In the midst of teen dramas like “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Prime Video dropped season one of the new show “The Runarounds.”
The show follows Charlie Cooper, played by William Lipton, a recent high-school graduate who wants more than anything to make a successful band before his friends part ways in the fall. His bandmates, played by Axel Ellis, Jesse Golliher, Zendé Murdock, Jeremy Yun, Maximo Salas and Marley Aliah join him on the journey, and Lilah Pate plays Sophia Kinney, Charlie’s love interest.
The series starts with Charlie narrating and introducing the band, quickly showing us he’s the member most invested in its success. What follows is a summer packed with rehearsals and small gigs. Several mistakes are made, as expected from a bunch of teenagers with a thirst for rebellion, big dreams and no thoughts of consequences.
One of the best things about “The Runarounds” is the music. A show about a band lives or dies by its soundtrack, and luckily, the songs are catchy enough to stick in your head. With a show like this, you want viewers to be humming or singing the songs even when they’re done watching. The show’s cast is no doubt talented in terms of playing instruments, which is remarkable since that’s not always easy to master, and the singing is similarly very well done.
However, the show leans too hard into common young-adult tropes. Troubled parents are everywhere. One character has a mother struggling with drug addiction, and another has a father with an alcohol use disorder. This isn’t to say these subjects aren’t familial experiences for many teenagers and young adults, but to me, the story lines felt like they controlled more of the plot than necessary. There’s also an inappropriate relationship between one of the bandmates with an older woman. Technically, the character’s an adult, but the fact you have to say “technically” is still a problem.
The biggest issue is Charlie himself. He crosses the line from flawed into unlikable for me. He’s selfish and often inconsiderate, making decisions that put both his family and band at risk. Then, he tries to spin those decisions into positives. People forgive him too easily, and he doesn’t take responsibility for any of his actions. He doesn’t seem to learn from his mistakes and it’s difficult to root for him when he’s supposed to be the one holding everyone together.
Other aspects of the show are confusing. The stylistic choices are puzzling; there’s heavy use of red lighting, which gives scenes an unnecessarily dark look. On top of that, the show mixes a vintage aesthetic with a modern setting, and it’s not clear why. Each character gets a subplot, which is fine, but they all get shelved and resolved pretty quickly. The band storyline takes over everything, as it’s all-consuming for Charlie, but it ignores other life factors that also seem relevant. Making the show entirely about the band would make much more sense if they were older musicians. Watching such young characters throw away everything else in their lives for one summer of music feels a little forced.
Still, “The Runarounds” has its charms. Overall, the show is fun. The music works well, and the story is entertaining and engaging enough. The first season is available on Prime Video to binge-watch, but it’s worth noting each episode has an hour-long runtime. It’s an entertaining ride, but don’t be surprised if the main character tests your patience along the way.
