Beyond ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Outer Banks’: How Netflix is looking to be the new CW for Gen Z
LOS ANGELES — On a chilly February afternoon in Huntington Beach, throngs of young fans of the popular Netflix show “Outer Banks” gathered for a strange beast of an event — equal parts high school beach party, trendy music festival and promotional meet-and-greet with the series stars.
Attendees carried their Diet Cokes and branded coconuts across the venue, passing by a giant inflatable chicken and a performance stage — emblazoned with the streaming giant’s red logo — where artists including indie-rockers alt-J and pop-soul crooner Khalid were set to perform.
Ella Coleman, 16, was one of the thousands of guests at the “Poguelandia” fest, so named in reference to the Pogues, the show’s working-class crew of protagonists. Coleman came down from Thousand Oaks for the chance to meet the cast of her favorite show, which follows a group of teens hunting for treasure along the eponymous North Carolina coastline.
“[What] I like about the show is the action, and how it’s a mystery, and each time there’s something
