Netflix's Unlikely New Hit Has a Tragic Backstory (and a 93% Audience Score)

Summary

• Loudermilk, a series recently added to Netflix, has gained instant popularity.
• The show was originally released on another platform, so it is unknown if Netflix will renew it.
• However, high ratings could help the creators get picked up to continue.

In January, Netflix's library was enriched with a new series that was an instant hit with viewers. Except that the show is not new at all, and three seasons were released before it landed on the streaming service.

We are talking about the comedy-drama Loudermilk, starring Ron Livingston. The show is accompanied by tragic circumstances, which we'll talk about below. But don't let that put you off, because it has an impressive 93% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

What Is the Show with Ron Livingston About?

Created by Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, Green Book) and Bobby Mort (Scorched Earth), Loudermilk is about the depressing experience of living in Seattle (that's where the fishy smell of the Westlake Center takes you). Okay, we're kidding, but the action of this dramedy does take place in Seattle.

At the center of the story is Ron Livingston's Sam Loudermilk. Sam was once a model family man and successful music critic, but alcoholism ruined his personal life and career. Now he's a substance abuse counselor and AA group leader that many people might not want to go to because Sam is a grumpy guy whose coping mechanism is to throw sarcasm at people. But no matter how venomous the remarks, they always hit home and become valuable advice.

A Tragic Backstory to a Slightly Less Tragic Series

The tragedy is that Netflix subscribers who rediscovered the series are in for a disappointment. The streaming service has no intention of continuing the story, at least not yet.

Loudermilk currently has three seasons, but theoretically the show could get a renewal. The only problem is that all three seasons of the series were produced under the auspices of pay TV channel Audience (owned by AT&T) until it shut down in 2020. The distribution rights were then acquired by Amazon Prime Video, which first aired the third season, and then transferred to Netflix.

However, the show still doesn't have a sponsoring network to greenlight Season 4. But the creators are not discouraged and hope it will happen someday.

'We want to do Season 4, Season 5, Season 6, Season 7,' the series co-creator Peter Farrelly told Deadline. 'I want to keep going because I know where it is going, where I want it to be in 6-7 years.'

The Show's Growing Popularity

As we mentioned, Loudermilk was added to Netflix in early January, and the series almost immediately shot to the top of the streaming service in terms of popularity. For example, during the week of January 15-21, Loudermilk ranked tenth on the list of most-watched English-language TV series, with a total of 1,700,000 views.

However, the series had gained popularity the week before, according to What's on Netflix, becoming one of the most-watched shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia already on January 8.

The overall audience score for all three seasons on Rotten Tomatoes is an impressive 93%. Many users noted that the series perfectly represents the experience of AA programs, addiction, relapse, and its consequences. However, while the show is sarcastic and incredibly snarky like the protagonist himself, the writing is quite witty and full of appropriate meta-humor.

All in all, after three seasons, the show may still be a work in progress. However, with its skyrocketing popularity, making it one of the most watched shows on Netflix, who knows, maybe they will decide to produce a fourth and maybe even a fifth, sixth and seventh season.

Source: Deadline.