounds sound like pop punk. Why so much of it is cover tunes from 2005 or so is a mystery — the Runarounds’ original music isn’t bad. But I digress.

The series has its weaknesses; it still contains elements of cheesy teen drama, and the relationships between the adults are far less interesting than those between the teens. The show would have benefited from giving up on the adults and focusing more on the band. It’s also not as dramatic or mystery-filled as Outer Banks; fans of the treasure-driven drama may find The Runarounds to be a little lackluster. But, given that the TV genre of teenage bands is so tricky to pull off, The Runarounds deserves an encore.

Sarah Mina Osman is based in Los Angeles. In addition to The Arts Fuse, her writing can be found in The Huffington Post, Success Magazine, Matador Network, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, and WatchMojo. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is working on her first novel. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Instagram @SarahMinaOsman and at Bluesky @sarahminaosman.bsky.social.