The Runarounds: A Band, A Dream, and a TV Show

What does it mean to risk your youth chasing a dream that might never pay off? That’s the central heartbeat of The Runarounds, the new television series from creator, showrunner, and director Jonas Pate. Drawing on his own experiences watching local bands in Wilmington, Pate has created a story that’s equal parts coming-of-age tale, love letter to music, and exploration of the highs and lows of chasing success.

In a recent conversation with us, Pate and the band turned cast Will Lipton, Zende Murdoch, Axel Ellis, Jesse Golaher, and Jeremy Yun opened up about the show, their characters, and the remarkable overlap between their real lives and the fiction on screen.

For Pate, The Runarounds began with a simple but profound question: why would anyone gamble their youth on a band when the odds of “making it” are so slim? His answer: because you love it so much you don’t care about the outcome. That same spirit drives the cast, who are not only actors but also real-life musicians. Their lived experiences writing songs together, performing, and even struggling through setbacks echo in the show’s storylines.

As Will Lipton described it, playing Charlie was both a privilege and a mirror: “He’s a pathological optimist,” Lipton said, laughing, “and in a lot of ways, so am I.”

These arcs are fueled by authenticity. Much of the writing drew directly from conversations Pate had with the band, infusing the characters with glimpses of the actors’ own lives.

Unlike many shows, the music in The Runarounds wasn’t pre-recorded. Every performance was played live on set. “We wanted it to feel as real and authentic as we could make it,” Pate explained. That decision, while unconventional, pays off. Whether the band is performing covers at a high school party or debuting originals at a club, each show feels raw, alive, and distinct.

The songwriting process also played out on screen. Often, the band had already written a full song, then had to “reverse-engineer” how they came up with it for filming. The result gives viewers a genuine sense of how collaborative, and magical creating music can be.

The Runarounds weren’t just cast as a band, they became one long before cameras rolled. Originally brought together through the Outer Banks casting process, they spent years writing, rehearsing, and performing together. That time forged not only chemistry but also a sound that grounds the show. “It was such a massive advantage,” the group reflected, “because by the time we started filming, we already felt like a real band.”

At its heart, The Runarounds isn’t just about music, it’s about friendship. As Pate summed it up: “It’s never a straight line. For every step forward, there are setbacks. But you keep going…together.”

And that’s what makes The Runarounds resonate. It’s not just a show about chasing a dream. It’s a show about chasing it with your best friends, knowing the outcome is uncertain but the journey is everything.

Watch the full conversation below:

Q&A on the Prime Video series The Runarounds with creator/showrunner/director Jonas Pate and actors/musicians/band members William Lipton, Zendé Murdock, Axel Ellis, Jesse Golliher and Jeremy Yun. Moderated by Mara Webster,

In Creative Company. A high school band graduates and attempts to achieve fame and success in the music industry.