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What will be the “show of the summer”?

By Jacob Zinkula

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Big Little Lies

Why It Will Win:

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The number one thing the show has going for it is its incredible cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and now the huge addition of Meryl Streep. No show on television has a cast that can match this in terms of star-power. Based on personal experience, HBO seems to be investing quite a bit in promotion for this season, which will only help build up the hype.

Why It Won’t:

On the one hand, the end of season one makes one want to see what will happen next. But on the other hand, I would have been satisfied if the entire show had ended there. If others agree with me, could this hurt anticipation for the show? Additionally, despite the great cast, the show felt a little under the radar last season. Will the viewership be there to win the summer competition?

Stranger Things

Why It Will Win:

Stranger Things is coming off a very solid two seasons and has a cast of talented young actors that viewers have fallen in love with. The Netflix platform will provide the show with a huge potential audience, and Netflix has invested a lot in terms of promoting this season.

Why It Won’t:

Season two was solid, but I’m not sure there’s more anticipation for season three than there was for the prior season. I can’t prove this is correct, but if it’s true, it would surely impact viewership. Additionally, the fact the season (like all Netflix TV shows) will be released all at once could limit the show’s popularity. It will probably receive a lot of attention the first week or so following the release, but will likely fade after that. In comparison, weekly shows like Handmaid’s, Big Little Lies, and Succession might have an advantage, as they will have the opportunity to grow in hype and popularity over the course of the whole summer.

Next. Game of Thrones: 5 characters that deserve spinoffs. dark

Verdict

I have no scientific way to judge what show will ultimately claim the “show of the summer” throne, but I’ll make my prediction anyway. I’m judging what TV show I think will have the largest cultural impact/hype over the course of the summer, and I think the answer is The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s built up a loyal following over the course of two seasons, will drive a lot of conversation with comparisons to the real world, and will receive attention the entire summer due to its weekly episode format. Hulu might not be as large a platform as Netflix, but its plenty big enough to drive Handmaid’s to victory.

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