Millennials research

Definition

'Millennials' (also known as generation Y) are the generation following generation X, and are born roughly between the early 1980s and early 2000s.

General characteristics/stereotypes

• Increased use of the media and technology.
• A more liberal social and political mindset: more left-wing, more tolerant of LGBT+, ethnic minorities, etc., anti-Brexit, pro-Bernie Sanders.
  
• Increased narcissism.
• More willing to vote.
• In favour of legalising marijuana (and other drugs).
• More politically correct.
• "Special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving" - William Strauss and Neil Howe.
• Less religious.

Media/TV consumption

• Females tend to be fans of comedy TV shows, particularly those centred around millennials (e.g. Pretty little liars, Jane the Virgin, Gilmore girls.
• Males tend to be fans of a mixture of comedy (e.g. Bojack Horseman, Silicon Valley, American dad) and conceptual drama (e.g. Game of Thrones, Westworld).
• Tends to be on streaming services more often than networks (including ITV and Channel 5).
• 41% of millennials watch reality TV.
• "Millennials also felt like they watched less Sports, Drama, and, notably, News - 38% of the general population reported watching the news, dropping to 30% amongst Millennials. Their responses indicate that they are generally more interested in soaps and comedy." - https://www.askattest.com/blog/home/millenial-media-habits

My thoughts

Although none of the information I read explicitly mentioned the crime TV genre, I am slightly surprised that millennials don't appear to be huge fans of crime overall. I think that if I choose to make a crime show (which I probably will) I will need to find a way to appeal to the younger audience. Most crime dramas feature detectives who are aged 30+, so perhaps featuring a younger detective could give a twist to the genre (which would also be a USP for the show). Another way to attract a younger audience would be to discuss relevant issues or promote liberal values which I mentioned in my research, although this may not be as effective. A crime hybrid could be an option, for example how Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy-crime show and Doctor Who, The X-Files and Life on Mars are sci-fi-crime.

I was also surprised that one piece of research found that millennials were interested in soaps, as most of the soaps which I researched and have seen seemed clearly aimed at an older audience - I'm guessing that they're referring to non-British soaps like Neighbours and Home and Away. I still don't think a soap would be the best idea in terms of what I will be making, though, as I wouldn't be able to show much creative flare through my use of micro-elements whilst maintaining authenticity to the genre.